Footballguys Staff vs Non-Staff: Best Ball Draft 2 (MFL10 format)

Jeff Haseley's Footballguys Staff vs Non-Staff: Best Ball Draft 2 (MFL10 format) Jeff Haseley Published 07/31/2019

On July 21st, six members of the Footballguys staff, along with six highly regarded writers in the fantasy football community, got together to complete a 12-team, 18 round, best-ball draft using MFL10 format. Before the draft, each of the participants answered questions regarding strategies, players they coveted and how they plan to attack the draft. Additional questions were asked after the draft based on the decisions they made. To top it off, Footballguys' Will Grant will provide an evaluation of each team's roster strengths and weaknesses, chronicling the strategies and decisions that were made by each participant.

The goal of this article is to give you a look into the minds of fantasy experts throughout the entire draft process. This includes preparation, decision-making, execution, and follow-up. What was their plan? Did they follow it? Why did they make the decisions they made? Some drafters had similar strategies and players of interest, but how they executed their plan and built their roster, varied from person to person.

We hope you will uncover or discover a strategy that might work for you in your draft(s) this year. Learn what players the experts are targeting and why. At Footballguys, when you win, we win! If we can help give you the tools and know-how to build a winning team, we've done our job.

LEAGUE PARAMETERS

Best Ball format - Each week, your top scoring players on your roster automatically start and will count toward your season total. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins. Top scores from the starting positions will count for your weekly score.

  • 12 teams
  • 20 roster spots
  • Starting Lineup
    • 1 quarterback
    • 2 running backs
    • 3 wide receivers
    • 1 tight end
    • 1 flex (either a running back, wide receiver, or tight end)
    • 1 Defense/Special Teams Unit

LEAGUE SCORING

  • Offensive scoring
    • 4 points - Passing Touchdown
    • 6 points - Rushing/Receiving Touchdown
    • 0.05 points - Passing Yard
    • 0.1 points - Rushing/Receiving Yard
    • 1.0 point - Reception
    • -1 - Interception Thrown
    • 1 - two-point Conversion (pass)
    • 1 - two-point conversion (receiving)
    • 2 - two-point conversion (rush)
  • Defense scoring
    • 2 - fumble recovery
    • 2 - interception
    • 1 - sack
    • 2 - safety
    • 10 - zero (0) points allowed
    • 7 - 1-6 points allowed
    • 3 - 7-14 points allowed
    • 0 - 15-20 points allowed
    • -3 - 21+ points allowed
    • 6 defensive or special teams touchdown

DRAFT PARTICIPANTS

  1. Keith Roberts, Footballguys
  2. Dave Richard, CBS Fantasy
  3. Eliot Crist, TQE
  4. Raymond Summerlin, Rotoworld
  5. B.J. Vanderwoude, Footballguys
  6. Phil Alexander, Footballguys
  7. Devin Knotts, Footballguys
  8. Ryan Hester, Footballguys
  9. Matt Schauf, DraftSharks
  10. Jeff Haseley, Footballguys
  11. Tod Burros, TQE
  12. Mike Rigz, Gridiron Experts

DRAFT GRID

Completed Rosters

DRAFT SLOT 1

Keith Roberts, Footballguys, Bio

pre-draft questions

1. Give us some advanced strategies you are looking to implement in this draft.
I will definitely try to implement at least one stack of quarterback and either wide receiver or tight end. This will, of course, depend on how things play out, but given my draft slot, I could see a stack like T.Y. Hilton / Andrew Luck or Mike Evans / Jameis Winston as viable options. In addition to stacking, I will be looking to buy cheap upside with handcuffs at both running back and tight end later in the draft. Running backs like Damien Harris and Alexander Mattison move up on my board given the opportunity ahead of them should their starting counterparts with a history of injuries become banged up yet again. Tight ends such as Dallas Goedert and Jack Doyle are also late-round back-ups I will be keeping an eye on given the upside they have regardless of whether their starting counterpart misses time.

