FantasyFootball

Another fantasy football season is on the horizon, as there’s now less than two weeks to draft before the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos kick things off with a Super Bowl rematch Sept. 8.

There is no shortage of keys to winning a fantasy championship, and one of the most important—luck—is completely out of an owner’s control. That doesn’t mean intense preparation doesn’t provide a fantasy player with a distinct advantage going into the draft, though.

So let’s check out how the opening round could play out in a 12-team league. That’s followed by a look at some potential team names and a trio of sleepers worth targeting. All information concerning average draft position is courtesy of ESPN.com.

1st-Round Mock Draft

Options for Team Names

Sleepers to Target

Reggie Bush (RB—Buffalo Bills)

The Buffalo Bills didn’t sign Reggie Bush until early August, as they looked to fortify their backfield because of a series of question marks behind LeSean McCoy. Although Bush joined the squad late, don’t be surprised if he ends up carving out an important role in Buffalo.

McCoy missed four games last season while dealing with a variety of nagging ailments and has already dealt with an ankle injury during offseason work. Beyond that, the team features uninspiring or unproven options like Mike Gillislee and Jonathan Williams.

Meanwhile, Bush showed up to Bills camp with an impressive amount of burst in his legs after his 2015 campaign came to an early end because of an MCL tear. John Wawrow of the Associated Press commented on Bush’s strong showings throughout the practice schedule:

It makes Bush, who’s currently being drafted just inside the top 70 at the position, a sneaky option as a late-round target. He could end up receiving several starts during the course of the season and should have a steady role even when operating as a reserve.

Jermaine Kearse (WR—Seattle Seahawks)

Jermaine Kearse‘s 2015 season mirrored that of quarterback Russell Wilson. They both got off to sluggish starts but finished strong. Now the question is whether the team’s No. 2 wideout is capable of carrying over that success at the start of the new campaign.

The 26-year-old veteran tallied at least seven catches or one touchdown in five of his last six games last season. The solid stretch allowed him to crack the top 50 among receivers, which seemed like a long shot after he failed to record a double-digit scoring outing until Week 12.

The Seattle Seahawks receiving group doesn’t get much recognition because the team in recent years has been based on a powerful ground game and a dominant defense. Eric Mandel of MyNorthwest.com passed along comments Kearse made to 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton about that lack of attention:

For our group, it’s just about going out there continuously and putting stuff on film and just make plays. We always get the talk of being average and pedestrian but we just continue to focus on the task at hand, making plays for our team and winning football games. If we continue to do that, things will continue to show for themselves.

Now the Seattle wideouts could be thrust into the spotlight as Wilson takes on a greater passing burden. The result for Kearse, who barely cracks the top 80 fantasy WRs selected, should be a season that easily outperforms his draft position.

Richard Rodgers (TE—Green Bay Packers)

Richard Rodgers isn’t getting many looks in fantasy circles this season because the Green Bay Packers added Jared Cook during the offseason. But it’s important to remember that the Cal product is coming off a solid year that included 58 catches and eight touchdowns.

Meanwhile, few players have received more fantasy hype than Cook since he was drafted out of South Carolina in 2009. He’s never come close to reaching expectations—his best year is 51 grabs and five TDs—and he’s now 29 years old.

So it’s hard to imagine Cook stepping right into a prominent role with the Packers and leaving last year’s starters to pick up the scraps. In addition, Rodgers has looked more agile during the preseason, as Zachary Jacobson of Cheesehead TV pointed out:

Rodgers won’t emerge as a top-tier tight end because the Packers have several other weapons. He should be a more valuable fantasy player than Cook, though. And he’ll also provide a lot of bang for the buck since he’s outside the top 25 in ADP at the position.

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Fantasy Football

Opinion

The NFL season kicks off in less than two weeks, so it’s crunch time for fantasy football drafts.

There are countless lists and strategies out there for you to pour over before you’re on the clock, so let’s keep things simple with this one.

