2018 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Who should I draft at No. 3 overall in PPR?
Jamey Eisenberg shows you how to build your team if you pick No. 3 overall in a PPR league.
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3 min read
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Editor's note: Our latest PPR pick-by-pick series was done in August prior to the third preseason game and is a three-man draft with Heath Cummings, Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard, with each one selecting four teams in this 12-team mock. The goal of this series is to show you positions to draft in these spots as much as the players selected, so take that into account when viewing each team.
Building a team from every draft slot in PPR and non-PPR
For this team, it was Johnson after Bell and Gurley came off the board, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he's the No. 1 running back again this season after missing 15-plus games with a wrist injury in 2017. In 2016, Johnson had more than 2,000 total yards with 20 total touchdowns and 80 receptions.
While he might not replicate those numbers exactly, he does have a goal in mind of 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards. Given Arizona's offense, he should be heavily involved in the passing game again, and he should score double digits in touchdowns.
Some Fantasy owners might consider Antonio Brown or Ezekiel Elliott in this spot, but you should draft Johnson with confidence. He's back from the wrist injury, and he might be better than ever.
Here is my team from No. 3 overall:
- 1.3 David Johnson, RB, Cardinals
- 2.10 T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
- 3.3 Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals
- 4.10 JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers
- 5.3 Kerryon Johnson, RB, Lions
- 6.10 Trey Burton, TE, Bears
- 7.3 Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
- 8.10 Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles
- 9.3 Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Bills
- 10.10 Bilal Powell, RB, Jets
- 11.3 Nick Chubb, RB, Browns
- 12.10 Geronimo Allison, WR, Packers
- 13.3 Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
- 14.10 Lions DST
I know I'm usually like Pete Carroll with my optimism about my Fantasy teams, but this is one of my favorite drafts this offseason. The key will be Ryan having a bounce-back campaign, and I expect that to happen.
When you're able to get a quality quarterback with a late-round pick, and he plays at a high level, your team could be amazing. And that's what happened here.
My running back corps features a stud in David Johnson, two breakout candidates in Mixon and Kerryon Johnson and two guys with high upside as late-round picks in Powell and Chubb. Kerryon Johnson is someone I can start at flex.
At receiver, Hilton and Smith-Schuster are a great starting duo, and Cobb, Agholor, Benjamin and Allison are excellent reserves. Agholor could be the best receiver in Philadelphia to open the season if Alshon Jeffery (shoulder) is on the PUP list, and I should be guaranteed one quality receiver for the Packers since Cobb and Allison are the secondary options behind Davante Adams.
With Burton, a breakout candidate, at tight end, this team should be in playoff contention.
Favorite pick
Burton could end up as the best receiving option for the Bears this season, and there's already talk in Chicago about him reaching 1,000 yards. He was good in Philadelphia as the No. 2 tight end behind Zach Ertz, and he thrived every time Ertz was out due to injury over the past two seasons. And playing for coach Matt Nagy, who was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City last year, Burton could be used in a similar role to Travis Kelce. I like Burton as a top-five Fantasy tight end in 2018.
Pick I might regret
I'm hopeful Cobb has a bounce-back season, especially with Aaron Rodgers now back after last year's injury-marred campaign. But Cobb has battled ankle problems this offseason, and there was a report the Packers might want to move on from him. While he should man the slot in Green Bay, he has to contend with Adams, Allison and Jimmy Graham for targets, as well as the running backs. It might have been a mistake to draft Cobb in Round 7.
Player who could make or break my team
As stated above, the fate of this team will likely hinge on Ryan bouncing back after last year's bust campaign. It's doubtful he will perform like the MVP we saw in 2016, but the Falcons gave him a new weapon in Calvin Ridley to go with Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Austin Hooper and the running backs out of the backfield. Ryan should have a better grasp of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's system, and he's a candidate to finish as a top 10 Fantasy quarterback again in 2018. If that happens, this team is in excellent shape.