2. Discuss drafting from the 1-hole. What will you do differently because of this draft slot?
Having the first selection is both a blessing and a curse. While I am thrilled with the chance of grabbing such a high weekly upside player like Saquon Barkley, I will possibly be missing out on much of the elite wide receiver talent that can be so valuable in PPR formats like this. I will have to pick one of the best wide receivers available at the turn, but having what should be such a reliable top running back should afford me the flexibility to branch out and pick one of those top tight ends such as Zach Ertz or George Kittle at the top of the third round. If I were drafting closer to the middle of the pack, I would be more likely to start off with two running backs or two wide receivers and fade the top tight ends until later rounds.

3. When do you plan to select your first quarterback?
I hope to wait on a quarterback until no sooner than the eighth round. This somewhat depends on how my chance at getting a good stack plays out though. For example, if I decide to go after T.Y. Hilton at the Rounds 2-3 turn, I may look for Andrew Luck at the turn between Rounds 4-5. Otherwise, I will be looking at later round options like Jameis Winston or Kirk Cousins.

4. When do you plan to select your first tight end?
If Zach Ertz or George Kittle is available at the end of Round 2, I may consider them depending on how things are playing out. However, the more likely scenario I have found myself in has been waiting until at least Rounds 8-9 to grab a couple of late-round tight ends. In this case, I will likely be rostering three tight ends.

5. Name a few guys that you are looking to build your team around. What rounds do you expect to get them in?
Saquon Barkley will be the first guy to build my team around, and I guarantee he will be the only Giants player on my roster. Beyond that, I will hope to land a receiver like Mike Evans or T.Y. Hilton to stack with their quarterbacks. I do want to gain exposure to a Chiefs player at some point given the upside I still see in that offense, and based on my draft position, it will likely come down to snagging Sammy Watkins in the middle rounds or Carlos Hyde in the later rounds.

6. Do you have any trigger points (ie players A and B are gone therefore I am looking to grab player C the next time I pick)
My main trigger points will come around QB / WR / TE stacks I am trying to build. I may have to reach for grabbing that receiver or quarterback to complete the stack. For example, let’s assume I have T.Y. Hilton, Amari Cooper, and Chris Godwin all on my roster with Andrew Luck gone and Jameis Winston just selected. I may reach slightly for Dak Prescott with my next pick to secure that stack with Cooper.

7. What's your approach to rookies, injured players, and/or suspended players that may not have a full workload to start the season?
I am generally lower than the consensus on most rookies being drafted within the top half of drafts this year (Josh Jacobs, David Montgomery, Darrell Henderson, Kyler Murray). I am more comfortable with later round picks on rookies to try and capitalize on the upside they could bring to a best-ball roster later in the season as they develop or other starters ahead of them become banged up. Injured or “injury-prone” players are less frightening to me in best-ball formats as I typically will make sure to just have their handcuff or plenty of depth at that position should I choose to draft one of these guys. Among the suspended players, Kareem Hunt is one I will be watching beyond Round 10 simply due to what he could bring to that Browns offense depending on how their season is playing out. I know I will not land Nick Chubb based on my draft position, so grabbing Hunt in later rounds could present the upside of an RB1 in key late-season weeks--especially in a full-point PPR scoring format. That level upside coming at a late-round cost is quite an attractive proposition in my eyes.

8. What is your strategy for drafting a defense for this league? How many do you anticipate drafting?
Depending on how my team is rounding out, I will plan on taking a look at the Bears defense if they happen to be available 10-11th round turn. That would likely be a significant slip from their current ADP closer to the ninth round though, so I'll likely be waiting on defense until closer to the end of Round 14. I plan to select two defenses--one relatively earlier, then one near the end of the draft. If I end up grabbing a lower-ranked unit with a later pick, I may elect to pick up a third defense with my final selection. My goal, however, would be to pick one of the top three defenses followed by grabbing a value on opportunistic defenses with great cornerbacks for weekly upside--examples being the Browns, Dolphins, and Bills.

