2018 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Who should I take at No. 11 overall in PPR?

Late in the first round isn't the popular place to pick on Draft Day, but Dave Richard found a way to maximize value (while also lucking into some uncommon running backs depth). See how your draft could shake out from 11th overall.

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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

Is it fun to pick toward the end of the first round (and thus every even round)? No. It's not fun to let most of the league pick off talented superstar after talented superstar, leaving you with someone who isn't even a top-10 choice when you get the first bite of the apple.

But it's pretty cool to get two of the top-15 players. top 14, to be exact.

When you're picking 11th in a PPR league, all options are on the table. You could do the safe play and take one running back and one receiver. You could go with two receivers and then chase running backs knowing your receivers are, theoretically, irreplaceable.

Or you could do the opposite and roll with two stud running backs with high reception volume and then chase receivers knowing your rushers are, theoretically, irreplaceable.

That's what I did, but it wasn't by design. It's just how things worked out.

It also worked out that I avoided the drop-off in tiers that happens around 45th overall in drafts because I picked so early in Round 4. I also liked the value of my picks in Rounds 5 and 6.

Finally, I paid attention to what the fella in Pick 12 did, using his needs and information against him when it came to making my selections in the odd-numbered rounds.

Here is my team from No. 11 overall:

• 1.11 Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
  
• 2.2 Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers
  
• 3.11 Jarvis Landry, WR, Browns
  
• 4.2 LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills
  
• 5.11 Corey Davis, WR, Titans
  
• 6.2 Carlos Hyde, RB, Browns
  
• 7.11 Sammy Watkins, WR, Chiefs
  
• 8.2 Evan Engram, TE, Giants
  
• 9.11 Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys
  
• 10.2 George Kittle, TE, 49ers
  
• 11.11 Sterling Shepard, WR, Giants
  
• 12.2 Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
  
• 13.11 James Conner, RB, Steelers
  
• 14.2 Chargers DST
  

Normally I subscribe to taking one running back and one pass catcher with my first two picks. I couldn't do that here -- I didn't think McCaffrey was worth passing on over the best-available receivers, Davante Adams or Michael Thomas. It sure seems like McCaffrey is going to get a larger workload this year while still catching a slew of passes. If he's got a chance at 1,300 yards and eight scores, I'll take him and load up on young, talented running backs versus receivers with a lower ceiling.

I needed a receiver in Round 3, but I also knew the owner at Pick 12 was unlikely to take a third receiver after taking two to begin his draft. Unfortunately I couldn't take advantage of this by swiping a running back because I myself had two of them already and didn't see a third who was better than the best wideout on the board, Jarvis Landry. So I bit the bullet and selected Landry knowing I was giving plenty of good running backs to Pick 12. Sure enough, he chose Jerick McKinnon and Alex Collins. I would have taken Collins in a second in Round 4.

This is when things got frustrating -- the best available running back was one I didn't love drafting: LeSean McCoy. The best available receiver? Josh Gordon. Normally taking Gordon would be the move in a PPR, but I just took Landry with my third-round pick. Look, I've enjoyed Hard Knocks as much as the next guy,  but I just can't invest two of my top-four selections into Browns wide receivers. So, I took McCoy. He'll be my No. 3 running back and hopefully not break down or get bottled up or otherwise frustrate Fantasy owners.

I decided to lick my wounds from that torturous position by going to get some ice cream. Gelato, actually.  I highly recommend gelato on Draft Day. When I came back in Round 5 I chased upside with Corey Davis of the Titans. Do I feel groovy with him as my No. 2 receiver? Let's put it this way: I'd rather have more gelato. But he does profile as a classic No. 1 receiver in a refreshed offense that should feature him almost weekly. After giving up on Gordon's potential I was happy to land Davis.

The hunt for receivers took a pause when I couldn't resist Carlos Hyde in Round 6. He would be my fourth running back, which is actually amazing since he's good enough to be a second running back. Even for me this was hog wild on running backs, but I know I can always make a swap during the season to bulk up at receiver.

I rounded out my draft with Watkins, Gallup (one of my favorite sleepers!) and Shepard at receiver. This group would have been hairy in non-PPR, but because catches count I feel like I have some good starting options.

But I was particularly happiest with taking Patrick Mahomes in Round 12. He's as high risk as you can get at quarterback this season, but in Round 12 there's virtually no risk at all! If he stinks, I can just cut him and pick up someone off waivers. If he doesn't stink then I've landed the steal of the draft. There's no problem waiting for the right time to jump on a quarterback on Draft Day.

Favorite pick: Christian McCaffrey

It took all offseason and a couple of preseason games, but I've found myself enamored with McCaffrey, especially in PPR leagues. I know the Panthers offensive line is in bad shape, but McCaffrey can overcome that as a receiver, something he excelled in last season. I know Cam Newton and C.J. Anderson have potential to steal short-yardage touchdowns, but McCaffrey will get his fair share while also picking up more carries than he did in 2017 (7.3 per game). With any luck he'll average more than 3.7 yards per carry and fulfill his ceiling of over 1,400 total yards.

Pick I might regret: Jarvis Landry

I actually don't regret drafting Landry. I regret drafting Landry in the third round instead of taking Alex Collins. Had I done that, Collins would have been my No. 3 running back and Landry would have (hopefully!) made it back to my roster in Round 4, where he'd have been an even better value. And if I took Collins and Pick 12 took Landry, I would have ended up with Gordon instead. Either way, Collins would be my third running back instead of McCoy.

Player who could make or break my team: Patrick Mahomes

People can crow all day long about Mahomes' upside and value toward the back half of a draft, but if he stinks, it doesn't matter where you drafted him. If I am wrong on Mahomes, I'll have to play the waiver wire at quarterback until I find one who can routinely start for me. That's a hassle I'd rather not have, but at least in this league guys like Philip Rivers, Eli Manning and Jared Goff are still on waivers. They don't have Mahomes' upside, but they don't quite have his downside, either. My team will thrive if Mahomes is good and potentially struggle if he's bad.

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