Bijan, Rhamondre, AND Breece?! Thursday night marked my first Fantasy Football draft of the season. Picking from the 9-slot in a 10-team home league, I made sure to go in with a flexible mindset. Drafting is all about looking for value. If you enter your draft-room with a set strategy, you are shortchanging yourself. While a team constructed in this way may appear more balanced at first, that doesn’t mean it’s superior. Having positional advantages is key, and if that means taking four straight wide receivers, then so be it. To prove this point, here is a pick-by-by breakdown of the the draft.
Pick 1.09: Bijan Robinson, RB1
If Cooper Kupp fell one more spot, I would have jumped on it. But, Robinson was exactly who I was hoping to take here. I’d take him as early at 5th overall, so it felt like a huge steal grabbing him at 9th. The Falcons didn’t take Bijan with the 8th overall pick to ‘ease him into things’. He is going to be a workhorse back who can both catch passes AND do the dirty work from day one. Although he’s a rookie, he’s a relatively safe first round pick with the workload he’s going to receive (despite what some people on social media may be saying).
Pick 2.02: Ceedee Lamb, WR1
Ceedee Lamb was a slam dunk pick here. The Dallas Cowboys’ stud wide receiver finished last season with a relatively quiet 1,359 yards on 107 catches, finishing as the WR5 overall. There is no reason he won’t repeat this in 2023. If anything, production should improve if quarterback Dak Prescott bounces back from his subpar season. I also like Tony Pollard and Nick Chubb at this spot, but wanted to make sure I grabbed at least one elite wide receiver (this allowed me to be much more flexible in the following rounds).
Pick 3.09: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB2
Yes, Ezekiel Elliot will be joining Stevenson in the New England Backfield this year. And yes, he will most likely steal goal line carries, and a decent amount of touchdowns from the young back. Before the Zeke move, Stevenson was being drafted at the 2-3 turn. With the fantasy community sour, I was able to scoop him up as my RB2. Last year, Rhamondre finished as the RB7. He managed this while only scoring 6 touchdowns, half the amount that Tony Pollard (who finished one spot behind him) finished with. He generated his points through receptions, so the addition of Elliot to the Patriots backfield isn’t as detrimental as many think. In addition, Pollard was able to finish at the RB8 with Zeke backing him up last season. Who’s to say Stevenson won’t do the same?
Pick 4.02: Josh Allen, QB1
While some may feel handcuffed into taking another wide receiver here to balance out their team, the Bills’ Josh Allen was too good to pass up on. He is the perfect fantasy quarterback. Allen has throw for at least 4,200 yards and 35 touchdowns while rushing for at least six touchdowns each of the last four years. He’s only missed three games in the last four years. The combination of durability, rushing, and passing consistency is as good as it comes. Allen could easily finish as the overall QB1 in 2023.
Pick 5.09: Breece Hall, RB3
Did I plan on drafting two running backs whose teams added big-time names to join them in them in their backfields in past week? No. Am I excited about it? Heck yes. New York Jets running back Breece Hall falling to 5.09 should be a crime. I do believe Dalvin Cook, who just signed a one-year contract with the Jets, still has something left in the tank. However, what Hall flashed last year before his ACL tear was special. He averaged 16.4 points per game last season, good for 7th among running backs. The Jets will certainly ease him into things; that is why they brought in Cook. I can afford this with Robinson and Stevenson already on my roster. But, come week 8, I fully expect Hall to have taken over the Jets backfield. He’s too talented to be outperformed by the aging Cook. If things shake out right, I could easily have the best running back room in the league.
Pick 6.02: DJ Moore, WR2
I was ecstatic to take Moore with my 6th round pick. Him and Justin Fields are going to take off this year. Serving as Fields’ first true number one receiver, he is going to reap the unknown benefits of being his safety blanket. He is going to be a target hog for the Chicago offense. If his one preseason reception is any indication, Moore is in line for a massive 2023 season. After scooping up insane RB value in the early rounds, I feel comfortable with Moore as my WR2.
Pick 7.09: Drake London, WR3
The 7th round brought more insane value. After pounding running back early, the Falcons’ Drake London falling to me in the 7th was huge. He has the potential to jump several tiers into WR1 territory if a few things go right. London sees an insane target share in the Falcons offense, but poor quarterback play has caused him some struggles. If he starts catching some touchdowns and turning his targets into yards, he will prove to be a steal in the 7th round.
Pick 8.02: Darren Waller, TE1
I finally snagged my tight end in round eight with the Giants’ new addition, Darren Waller. Considering New York’s lack of a dominant wide receiver, Waller is in line to lead the team in targets. When healthy, he has proven that he can be a top-tier fantasy TE. He finished as the overall TE2 in 2020. With little competition, this pick is a high-risk high-reward bet on health. However, after missing out on Kelce, Andrews, and Hockenson, I am perfectly happy with Waller in my lineup week 1.
Pick 9.09: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR4
JSN is arguably the most polished receiver to come out of this year’s draft. I always try to draft one or two first or second year wideouts (I was hoping for Jahan Dotson to fall here), and was pleased to snag the Seahawks first round pick in the 9th round. Though he’s been plopped into a crowded room with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, this means that opposing teams will probably focus on players other than Smith-Njigba. With his route-running skills, JSN has real potential to rack up slot receptions in Seattle this year. I like him as a low-end flex, love him as a bench piece.
Pick 10.02: Cam Akers, RB4
This is the year for Cam Akers. The Rams running back finally has the backfield to himself, and is set to be a workhorse. I’ll take a guy like that in round 10 every day of the week.
Late Rounds
Pick 11.09, Jameson Williams: In a Michigan-based league, I was astounded to grab Williams this late. He has sky-high potential after he returns from his 6-week suspension
Pick 12.02, Treylon Burks: Another second-year upside swing; maybe having D-Hop on the field will open things up.
Pick 13.09, Rashod Bateman: Someone in the Ravens wide receiver room is bound to explode; it could be Bateman if health is on his side.
Pick 14.02, Zach Charbonnet: The Seahawks took him pretty early, so he’s bound to see some work. Plus, an injury to Kennth Walker shoots him to the moon.
Pick 15.09, Cole Kmet: He caught a lot of touchdowns last year; a backup tight end felt necessary with Waller’s injury history.
Final Thoughts
I’m very happy with how the team shaped up. I feel like I did a very good job of scooping up value where it was. I avoided reaching for players and forcing strategies. By allowing the draft to come to me, I ended up with a very strong running back room and elite quarterback without sacrificing the other positions. If you adopt this same mindset, you’ll leave your draft thrilled!