9. Name five players you are targeting in the later rounds?
RB - Alexander Mattison (MIN)
RB - Damien Harris (NE)
WR - Albert Wilson (MIA)
WR - A.J. Brown (TEN)
TE - Darren Waller (OAK)

DRAFT SELECTIONS

Pick
Overall
Position
Player
Team
1.01
1
RB
NYG
2.12
24
RB
CLE
3.01
25
WR
TBB
4.12
48
RB
NEP
5.01
49
WR
ATL
6.12
72
WR
PHI
7.01
73
QB
IND
8.12
96
WR
DEN
9.01
97
WR
ARI
10.12
120
TE
MIN
11.01
121
QB
MIN
12.12
144
RB
TEN
13.01
145
RB
CLE
14.12
168
WR
MIA
15.01
169
TE
GBP
16.12
192
RB
OAK
17.01
193
Def
Cleveland Browns
CLE
18.12
216
Def
Seattle Seahawks
SEA
19.01
217
WR
JAC
20.12
240
RB
JAC

POST-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. You missed out on Zach Ertz or George Kittle by one pick at the end of the second round. As a result, you picked Nick Chubb and Mike Evans at the 2-3 turn. The thought was that you would target Jameis Winston to build a stack with Evans (as indicated in your pre-draft questionnaire). However, you chose Andrew Luck as the third quarterback off the board with pick 7.01 instead of waiting on Winston. Was the value on Luck that much for you to pull the trigger? Talk a little about that decision and how that affected your strategy of targeting stacks in the rest of the draft.

This is a classic example of trying to push my luck. I did indeed hope to grab Jameis Winston to stack with Evans, but when I looked at the board at 7.01, I was certainly not going to pick Winston that early. That spot is somewhat of a dead area for me in terms of the value I typically see on the board in running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. When I saw Andrew Luck still there, my thought was to capitalize on grabbing him and try to get Winston closer to the 10th round. As it came to pass, Winston was taken just two picks before my 10.12 selection--so I barely missed out on him. At this point, I was already planning to take a tight end since I had waited quite a while. So the combination of missing out on Winston and Kyle Rudolph being my best available tight end on the board influenced my decision to grab Kirk Cousins to complete a stack with Rudolph. I am actually high on Kirk Cousins this season given the improvements the Vikings have made on the offensive line and all his weapons returning, so I didn't mind picking him slightly ahead of ADP to complete that stack.

2. Who is one player that you wanted that you weren't able to draft? Explain why you are high on that player this year.

I have a few players that fall into this category, but I will touch on one for the earlier rounds and one for the late rounds.

First, I was really hoping to grab George Kittle at the end of the second round. His physical attributes and record-breaking 2018 season prove he is poised to have a shot at being the top tight end in the NFL this season. Kittle had a slew of massive games in 2018 regardless of which quarterback was throwing him the ball. Jimmy Garoppolo's return only sweetens the pot for Kittle, who should be the primary red-zone target on a team with a relative lack of playmaking talent at the wide receiver position.

At the end of Round 18, I was hoping to see A.J. Brown still available. While Brown is a rookie coming into a notoriously underwhelming passing offense with what could be an elite talent in Corey Davis and returning veteran Delanie Walker to compete with, his physical profile and ability screams upside on a weekly basis. He put up huge numbers in his college career with Ole Miss and has one of the most pro-ready skillsets of any rookie wide receiver entering the league this season. Brown has both size and quickness with an impressive ability to make plays after the catch--always a trait I am looking for in best-ball leagues with how important those big plays can be on a weekly basis. Given the attention likely to come for other targets in this Titans offense, Brown is in a unique position to capitalize on weaker coverage and even get some decent red zone looks, especially when the Titans choose to line him up in the slot. With his talent and unique opportunity to contribute right out of the gate, landing Brown in the later rounds this year is a consistent objective of mine. It just appears I may need to be slightly more aggressive in making sure he gets on my roster next time!

will grant's EVALUATION

Strengths
Roberts had a solid start to the draft – landing Saquon Barkley at the #1 overall spot. Barkley was a rookie sensation last season and he may be the only bright spot on the New York Giant offense this season. Barkley anchors a solid running back group with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Add in reception vacuum Mike Evans and compliment him with a good mick of wide receivers and Roberts is going to put a solid starting core on the field every week.

