2019 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Picking at No. 12 overall in non-PPR leagues
Jamey Eisenberg shows you that picking at No. 12 in a non-PPR league isn't such a bad thing.
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5 min read
Non-PPR draft slot: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
We get asked all the time about our favorite draft spot. I think No. 12 might be my new No. 1.
Picking last in the first round and first in the second round gives you the chance to start your team with two elite receivers, and you should still have plenty of talented running backs at your disposal when you get to Round 3. It probably feels better to go the WR-WR route in a PPR league, but as you'll see here, I think it works in a non-PPR format as well.
What we're doing here is a 12-part series where me, Dave Richard, Heath Cummings and Ben Gretch held a four-man, non-PPR mock draft to show you how to build a team from every draft spot. I wasn't excited for pick No. 12 at first, but after doing this exercise and seeing this roster, I love it.
Hopefully, you will also.
Here's my team from No. 12 overall:
- 1.12 JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers
- 2.1 Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs
- 3.12 Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots
- 4.1 Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
- 5.12 David Montgomery, RB, Bears
- 6.1 Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins
- 7.12 Jordan Howard, RB, Eagles
- 8.1 Miles Sanders, RB, Eagles
- 9.12 Donte Moncrief, WR, Steelers
- 10.1 Damien Harris, RB, Patriots
- 11.12 Golden Tate, WR, Giants
- 12.1 Delanie Walker, TE, Titans
- 13.12 Jared Goff, QB, Rams
- 14.1 Jaguars DST
- 15.12 Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
My plan all along was to take the best receivers on the board, so starting with Smith-Schuster and Hill was easy. Four receivers were drafted before Smith-Schuster with DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams, Odell Beckham and Julio Jones, and I consider the two guys I got as top-five receivers this season.
I planned to draft two running backs at the Round 3-4 turn, but since this is a three-receiver league, I changed directions and went with Edelman. He's better in PPR compared to non-PPR, but he's the go-to option for Tom Brady, especially with Rob Gronkowski retired, should be considered a valuable commodity in any format.
My next pick at this spot with Gordon could make or break this team, which I'll explain below. If Gordon is on the field for Week 1 and everyone else is healthy, I can confidently say this is the best team in this league.
Since I started this roster with three receivers and a questionable running back, I prioritized running back with my next four picks. Montgomery, Drake and the top two Eagles running backs in Howard and Sanders have flaws, but they also have upside.
I still expect Drake to be the best running back in Miami ahead of Kalen Ballage, and Montgomery should be the best running back in Chicago. One of Howard or Sanders should at least be a flex option, and I get the luxury of seeing how this backfield shakes out in the preseason before I have to decide who is better for Week 1.
One mistake I might have made was not drafting Ballage to pair with Drake, but Ballage was selected in Round 8 when I took Sanders. At this point, I expect Sanders to have more value than Ballage this year.
I like my backup receivers in Moncrief and Tate. Moncrief should have plenty of value as the likely replacement for Antonio Brown in Pittsburgh. While he won't be as good as Brown, there is a chance Moncrief could develop into a weekly Fantasy starter given his target opportunity for the Steelers. And Tate, even with the four-game suspension to open the season, could eventually become a flex option for me during the year.
I drafted a sixth running back in Harris, who could be prominent member of New England's backfield. And he could improve his stock if something happens to Sony Michel, who opened training camp on the PUP list with a knee injury.
And as you can see, I waited on quarterback and tight end. Delanie Walker is a great fallback option now that he's healthy from last year's ankle injury, and I consider him a steal in Round 12.
Goff is a top-10 quarterback, and he was free in this league in Round 13. I also drafted one of my favorite sleepers in Jackson, and he could also finish as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback, just with his rushing production alone.
The success of this team will likely come down to Gordon and how many games he plays. But I love the way this roster came together from the No. 12 overall spot.
Favorite pick
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While Jackson obviously needs to improve as a passer, his rushing production is the thing Fantasy managers should covet. He scored at least 21 Fantasy points in three of his final six outings last season, and he led all quarterbacks in rushing yards with 695 on 147 attempts. If healthy, Jackson could rush for 1,000 yards this year, and he should pass for at least 3,000 yards if things go according to plan. I don't mind taking a flier on Jackson as No. 2 quarterback in this spot.
Pick I might regret
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Based on Fantasy points per game, Edelman was the No. 15 receiver last season in non-PPR leagues. He could improve on that total with Gronkowski gone. In 17 career games without Gronkowski, Edelman has 117 catches for 1,330 yards and five touchdowns. He should be a target hog for Brady, and he's a high-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver in this format. The only reason I might regret this pick is because my team might have been better with a running back in this spot. I could have drafted Mark Ingram here, and that might have made this team a little stronger overall, especially if Gordon misses any time in the regular season.
Make or break pick
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If Gordon ends his contract holdout with the Chargers prior to Week 1, this team has the chance to be awesome. He's a first-round talent that I got in Round 4, and pairing him with my three stud receivers (Smith-Schuster, Hill and Edelman) gives this team an amazing corps of stars. I can find a second running back and flex out of Montgomery, Drake and the Eagles guys, as well as potentially Moncrief, Tate or Harris.
As I said, this could be the best team in this league. Or, if Gordon has a lengthy holdout, I might be scrambling at running back and flex. It's a risk to draft Gordon in the first four rounds while he's still holding out, but if he plays the majority of the season, your Fantasy team could be amazing.
