Post Draft Top 12 Rankings

[stoneghost28]

That’s a good point about the strength of the class, definitely agree on that point, in most years, Jeudy/Lamb would probably both be in the top 3. Personally, I’ve had pretty good luck with loading up with WRs on my dynasty teams but that can vary with people because of their league starting requirements, settings, etc. Maybe I’ll change my mind some on Akers, but right now, I have him below Jeudy/Lamb.

RB's don't need training camp nearly as much as WR's do. That's yet another reason to err towards RB in this draft, especially considering their landing spots, Denver's messy, and Lambs situation will get much more attractive by '22 (I expect them to say bye bye to Gallup that offseason), but in the near term will be very difficult. I love the WR's in this draft, but am setting aside the first 5 picks for RB's in 1 QB leagues more than likely, especially w/the training camp angle added. Then just try and flip the RB as their value goes up (potentially).

That’s a pretty good strategy, as far as RBs goes. I was mainly talking about Akers in the initial post, just personally, I can’t take him ahead of Lamb or Jeudy, but I don’t mind waiting on those guys, some of my leagues are way more active than others, so personally, I have to weigh that too because some owners won’t trade young highly drafted players.

And your last point for me personally is well worth taking. If you play in inactive, trade averse leagues, don't build in a draft strategy of flipping guys. I have some leagues that are super active, and others that you can't pry open w/trades to save your life and as such you should take that knowledge to heart when building your draft strategy. I love Akers as a prospect, but if you're concerned that his issues were about more than the FSU line, than definitely take Lamb or Judy instead.

[stoneghost28]

I’m still shaking my head at all the people with Clyde-Edwards-Helaire as your 1.01 pick, based almost entirely on landing spot alone. I think that many of these folks are new to dynasty fantasy football or have a poor memory. Here’s a list going back only just ten years of running backs who were drafted highly, around the same spot as CEH, and thought to be gifted into “primo landing spots” where there was very little competition for carries. Many of these backs weren’t thought of as elite talents or running back prospects before their respective NFL Drafts. How many of these panned out?

• Rashad Penny, #27 Seattle Seahawks
• TJ. Yeldon, #36 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ameer Abdullah, #54 Detroit Lions
• Bishop Sankey, #54 Tennessee Titans
• Giovani Bernard, #37 Cincinnati Bengals
• Montee Ball, #58 Denver Broncos
• David Wilson, #32 NY Giants
• Ryan Williams, #38 Arizona Cardinals
• Mikel Leshoure, #57 Detroit Lions
• Ryan Mathews, #12 San Diego Chargers
• Ben Tate, #58 Houston Texans
• Jahvid Best, #30 Detroit Lions
• Donald Brown, #30 Indianapolis Colts
• Beanie Wells, #31 Arizona Cardinals

Do we need to go back another ten years?

You're not wrong. Granted, CEH is a solid football player, but pre-draft, it was unpopular opinion to believe that he was the top back in this class. I think maybe Ice and a few others believed it.

Fast forward, and now he's the 1.01...and it feels very weird. I acknowledge opinions change once we get new information and I agree that his rookie stock should rise, but it still does not feel like he's a 1.01 type of talent. It is mostly situation for him, even though that doesn't mean he's untalented.

His combine lead him to falling to the fourth or fifth RB for just about everyone and typically no higher than the 1.06-1.07 on most people's lists. The KC situation is going to lift him for me, but not above RB's I fundamentally view as superior in Dobbins (a great situation by '21 when Ingram is dumped), Swift (Kerryon is going to fade away), and Taylor (taking over as the lead back in Indy behind an improving OL). It's worth noting that the big 3, if you saw it as three deep landed in pretty good situations. Dobbins is on an exciting Ravens team, Taylor will run behind a good OL with a QB prone to dump offs, and the one thing Detroit has is a functioning passing game which will provide running lanes for Swift.

[lostcause]

How many of these panned out?