Weaknesses
This league is a best-ball format, but it still requires a tight end ever week. Roberts sacrificed the position and waited until the end of the 10th round to take his starter – Kyle Rudolph. It was the 15th round before he added his second Jimmy Graham. Pairing Rudolph with Kirk Cousins was smart to get the stacking points, but Rudolph is just an average tight end and Graham is not much more than a distant backup. Best ball guarantees that Roberts will get the best points each week, but he’ll still have one of the weakest tight end groups in the league.

How He’ll Win It All
In a best-ball league, it’s not about drafting the best possible team – you need to have balance and have players who have big upside. Roberts has that and more for his running back and wide receiver corps. Having both Andrew Luck and Kirk Cousins at quarterback gives Roberts one of the strongest teams at that position as well. The key for him is if his wide receivers and running backs can carry his tight end group. If Jimmy Graham can find the end zone a few more times this season, Roberts is going to be hard to beat.

DRAFT SLOT 2

Dave Richard, CBS Fantasy

Dave Richard has spent nearly 20 years covering the National Football League, most of it with CBS Sports. He's crunched the numbers, studied the film, developed tiers and trade charts, previewed every NFL game, talked to the decision-makers, spoken on the radio, appeared on live television, earned multiple honors and watched a lot of football -- all with the goal of helping people win their leagues.

PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. Give us some advanced strategies you are looking to implement in this draft.

I'm specifically targeting offenses I expect to be great this year. Most of them you already know, but I'm also interested in collecting Cardinals, 49ers, and Buccaneers. And like everyone else, I plan on avoiding low-ceiling players. Gotta reach for the stars in Best Ball. THAT is easier said than done.

2. Discuss drafting from the 2-hole. What will you do differently because of this draft slot?

I'm picking second so I know I'll get Alvin Kamara or Saquon Barkley first. I love that. But I don't see myself doing anything differently from this slot. I already feel a little bad for Keith Roberts in the first slot since several of my selections will be determined by his needs in the even-numbered rounds.

3. When do you plan to select your first quarterback?

When it comes to quarterbacks, I drive to Valuetown. I won't take one until it feels like a steal. Been saying that for years. The difference this year is that there are six quarterbacks I've focused on as 24-point-per-week guys (maybe a little less in this format). There are another three or four after them I'm also happy with. So I'm no longer in the "wait forever" camp for a QB, but I won't take one with my first three picks and I definitely won't take one unless I'm fist-pumping excited to do so.

4. When do you plan to select your first tight end?

That's going to happen sooner: Round 2 if only one of Kelce/Kittle/Ertz is available, Round 3 if two of Kelce/Kittle/Ertz is available. That's a position I want to be covered with a high-level player. Doing that in all my leagues.

5. Name a few guys that you are looking to build your team around. What rounds do you expect to get them in?

I'm actually hoping to spend a ninth-round pick on DeSean Jackson. Isn't that weird that he's the first guy who comes to mind? I think he gets more usage in the Eagles offense than people realize. Similarly, I like Parris Campbell a lot and would be thrilled to get him in Round 10 for similar reasons to Jackson. And if he lasts until the end of the draft, firing a shot on Marquise Brown makes sense. How about that? Two rookie receivers and an old guy! You'd think this was my first time playing Fantasy Football. But seriously, these are late picks I'm talking about.

6. Do you have any trigger points (ie players A and B are gone therefore I am looking to grab player C the next time I pick)

The top-3 tight ends and my top-6 quarterbacks. Once those tiers are nearly cleared I'll focus on getting one of them.

7. What's your approach to rookies, injured players, and/or suspended players that may not have a full workload to start the season?

Ultimately, I draft in Best Ball with the long view. I know several players who won't be trustworthy in the first few weeks will thrive in the back-half of the season. With so many roster spots to fill, I don't mind waiting.

8. What is your strategy for drafting a defense for this league? How many do you anticipate drafting?

I'm waiting and will take two with two different bye weeks. Not a lot of strategy there.

9. Name five players you are targeting in the later rounds?

Parris Campbell, Marquise Brown, DeSean Jackson, Devin Singletary, Alexander Mattison.

