The big day (or days if you are a Fantasy Football junkie like us) are almost upon us GCF Fam! If you listen have been following us for the past few years on GrandCentralFantasy.com or listened to our podcasts on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, you know we are very aware of how you need to go into your draft with a game plan! And a big part of the plan is understanding your draft strategy depending on your draft position! To win your fantasy league you need to be prepared to draft any any position 1-12. This blog is going to help you prepare to draft in each slot of the draft!
Drafting at #1:
When you are drafting number one this year, to us it is clear that you need to pick CMC. If you do not want to go with the Carolina beast and would rather go with Dalvin Cook, you can, but that is risky. And this is our biggest takeaway with drafting number 1; do not get cute. Take the certified stud CMC and sit back and relax because you ain’t picking for awhile buddy. That being said for the rest of the way you have to coveted back-to-back picks and you need to capitalize!
Make sure with either the 2nd or 3rd round pick you grab at least one other RB to go with CMC or Cook. You can grab two more RBs for a total of three, but you better do your WR research! At GCF you know we are all about stacking the backs, but you might want to grab a WR to even things out like one of the Tampa Bay studs or even Keenan Allen. Either way, you are in great shape at #1, but remember, do not get cute. Take the best guys and get creative later on with the back to backs. It is okay to reach for a guy because you have such a long time in between picks, but you do not want to do it before the 6th round. Remember that!
Drafting at #2:
There’s not too much difference here than picking at #1. Unfortunately the main difference is the fact that you do not have your pick of the litter when it comes to the draft class.That is okay though! While you may not get the top guy you can come away with Dalvin Cook or Derrick Henry. Those two are the picks here. If you come away with someone else besides those two you did something wrong. And as far as draft strategy from here we still want to stack those RB’s baby! Picking #2 comes with a lot of anxiety because you are so closely tied to #1. Stick with your draft strategy whether you want to go RB/RB or RB/WR regardless of what #1 does! Be wary of taking a QB like Mahomes with your 2nd or 3rd round pick though. People picking #1 through #3 are lined up perfectly to take the young stud, but do not draft a QB that early!
Drafting at #3:
At #3 things start to get a little real. In 2021 the closest thing to a sure fire 1st round pick is CMC or Dalvin Cook (especially in PPR), but after that things get a little uncertain. Derrick Henry is the safest option, but it seems the entire Fantasy Football community is waiting for the bottom to fall out with him. Alvin Kamara was an absolute animal last year, but no more Brees, an overall weaker team, and confusing QB situation leaves him as one of this years big question marks. Ezekiel Elliott had a tough rough season last year and while we like him to bounce back, he is still very risky. To us, Derrick Henry is the clear cut pick here, but beyond the first pick, you are in solid shape to pair your 1st round pick with a low end RB1 or high end RB2. In some PPR mock drafts I have seen guys like Nick Chubb, Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Antonio Gibson and Joe Mixon fall into the 22nd overall pick. Be diligent here and make sure you pounce on on one of these ace RBs if they somehow fall to you.
Drafting at #4
Picking number 4 is where things start to get interesting for Fantasy Footballers. In reality you still want to take the best available running back because as you know, RB’s are the bread an butter of the Fantasy world. HOWEVER, pick #4 is the first spot in the draft where it is feasible to take a WR. Only one WR to be exact, and that man is Davante Adams. The #1 WR in Fantasy Football can arguably go in the top 5 of everyone PPR draft and nobody would bat an eye. In this case though, we are advising you to grab Kamara, Zeke, or even Chubb over Adams. On the way back you will have a real shot at Justin Jefferson, or even Stefon Diggs in the 2nd round. Unless you are punting on RB (which would be stupid). Do not go with any other position than the RB’s!