Here’s a breakdown of a first-round mock draft for a 12-team, standard-format league, followed by three simple strategies to follow in regard to how you draft at some difficult positions in the later rounds. Everyone wants to look smart and find the steal of the draft, but if you remain patient with these strategies, you’ll find yourself benefiting from others’ mistakes.

Strategy for Later Rounds

Finding a Quarterback

Don’t be the owner in your draft room who reaches for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton or Green Bay Packers signal-caller Aaron Rodgers. Someone will do it, and you can sit back and enjoy the benefits of the other top players falling down the board.

Sure, it would be nice to have one of the top quarterbacks leading your team, but there will be better value in the middle rounds of the draft.

ESPN.com’s fantasy rankings place only three quarterbacks in the top 50, and two of them come in just under the mark at Nos. 49 and 50. But eight quarterbacks are grouped tightly together between Nos. 61 and 90.

There is little separating the quarterbacks in the second tier from Newton and Rodgers at the top, so you should feel confident while stacking value at other positions and snagging a quarterback later in your draft. 

Targeting a Tight End

Unlike the quarterback position, there is an obvious tight end target at the top of the draft.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is one of the premier fantasy players, regardless of position, and will give you a significant advantage in an area that will be a position of weakness for some teams in your league.

However, Gronkowski hasn’t played 16 games in a season since 2011. If you don’t want to mess around with his injury history, that’s understandable. There will still be solid options later in the draft. 

If you pass on Gronk, don’t wait too long before snatching a tight end. It might not feel like great value to land a guy such as New Orleans Saints tight end Coby Fleener in the sixth round, but it’s probably better than getting stuck with the bottom tier of tight ends. 

When to Go for a Defense

There will probably be a run on defenses at some point in the middle rounds of the draft. 

The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and Panthers have set themselves apart at this position. Depending on when the run happens, it might be a good idea to grab one of the elite units. 

Don’t be the owner who drafts a defense in the fourth round, but if one of the Big Four is still on the board in the eighth round, it’s probably time to snatch it up.

If you miss out on that group, you might as well wait it out. There are 15 defenses coming off the board within the top 150 picks in ESPN.com drafts, so one worth owning will be around late. 

If you end up drafting a defense late, it’s worth taking a look at its schedule. Sometimes, you can strategically pick a mediocre defense with an easy early-season slate and then do the same late in the season with a waiver-wire pickup.

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Opinion

Meaningful football is still over a week away. The third preseason game is supposed to be the closest thing we get to that, but coaches use it in various ways. If that means resting some of their best players, like the Raiders did with Latavius Murray and the Jets did Brandon Marshall, then I’m all for it. 

Teams are narrowing their focus to cut down their rosters, so I’ll be doing the same in my game reviews. Instead of looking at each on a game-by-game basis, I’ve broken down my analysis by position by highlighting the players with the most fantasy impact. For each player, I made a notation to indicate if his fantasy value is going in the right or wrong direction heading into the season. 

For instance, you’ll get my thoughts on the preseason debuts of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Ameer Abdullah and quarterback Joe Flacco. Elliott’s performance was important enough on its own as his debut on an NFL field, but it might give fans and fantasy players a little more confidence knowing the Cowboys will be without Tony Romo for a long time. 

As part of this final notebook, I’ll also provide one last tip of the week that I followed in a recent industry draft. Hopefully, it provides proper insight on how to draft with your head on a swivel.        

Game Reviews

I’ve broken these down by position with my current positional rank for each and an indication to which direction the player is moving in terms of maximum fantasy value. Also, while the reviews have some focus on the third week of the preseason, this is more of a review of each player’s entire preseason performance.

Quarterbacks 

2. Andrew Luck, IND (wrong direction)

If you only look at the numbers, Luck’s had a strong preseason that appears to put last season’s train wreck in the rearview mirror. After sitting out the opener, Luck has completed 21-of-26 attempts (80.8 percent) for 205 yards (7.9 yards per completion) without a touchdown or turnover in his two preseason games.

Watching Luck in action is a different story, mostly because Indianapolis’ offensive line is a major issue. Already a work-in-progress, the Colts allowed Luck to get sacked three times by the Eagles on Saturday night and lost left guard Jack Mewhort for 2-4 weeks to a knee injury, according to owner Jim Irsay.

