2019 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Picking at No. 8 overall in non-PPR leagues
Jamey Eisenberg says that with the No. 8 pick in a non-PPR league you should keep it simple and draft the best receiver on the board.
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4 min read
Non-PPR draft slot: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
Pick No. 8 in a non-PPR league doesn't feel very exciting. The running backs likely left on the board have flaws. And drafting a receiver in Round 1 in this format isn't exactly sexy.
But this is a spot in the draft where you should feel confident about the talent coming your way. You're going to get a great player in Round 1 -- yes, draft a receiver here -- and the second round is the same thing.
In fact, as you'll see with my entire roster, I picked great players in almost every round. Now, maybe that was lucky. Or it could just be that this is a good spot to have on Draft Day.
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. And I'm thrilled with how this team came together.
Here's my team from No. 8 overall:
- 1.8 Davante Adams, WR, Packers
- 2.5 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Jets
- 3.8 Marlon Mack, RB, Colts
- 4.5 Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers
- 5.8 Mark Ingram, RB, Ravens
- 6.5 Will Fuller, WR, Texans
- 7.8 Curtis Samuel, WR, Panthers
- 8.5 Kalen Ballage, RB, Dolphins
- 9.8 Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
- 10.5 Eric Ebron, TE, Colts
- 11.8 Jerick McKinnon, RB, 49ers
- 12.5 Nyheim Hines, RB, Colts
- 13.8 Marquise Goodwin, WR, 49ers
- 14.5 Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers
- 15.8 Saints DST
I had a feeling Adams would fall to me at this spot, and he's my No. 1 Fantasy receiver this year, regardless of format. Aaron Rodgers' track record with his top target is amazing, and I'm excited to see Adams get a healthy Rodgers (hopefully) for 16 games.
Most leagues will probably have Bell get selected in Round 1. Collectively at CBS Sports, we're a little down on Bell with his move from the Steelers to the Jets, but I'll take a chance on him in Round 2. More on him below.
My next three picks were three of my favorite players for this season in Mack, Godwin and Ingram. I expect Mack and Godwin to have breakout performances in 2019, and Ingram could be a monster in the run-heavy Ravens offense. He's slotted to be my flex for Week 1.
Fuller, if he stays healthy, could be a steal in Round 6. He's missed 15 games over the past two seasons and is coming off last year's ACL tear, but he's healthy now, which is what matters. I ended up with another high-upside receiver in Round 7 with Curtis Samuel, who is my favorite player from this draft spot.
I wanted a fourth running back in Round 8, and since I had three quality players at the position already, it was worth looking at a player with a high ceiling in Ballage, even if he has a low floor. Ballage has the chance to be good, even if he ends up in a tandem with Kenyan Drake.
I'll always wait on a quarterback, so ending up with Newton in Round 9 was perfect. We realize in our analysts' drafts that quarterbacks fall, but the position is deep, so you can wait and still get a standout starter.
At tight end, I don't love Ebron this year, and I consider him a bust if you have to draft him in the first six rounds. But he became a value pick in Round 10, so he was worth drafting there.
I finished off this team with some running backs with upside in McKinnon and Hines, as well as the friendship strategy at receiver with Goodwin and Deebo Samuel. McKinnon should have a prominent role with the 49ers, and Hines is sort of a handcuff for Mack.
Goodwin and Samuel could compete with Dante Pettis to be the No. 1 receiver in San Francisco this year, although it's doubtful. Still, one or both of those guys could emerge as a quality contributor on this roster.
Favorite pick
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If you've listened to our Fantasy Football Today podcast or watched our show on CBS Sports HQ you know I'm overly excited about Samuel this year. I expect him to have a big role for the Panthers as a starter opposite D.J. Moore. Samuel closed last season playing at a high level with either a touchdown or at least 80 receiving yards in five of his final seven games. He should have the chance to pick up where last season left off, especially with Newton back at 100 percent from last year's shoulder injury.
Pick I might regret
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I'm hopeful that Bell will be the same player we saw in 2017 when he last played a meaningful NFL game for the Steelers, but we don't know how he'll do with the Jets. There's a talent downgrade at quarterback, offensive line and receiver, and Adam Gase might not give Bell the same amount of touches that he had in Pittsburgh. That said, if he does return to anything close to the guy we saw with the Steelers, this Fantasy team should be awesome. He's worth the risk in Round 2.
Make or break pick
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I have a dominant No. 1 Fantasy receiver on this roster in Adams, but I'm counting on Godwin and Fuller to be weekly starters, which could be risky. Fuller is tied to his health, and hopefully he can play 16 games. But Godwin has to live up to plenty of hype, and I drafted him ahead of guys like Tyler Lockett, Cooper Kupp, Calvin Ridley and Kenny Golladay. That could be a mistake, especially if Godwin flops. But I expect Godwin to dominate in Bruce Arians' offense in his third year in the NFL.