• Rashad Penny, #27 Seattle Seahawks
• TJ. Yeldon, #36 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ameer Abdullah, #54 Detroit Lions
• Bishop Sankey, #54 Tennessee Titans
• Giovani Bernard, #37 Cincinnati Bengals
• Montee Ball, #58 Denver Broncos
• David Wilson, #32 NY Giants
• Ryan Williams, #38 Arizona Cardinals
• Mikel Leshoure, #57 Detroit Lions
• Ryan Mathews, #12 San Diego Chargers
• Ben Tate, #58 Houston Texans
• Jahvid Best, #30 Detroit Lions
• Donald Brown, #30 Indianapolis Colts
• Beanie Wells, #31 Arizona Cardinals

I feel personally attacked.

[PR0v3]

I’m still shaking my head at all the people with Clyde-Edwards-Helaire as your 1.01 pick, based almost entirely on landing spot alone. I think that many of these folks are new to dynasty fantasy football or have a poor memory. Here’s a list going back only just ten years of running backs who were drafted highly, around the same spot as CEH, and thought to be gifted into “primo landing spots” where there was very little competition for carries. Many of these backs weren’t thought of as elite talents or running back prospects before their respective NFL Drafts. How many of these panned out?

• Rashad Penny, #27 Seattle Seahawks
• TJ. Yeldon, #36 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ameer Abdullah, #54 Detroit Lions
• Bishop Sankey, #54 Tennessee Titans
• Giovani Bernard, #37 Cincinnati Bengals
• Montee Ball, #58 Denver Broncos
• David Wilson, #32 NY Giants
• Ryan Williams, #38 Arizona Cardinals
• Mikel Leshoure, #57 Detroit Lions
• Ryan Mathews, #12 San Diego Chargers
• Ben Tate, #58 Houston Texans
• Jahvid Best, #30 Detroit Lions
• Donald Brown, #30 Indianapolis Colts
• Beanie Wells, #31 Arizona Cardinals

Do we need to go back another ten years?

Why are you operating under the assumption that CEH isn’t also the most talented RB? Useless pre-draft rankings and mock drafts? I think most at this point most would pencil him in as the most talented pass catcher in the class, which is a significant component of the modern RB skillset. Is it just based on long speed, because CEH had comparable short area times to anyone in the class. Size? There are no elite RB prospects in this class, so why isn’t CEH the most talented when he probably has the most refined skillset for the current league?

Because Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, and JK Dobbins are more talented RB's, period. While Edwards-Helaire was making no in roads at the starting gig JK Dobbins, and Jonathan Taylor were killing people left and right starting as freshman. Swift joined in during his second year and Taylor even added a passing game element to his game last season after logging 3 straight 2,000 yard seasons. Meanwhile CEH was largely irrelevant until his third season with LSU. That matters.

Not sure what you're talking about in arguing that there are no elite RB prospects in the class (or were you referring to BMI specifically?). Taylor came out of Scott Barrett's PFF model as basically the equal or better of any RB that's come out since the RB renaissance began in '15 other than Barkley. At the same time that eval's going on you still have a bunch of people rating Swift as the more talented of the two, which if it were to prove true, would suggest he's also one of the best to come out the past six drafts, and then you have JK Dobbins who basically just ran through every single defense he ever faced, elite, bad, and indifferent. But there are no elite RB prospects? Huh? Seriously? Maybe I'm just misreading you.

I appreciate the response, but you didn’t provide a single aspect of the game of football that the other prospects do better than CEH. I understand others produced more, or have better combine measurements or whatever, but what do they do better than CEH on the field? None of their past production counts anymore, and combine measurements are only loosely correlated to success, so what do they actually do better than CEH that makes you believe they will translate better, or are more talented?

[cantguardjake]

I’m still shaking my head at all the people with Clyde-Edwards-Helaire as your 1.01 pick, based almost entirely on landing spot alone. I think that many of these folks are new to dynasty fantasy football or have a poor memory. Here’s a list going back only just ten years of running backs who were drafted highly, around the same spot as CEH, and thought to be gifted into “primo landing spots” where there was very little competition for carries. Many of these backs weren’t thought of as elite talents or running back prospects before their respective NFL Drafts. How many of these panned out?

