Welcome fantasy buddies and foes to Draft From the 1.04 spot in 2022 Fantasy Soccer.
I used to be entrusted to investigate the draft methods from particular draft positions. I kicked off my methods by tackling the circulate of a fantasy soccer draft from the fourth spot. The lineup for this train consists of QB-1, RB-2, WR-3, TE-1 and FLEX-2 in a 12-team half-PPR draft.
Take a look at who I chosen and why within the first seven rounds of the mock draft. I present my evaluation and technique by answering seven inquiries to information the fantasy managers given the 1.04 of their drafts.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of this draft spot?
You had been fortunate to get the fourth decide in your fantasy soccer draft. With the fourth decide, fantasy managers can choose an elite asset and a difference-maker in your weekly lineup. You’ll have picks solely six choices aside from one another so you’ll be able to forecast with extra accuracy who is perhaps obtainable together with your subsequent decide. Moreover, monitoring different league members’ rosters turns into extra succinct. Alternatively, choosing fourth takes you out of the operating for Jonathan Taylor. This additionally forces you to attend for lengthy stretches between picks which could be extraordinarily irritating and detrimental to your draft processes.
Do you may have a sure technique when choosing at 1.04 in 2022?
My choice could be to safe a stud operating again within the first spherical, whether or not it’s Austin Ekeler or Derrick Henry. If each backs are gone, I is perhaps compelled to pivot to Cooper Kupp. Positional shortage will drive the upcoming draft selections. The operating again effectively dries up rapidly after 20 picks, so I’m not reaching for a lower-tier operating again simply to fill the lineup spot. As a substitute, I’m going after one of the best participant obtainable. The tight-end group of Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts could be very engaging, however I’m hoping to see both Davante Adams or CeeDee Lamb obtainable. Kicking off my draft with Kupp and Adams/Lamb units me up fantastically in any PPR format. Grabbing one of many elite tight ends could be perfect. Usually, I concentrate on capturing one of the best gamers obtainable and never being so narrow-focused in filling lineup spots.
Who’re the first-round targets on this spot, and what’s the order of choice?
My pure order of choice could be Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry and Cooper Kupp. I hope Ekeler continues to be there as a result of he’s a dynamic fantasy asset taking part in for an ascending Los Angeles Chargers offense that completed fifth in whole factors final season. Ekeler averaged 16.7 fantasy factors per recreation final season, which ranked behind solely Jonathan Taylor. He scored 20 touchdowns and grabbed 70 receptions whereas totaling 1,459 scrimmage yards in 15 video games.
Derrick Henry is your quintessential workhorse again, and his damage killed loads of fantasy goals final season. His assured quantity in a Tennessee Titans offense that moved vast receiver A.J. Brown throughout the draft will possible improve this season. Henry produces online game numbers when wholesome, and if it weren’t for lack of involvement within the passing recreation, he could be the perennial high decide in fantasy soccer yearly. Lastly, Cooper Kupp had an out-of-this-world 2021 season, culminating in a Tremendous Bowl victory. Will probably be almost unimaginable to match or surpass his outrageous 2021 numbers, however something shut leads to Kupp being a viable first-round fantasy choice.
Is there anybody you’re avoiding who is perhaps obtainable for you within the first spherical?
I really like Christian McCaffrey as a participant on the sector, and that’s the rub. McCaffrey has solely appeared in ten video games throughout the previous two seasons, but each fantasy supervisor is aware of McCaffrey is the king of fantasy operating backs when he’s wholesome. In his final two full seasons, the previous Stanford Cardinal completed because the RB2 and the RB1.
Within the first spherical, fantasy managers should concentrate on mitigating the danger. The heavy utilization McCaffrey absorbed, particularly his 403 touches within the 2019 All-Professional efficiency, has taken its toll on the Carolina Panthers operating again.
The Panthers have a brand new offensive coordinator in Ben McAdoo, who likes to make the most of extra two-RB formations. This could result in McCaffrey being moved round within the offense. The Panthers additionally signed former Titan D’Onta Foreman, who ought to beat out Chuba Hubbard and slot in as McCaffrey’s backup. Foreman performed effectively for Tennessee whereas Derrick Henry was out and may present high quality manufacturing when spelling McCaffrey.
McCaffrey is phenomenal in PPR codecs, with 100-plus receptions in 2018 and 2019. There isn’t a doubt that McCaffrey is a first-round decide, however he’s higher suited and possesses extra worth if fantasy managers can choose him towards the latter half of the primary spherical. Nonetheless solely 25, McCaffrey is usually a league-winner on the fourth spot, however he can’t win your matchups from the sidelines.
What’s the plan of assault for rounds 2-3 based mostly on the potential first-round situations?
After securing a high operating again within the first spherical, I’ll concentrate on a large receiver or tight finish with both of my subsequent two picks. Nonetheless, if Nick Chubb or Javonte Williams by some means slips to the twenty first decide, I’m leaping throughout both elite operating again. Beginning my roster with an Ekeler/Henry with both Chubb/Williams will probably be a implausible path to the championship. If there are not any high operating backs obtainable, I’m attacking the WR place or holding my eye out for an elite TE resembling Mark Andrews or Kyle Pitts. Pairing the already talked about operating again pairs with a top-notch tight finish permits me to dive into the deep vast receiver pool and make the most of draft capital worth.
Who’re some targets in rounds 4-7?