Drafting at #5
The last of the elite! Picking at 5 isn’t sexy, but you still end up in a good position. In this case you would have to take whoever is left of the Kamara, Zeke and Chubb trio. Most likely it will be Zeke, so follow in the footsteps of what we said for picking at #4 and take Zeke at #5 and look to target a stud WR on the back end of the second round! Picking at #5 though means that you are the beginning of the dead zone of the draft. Picks #6 through #10 (in a 12 team league) can become a no mans land where people reach for guys that maybe should go a round or two later. Be aware that you may see some crazy picks before you make your selections, and make sure you pivot your game plan if need be.
Drafting at #6
Oh we are halfway there baby! Good news is you still have a shot at a really good player. Bad news is you are literally smack dab in the middle and arguably in the worst spot in the draft. When picking at #6 through #8 you are statistically at a major disadvantage and behind your competition when it comes to winning a Fantasy Football title. That being said, hope is not lost! In PPR leagues especially all the top RBs are gone. This is where you can grab our guy Nick Chubb who is most likely just chilling in the draft pool waiting for you to take him. If you are not a believer in Chubb then the clear pick is Davante Adams. Beyond the first round you are going to want to take the best available at each pick. Traditional strategy goes out the window when you live in no man’s land. Don’t be afraid to take that stud QB a little early or reach on that WR you have on your target list. When you are stuck in the middle of the draft you lose the luxury of being able to get great value on certain picks. So don’t be afraid to spice things up!
Drafting at #7
Let’s face it, this is the worst spot to be in the draft. All the top RBs are taken at this point and you are left with guys that are full blown question marks. People are reaching for Saquon Barkley a lot around this pick or even Aaron Jones. If you are in PPR I would suggest going with Austin Ekeler. The guy will finish as a top 5 RB if healthy in PPR formats. Aaron Jones is a great option as well, but Saquon is just too risky. Adams will most likely still be there but if you draft Adams there’s a solid chance that your RB 1 will be Joe Mixon 🤮. So let’s not reach here just yet boys! The good news at 7 is you have a very solid pick in the 2nd round so make sure you capitalize. Saquon in the 2nd would be a good value or a stud WR like AJ Brown, Justin Jefferson or possibly Steffon Diggs. When you are in no mans land, it’s all about getting the best value!
Drafting at #8:
We are still in a tough spot here boys. RBs are slim. Take the best one that’s still left and move on. At #8 you start to benefit from that close turn around between picks so fingers crossed! Much like picking at 6 and 7; when you are picking at 8 you need to maximize value. So don’t be afraid to reach and get your guy. The 0 RB strategy becomes popular around this pick. Theoretically you can come away with Devonte Adams and a Jefferson/Brown/Ridley. But before you do that really make sure there isn’t a solid option at RB!
Drafting at #9:
8 and 9 are practically identical picks. But statistically the second round pick for the 9th spot usually gets Kelce on the way back in the second round. It’s not a bad idea depending on who your RB is so keep that in mind!
Drafting at #10:
The question mark backs are most likely still there. Jonathan Taylor would be a great pickup here. Most likely Adams and Tyreek Hill are gone, but if they aren’t and if it’s a PPR format you need to grab one of them. At this point, they are the safer pick. Saquon Barkley may even be here still, but for me I would rather take a sure thing of a stud WR and then roll the dice in the second round on Saquon. He will most likely be there and if he does have a come back season you are looking to be in good shape.
Drafting at #11
Ugh so close to the back to back picks! That is okay though, because you’re close enough! The fact of the matter is picks 11 and 12 are better than picks 7 through 10. The close proximity ins elections is amazing and you basically get a head start in the next round after sitting around the entire first round. This is where the 0 RB strategy is popular and I can see why. But fuck that. Give me Taylor or Gibson here and pair them with a stud WR and call it a day. From here on out go RB hunting until the later rounds.
Drafting at #12
In the immortal words of Drake “Got the drink in me going baaack to back. We going back to baaack”. One of my favorite spots to draft is at 12, or 1, because the back to back picks can be so valuable if you hit on them. Take it from me, you can fuck this up just as much as you can be successful with it so be smart. Grab the best WR and the best RB on the board. If Adams and Hill are gone, I would strongly consider taking Travis Kelce. Either way you’re coming away with a bonafide stud!