DRAFT SELECTIONS

Pick
Overall
Position
Player
Team
1.02
2
RB
NOS
2.11
23
TE
PHI
3.02
26
WR
DAL
4.11
47
WR
DET
5.02
50
RB
CHI
6.11
71
RB
Darrell Henderson
LAR
7.02
74
QB
GBP
8.11
95
WR
NYG
9.02
98
WR
GBP
10.11
119
RB
ATL
11.02
122
WR
IND
12.11
143
RB
BUF
13.02
146
QB
LAC
14.11
167
WR
DEN
15.02
170
TE
WAS
16.11
191
Def
New England Patriots
NEP
17.02
194
WR
CLE
18.11
215
RB
KCC
19.02
218
Def
Kansas City Chiefs
KCC
20.11
239
RB
ATL

POST-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. You selected six rookies in this draft (5 running backs and 1 wide receiver). You indicated that your strategy in best-ball leagues is to reach for the stars. Share of few of these notable rookies and explain why others should be high on them.

I surprised myself with the rookie haul I had, but in a format where I'm constantly taking high-upside shots, it's a logical move. Montgomery is the least surprising of the group given his upside as the Bears' top back. Henderson is the lottery ticket in case Todd Gurley's knee keeps him from playing like we're used to seeing (or if Sean McVay finds a consistent 10-touch role for him). And one of my favorite sleepers is Parris Campbell, who gives the Colts something unique in the slot and could exploit single coverage on a weekly basis provided he proves himself in training camp.

2. You drafted both Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison. Explain why you feel the backup running back position for Atlanta is one to target in this format or in general.

The Falcons have made it clear they want to be a better running team in 2019. They'll sink their hopes into Devonta Freeman, but since he came back from injury in 2017, he had 15 or fewer touches in 10 of 14 games. In those 14 games, he scored five times and went off for over 100 yards once. Not only am I not convinced that Freeman will be a stable starter for Fantasy managers this season, but I'm equally unconvinced the Falcons will give him a sizable workload from week to week. Smith and Ollison are bets against Freeman bouncing back, and it's one that's much easier to make in Best Ball than redrafts.

WILL GRANT'S EVALUATION

Strengths
Richard grabbed Alvin Kamara with the second overall pick and supplemented with Zach Ertz late in the second round for decent value on a top-three tight end. He then added Amari Cooper in the third, giving him good balance to start. He added Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers at quarterback, giving him a solid committee approach and he’ll post one of the best position scores for quarterback each week thanks to that pairing.

Weaknesses
Dave loaded up on the rookie running backs this season, and that could leave him vulnerable if they are slow to start or end up as part of a weak committee. David Montgomery should do well for Chicago, but his upside will be limited by Tarik Cohen and Mike Davis. Devin Singletary will compete with LeSean McCoy and Darwin Thompson has to beat out Damien Williams and Carlos Hyde. Darrel Henderson might not see much playing time of Todd Gurley comes back at 100%. He’ll also have a bit of a challenge in week nine with four of his seven choices off that week.

How He’ll Win It All
Having one or two rookies hit will go a long way to helping Richard make a playoff run. His quarterback tandem is one of the best in the league, and Alvin Kamara will produce points every week. Richard’s wide receiver corps is decent, especially with Golden Tate now being suspended to start the season. If that group can complement his running backs, Richard will have a shot. Drafting two tight ends off the same week was a mistake, but unless something crazy happens, Zach Ertz will be Richard’s starting tight end for a majority of the season.

DRAFT SLOT 3

Eliot Crist, TQE

Eliot Crist is the Sports Product Manager for TheQuantEdge.com. TheQuantEdge will give you the tools you need to play like a tool. Eliot formerly contributed to 4for4, Powerhour, PFF, and Bleacher Report. You can follow him on twitter @EliotCrist where he is consistently talking football, DFS, fantasy, and the draft.

PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. Give us some advanced strategies you are looking to implement in this draft.
Having a top-three pick shapes my draft. It takes Zero Running Back off the table, at least in its truest form. I am a big believer in each draft being its own opportunity to attack in your own way. I look to take advantage of falling players, stack offenses and build my roster around my studs. Draft position plays a big role, and picking top-three gives me a really strong opportunity to get a strong RB1 and WR1.

