Welcome to a three part article series on building a team from each part of the draft. This article covers picking at the end of fantasy football drafts.
Part One:1st-4th Picks
Part Two: 5th-8th Picks
Some owners love drafting at the end of the first round of fantasy drafts because it allows them to pick two players relatively close to each other and they have a pick in the first half of round two. Other owners feel like they miss out on the fantasy studs in the NFL because of the amount of talent that has been drafted by the time they pick.
Drafting at the end of the first round doesn't have to be a death sentence. Let's look at some strategies to employ when putting together a team in this draft position.
Let's examine what your team could look like by the end of round 3 when picking in the middle of snake drafts (Picks 5-8). For the sake of this article, we'll assume it's a 12 man, standard scoring league (1QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX).
Round 1:
By the time the end of round one is approaching and you are on the clock, most likely 6-7 running backs (RB) and 1-2 wide receivers (WR) will have been taken. This leaves you in a position to capitalize on top tier WR talent that is sitting on the board as well as the second tier of RBs. Players like Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon, Tyreek Hill, and DeAndre Hopkins are all excellent picks at the end of the first round.
Nick Chubb is not getting enough attention as a fantasy star in this year's drafts. Kevin Stefanski brings an offense over from Minnesota that vaulted Dalvin Cook into fantasy stardom over the last three years. Some analysts are worried about Kareem Hunt cutting into Chubbs workload, but if you look at Stefanski's RB usage as an offensive coordinator, he has gravitated to feeding the ball to one running back more than a committee approach. While Hunt will get touches, Chubb still is the workhorse of Cleveland's RB stable.
Tyreek Hill will be a late 1st or early 2nd round pick in 2020RICH SUGG RSUGG@KCSTAR.COM
Round 2:
In round two, you will be picking shortly after your choice in round one. So there are going to be excellent WRs still available and you will still be able to target a few tier two RBs. You also have the ability to draft one of the elite TE or QB prospects. Here are a few different routes that you have the option to utilize in the second round.
- RB-RB: After taking either Chubb or Mixon in the first round, you can turn around and snag another tier two RB in the second. Players to target include: Aaron Jones, Miles Sanders and Chris Carson. There is going to be a plethora of WRs on the board here, so unless you feel strongly about a RB still on the board, or a tier one RB has fallen out of the first round, this is a riskier strategy from a value standpoint.
- RB-WR: Taking a WR in the second round will be very popular for owners drafting at the end of the first round, no matter what player you took in the first. Players that should still be on the board at the beginning of the second round include: Davante Adams, Julio Jones, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin are usually available at the turn, although your view on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin's viability is directly tied to how well you think Tom Brady can elevate that Tampa Bay offense.
- RB/WR-TE: Picking at the beginning of the second round allows for owners to take on either an elite tight end (TE) or quarterback (QB) prospect, as opposed to drafting a second WR or RB. Travis Kelce is a TE that would allow you take advantage of one of the few elite fantasy prospects at the position. If you are really wanting to shore up TE on your team and Kelce is taken before your pick in the second round, then you can pull the trigger on George Kittle, but he is best suited later in the second or early in the third round. It's understandable if you do pull the trigger early in the second, as he will not be around by the time you pick at the end of the third round.
- RB/WR-QB: The end of the second round is a perfect position to capitalize on an elite QB prospect if you feel obliged. You will most likely have your pick of Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson in this slot, and both are values here. No other QB is worth a pick this early in the second round.
Lamar Jackson could be a steal near the end of round 3Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Round 3:
Round three will allow teams to go different routes in their team building. I suggest that if a Tier 2 RB is still on the board by the time you pick at the end of the third round, you capitalize on the value and take that player. Running backs like Kenyan Drake and Devin Singletary are great values that late, especially if you have not drafted a RB yet at this point.
Wide Receiver depth is excellent here; players usually available include Cooper Kupp, TY Hilton, Tyler Lockett, and Calvin Ridley. AJ Brown and Keenan Allen are going this high as well, but I am a bit down on their expectations compared to other analysts in the industry. Allen losing Rivers as his QB and Brown's expectations are sky high for his current ADP.
As discussed before, Deshaun Watson is the only QB worth taking in the third round, and if Kittle and Kelce are gone, Mark Andrews is an adequate consolation prize at TE. Andrews gains more value as he drops into the fourth round, so taking a different position and then nabbing him at the beginning of the fourth round would be ideal.
Your goals for the later rounds of the draft is to snag some high ceiling RBs. Picking at the end of the first round, you're missing out on the top 6-7 RBs, so hitting on a few of these players that have a chance to be a top 25 back can take your team from good to great.