It looks like the Colts will be smart enough to work around their protection issues by using more three-wide receiver sets and quicker passes, although that could mean more blocking for tight end Dwayne Allen. I’m concerned enough about Luck’s well-being behind that shaky line to consider moving him down a spot in my next big board. 

13. Joe Flacco, BAL (right direction)

Flacco’s return to the field in the third preseason game wasn’t about statistics. It was about him looking comfortable, taking hits, staying strong in the pocket and erasing any concerns about his knee injury holding him back. He achieved all of that, and that’s all that matters. Although he’s known for his big arm, just about all of Flacco’s throws were in the short and intermediate area, and he made more than a few good ones into some tight windows.

27. Dak Prescott, DAL (right direction)

Prescott’s performance in the preseason has been surprisingly good, and that’s become much more important following the injury to Tony Romo. Romo attempted just one pass before checking out for the day and giving way to Prescott. Almost all of Prescott’s 17 completions (23 attempts) were in the short and intermediate area, which is what you’d expect, although he did take some inaccurate shots down the field. Because he possesses athleticism that Romo doesn’t, Prescott did run some read option with success (2 carries, 12 yards), and the Cowboys should integrate more of that into their offense since they know he’ll be starting for a while.

I don’t expect Prescott to have much of an impact on Ezekiel Elliott’s fantasy value, but the Cowboys could rely on the ground game even more to slow things down. That could take away from Dez Bryant’s targets, so his fantasy stock takes a hit.

Running Backs 

3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (right direction)

Our first look at Elliott in game action was a great display of everything he’s capable of—other than pass catching (0 targets). Elliott ran inside with power, outside with speed, beat defenders and picked up extra yards after contact. While it doesn’t show up in his fantasy stats, Elliott proved he’s a willing and strong blocker in his pass protection. That’s a facet of the game that young backs tend to struggle with, which can keep them off the field. That isn’t a problem for Elliott and only boosts his value. 

18. Jeremy Hill, CIN (right direction)

Last year was a nightmare for Hill, so if he burned your fantasy team last year, I’m sure it’s easy to hold a grudge. I’m here to tell you that’s a bad idea.

Hill’s fumbling problems seemed to shake his confidence, and other than 11 TDs, he wasn’t a reliable player for the Bengals or fantasy. From what I’ve seen from him in the preseason, including Sunday night against the Jaguars, Hill looks like a different player. He’s quicker, healthier and is running with confidence once again. If not for the presence of Giovani Bernard to steal touches as a runner and a receiver, I’d probably rank Hill higher. He’ll be very important to Cincinnati’s offense, especially with concerns in their receiving corps after A.J. Green.

24. DeMarco Murray/39. Derrick Henry, TEN (right direction)

I didn’t expect to be this interested in the Titans. Yet after three preseason games, I find their backfield to be one of the most intriguing fantasy storylines heading into the regular season. While I’m not a big Murray fan, I recognize that with his volume and role in the passing game, he can be a solid RB2. He had yet another solid performance in the third preseason game in Oakland with eight carries for 40 yards, including a one-yard TD. His starting role isn’t in question. But how big will that role be?

Look no further than the play of Henry to see why Murray might not dominate the carries in Tennessee. As I’ve mentioned many times this month, Henry is a better all-around back than I expected, and he continued that in the third preseason game. From a power standpoint, I fully expected him to break tackles, which he’s done. What I wasn’t expecting was his ability to make defenders miss with his cutting and vision to change direction. The Titans have a pretty dangerous combo in Murray and Henry.

27. Ameer Abdullah, DET (wrong direction)

In his first game action since returning from a shoulder injury, Abdullah started against the Ravens, but he didn’t get many chances to produce when running inside. His first run was stuffed at the line of scrimmage with nowhere to go, and his first target was a drop on what looked like a well-setup screen.

Detroit’s offensive line issues showed up yet again. Because he’s not a power back, Abdullah struggled to push piles forward when he was swarmed. When he got to the outside, Abdullah showed off his quickness turning up field. He had a 15-yard touchdown run called back by a hold that helped spring him free. 

