The #1 Draft Pick Goes To..
How does a fantasy football championship team form? Is it strictly based off your draft and who your first selection is? I think not. I feel that unless you seriously drop the ball on your draft (selecting Adrian Peterson in the first-round because you feel he has something to prove), you will be fine for the first quarter of the season. However, I have seen that a first-round pick will either have an owner discourage about the upcoming season or fire them up for it.
Mock Drafts
Mock drafts are available to participate in already but the reality is that mock drafts are mock drafts, meaning that the players are ranked based off their performance last season and what they are projected for this season. It helps that you can see the rankings but don’t let them fool you and force you to take a guy just because he is ranked higher than a more productive player.
I’ll use a “mistake” I made last season as an example. I’m in a 12-man Standard League and I have the #1 overall pick. I am torn between two guys that I want: Antonio Brown and David Johnson. I was marveled by David Johnson’s productivity in 2015 and felt that he was going to be a workhorse for the upcoming season. Everyone at the draft party knows I am going to take Antonio Brown but I still take time to really think of who will take me to the ‘ship. I take Antonio Brown (you know what happened with David Johnson).
The Lesson
Was I wrong for taking the best available guy? Was I simply going off rankings and taking Brown because I didn’t want to face him? But to be honest, I took him hoping that after the draft someone would say, “I’ll trade you Mike Evans and Lamar Miller for AB”, which isn’t a bad trade. A trade for the best player in the draft, for two guys who are great, but not Antonio Brown.
I feel that this coming season I might pull the trigger on a situation like this. If I get the #1 pick again, I’m taking David Johnson no doubt, but I might trade him away. Sounds crazy that I will trade away a guy that single-handedly took and won team the championship in their league but I think there is huge value if you do this. This doesn’t mean I’m only drafting him to trade him, I’ll be perfectly fine if I roll with him all year.
A Possible Trade Scenario?
Here is my ideal trade if I were to ship him:
Trade: David Johnson. Receive: Ezekiel Elliott + Keenan Allen or WR on a passing team.
I say Keenan Allen. Why? He might be a risk due to his prior injuries but if he pans out, he’s a PPR monster. Other receivers that you may be able to snag along with Zeke? Brandon Marshall, Terrelle Pryor, Sammy Watkins? Seems crazy but I would do it. In my opinion, David Johnson isn’t going to put up the same numbers as last season. That is where you must think thoroughly with your pick before you go off rankings and best available. (Adrian Peterson after 2,000+ yard season: 1,266 yards 10 TD’s)
My point is, just because you might be “stuck with” McCoy or Gordon, at the 7th pick, embrace it. The #1 pick doesn’t always lead his position in points or take team to the ‘ship. Be intuitive, find ways to win, and don’t give up just because you start off 0-4. You have to love the fantasy football grind and all that goes with it!
-Christopher Aguayo
Follow Christopher on twitter @54beast