There will be WR value late in the draft as well as on the waiver wire, so don't feel the need to load up on late pic WRs. Don't worry about taking a backup TE or QB in the draft, as they can usually be found on the waiver wire as the season progresses. Use those two draft picks on high potential RBs and WRs.
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Picking up where they left off in 2018, the French National Team led by 23-year-old Kylian Mbappe have found their way back into the finals as they look to be the first back-to-back World Cup Champions since Brazil’s dominant runs in 1958 and 1962. Standing between that incredible feat for the defending champions is Argentina, who currently have their superstar, Lionel Messi, in top form. Messi is finding ways to create passes no one can see and he’s done it multiple times, assisting three goals (tied for the most) throughout the tournament. The legend is also scoring goals of his own and is tied with Kylian Mbappe (5 goals) for Golden Boot honors in this year’s World Cup. Regardless, soccer fans around the world are in for a treat on Sunday at 10:00 AM EST as two of the best players in the world face each other for their country’s World Cup glory.
After winning Group D, France defeated Poland in the Round of 16, England in the quarterfinals, and a strong Morocco team in the semis to advance to the Final. On the other side of the bracket, Argentina won Group C and dispatched Australia in the Round of 16. Messi and the Argentinians were then tested in the quarterfinals, needing a penalty shootout to defeat the Netherlands after blowing a late two-goal lead. Finally, Argentina played perhaps their best match of the tournament against Croatia in the semi-finals, winning 3-0. Now the stage is set for a blockbuster finale between two powerhouses featuring some of the top players in the world.
Note (from FanDuel Sportsbook): No team will play at home during Qatar's World Cup. For betting purposes, FanDuel explains that: “Home Team refers to the team listed first, Away Team refers to the second team listed.”
Argentina (-104) vs. France (-112)
Argentina Keys To Victory
Lionel Messi has played incredibly for Argentina throughout this World Cup. He is leaving opposing defenders in the dust, taking on multiple players at once, dragging them away from his teammates, which is opening up the field for his fellow goal scorers. Every time Messi has the ball at his feet, there seems to be more than one threat. Messi is playing just as well as he always has in 2022. He’s served his team as a playmaker and as a goal-scorer in Qatar. He’s also had some help from Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez who’s scored a handful of goals in this World Cup (including two in Argentina’s decisive victory over Croatia). If Alvarez and Messi are able to link up while on the attack, the depleted French defense and midfield could be in for some trouble.
France Keys To Victory
One of the biggest headlines heading into this World Cup Final is the return of French striker Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid star and winner of this year’s Ballon D’Or hurt his hamstring in one of France’s first practices soon after arriving in Qatar. He flew back to Madrid where he immediately completed his recovery work which was set at three weeks from the time of injury. Right now, Benzema is flying back to Doha and could be starting for France in the final. At the moment, France’s HC Didier Deschamps has declined to comment on whether or not he will be including KB9 in the starting lineup. France’s ball movement has been excellent throughout the tournament, but their key to victory against Argentina will be efficient defense. Over the last few games, France’s defense seems to have slowed down. Not only will they need to stop Messi, but they will need to turn defensive stops into counterattacks. Mbappe and Olivier Giroud (four goals thus far in the tournament) will need to be electric on offense and test the Argentinian keeper. Antoine Griezmann may be an x-factor for France as he has three assists in this World Cup and was inches away from scoring against Morocco.
Conclusion
It’s only fitting that Lionel Messi will finally hoist the World Cup trophy in his last World Cup match. Expect him to score a goal and lead his team to victory in a tightly contested battle.
The Pick: Argentina (-104)
World Cup Final Best Prop Bets
Kylian Mbappe: To Score Or Give Assist (+100)
Mbappé has been relatively quiet over France’s last few games. Still, he is the main wing on France’s team who is capable of breaking down defenses through his skillful technique and ridiculous speed. He currently is tied with Messi for the most goals in the 2022 World Cup. If he isn’t able to score in this game, then expect him to at least make an assist. For France to win this one, the 23-year-old will need to have a big game.
Lionel Messi: Anytime Goalscorer (+190)
Messi has stepped up his performance big time this World Cup. If you have watched Argentina play in this tournament, you know how crucial of a role Messi has played in the team’s success. He is tied for the most goals in the tournament with Mbappe and has a great chance of putting the ball in the net at some point during Sunday’s big match. This is a particularly great prop to target since Messi takes all of Argentina’s penalty shots and has converted four-of-five throughout the tournament.
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