The complete foundation of your fantasy football team is most often built within the first three or four draft picks one makes as soon as the draft clock ticks off. Each season presents a new draft class worth spending those precious early-round picks on and some players who are better off saving until later rounds.
Here are some players who might be worth waiting on or letting one of your opponents choose this season.
1. Peyton Manning, Quarterback, Denver Broncos
Will Manning play in 2015 or won’t he? That remains the burning question. Should he decide to play, his numbers stand to take a hit in 2015. In 2014, Manning was the rock star fantasy quarterback you drafted for the majority of the season. However, during the last four weeks of 2014, Manning completely fell apart and he may have even cost you your championship.
2015 could bring the Broncos relying more heavily on their run game as clearly proven effective with the emergence of C.J. Anderson. This means less passing for the 38-year-old gun slinger and less fantasy points. Manning will not be worth his last year’s overall first round draft pick in 2015.
2. Drew Brees, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Brees, formerly a solid first or early second-round draft pick the past few years has hit a decline in fantasy value. While he should be a serviceable QB1 most weeks in 2015 due to the amount of yards he passes for, he is better off being selected in round three or four if he lasts until then. Brees’ 17 interceptions in 2014, the second highest among his fellow quarterbacks were quite alarming causing him to lose first-round draft pick status for 2015.
3. Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Detroit Lions
Stafford drafted typically by round four or five in 2014 as the fifth or so quarterback to go off the boards was a bit of a bust for his high draft pick. Finishing the season ranked 15th in fantasy points, Stafford passed for his lowest amount of yardage in four years with 4,257. His touchdowns also decreased from last season to 22, however, he did manage to keep his picks under control decreasing them down to 12 from 19 the prior year. He’s worth owning, but not sacrificing a top tier running back or wide receiver for in 2015.
4. LeSean McCoy, Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles
Those who spent their first-round draft pick on McCoy trusting he would lead your team to victory got thoroughly robbed. McCoy started off slow in 2014 and when he finally piled up a respectable amount of yardage, finishing with 1,319 rushing yards, he only had five touchdowns to show for his work. The Eagles are likely to stick with a running back committee where we will see Darren Sproles honing in on the goal line carries making McCoy a draft pick in 2015 that should slip to the second round.
5. Jamaal Charles, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs
Charles was another top or overall first pick in 2014 fantasy drafts who stumbled a bit out of the gate. For 2015, Charles still remains an RB1, but he could easily slip to a later first-round or even early second-round draft pick behind other running backs or a wide receiver or two who finished 2014 better ranked than he did. He’s worth owning but not reaching for in 2015.
6. Giovani Bernard, Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
For those who drafted Bernard as an RB1/2 in 2014, he was a disappointment overall finishing 18th among his fellow running backs. Plagued with a couple of injuries and missing time gave Bengals the opportunity to start their rookie Jeremy Hill who looks to be the favorite moving forward as the Bengals feature back. Let Bernard fall to a later round and pick him up as a flex as he doesn’t warrant the high round pick used on him last season.
7. Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver Detroit Lions
Gone is the era where you draft Johnson as one of the first eight picks in fantasy football. Johnson finished 2014 as the 14th ranked wide receiver and dealt with multiple injuries for parts of the season. The addition of Golden Tate did nothing to help Johnson’s value last season and this will likely be the story once again in 2015. Should Johnson still be available in the third round or when you chose your WR2, that’s the spot to grab Megatron.
8. Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver Chicago Bears
If you drafted Marshall as your trusty WR1 last year, my condolences. Coming off of a terrible season ranked 34th in fantasy points, Marshall managed only 721 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He certainly did not reward top fantasy points and likely caused your team to struggle if he was your best receiving option. With uncertainty right now hovering over the Bears’ quarterback position, Marshall makes a sketchy pick for anything higher than a WR3 for 2015.
9. A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
Finishing 2014 as the 23rd ranked fantasy wide receiver and dealing with a toe injury had Green turning over dismal numbers at times over last season. With quarterback Andy Dalton struggling to get the ball to Green and the team utilizing more of a run-heavy scheme, Green’s 2015 fantasy outlook is a bit clouded. Securing him in the third or fourth round would be appropriate for Green this season.
10. Julius Thomas, Tight End, Denver Broncos
Thomas was easily the third tight end off the draft boards in 2014 following Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski. However, Thomas finished with 64 less fantasy points than Gronk and 34 less points than Graham letting four additional tight ends surpass him in fantasy points. Possibly testing the free agency this spring, could have Thomas playing for a team less pass-happy than the Broncos have been over the past couple of seasons. Don’t reach too high for Thomas in 2015 because he will not pay off if selected in too early of a draft round.