33. Arian Foster, MIA (no movement)

The Dolphins took a long look at Foster in their game against the Falcons and fantasy owners need to take note of what they saw. He’s clearly not the player who was once on top of the fantasy world, as was evident by his five-carry, 10-yard performance on the ground. He looks slow and not the type of back who will run away from defenders. Instead, Foster will likely have his biggest contributions come as a receiver (he had a 16-yard catch-and-run) and in the red zone (evaded defenders for a two-yard TD). He may not have the physical ability that helped him dominate the league, but he still knows how to play the position and that will be enough to keep him on the field. 

48. Christine Michael, SEA (right direction)

Another week off for Thomas Rawls meant another extended look at Michael. For the third straight game, Michael performed well, racking up seven carries for 58 yards. Michael’s quickness through the hole and away from tacklers was on full display. He could give the Seahawks a nice change of pace to pair with Rawls. Michael has gone from fantasy afterthought to legitimate handcuff in a matter of weeks. This is not a case of overrating preseason play, but more recognizing a clear difference in how Michael is running compared how he looked in his first three seasons.

Wide Receivers

27. Kelvin Benjamin/43. Devin Funchess, CAR (no movement)

With Benjamin coming off a lost season and Funchess underwhelming as a rookie, the Panthers hope to see a step forward from both players to boost their passing attack. Benjamin hasn’t done much to separate himself from the pack while Funchess has had a solid preseason. That’s made both tough to figure out for fantasy, especially in Carolina’s run-first offense. Benjamin was called for pass interference on his first catchable target of the game and had other targets sail high or wide, which was more about the inaccuracy of Cam Newton. 

Newton was picked off again on a target that had no chance of getting to Funchess. The second-year WR picked up his numbers when QB Derek Anderson entering the game, as they connected three times on Anderson’s first drive. Through three games of the preseason, not much has been learned about Benjamin and Funchess, other than Benjamin looks completely recovered from his torn ACL. 

35. Josh Gordon, CLE (right direction)

Gordon’s first game action in almost three years was limited, but exciting. His first target went for 44 yards on a nice double-move that Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes bit on badly, allowing Gordon to get free for an easy catch. His next and only other target was a great example of what makes Gordon so special. Robert Griffin III launched a pass down the right sideline that was slightly underthrown, but Gordon showed excellent body control to come back to the ball, make the catch around a defender, stay in bounds and end up in the end zone for a 43-yard TD. We won’t see Gordon in the regular season until Week 5, but he should be a big addition for the Browns and fantasy teams in Cleveland’s vertical passing attack.

74. Will Fuller, HOU (right direction)

Over the last week, I’ve been asked about the No. 2 WR for the Texans on multiple occasions and if he’d be worth drafting. Because Brock Osweiler has a small sample size as a starter and didn’t show much to get excited about, I’ve shied away from any Texans other than DeAndre Hopkins and Lamar Miller. However, it’s hard to miss what Fuller has done in the preseason. Following Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, Fuller had eight receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns, including a 26-yard TD from Osweiler against Arizona. Fuller’s big-play ability is evident. While his hands could be better, he has shown enough to warrant a starting role for Houston and is worth a late-round flier in your drafts.

Tight Ends

21. Jared Cook, GB (right direction)

I know, I know. We’ve been here before with Cook during his stops in Tennessee and St. Louis. The hype has never translated into fantasy production, and you probably never want to see his name anywhere near your roster. Humor me for just a minute. Cook lands in Green Bay with none of the high expectations he had on previous teams. It almost feels like anything he contributes this season is a bonus to a team that has great talent at the top of their receiving corps in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. 

Even though Cook has underwhelmed for most of his career, it’s an indisputable fact that he’s never had a QB close to the level of Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay is searching for a third option in the passing game behind Nelson and Cobb, and it might have it in Cook. Because he’s more of a receiver than a blocker, the Packers lined Cook up in the slot multiple times. They let him work down the seam, where he can take advantage of size mismatches against slot corners and linebackers, who can’t keep up with him. In the third preseason game, he snagged four of his five targets for 54 yards, working almost exclusively as the team’s top TE. If you have an open mind, Cook is worth grabbing in the late rounds of your draft or off the waiver wire.