• Rashad Penny, #27 Seattle Seahawks
• TJ. Yeldon, #36 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ameer Abdullah, #54 Detroit Lions
• Bishop Sankey, #54 Tennessee Titans
• Giovani Bernard, #37 Cincinnati Bengals
• Montee Ball, #58 Denver Broncos
• David Wilson, #32 NY Giants
• Ryan Williams, #38 Arizona Cardinals
• Mikel Leshoure, #57 Detroit Lions
• Ryan Mathews, #12 San Diego Chargers
• Ben Tate, #58 Houston Texans
• Jahvid Best, #30 Detroit Lions
• Donald Brown, #30 Indianapolis Colts
• Beanie Wells, #31 Arizona Cardinals

Do we need to go back another ten years?

Who didn’t think of Clyde as elite, you?

[FantasyFreak]

Just pick whoever you want.

[Farley]

I’m still shaking my head at all the people with Clyde-Edwards-Helaire as your 1.01 pick, based almost entirely on landing spot alone. I think that many of these folks are new to dynasty fantasy football or have a poor memory. Here’s a list going back only just ten years of running backs who were drafted highly, around the same spot as CEH, and thought to be gifted into “primo landing spots” where there was very little competition for carries. Many of these backs weren’t thought of as elite talents or running back prospects before their respective NFL Drafts. How many of these panned out?

• Rashad Penny, #27 Seattle Seahawks
• TJ. Yeldon, #36 Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ameer Abdullah, #54 Detroit Lions
• Bishop Sankey, #54 Tennessee Titans
• Giovani Bernard, #37 Cincinnati Bengals
• Montee Ball, #58 Denver Broncos
• David Wilson, #32 NY Giants
• Ryan Williams, #38 Arizona Cardinals
• Mikel Leshoure, #57 Detroit Lions
• Ryan Mathews, #12 San Diego Chargers
• Ben Tate, #58 Houston Texans
• Jahvid Best, #30 Detroit Lions
• Donald Brown, #30 Indianapolis Colts
• Beanie Wells, #31 Arizona Cardinals

Do we need to go back another ten years?

You're not wrong. Granted, CEH is a solid football player, but pre-draft, it was unpopular opinion to believe that he was the top back in this class. I think maybe Ice and a few others believed it.

Fast forward, and now he's the 1.01...and it feels very weird. I acknowledge opinions change once we get new information and I agree that his rookie stock should rise, but it still does not feel like he's a 1.01 type of talent. It is mostly situation for him, even though that doesn't mean he's untalented.

His 40 time lead him to falling to the fourth or fifth RB for just about everyone and typically no higher than the 1.06-1.07 on most people's lists. The KC situation is going to lift him for me, but not above RB's I fundamentally view as superior in Dobbins (a great situation by '21 when Ingram is dumped), Swift (Kerryon is going to fade away), and Taylor (taking over as the lead back in Indy behind an improving OL). It's worth noting that the big 3, if you saw it as three deep landed in pretty good situations. Dobbins is on an exciting Ravens team, Taylor will run behind a good OL with a QB prone to dump offs, and the one thing Detroit has is a functioning passing game which will provide running lanes for Swift.

Fixed it for you.

[nathanq42]

Tier 1: these cats are great football players in great situations, JT with a steamroller of an Oline, ready spring that 226 lbs. train with 4.39 on a rough night speed. He has the production, he has the measurables, he has the draft capital, he has a solid coach. CEH with the goat of all goats at QB, an amazing coach, the draft capital, amazing burst scores, not the best 40 or height, but guys have managed, plus his 10 yard splits isn't terrible. Have loved Dobbins through the whole process, he is number 2 or 3 in every category it seems, solid capital, good team that is going to tote the rock and break other teams' wills. Coin flip, I was higher on JT before and I'm leaning him currently, but honestly who knows, my opinion with change with the wind. I doubt I would move dobbins to #1 just due to the situations for the other two plus draft capital (last RB left plus 14 spots down from JT, 23 away from CEH). But wouldn't blame anyone for moving him to #1, any of these 3 could be the best in the class
JT
CEH
Dobbins

Tier 2:
amazing talents in good situations. To me swift is like dobbins, I just don't see as much dog in him (not to say he is soft). Jeudy is a great route runner, I am firmly of the mind that NFL teams can easily sustain two WR1/2s now a days, especially if they operate in different areas of the field which jeudy and Sutton should.

