With college football starting on Thursday night, time is running out to draft a team for the beginning of the season. The final preparation article for the upcoming season is draft strategy in action. The following team was selected in a ten-team league with the sixth pick in the draft.
The goal was to get a top tier QB in the top six if it was possible without reaching. Fortunately the fellow members of the league believed Texas A&M quarterback was not worth the risk, so he fell to sixth overall. Note was made on his possible suspension, so a few low risk high reward quarterbacks were put into the queue including San Jose State’s David Fales and Marshall’s Rakeem Cato.
In the second round, a running back is a must, especially since a few went early in the draft. The key to selecting running backs in college fantasy football is to look past the guys who have promising NFL futures to get what you need out of your fantasy running backs. This is the main reason why Toledo’s David Fluellen was selected at 15th overall. Last season, Fluellen amassed 259 carries and 32 receptions in 12 games. That is 291 touches. As a senior, Fluellen will once again be the feature of Toledo’s offense, and a top tier fantasy running back.
The same applies for the following pick at 26th overall. Western Kentucky running back Antonio Andrews was taken here, and adds another terrific fantasy player to the team. Last season for the Hilltoppers, Andrews had 304 carries and 37 receptions and accrued over 2000 yards from scrimmage. Andrews should have went earlier, but as previously mentioned a lot of people think they are drafting by the pure talent, and that is how one gets burned.
In the fourth round, a wide receiver was needed to add to a good core of running backs, and Clemson’s Sammy Watkins was available. Watkins has not statistically had the seasons some think he should have had, but he will burst on the scene this year as Tajh Boyd’s number one target and one of the favorites for the prestigious Biletnikoff award as the nation’s top receiver. One thing some seem to forget is that Watkins will also carry the ball out of the backfield, adding another dimension to his fantasy value. Watkins is a very nice option to have as a WR1 in fantasy football.
At 46th overall in the fifth round, wide receiver Noel Grigsby from San Jose State was on the board, and he has too much upside to pass up. With David Fales throwing to him, Grigsby should easily match or surpass last season’s totals of 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns. Grigsby could easily be a WR1, and he is a WR2 on this team, once again value is the key.
With the next two picks, top level running backs were running out, so it was wise to scoop up two and be set on running backs for the rest of the draft. Tulsa’s Trey Watts and Central Michigan’s Zurlon Tipton were the best available in terms of what running back strategy should be. As Andrews and Flullen are, Watts and Tipton are both the features of each of their team’s respective offenses. Last season Watts had 220 touches and Tipton had 276, both way more than any of the other running backs that were “best available”. With four running backs that will see a ton of touches, the running back portion is set.
In the eighth round, a player most had their eye on since the third round was still available in Texas A&M’s Mike Evans. Evans will be Manziel’s top target this season and will look to improve on a stellar freshman season of 82 catches and 1,105 yards. Keep in mind whenever Manziel throws a touchdown to Evans, all the points are accrued for this particular team.
Up to this point, this is what the team looks like so far:
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
RB David Fluellen, Toledo
RB Antonio Andrews, Western Kentucky
RB Trey Watts, Tulsa
RB Zurlon Tipton, Central Michigan
WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson
WR Noel Grigsby, San Jose State
WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M
Rounding out the last five picks were Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato, TCU defense, Stanford linebacker Shayne Skov, Notre Dame defense and one of the better tight end sleepers in Oklahoma State’s Blake Jackson.
Remember when drafting your team to go for touches and fantasy points rather than what the individual player’s NFL future may or may not be. Good luck to all on your drafts!