5 ADPs to Watch From Last Week

Let’s take a look at how the ADPs (average draft positions) changed from the featured players.

5. TE Martellus Bennett, NE

Last Week’s ADP: 117.8, TE13

This Week’s ADP: 113.5, TE12

Bennett’s rise continued for yet another week, and he’s now settled into a fair value as the 12th TE off the board, which is exactly where I have him ranked. He could be the third option in New England’s passing game, especially with RB Dion Lewis out for an extended period.

4. RB Thomas Rawls, SEA

Last Week’s ADP: 39.8, RB14

This Week’s ADP: 41.5, RB14

Rawls didn’t move from his RB ranking, but he does take a slight dip overall. Actually, I expected this number to drop even more considering how well Christine Michael has played in Rawls’ absence.

3. RB Matt Forte, NYJ

Last Week’s ADP: 40.8, RB15

This Week’s ADP: 42.8, RB16

Another week means another fall for Forte. There’s been almost nothing positive about Forte’s preseason, and he wasn’t impressive in the third game. Expect to see the Jets mix in Bilal Powell regardless of Forte’s health.

2. WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR

Last Week’s ADP: 37.3, WR22

This Week’s ADP: 38.3, WR23

It’s not a big move, but the direction of Benjamin’s change in ranking is noteworthy. While it might just be a matter of players who’ve shown more in the preseason moving over him, there’s a feeling of uncertainty surrounding Benjamin for fantasy. Because the position is so deep, fantasy players seem to be looking elsewhere for more stable options, which is understandable. I don’t have Benjamin on any teams.

1. RB Eddie Lacy, GB

Last Week’s ADP: 26.8, RB10

This Week’s ADP: 26.8, RB10

As I said last week, I didn’t expect Lacy to move from this spot even with his strong showing in the preseason. Considering how he let down fantasy players last year, Lacy jumping back into the low-end RB1 tier is surprising enough. It shows many have an open mind when it comes to him bouncing back this season.

Tip of the Week: Write Your Draft Plan in Pencil

I give out advice all the time because well, it’s my job. But it’s one thing to give out advice and another to actually follow it. That goes for draft strategy and drafting by my own rankings.

Over the weekend, I hosted and participated in the latest Sirius/XM Radio Hosts’ League Draft, which was a 12-team, non-PPR (points per reception) format with a starting lineup consisting of a QB, two RBs, three WRs, a TE, one flex, a defense and a kicker.

I picked in the fourth spot and was prepared to take A.J. Green assuming the top-three consensus WRs, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham Jr., would be off the board. Instead, I wound up with Jones when Todd Gurley went second. So that’s an easy pivot and one I was thrilled to make.

This draft started less than an hour after the Tony Romo news came out, so we didn’t have much time to react. The general reaction was that of worry. While Ezekiel Elliott still went sixth overall, Dez Bryant slipped and slipped and slipped.

After starting my draft with Jones, I had a chance to take Bryant in the second round, but opted to go a little safer with Keenan Allen. When my turn came back around in the third, I didn’t expect Bryant to still be there, but he was so I took him. The risk didn’t bother me as a third-round pick and my WR3. I followed that up with Golden Tate to open my draft with four straight WRs. 

Typically, I expect to come out of the first four rounds with three WRs and one RB, but I had to adjust based on what the board looked like, specifically the fall of Bryant. While I didn’t expect that to happen, I adjusted accordingly and tried to use it to my advantage. You must be willing to do the same in your drafts. 

Special thanks to our friends at FantasyPros for providing stats. ADPs accurate heading into Monday, Aug. 29.

Do you have a fantasy football question? Follow @TheMattCamp

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Fantasy

Fantasy football drafts emulate real life in many ways, though one rule rises above the rest.

It’s a simple one: The middle rounds are where winning teams form.

