Early Saturday Morning Edition
Saturday
Fantasy Notes
Talking Fantasy Draft
We’ve officially reached the new season
with the Hall of Fame game concluded; the 2017 season is underway and it’s time
to start talking fantasy football.
The Consensus Pick-Six (Average ADP)
After reviewing several ADP sites and
participating in many, many mock-drafts, unequivocally the consensus top six
draft picks have been running backs David Johnson (20 touchdowns in 2016),
Le’Veon Bell (1,884 total yards in 12 games), Ezekiel Elliott (1,631 yards
rushing last season), and wide receivers Antonio Brown (106 receptions in
2016), Julio Jones (1,409 yards receiving in 14 games), and Odell Beckham Jr
(10 touchdowns last season). My official position, I’m not advocating when to
take these players or in this particular order, but I do agree with their value
and could argue for taking them where they are currently falling. The
interesting pick is sitting in the 5th or 6th spot, is there someone else that
you might value before this group of six; of course league format and scoring
come into play when considering.
“Living on the Edge”
If you are following the trend in the
current mock-drafts going on and watercooler conversations taking place, these
are the names that are being discussed; running backs LeSean McCoy (14
touchdowns last season), Melvin Gordon (1,416 total yards in 13 games in 2016),
and wide receivers AJ Green (averaged 10 targets per game last season) and Mike
Evans (12 touchdowns in 2016). There’s great value here in this group and
nothing wrong with taking any earlier than the six pick. Anywhere beyond the
sixth slot and these guys are good to go.
These are the early numbers for current
fantasy league drafts that I am seeing and hearing, where the trends change and
where you’ll have to savvy this season will start in the second round where
there’s a log jam of interchangeable options fantasy owners are going to have
to weigh and consider.
“A Call to Arms”
Quarterbacks will be deep this season, so
there’s no rush to grab one too early, but if you are in the market the gold
standards in fantasy are still Aaron Rodgers (40 passing touchdowns in 2016),
Drew Brees (5,000 passing yards for the 5th time in his career), and 5-time
Superbowl Champion Tom Brady (28 passing touchdowns in 12 games). Beyond the
Big Three, there will be plenty of fish left in the market as you make your way
into the third and fourth round.
If you are targeting a 2nd tier arm for
fantasy, you should be safe sitting on this pick for a few rounds further,
there should still be good value here. Quarterbacks like Matt Ryan, Andrew
Luck, Russell Wilson, and Derek Carr are not coming off the board until the 4th
and 5th round (depending on the size of your league) and many as late as the
8th and 9th; so plan your draft accordingly.
Your Fantasy Draft is coming, are you
ready for some (Fantasy) Football?
~David Ortega