Relying upon my success within the first three rounds, I’m gearing as much as fill my RB/ WR/Flex spots in these rounds. Searching for a balanced roster permits me to let the draft board fall to me, however I’ve sure gamers I’m concentrating on. I began my draft going RB/WR/TE, so I’m on the lookout for an upside operating again in these rounds with the bullseyes on J.Okay. Dobbins, Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker and AJ Dillon, with Antonio Gibson and Clyde Edwards-Helaire as extra choices.
In PPR leagues, WR drafted with this capital will rating greater than these RBs. I’m bullish on deciding on two of the next wideouts: Terry McLaurin, Brandin Cooks, Rashod Bateman, Courtland Sutton, Darnell Mooney, Jerry Jeudy and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Every of those wideouts presents a fantasy manufacturing that would rival my WR1. Ideally, I’m drafting McLaurin, who I feel is braced for a breakout season with new quarterback Carson Wentz‘s large improve over Tyler Heinicke and an improved supporting solid.
The Commanders will pair up McLaurin with 2022 first-round decide Jahan Dotson, and we must always see the return of multi-dimensional Curtis Samuel. My subsequent favourite possibility is the underrated Houston Texans’ Brandin Cooks. Cooks is the Texans’ high goal and set a career-high in targets with 134 final season with rookie quarterback Davis Mills. With Mills having a season beneath his belt, we must always see enchancment from Mills in an offense devoid of playmakers. After ending as WR20 final season, Cooks is poised to enhance his rating this season.
Lastly, Baltimore Ravens vast receiver Rashod Bateman ought to take a giant leap in fantasy manufacturing with an elevated function within the Ravens’ offense. The Ravens traded vast receiver Marquise Brown throughout the draft, which leaves the passing recreation with Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews and Batemen. The Ravens aren’t a pass-friendly offense, however we must always anticipate Bateman to step up this season, attain six to eight targets per recreation and be a wonderful WR3 on my fantasy roster.
The remaining wideouts to draft on this portion of the draft are the Chicago Bears’ Darnell Mooney, who will watch the maturation of Justin Fields immediately right into a PPR monster profession season, and Jerry Jeudy, who will lastly have a great quarterback with the acquisition of Russell Wilson. I will probably be intrigued to see what degree every participant takes their recreation to this season. Constructing a strong basis with a stability of elite and upside gamers brings dwelling championships.
After seven rounds, which positions do you anticipate to be areas of power for you, and which positions will you continue to want to deal with?
Heading into spherical eight, my present lineup is:
RB-Derrick Henry, AJ Dillon
WR-CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, Rashod Bateman, Darnell Mooney
TE-Kyle Pitts
In a single quarterback format, I’m not involved that I didn’t choose a quarterback up so far. Primarily based on present rankings, a handful of viable fantasy quarterbacks are nonetheless on the board. Russell Wilson being traded to the Denver Broncos will increase his fantasy worth. There are many weapons within the Broncos’ offense with the RB tandem of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon and a trio of wideouts that ought to thrive with Wilson behind middle in Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. Extra importantly, Wilson will not be handcuffed by Pete Carroll, and we’ll lastly see Russell Wilson cook dinner.
A sneaky QB choice is the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford, contemporary off a Tremendous Bowl win and a 2021 season that noticed him throw for 4,886 yards and 41 touchdowns. Stafford welcomes Allen Robinson as one other weapon together with Sean McVay’s play-calling which ought to result in one other excellent season and surpass his QB5 rating from final season. Aaron Rodgers is all the time an possibility as your fantasy quarterback, even with the offensive downgrade of shedding All-Professional vast receiver Davante Adams. Three darkish horse candidates to think about with later picks are Las Vegas Raiders Derek Carr, who welcomes his wonderful good friend Davante Adams to the Raider offense and has a brand new play-caller and head coach in Josh McDaniels. Minnesota Vikings Kirk Cousins has completed as a top-12 QB in three of the final 4 seasons. The remaining quarterback I might goal is the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence, who will now have a legit NFL coach in Doug Pederson and a workforce that has surrounded him with loads of weapons.
My obvious weak spot is at operating again, with one being a workhorse again and the opposite again carrying great upside and is an damage away from being a top-five operating again. I might want to focus my power on bettering this weak spot. Attainable obtainable candidates will probably be Devin Singletary, Rashaad Penny, Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert. Not the who’s who of operating backs however serviceable on the minimal as flex or bye week choices.
I really like my vast receiver group. There may be loads of upside with every receiver being the WR1 on their respective groups. I ought to personal one of the best vast receiver group within the league.
I used an early decide on the Atlanta Falcons tight finish, Kyle Pitts as a result of I undertaking Pitts to complete because the TE1 in 2022. Within the third spherical, I took the plunge on Pitts to safe an excellent top-heavy place. If I didn’t seize a TE early, I might have handed on the place till the double-digit rounds to think about deciding on one. As a substitute, the Falcons’ offense will characteristic Pitts and work in first-round vast receiver Drake London. Nonetheless, please make no mistake about it: Pitts is the alpha canine on this offense and would be the go-to possibility for brand spanking new quarterback Marcus Mariota. Pitts entered his rookie season with lofty and unreasonable expectations and was known as a bust in some NFL circles. If a bust can produce 68 catches for 1,108 receiving yards (third amongst tight ends), I can’t wait to see what Pitts does for an encore in 2022.
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