Perfect Draft Series: Drafting 2nd in a 12 Team League
In recent years, I’ve typically gone away from the traditional approach of selecting running backs early in fantasy drafts. That’s because I felt the proliferation of the running back by committee approach meant there were a lot of useful backs available later in drafts. And there were so few dependable wide receivers out there that I believed they had to be targeted early.
My mindset is a little different this year. The depth at receiver is better, and I think the running back spot might not be as deep.
Picking second, it’s a given I would be taking one of the Foster/Rice/McCoy trio that is dominating the top of the draft board. And I would have done that even in the heyday of my wide receiver advocacy. The test to my altered approach would come after round one.
Fortunately, my good buddy PC Drafter is flexible and always willing to implement different strategies. It’s all about winning, no matter how you pull it off.
So PC and I will be attempting to dominate a 12 team PPR league where you start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, and 1 defense. Teams are allowed to draft no more than two quarterbacks, two kickers, two tight ends, two defenses, five wide receivers, and five running backs.
Full draft results are at the bottom. Here’s how it went:
Pick 1.2 Ray Rice
Arian Foster went first, meaning I had to decide between Ray Rice and LeSean “Shady” McCoy. PC prefers Rice, and so do I. McCoy is certainly a franchise player, but I think his numbers are almost certain to drop some this year. He had an amazing season in 2011 that will be tough to duplicate. Although Rice also had a career year in 2011, it wasn’t as monstrous as McCoy’s, and he’s plenty capable of hitting that same plateau again or maybe even exceeding it. He will be a great anchor for the team.
Pick 2.11 Darren Sproles
PC’s top recommendation is Darren Sproles, and although his ADP was later in the third round at the time we drafted, he gets a boost in PPR leagues. Of course, he’s far more than a PPR specialist. He scores more touchdowns than someone his size normally should and he’s always capable of breaking a big play. With Rice and Sproles, we have two dependable and exciting backs. I feel very old school at the moment with two running backs through the first two rounds.
Pick 3.2 Roddy White
Look who’s still here in round three? It’s White, who has been one of the most dependable players in fantasy football over the past several seasons. There’s no denying he’s going to take a backseat to the electrifying Julio Jones this year, but there will still be plenty of passes for White in Atlanta’s new up-tempo attack. PC Drafter thought enough of White to rank him just ahead of Wes Welker, who has been a sensational PPR player in the past. That speaks volumes about Atlanta’s new direction and White’s prospects, and also the impact Brandon Lloyd might have on the rest of New England’s receivers.
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