Analysis On Picks Three and Four

Ryan:

Continuing on the RB trend, I took Chris Carson with the 3.06. How did he make it to me? We have to start a flex, and plugging in Carson there gives me the best trio of backs in the league, and no worries on bye weeks. Carson has been very durable and has consistently produced on a team that loves running the ball. Not gonna lie, I was hoping Miles Sanders slid to me, but Carson is more than a nice consolation prize. Carson has averaged 1,405 yards and 9 TDs in the last two years. Where can I sign up for that?  

At the 4.05 I decided to draft A.J. Brown. Some might see this as a reach, but I would tell “some” to check my rankings. I have A.J. Brown as my third-highest ranked WR. RB had been addressed in the first three rounds, so it was time to flesh out the rest of my roster. A.J. Brown is a big play waiting to happen, and nobody is higher on him than me. So I snatched him up because, at the 4.05, I see value there. If Brown does what I am expecting, this will be the biggest steal of the draft. I didn’t even consider anyone else, I was just elated to get my guy.

Travis:

Like I previously said, RBs were hit hard early, but I stayed put and just kept letting the value fall to me. At the 3.05, I swiped Aaron Jones. He may have had his best year of his career already, but that doesn’t scare me off when I am RB needy. Great value in the middle of the third round. His 19 TDs are sure to come down, but I still believe double-digit touchdowns are more than attainable. Jones is going to get a major workload this season. Since Jones is entering the final year of his contract, the Packers are going to heavily lean on Jones. Jones could very well carry the rock 240 times and catch 50 passes, similar to his numbers last season. 

Sitting at the 4.06 I had many different options. I decided doubling down on another high ceiling rushing quarterback is the way to go in a SuperFlex league. With the 4.06, I picked up Josh Allen. The addition of Stefon Diggs will only help Josh Allen this season. Diggs will be a huge addition to this offense and will help keep teams from loading the box against the Bills this season.

His touchdown percentage will increase closer to that six percent number you look for in a solid QB2, but what will really make him stand out is his rushing. Over 100 rush attempts last year and 9 touchdowns. I can see attempts and rushing touchdowns dropping down slightly this year with the addition of Diggs, however, like I said previously he will finish closer to that QB6 that he was last year when he hits that six percent touchdown rate.

Nate:

With the second of my back to back picks, the 3.01, I had my eye on Austin Ekeler. Pairing Ekeler with CMC arguably gives me the top two pass-catching backs in the league. With Melvin Gordon now in Denver, I think Ekeler also gets a higher volume of rushing attempts this season. I also believe that Tyrod Taylor will be dumping a lot of passes off to Ekeler this season. While it’s going to be difficult for Ekeler to repeat last year’s receiving numbers, I think the increase in carries will make up for that loss. Although I still have no QB, I was more than happy to have CMC, Adams, and Ekeler on my team.

As the draft made it back to me, I had an interesting decision to make at the 4.10. I already have two amazing RBs, but since the position isn’t very deep, adding a third before all the solid backs were gone seemed like the move to make. The player I decided to take is a bit of a risk due to his injury concerns, but if he can stay healthy, he’s in for a monster year. That player is James Conner. Last season, Conner played in 10 games and put up subpar numbers. However, in 2018, he rushed for 973 yards and 12 TDs. Conner has the talent to be great, it’s just a matter of staying on the field. With the 4.10 and as my RB3, I was thrilled to pick up James Conner.

Tony:

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, KC. My next two picks, I wanted a couple of solid running backs. CEH will be very much featured in the potent KC offensive attack, even as a rookie. His elusiveness and pass-catching ability will make him a huge asset in fantasy. I feel he can finish the season as a top 10 back if utilized as I feel he will be. Getting him at the 3.09 pick in this mock was a good choice, as he may not have made it back to me at the 4.02.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, NYJ. My second running back choice with near back to back picks was Le’Veon Bell. While he didn’t replicate his Steelers’ days production in his first season with the Jets, he is still a top 5-10 caliber back. He has a revamped offensive line to run behind, which I am hoping will get his rushing yardage back to his expected totals. His pass-catching skills remain very good. If he can be a 1,000-yard rusher again, getting him here at 4.02 could turn into a really good bargain at the spot.

Matt:

Matt followed that Julio pick up with Kenyan Drake at the 3.02. I love Kenyan Drake this year to continue what he started at the end of last season. There is not a lot of miles on Drake’s tires and he is finally in an offense that caters to what he does best. This Air Raid offense was perfectly suited for Drake’s skill set. People highly underestimate him in open space and he can break tackles very effectively. Drake is poised to finish as a top six back this year. When I think of Drake’s value this year, I like to compare him to Dalvin Cook of 2019. So awesome one-two punch from Matt there.

With lots of QBs being taken off the board in rounds one through four, Matt decided to draft Matt Ryan at the 4.09. Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley are two dangerous WRs for Ryan to throw to. The Falcons also brought in Hayden Hurst, which is yet another weapon for Ryan to use. Drafting Ryan and Julio Jones give Matt a nice stack on his team. I believe Ryan will have yet another top 10 fantasy QB year. Ryan is getting a bit older now, but he still should be able to have a great fantasy season.