Swift
Jeudy

Tier 3: great players in sub optimal spots, or good players in great spots. Ruggs, speed, with good hands and a coach that knows how to maximize his guys. Draft capital out the booty, can turn a yard of space into a TD from anywhere on the field. Lamb, absolute dog out there. Once I saw how sticky his hands were and his open field blocks I knew this guy would be a bad mofo. Crowded WR room but lots of targets recently vacated and the Cowboys will likely be in a few shootouts this year. Reagor is a solid WR with great capital tied to a solid team with a good offensive minded coach and great QB, and no competition other than Ertz and Sanders, if he can clean up the drops he could be a real weapon out there.

Ruggs
Lamb
Reagor

Tier 4: good players in above average situations. Akers has all the hype but can he live up to it, or was it not ALL the oline at FSU? Really like Jefferson, not a fan of going to the Vikings, they don't seem like they could sustain 2 WR2s, just love volume with a blah QB and a super heavy run game. Idk much about Pittman but yolo, he has good capital and stuff I guess hahaha

Akers
Jefferson
Pittman

Tier 5: the rest I don't know much about, not care about

[Jigga94]

No way I'm passing on some of these RB's for Tua in a SF. He has no rushing upside, and major injury concerns. He doesn't have top 5 upside for me, and a few of these RB's do.

Came back to find this comment specifically... I've been watching more film cut ups for Ruggs/Jeudy. Tua makes some really bad decisions at times. I'm no scouting guru, but watching him vs top teams (Clemson National Championship 2018, LSU 2018 and 2019) he makes some awful reads. There was some other boneheaded decisions I want to say vs Auburn 2018 and South Carolina 2019, even though he finished with great stat lines. I'm also not too confident taking him over some of these RB even in SF

[Sriracha]

No way I'm passing on some of these RB's for Tua in a SF. He has no rushing upside, and major injury concerns. He doesn't have top 5 upside for me, and a few of these RB's do.

Came back to find this comment specifically... I've been watching more film cut ups for Ruggs/Jeudy. Tua makes some really bad decisions at times. I'm no scouting guru, but watching him vs top teams (Clemson National Championship 2018, LSU 2018 and 2019) he makes some awful reads. There was some other boneheaded decisions I want to say vs Auburn 2018 and South Carolina 2019, even though he finished with great stat lines. I'm also not too confident taking him over some of these RB even in SF

Forget Tua, I'm not taking Burrow over the top 5 RBs in this class, either.

RB's value over replacement is too strong to ignore the studs in great landing spots. Even in Superflex.

[Jigga94]

No way I'm passing on some of these RB's for Tua in a SF. He has no rushing upside, and major injury concerns. He doesn't have top 5 upside for me, and a few of these RB's do.

Came back to find this comment specifically... I've been watching more film cut ups for Ruggs/Jeudy. Tua makes some really bad decisions at times. I'm no scouting guru, but watching him vs top teams (Clemson National Championship 2018, LSU 2018 and 2019) he makes some awful reads. There was some other boneheaded decisions I want to say vs Auburn 2018 and South Carolina 2019, even though he finished with great stat lines. I'm also not too confident taking him over some of these RB even in SF

Forget Tua, I'm not taking Burrow over the top 5 RBs in this class, either.

RB's value over replacement is too strong to ignore the studs in great landing spots. Even in Superflex.

