Fantasy Football half-PPR Mock Draft full results, recap: Dave Richard tries 'zero-RB' strategy

Dave Richard did something we never thought he would in this half-PPR mock

By Jamey Eisenberg

Aug 24, 2022 at 11:03 am ET • 3 min read

USATSI

The Zero RB draft strategy in 0.5-PPR leagues is polarizing, which is understandable. You have to be OK with your running back corps following the draft when you don't have at least one standout option.

The reward is you should have a dominant receiving corps with a good quarterback and tight end, and that should carry you while others are relying on the volatile nature of running backs. With the right build, especially in a three-receiver league, it can work out in a big way.

Dave Richard used this strategy in our latest 12-team, 0.5-PPR league from the No. 11 spot. His first six picks were Ja'Marr Chase, Davante Adams, Courtland Sutton, Michael Thomas, Dalton Schultz and Justin Herbert.

Now, you can debate the receivers Dave drafted -- or taking Schultz ahead of George Kittle -- but he's loaded at every position but running back. And starting in Round 7, Dave was able to fill that void.

He drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Devin Singletary, Ken Walker, Tyler Allgeier, Zamir White, and Mike Davis with six of his final eight picks. Again, you can debate the running backs who Dave selected, but he just needs two of these guys to be above average for this team to be amazing. Edwards-Helaire and Singletary could be fantastic complements to this starting lineup.

For Dave, this was a far departure from the way he normally drafts, and he's typically a Robust RB kind of manager. But Dave said following the draft "I kind of like it" about his Zero RB approach, and we'll see if he does it for real in any other league this year.

I also took a different path with my roster construction in this league from the No. 3 spot, starting with Austin Ekeler. In PPR, I would have drafted Michael Pittman and D.J. Moore in Rounds 2 and 3. But in this 0.5-PPR league, I drafted Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill instead, and I like them better in this format.

Diontae Johnson was an easy selection in Round 4, but I struggled with my Round 5 pick of A.J. Dillon over receivers like Marquise Brown, Jerry Jeudy, Darnell Mooney, and Rashod Bateman. Dillon is one of my favorite breakout candidates this year, even in tandem with Aaron Jones, and I didn't want to let Dillon go at this point.

I drafted Chase Edmonds as a flex in Round 6, and like Dillon, he's a breakout candidate as the starter in Miami. Quarterbacks fall in most analyst drafts, but this was silly to have Patrick Mahomes still on the board in Round 7. And that pick made this team great.

I filled out my starting lineup with Cole Kmet at tight end, and he's another breakout candidate. And on the bench, I have Damien Harris and Isiah Pacheco at running back, along with Nico Collins, DeVante Parker, and Alec Pierce at receiver. I also drafted a second tight end in Dawson Knox since he was the best player available in Round 14.

I like the balance on this team a lot, and it would be fun to face Dave in the finals -- if we both made it there.

In this league, all touchdowns are worth six points, and we award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We also award 0.5 points for every reception. We feature a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE and FLEX (RB/WR/TE) with six reserves for a 14-round draft.

Our draft order is as follows: