What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
The 1.09 spot is the last spot where I feel confident in the talent presented by the draft. In my opinion, there are six RBs, three WRs and one TE that I want in this round. If I’m not able to get one of those players, I’ll end up feeling like I’m drafting at a deficit.
The advantage to drafting here is that you can let the draft board fall to you. According to Consensus ADP on FantasyPros, the likely pick here is Ja’Marr Chase, who I would love to have. There’s a very slim chance that one of the top six RBs slips to 1.09, especially if someone reaches for Travis Kelce. On the whole, you don’t need to think much with this pick. Just take the top guy on your board.
The disadvantage of this pick is that you may be tempted into wanting a top RB talent that you simply can’t have. Some managers who feel that way oftentimes push aside the better talent and reach for an RB who’s destined to disappoint. You have to stay disciplined at the 1.09, but if you do then you’ll be set up for success.
Do you have a certain strategy when picking at 1.09 in 2022?
At 1.09, the top six RBs are all likely off the board. Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson are also likely off the board. If that’s the case, the only selection to make here is Ja’Marr Chase. However, if one of the other WRs or if one of those RBs falls to this spot, I would take them over Chase.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
The 1.09 spot is the last spot where I feel confident in the talent presented by the draft. In my opinion, there are six RBs, three WRs and one TE that I want in this round. If I’m not able to get one of those players, I’ll end up feeling like I’m drafting at a deficit.
The advantage to drafting here is that you can let the draft board fall to you. According to Consensus ADP on FantasyPros, the likely pick here is Ja’Marr Chase, who I would love to have. There’s a very slim chance that one of the top six RBs slips to 1.09, especially if someone reaches for Travis Kelce. On the whole, you don’t need to think much with this pick. Just take the top guy on your board.
The disadvantage of this pick is that you may be tempted into wanting a top RB talent that you simply can’t have. Some managers who feel that way oftentimes push aside the better talent and reach for an RB who’s destined to disappoint. You have to stay disciplined at the 1.09, but if you do then you’ll be set up for success.
Do you have a certain strategy when picking at 1.09 in 2022?
At 1.09, the top six RBs are all likely off the board. Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson are also likely off the board. If that’s the case, the only selection to make here is Ja’Marr Chase. However, if one of the other WRs or if one of those RBs falls to this spot, I would take them over Chase.
In the second round, I’m mostly interested in building up as much talent as possible. I know I can get startable RBs in the middle rounds of the draft, so my focus in the early rounds is to find the best value and roll with it. According to consensus ADP, the likely pick here is D’Andre Swift, but there’s a chance Travis Kelce, Stefon Diggs or Javonte Williams falls to this pick.
If I end up taking two WRs in rounds 1-2, my round 3 pick will likely involve an RB that’s stuck in freefall. If I find that the draft board is going according to plan, I’ll also consider using this pick on Kyle Pitts.
In the next four rounds, I’ll use my picks to build depth at the WR and RB positions.
Who are the first-round targets in this spot, and what’s the order of preference?
There are eight players I would take over Ja’Marr Chase for the 1.09 pick: Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, Cooper Kupp, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, Najee Harris and Justin Jefferson.
Is there anyone you’re avoiding who might be available to you in the first round?
Some managers may be tempted to consider Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon or Davante Adams at the 1.09. Don’t fall for them here. Chase has a chance to be the WR1 overall. Chubb, Mixon and Adams don’t have a legit path to the same level of production.
What is the plan of attack for rounds 2-3 based on the possible first-round scenarios?
Round 1 is nearly a lock to be one of the top six RBs or top three WRs. It’s likelier that the top six RBs are all gone before all three WRs, so I’m assuming my first-round pick is a WR. If that’s the case, rounds 2 and 3 will be all about finding and drafting value. I know I can make up for some roster gaps in rounds 4-7. Considering that pick 1.09 is outside the elite RB range, I want to stack my roster with as much value as possible.
If I get a WR in round 1, I’m looking at D’Andre Swift in round 2, but I’m happy to walk away with the top talent available to me. The same goes for round 3. According to consensus ADP, the likely top player available will be Ezekiel Elliott. While some managers may not be enamored with Zeke, he’s a bargain in round 3. Another player that might be waiting for me in round 3 is Kyle Pitts. With either a WR-RB or WR-WR start to my draft, Pitts could be a nice shot at having a positional advantage at TE without using one of my first two picks on a TE.
If there’s a world where I’m able to select a top WR talent in round 1 and an RB in either or both of rounds 2-3, I’ll be satisfied. However, it’s possible that the draft diverges from expectations very quickly in round 3. If that’s the case, I’ll stick to my plan of drafting the best value. The only two players I don’t want to draft here are any QB or Tee Higgins (if I drafted Chase in round 1).
Who are some targets in rounds 4-7?
I’m assuming that my draft has gone WR-RB-RB through the first three rounds. If that’s the case, I’m looking to load up on WR through the next few rounds. My only goal here is to stay away from QBs while I’m able to load up on mid-round talent. Here are some targets and some players to avoid.
- Round 4 targets: D.K. Metcalf, Jaylen Waddle, Terry McLaurin
- Round 4 avoid: Justin Herbert
- Round 5 targets: Michael Pittman, Amari Cooper, Travis Etienne, Breece Hall
- Round 5 avoid: Chris Godwin, Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Round 6 targets: Jerry Jeudy, Mike Williams, Marquise Brown
- Round 6 avoid: Dallas Goedert, Amon-Ra St. Brown
- Round 7 targets: Darnell Mooney, Kareem Hunt, JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Round 7 avoid: Tyler Lockett, Adam Thielen
After seven rounds, which positions do you expect to be areas of strength for you, and which positions will you still need to address?
After the first seven rounds of the draft, I expect to have at least two or three RBs and a collection of upside WRs. My goal has been to wait on drafting a QB and TE unless one of the top-three TEs lands right in my lap, so I’m perfectly content if I only have RBs and WRs so far.
My next couple of picks are likely going to involve at least one QB or TE. My targets in round 8 include Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, Dawson Knox and Pat Freiermuth. If none of them are available, the RBs and WRs available at this pick are still worth the selection. Players like Tony Pollard, Robert Woods, Brandon Aiyuk and Gabriel Davis are all intriguing.
After the 8th round, I’m targeting QB and TE until I find the right guy. Trey Lance is currently ranked at a bargain price, as is Derek Carr. Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins also have more than a couple of boom weeks. As for TE, Mike Gesicki, Zach Ertz and Cole Kmet are the last few I’m interested in. Once I’ve rounded out my roster with a QB and TE, I’m going back to WR and RB until the draft is done.
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Tim Metzler is a featured writer at FantasyPros, known for multiple article series’, including 5 Under 25, Expert Consensus Rantings, his in-season Running Diary and for his dynasty IDP rankings. For more from Tim, check out his archive and follow him @Timmy_The_Metz.