In real NFL drafts, a lot of hype is made about the first-round picks, but it’s not uncommon to see a high pick bust. Meanwhile, late-round players make up the core of the roster or even become superstars.

The same goes for fantasy drafts. Last year, high picks such as Le’Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles, Julian Edelman, Alshon Jeffery and others put up mediocre seasons for various reasons. In contrast, Doug Baldwin, Eric Decker, Doug Martin and David Johnson posted monster numbers.

The same scenario will unfold this year. To help owners wade through the endless talent in the mid-rounds and unearth guys with high upside, here’s a look at a mid-round draft based on a standard, 12-team league. 

Notable Team Names

Hot Lockett

This team name pulls solid double duty for the fantasy owner who wants to emphasize his feelings about microwavable treats while showing he can find mid-round gems worth drafting. 

Said gem is Seattle Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett, who burst onto the scene last year as a third-round rookie and caught 51 passes for 664 yards and six scores. For those keeping track, he scored 104 fantasy points, better than notables such as Jeffery and Keenan Allen.

Lockett does have to compete with Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse for attention in the passing game, but with the team now missing Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson might put the ball in the air more than ever.

Given these factors, not to mention the natural progression of a player who is going into his second year, Lockett looks like a candidate to come off the board much higher this time next year.

99 Problems But a Fitz Ain’t One

Aside from having a catchy tune run through their head thanks to the above name, fantasy owners can agree Ryan Fitzpatrick has a right to his own set of team names this year. 

The New York Jets quarterback shocked many last year by finishing 12th in scoring at his position. It was a surprising development for a guy who looked like he’d be mired in a run-first offense.

Instead, Fitzpatrick posted 272 points by way of 3,905 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, ranking above Matt Ryan and Ben Roethlisberger.

Owners shouldn’t feel bad about missing out on Fitzpatrick last season. His own teammate, wideout Brandon Marshall, wasn’t expecting much either. NJ.com’s Connor Hughes relayed the funny quote:

What should make owners feel bad, though, is passing on Fitzpatrick again. He’s a good enough reason to skip a quarterback the first few rounds and load up at a different position, especially because he’ll be throwing to Marshall and Decker again.

Dak to the Future

It’s Dak Prescott time in Dallas, which means the fantasy names are here to stay.

According to Clarence Hill of the Star-Telegram, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett passed along word Tony Romo will miss a serious chunk of time with a back injury to start the season.

For those who are hunting for a bargain at quarterback, if not a breakout star, Prescott might be a name to consider.

At Mississippi State, he completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 3,793 yards and 29 touchdowns with another 588 yards and 10 scores on the ground. His elite production through the air has translated to the pro level thus far, as NFL Network’s James Palmer pointed out:

There’s a big difference between the vanilla ways of the preseason and the regular season, but Prescott has shown encouraging signs this year.

As a stash pickup, he makes plenty of sense. As a trendy way to impress league mates, so does the name. 

All scoring info and statistics courtesy of ESPN.com standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats. Average draft position (ADP) courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator.

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Opinion

There is no foolproof plan to winning a fantasy football championship.

That’s not the best opening sentence for a story on how to draft a winning fantasy football squad, but it’s the truth. Wide receivers are now seen as safer early-round investments, but tell that to everyone who drafted Dez Bryant last year.

Health and other randomness—a kicker getting the yips, a backup running back vulturing your starter’s goal-line touchdown, scoring the week’s second-most points but facing the team with the most—can steamroll a successful season. It’s a cruel game, but the informed are better prepared to sidestep heartbreak.

These guidelines are catered to snake drafters, but many of the principles still apply to auctions. For those who have never done an auction, try one out. It offers distinct challenges and involves more strategy.

It’s impossible to win a league on draft day, but selecting a suboptimal squad will derail any chances of claiming the crown. Here are some guidelines to leaving the draft with a formidable team.

Play to Your League’s Settings

Advice columns paint with a broad stroke to help as many readers as possible. They’re written for the majority who use default rules on a major host site.

Everyone else, of course, must adapt to those settings.