2. Discuss drafting from the 3-hole. What will you do differently because of this draft slot?
Having a top-three pick shapes my strategy. I will be able to start with one of Barkley, McCaffrey, or Zeke and build from there. In the second round, I am looking to grab a stud receiver like Antonio Brown or Mike Evans, and in the third, I will get either Kittle, Ertz or pick the top back or receiver based on who falls. If the top receivers are gone I will look to grab Damien Williams and come back with a T.Y. Hilton or Adam Thielen third round. From there I will look to build stacks and take advantage of the value falling.

3. When do you plan to select your first quarterback?
Not before round eight, but it depends on how the draft falls. Often with Expert leagues, quarterbacks fall further than a standard league and you can look to gain leverage by getting a top quarterback a bit earlier to gain a positional advantage without having to spend significant draft capital. The other exception to this could be to get a stack having a top quarterback and his top weapon can be worth it. In an ideal world, both my quarterbacks will come in the double-digit rounds, but I am willing to adjust.

4. When do you plan to select your first tight end?
This depends on how the draft falls. If Kittle or Ertz is there in round three I will grab them. O.J. Howard in the fifth, Jared Cook in the 7th, or Vance McDonald in the 8th are earlier round targets. If I miss out on these players I will take three in the double-digit rounds.

5. Name a few guys that you are looking to build your team around. What rounds do you expect to get them in?
My Ideal start would be Ezekiel Elliott, Mike Evans, George Kittle to build a team around guys who can finish number one overall at their position. So much is how the board plays out, but a few guys I like to target are Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, David Montgomery, Latavius Murray, Curtis Samuel, Christian Kirk, Jared Cook, Vance McDonald. If I can combine my ideal start with a few of those players I will be feeling very good.

6. Do you have any trigger points (ie players A and B are gone therefore I am looking to grab player C the next time I pick)
Once we get into the double-digit rounds and I look at my roster I may be forced into taking a player. For example, if I only have one tight end and there was a run before I pick and there is only one legitimate potential starter left I will take him even if he isn't the top player on my board so I don't get stuck with an extremely weak position group. The other position I will consider this with is QB, but I don't think that will be a problem with this draft.

7. What's your approach to rookies, injured players, and/or suspended players that may not have a full workload to start the season?
My entire draft strategy is a cost-based analysis. You have to be willing to take risks, but the price has to be right. I will never pay a premium for a player with a lot of risk but I will take the discount. I would take Melvin Gordon in the second because if he plays it can be a league winning pick. I am comfortable with rookie running backs in good roles because I research shows snaps and volume are the most important statistic when predicting running back success. I avoid rookie WRs and rookie TEs like the plague and Kyler Murray’s rushing upside makes him a strong target for me as his actual NFL performance could mean very little when it comes to his fantasy upside.

8. What is your strategy for drafting a defense for this league? How many do you anticipate drafting?
I will draft between two and three defenses depending on how the draft falls and I will look to grab them late. I won’t pay a premium on the Bears to chase last years performance and the Jaguars are unlikely as well. When looking to draft a defense for me everything starts with pressure. Turnovers are difficult to predict, but teams who generate pressure have a lot of turnover opportunities. The Browns are one of my favorite late-round targets.

9. Name five players you are targeting in the later rounds?
Lamar Jackson

DRAFT SELECTIONS

Pick
Overall
Position
Player
Team
1.03
3
RB
CAR
2.10
22
TE
SFO
3.03
27
WR
MIN
4.10
46
WR
TBB
5.03
51
WR
SEA
6.10
70
RB
HOU
7.03
75
RB
NOS
8.10
94
WR
CAR
9.03
99
WR
Marvin Jones
DET
10.10
118
QB
TBB
11.03
123
QB
DAL
12.10
142
RB
BAL
13.03
147
WR
DAL
14.10
166
RB
MIA
15.03
171
TE
OAK
16.10
190
WR
NEP
17.03
195
Def
Philadelphia Eagles
PHI
18.10
214
RB
DAL
19.03
219
WR
DAL
20.10
238
Def
Detroit Lions
DET

