Looking for fantasy steals and targets

[Brees#1]

I have been back playing actively for two years. You can skip this story to get to the point.

In 2023, I drafted Chase with the top pick. But after that, I drafted Harris and Etienne. I was left with a RB who wasn't running like a number 1 and a WR that was banged up and inconsistent early on. I picked up McBride off waivers. Needless to say, the team was bad.

In 2024, I went back to RB focus, taking Hall with the sixth pick. I took Etienne again because he was okay for a number 2. McBride I took before a WR. My WRs were Pickens, Diggs, and Higgins. Then I grabbed Chase Brown in ninth or tenth round. I started out 1-5.

But doors opened.....
The Broncos were playing poorly for two weeks to start. There was the sense Sutton, who was dropped, was not going to be productive enough because the Broncos offense was going to be bad. But as a Saints fan, I knew those were two tougher defenses and SP had a team on deck that he had a history of torching and who had one of the worst pass defenses in the league. I was not buying the Bucs beating the Broncos. I snatched up Sutton quick. Then, Wilson starts week 7, which meant more production for Pickens. Just in time because Diggs goes down. And I was also going after that Browns WR Winston was throwing to. Chase Brown also had a breakout year and it was easier to stick with him once it was clear Etienne lost his job. I also started playing the matchups on K and DST.

I went on to win 6 of the remaining 8 to clinch a playoff spot week 13. I made one dumb choice to play Cooper Rush over Herbert week 16 and lost by ten points. Week 17, my team scores the most points all year and most that week of all the teams. To think I was one bad start away from taking number 3 in what was a comeback campaign.

Who are the players to watch? I am not touching Barkley or Henry. I am considering Achane, Warren, and even Hall again who will have a QB that complements him. Stevenson is also appealing as well. These are RBs.


I may go early for TE again. McBride is a target again.

I will be looking for 4-6 round WR values again.

 

[TREFF]

In all that, I missed the question.. what are you looking for here?

 

[SmokingMonkey]

I will be looking for 4-6 round WR values again.

With this strategy in mind, I think id like to target a solid vet WR then 2 guys with a bit more upside, knowing that I'm missing out on all the young established stud WRs by ignoring that position the first 3 rounds. Could be a very successful "zig" to the other owners' "zag".

Vet side, I want my boy Mike Evans (adp high 30s/low 40s), but that means you'll have to commit your 4th rd pick on him if he's even available. Could see his stock tick up if we get confirmation how long Godwin is out.
- DJM, Sutton, Adams, Ridley, Flowers, Jeudy also solid vet options, a few would be rd 6-7 types as well here

Now for the upside, pending how your draft goes, might need to target 2 here first then pivot to vet, knowing that you'll miss the best of that bunch.

Marv Jr, Tet McMillan, Jamo Williams, Worthy or Rice, Pickens, TravHunter, Odunze

A lot more risk in that group, but wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of these guys in the top 12 WRs in the future. I even threw some out there that I don't like, but can't deny their upside.

Good luck!

 

[averagejoe]

may go early for TE again. McBride is a target again.

i think i remember you?
didnt you argue with everyone?
if i have you confused with someone else i apologize.

If this is a legit question, going early on a TE is your choice, but it may not be the recipe for a winning roster.

a good TE like Bowers and McBride will get you 1K yards, but you'll also be passing on a bunch of WR and RB that will be amassing 1500+ yards, which means youre already down 50 fantasy points by going TE first.

hoping there are some WR gems in the middle rounds will not make up this difference. Unless you dart-throw the right player which is optimistic but probably unrealistic. There's a reason those WR are in rounds 4-6. Cause they're average.

 

[cwalke3408]

There's always opportunity with Rookie WRs if you draft the right one
So maybe guys like:
- McMillian
- Egbuka
- Jayden Higgins

 

[SmokingMonkey]

There's always opportunity with Rookie WRs if you draft the right one
So maybe guys like:
- McMillian
- Egbuka
- Jayden Higgins

Have to be able to weather 4-6 weeks of very high variance scoring, even if you get the right one.

Lots of the best rookie WR seasons ever had really slow starts. Everyone drools over what Nabers and BThomas did last year, but Nabers went silent for 2 months after getting hurt then suffering thru being on the giants, Thomas flashed a couple plays here and there before he exploded after the bye, a lot with Mac Jones.

I get the upside, but from a pure "I need to score more pts this week than my opponent" view, the dud factor is high, even for the guys that popped as rookies.

Very rare to see them balling right out the gates, only so many Jeffersons, Chases, and such. Boldin too for those that remember, he played like a vet from game 1

 

[Sam Squanch]

RB- Treveyon Henderson, RJ Harvey, Isaiah Pacheco, DeAndre Swift
WR- Matthew Golden, Rome Odunze, tet McMillan, Ladd McConkey, Emeka Egbuka
TE- Tyler Warren, Colson Loveland
QB - Justin Fields, Bo Nix