Watch yourself, that goes way against the grain around here lol. Honestly, one of my 2 QB leagues doesnt follow the status quo of QB going 1, 2 every year either. Maybe because its 10 team, who knows. I know in 2017 our league went LF, CMC, Cook, Hunt, Mixon then Watson and Trub... QB are valued higher than 1 QB but less than SF consensus here. I'm assuming this year will be similar to 2017 for that league

[FantasyFreak]

Came back to find this comment specifically... I've been watching more film cut ups for Ruggs/Jeudy. Tua makes some really bad decisions at times. I'm no scouting guru, but watching him vs top teams (Clemson National Championship 2018, LSU 2018 and 2019) he makes some awful reads. There was some other boneheaded decisions I want to say vs Auburn 2018 and South Carolina 2019, even though he finished with great stat lines. I'm also not too confident taking him over some of these RB even in SF

Forget Tua, I'm not taking Burrow over the top 5 RBs in this class, either.

RB's value over replacement is too strong to ignore the studs in great landing spots. Even in Superflex.

Watch yourself, that goes way against the grain around here lol. Honestly, one of my 2 QB leagues doesnt follow the status quo of QB going 1, 2 every year either. Maybe because its 10 team, who knows. I know in 2017 our league went LF, CMC, Cook, Hunt, Mixon then Watson and Trub... QB are valued higher than 1 QB but less than SF consensus here. I'm assuming this year will be similar to 2017 for that league

I am a QB light guy, even in SF, I get his point. I'm still taking Burrow at my only 1.01 (where I also have 1.02, 1.04, 1.07 and 1.13 in the first). It's best ball, so a 3rd QB is still acting like a starter, rather than a bench player in some sense. Burrow has some rushing upside, so I think he's the best play for that format. I wouldn't argue RB at 1, if you are set at QB, but I;d argue trading back a spot to max out your value on that pick is a better idea than simply picking a RB at 1.

[Jigga94]

Forget Tua, I'm not taking Burrow over the top 5 RBs in this class, either.

RB's value over replacement is too strong to ignore the studs in great landing spots. Even in Superflex.

Watch yourself, that goes way against the grain around here lol. Honestly, one of my 2 QB leagues doesnt follow the status quo of QB going 1, 2 every year either. Maybe because its 10 team, who knows. I know in 2017 our league went LF, CMC, Cook, Hunt, Mixon then Watson and Trub... QB are valued higher than 1 QB but less than SF consensus here. I'm assuming this year will be similar to 2017 for that league

I am a QB light guy, even in SF, I get his point. I'm still taking Burrow at my only 1.01 (where I also have 1.02, 1.04, 1.07 and 1.13 in the first). It's best ball, so a 3rd QB is still acting like a starter, rather than a bench player in some sense. Burrow has some rushing upside, so I think he's the best play for that format. I wouldn't argue RB at 1, if you are set at QB, but I;d argue trading back a spot to max out your value on that pick is a better idea than simply picking a RB at 1.

Since you own so many picks, it makes even more sense. If you don't take Burrow at 1 or 2, he would likely be gone at 3... Might as well go Burrow, JT and then Dobbins/CEH at 4.

[Sriracha]

bestball changes things dramatically given the high ceilings of any starting QB and the limited spots

[FantasyFreak]

Watch yourself, that goes way against the grain around here lol. Honestly, one of my 2 QB leagues doesnt follow the status quo of QB going 1, 2 every year either. Maybe because its 10 team, who knows. I know in 2017 our league went LF, CMC, Cook, Hunt, Mixon then Watson and Trub... QB are valued higher than 1 QB but less than SF consensus here. I'm assuming this year will be similar to 2017 for that league

I am a QB light guy, even in SF, I get his point. I'm still taking Burrow at my only 1.01 (where I also have 1.02, 1.04, 1.07 and 1.13 in the first). It's best ball, so a 3rd QB is still acting like a starter, rather than a bench player in some sense. Burrow has some rushing upside, so I think he's the best play for that format. I wouldn't argue RB at 1, if you are set at QB, but I;d argue trading back a spot to max out your value on that pick is a better idea than simply picking a RB at 1.

Since you own so many picks, it makes even more sense. If you don't take Burrow at 1 or 2, he would likely be gone at 3... Might as well go Burrow, JT and then Dobbins/CEH at 4.

That's the plan. The guy at 3 has no starting QB, either, so Tua or Herbert at 3 would be tough to pass on. Probably the right pick for him, too.