POST-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. You indicated that you will wait on drafting a quarterback. In fact, you wound up selecting Jameis Winston and Dak Prescott at the 10-11 turn (QB14, and QB16). Explain why that strategy is a good one for best-ball leagues.
The Quarterback position is likely the deepest in all of fantasy. In a league where I only have to start one quarterback, high volume quarterbacks with rushing upside should allow me to compete week in and week out at the quarterback position. In best ball, I am looking for ceiling games, but I also want quarterbacks who want to sink the ship if I wait. Prescott's rushing upside gives me the confidence I won’t score single digits at QB this year and Winston’s passing volume and weapons have me confident in a potential 5,000 yards season.

2. Talk about the importance of being able to construct a QB/WR stack in best-ball leagues. You wound up with Chris Godwin and Jameis Winston. What made you target Winston over Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins who would've also given you stacks with Tyler Lockett or Adam Thielen?
I always look to stack when I can, though I don’t force the issue. The draft fell nicely to me so I had multiple options to do this. I am down on Wilson this year because of the lack of volume and I have Winston a tier above Cousins this season. I chose what I thought was the best passing offense and looked to stack it and came away very happy with a Winston and Godwin combo.

WILL GRANT'S EVALUATION

Strengths
Crist opened the draft strong, selecting Christian McCaffrey right out of the gate and adding George Kittle, Adam Thielen, Chris Godwin and Tyler Lockett with his next four picks. Crist continued to add boom or bust receivers as the draft played out, and he paired quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Jameis Winston with receivers as well, giving him good stacking potential from week to week. Kittle will be a solid receiver if he can stay healthy, and the best ball format should play well with the rest of Crist’s pass catchers in a PPR league.

Weaknesses
McCaffrey was a strong pick out of the gate, but the rest of Crist’s running backs have big question marks. Lamar Miller is the starter in Houston but for how long. Latavius Murray could be big in New Orleans or could fade into the bench and produce minimal numbers. The rest of his runners are just ‘flyer’ type of picks, meaning Eliot is really going to need McCaffrey to carry the load this year.

How He’ll Win It All
McCaffrey needs to stay healthy and another runner needs to step up. If Miller or Murray can produce decent numbers each week, the best ball format will guarantee that Crist will get the most bang for their performances. Pairing Prescott and Winston with secondary receivers from their respective teams could be just the stacking bonus Crist needs to stay competitive. Eliot’s wide receivers should keep him in most games this season – he just needs a little help from the other running backs on his team outside of McCaffrey.

DRAFT SLOT 4

Raymond Summerlin, Rotoworld

Raymond Summerlin has been part of the fantasy community for over 10 years. He is currently a fantasy and news writer as well as a podcast host for Rotoworld.

PRE-DRAFT QUESTIONS

1. Give us some advanced strategies you are looking to implement in this draft.

Picking from the four spot guarantees one of the top group of running backs, but it also restricts the draft strategy to some extent. I may end up with a receiver in round two because there is usually just too much value there, but the beginning of my draft will be running back heavy with the hope I can overstock on receivers in the middle rounds.

2. Discuss drafting from the four-hole. What will you do differently because of this draft slot?

Drafting here does not make it impossible to go zero RB, but almost the only option with the first four picks is to take one of the top four running backs. It is certainly possible to go receiver heavy afterward in a modified zero RB roster construction, but you are unlikely to end up with the elite, predictable receivers which make the strategy so appealing.

3. When do you plan to select your first quarterback?

It will depend on the flow of the draft. There is a tier of quarterbacks that begins with Baker Mayfield and runs at least through Cam Newton. I will feel comfortable as long as I end up with one of those players.

4. When do you plan to select your first tight end?

Like with quarterbacks, it all comes down to tiers. After the top three, there are six tight ends I would feel comfortable with as my No. 1. I will take a shot once that group begins to dwindle.

5. Name a few guys that you are looking to build your team around. What ro

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