In some leagues, you do not know your draft position until immediately before you draft. The anxiety is real as you wait until you finally see where you will prepare and start considering your strategy. Then you are awarded the fifth pick in your draft. No high-fives here! Creeping into the middle of the round is not ideal.
The 1.05 pick means you will have long wait times between picks. If you are like me, it becomes frustrating. Watching player after the player you have queued up get picked directly in front of your selection is maddening. The reflex is to reach for your targeted players because that player(s) will not return to you when you get back on the clock.
Please find out how to handle this challenge as I provide strategies and advice on tackling your draft from the 1.05 pick.
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Fantasy Football Draft Strategy & Advice: Drafting from 1.05 Pick (2023)
How to Draft from the 1.05 Position in 2023 Fantasy Football Drafts
Here’s a rundown of approaching the 1.05 position in fantasy football drafts.
What Path do I take with the Fifth Pick?
The first four picks are expected to be Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Saquon Barkley and Justin Jefferson. Fantasy managers are now faced with either taking the plunge on rookie running back Bijan Robinson or hoping that Jonathan Taylor is recovered from ankle surgery and can bounce back from an inefficient 2022 season.
Another path to ride is to go the wide receiver route and go with Ja’Marr Chase, who will challenge Jefferson for the number one WR in fantasy football this season.
Fantasy managers should consider the fantasy football axiom that you can’t win your league in the first round, but you can lose it when you are on the clock at 1.05. There is no reason to take unnecessary risks or reaching on a player here. Grab the best player available and build your strategy to win your draft.
In my example draft below, I pulled the trigger on Bijan Robinson, a generational talent who will be featured in an Atlanta Falcons offense that gave us rookie Tyler Allgeier last season. All Allgeier did the previous season was rush for over 1,000 yards at a five-yards-per-carry clip. I can’t wait to see what Robinson will do with this volume type.
How To Handle Your First Four Picks
You have your RB1, a featured back, and who could challenge for the top fantasy running back this season. Now it is your turn at 2.08, and you are faced with unique choices. Do you go the traditional route of RB-RB and secure the backfield? OR do you pivot and turn to the wide receiver position? The ideal path should be predicated upon your league settings. Know your league setting and rules!
Fantasy managers need to confirm if this is a Superflex league. If not, then how many players are required at each position? How many flex spots are needed? Each of those answers will assist fantasy managers in determining the path to take with their following picks. In this PPR mock draft, the lineup consists of three wide receivers and three flexes which should dictate that you pivot to wide receivers heavily.
The most prudent approach is to go with the wide receiver at 2.09 unless a true difference maker at running back, such as Nick Chubb or Josh Jacobs, is somehow available. If not, a top-ten wide receiver such as A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown or Davante Adams should be your next pick.
The draft turns, and we are on the clock again at 3.05. Unfortunately, all your wide receiver targets go off the board in Garrett Wilson, Jaylen Waddle, and the other previously mentioned wideouts. However, a group of wideouts in the 12-15 range would look beautiful in your weekly lineup as your WR2. Tee Higgins, DeVonta Smith or Chris Olave are elite receivers who will provide you with 1,000-plus yards and 8-10 touchdowns.
A fantastic first three picks should motivate you as you prep for your following selection at 4.08. Luckily, a few fantasy managers feel the need to go quarterback here but resist the temptation. This selection allows the value to fall to you and grab a top 25 WR. The returning Calvin Ridley, surging Drake London, and the versatile Deebo Samuel are in play here. Either of these wideouts would provide ammunition to your weekly lineup as an ultra-productive WR3.
Starting your roster with Bijan Robinson as your RB1 and then stacking your required three wide receivers with Davante Adams, Chris Olave, and Calvin Ridley is a league-winning formula.
When To Target Quarterback and Tight End
There is a risk of missing out on plenty of value if you jump on picking your quarterback. There is a nexus that fantasy managers will face in their draft to when to go get your quarterback. Since you only require one, there should be zero urgency in diving into the quarterback position. My plan of attack in this format would be to wait and continue to wait until the value is overwhelming.
For example, in my example draft below, I waited until the 10th round to finally draft my quarterback and still got Trevor Lawrence, the QB8 in the preseason rankings. Outside of the tight end position, I filled my starting lineup and added a bench player before drafting a quarterback. This is ideal roster building in a league that requires only one starting quarterback.
Speaking of the tight end position, this is another position that you should highly consider punting as you mold your roster. Drafting from the 1.05 places you outside of the Travis Kelce range, who is the only tight end that is remotely a viable option in the first two rounds.
Similarly to selecting a quarterback, fantasy managers should consider delaying as long as possible in choosing a tight end. The ideal scenario is grabbing an up-and-coming tight end with one of your late-round picks. However, fantasy managers should provide insurance at a minimum by solidifying their tight end position with a consistent tight end option.
Example Draft for Picking 1.05
Below is a sample draft I conducted, picking fourth overall to use as a guide. The Draft Wizard gave my mock draft an A, so I am thrilled to see how this roster will perform this season.
- Pick 1.05: Bijan Robinson (RB-ATL)
- Pick 2.08: Davante Adams (WR-LVR)
- Pick 3.05: Chris Olave (WR-NOS)
- Pick 4.08: Calvin Ridley (WR-JAC)
- Pick 5.05: D.J. Moore (WR – CHI)
- Pick 6.08: James Conner (RB – ARI)
- Pick 7.05: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)
- Pick 8.08: Brandin Cooks (WR – DAL)
- Pick 9.05: Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS)
- Pick 10.08: Trevor Lawrence (WR-JAC)
- Pick 11.05: Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE – TEN)
- Pick 12.08: Isaiah Hodgins (WR – NYG)
- Pick 13.05: Roschon Johnson (RB – CHI)
- Pick 14.08: Jonathan Mingo (WR – CAR)
- Pick 15.05: Rashee Rice (WR – KC)
More Draft Pick Advice
- How to Draft from the 1.01
- How to Draft from the 1.02
- How to Draft from the 1.03
- How to Draft from the 1.04
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