In a league that awards six points for a passing touchdown, taking Drew Brees in the fifth or sixth round suddenly looks savvy. Drafters should desire stability from their top picks, which explains why volatile running backs are falling out of favor.

It doesn’t, however, justify avoiding a star mainstay such as Brees, who has averaged 4,855 yards per season during his decade with the New Orleans Saints. Last year’s 32 passing touchdowns represented his lowest tally since 2007.

As noted by ESPN.com’s Matthew Berry, Brees was the site’s second highest-scoring quarterback behind Cam Newton after returning from an injured rotation cuff in Week 4. Such a bankable star also increases in value when you need to start two quarterbacks.

Researchers should now have little trouble locating analysis geared for point-per-reception (PPR) leagues. The format turns Danny Woodhead, Duke Johnson, Jarvis Landry and Golden Tate into studs rather than matchup plays. Be sure not to follow a host site’s default rankings assembled for standing scoring.

Even minor details such as the number of bench spots matter. If an owner has more reserve slots in his arsenal, he or she should exploit the extra resources with some high-upside fliers. Know the league’s settings like a sibling by draft day.

Zero RB? Maybe One or Two

Remember when it was practically mandatory to take a running back in the first round? Once an unconventional path, the zero RB strategy has invaded the zeitgeist as a mainstream tactic. Among the top 30 ranked players on ESPN.com, 13 are rushers. 

Now that more people are on board with the plan, it might be time to leave the ship. NFL.com’s Michael Fabiano wrote against waiting several rounds before taking a running back:

Let’s be honest. No matter how good your top three wide receivers might look on paper, do you really want to go into the regular season with a backfield that features Jonathan Stewart and Melvin Gordon as your two best options? And if those are your two best options, who’s on your bench …[T.J.] Yeldon? Well, that’s what you’re looking at if you don’t pick your first running back until the fifth or sixth round. With that said, I also believe it’s unwise to go into a season with a weak position and force yourself to lean on the waiver wire to bolster it. While we did see a number of runners come off the wire and produce at a high rate, that had much to do with the abnormally high number of injured starters in 2015.

This was a shrewd philosophy two years ago, when the league began its transition into a pass-first league without the proper fantasy correction. The market has adapted, and drafters are reading a lot into last year’s avalanche of running back injuries.

While backs are more susceptible to missing time, an active star rusher is more reliable than most receivers, who are rarely guaranteed targets. This doesn’t apply to the top-tier wideouts, but a healthy LeSean McCoy is still a safer week-to-week bet than a healthy Mike Evans.

Don’t limit your options by refusing to draft a rusher until the fifth or sixth round. But if the best player available every time happens to play another position, go for it. After all, it’s all about value.

Draft for Value

If you want to make a wise fantasy player laugh, tell him or her about your plans. 

Multiple formulas will yield a winning team, so don’t believe anyone who swears by a specific draft strategy. By committing to zero RB or any other specific idea, a drafter limits his or her options.

Grabbing a tight early may not be the original plan, but that should change if Rob Gronkowski falls into the second round. If not, it makes sense to then wait out tight end. Unless Greg Olsen slips into the sixth round, where he’s a steal.

The only plan anyone should follow is the I Don’t Give a Crap blueprint coined by Grantland’s Jonah Keri. Maybe this road leads to a certain philosophy. See where it takes you.

During the draft, gradually turn best-player-available into team construction. Let’s not get too crazy and take six straight receivers, but don’t settle for an inferior running back in Round 3 solely to quell the anxiety of not yet having one. 

While it’s imperative to stockpile as much rushing and receiver depth as possible, it’s less necessary to back up a dependable quarterback or tight end. Only extreme circumstances (and a bye week) would cause anyone to sit Aaron Rodgers for Andy Dalton, who isn’t significantly better than a free agent like Joe Flacco.

Then again, Tyrod Taylor and Derek Carr could yield a trade return far greater than their initial investment cost if they break out. Don’t cross off all passers because someone said not to bother with two.

Wait on Defense and Kicker

Seriously, it’s 2016. It’s a given to wait until the final two rounds to draft a defense and kicker.

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