2018 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Who should I take at No. 9 overall in non-PPR?
Two top-20 players and (at least) four top-40 players are promised when you pick a No. 9 overall After that will depend on how you fare finding mid-round values.
By
Dave Richard
•
5 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
The key to picking at No. 9 overall? It starts by knowing your favorite top-20 players -- you're guaranteed two of them.
For most, the entirety of these players will be running backs and receivers. Maybe Gronk gets into that mix, but probably not high enough to actually be considered when your second pick is up.
This exercise is important in determining whether plotting out a RB-RB or WR-WR start is worth trying. Your league scoring and size will also be a factor -- if it's a PPR league and there are 10 teams, either plan can work out. Larger leagues might not be as good for those double-up plans, so beginning with one rusher and one receiver will be in order. Most Fantasy owners will start out that way because it eliminates the stress of finding a player at the position you neglected in the first two rounds. Sometimes it pays to be balanced.
Did you like making a top-20 list? Good, because you should tack on another 20 names and make a top-40 list. Since you pick 40th overall in Round 4, you're guaranteed to get four players off this list, and maybe five if someone slides into Round 5. This preparation will keep you from panicking early and having a nice nucleus to build around in the middle rounds.
Finally, don't skimp on keeping track of those owners in the draft slots after yours (Picks 10 through 12). Their needs can be used against them when you pick before them in the odd rounds, and if you play it right, you can get some steals falling back your way in the even rounds.
Here is my team from No. 9 overall:
- 1.9 Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs
- 2.4 Davante Adams, WR, Packers
- 3.9 Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
- 4.4 Allen Robinson, WR, Bears
- 5.9 Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans
- 6.4 Golden Tate, WR, Lions
- 7.9 Evan Engram, TE, Giants
- 8.4 Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles
- 9.9 George Kittle, TE, 49ers
- 10.4 James White, RB, Patriots
- 11.9 Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers
- 12.4 Doug Martin, RB, Raiders
- 13.9 Spencer Ware, RB, Chiefs
- 14.4 Chargers DST
Hunt is one of a handful of running backs with a large workload awaiting him this season. He'll land a ton of touches in a Chiefs offense that will constantly threaten secondaries play after play. He has also established some chemistry with new passer Patrick Mahomes and could be in line for over 60 receptions after reeling in 53 in 2017. A no-brainer pick.
Davante Adams was the best-available player in Round 2, and it worked out because I started with one running back and one receiver. The best available rusher would have been Christian McCaffrey, and I'm just not about taking him this early if catches don't count.
Figuring the running backs left were thinner than the wideouts, I went with Derrick Henry in Round 3 over Amari Cooper, Demaryius Thomas and Allen Robinson. Not only did I pick the last among the potential top-12 runners, but I gave myself a shot at landing one of those three receivers if one falls into early Round 4.
That exact scenario played out when Robinson fell into my ever-loving hands at 40th overall. I considered this foursome a very good start.
Here's where things got interesting. I'm a fan of waiting on quarterback until it feels like a steal, but I'll make an exception for Deshaun Watson. He was my highest-ranked quarterback when I was up in Round 5 and there really wasn't a great player left to take otherwise. With an eye on Marvin Jones, Brandin Cooks or Michael Crabtree in Round 6, and knowing the owners at Picks 11 and 12 needed a quarterback, I grabbed Watson.
The good news? Pick 12 took a quarterback, which meant I wouldn't have gotten Watson if I passed him up.
The bad news? All three receivers I had hopes on getting were gone. The best available receiver in Round 6 was Golden Tate. The best running back was Dion Lewis or Isaiah Crowell. Taking Watson cost me a chance at a slightly more reliable wideout to fill my flex spot.
It's not like drafting Tate ruined me or anything. Evan Engram, Nelson Agholor, George Kittle, James White and Chris Godwin are all mid-to-late picks I am targeting regardless of league format. The Doug Martin pick in Round 12? Yeah, I guess I threw a dart.
Favorite pick: Evan Engram
Engram is my fourth-ranked tight end based on his upside. The Giants are still going to throw to him a lot and he'll never get double-teamed again so long as he's sharing the field with Odell Beckham and Saquon Barkley. He even left numbers on the field as a rookie and should be more efficient in 2018. I stole this guy in Round 7 ... but I can't help but wonder if he would have slid on back to me in Round 8!
Pick I might regret: Allen Robinson
When I took Robinson, I think I took the Bears No. 1 receiver. Robinson will have competition for that title -- tight end Trey Burton is going to be a regular part of the offense, and rookie Anthony Miller has been outstanding this summer. Robinson's going to have to prove he's over his ACL injury and then regain his form as a red-zone dominator in order to return value in Fantasy. He has a great ceiling of 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns but could also slide to 850 yards and five scores.
Player who could make or break my team: Deshaun Watson
I didn't "steal" Watson the way I prefer to "steal" my quarterbacks. I know his numbers from last year are unsustainable. And as optimistic as I am that the Texans changed their offense just to suit Watson, even I can't rule out an injury that could harpoon his second season. Despite this, Watson does have No. 1 overall quarterback stat potential given what we did see in 2017. Will it be a 48-touchdown pace? Probably not. Taking him at a "fair" value might have cost me a chance at really bulking up my receiving corps while waiting for a better bargain at quarterback.
