As we enter our final weeks of drafting for the 2021 season, there are a few players that I am looking to build my Redraft teams around this season.
QB – Derek Carr
In 2QB leagues, Derek Carr is sitting as QB25 and is the 102nd player off the board. He isn’t very flashy and in dynasty, he would offer minimal value. But when you take away the questions of long-term value he offers a high upside play as you close out the eighth round. He is a great second or third QB in 2QB leagues, especially if you’re drafting a rookie such as Justin Fields or Trey Lance, who will likely not start for their team at the opening of the season.
Derek Carr is the definition of consistency; Even if the consistency isn’t flashy. Carr has finished QB13 in 2020 and QB13 in 2019 and has an upgraded receiving corps in 2021. Drafting the 25th QB off the board with a history of top 15 finishes seems like an easy win for me.
RB – Derrick Henry
I have come around on Derrick Henry, and while I wouldn’t want to own him in dynasty, once again, in Redraft, he offers a safe floor in the first round. Ideally, when picking in the first few rounds I try to pick on floor and then risk it for the biscuit from round seven and onward.
Derrick Henry has a safe floor. He has increased his rushing attempts every season over the last five seasons, topping out at 378 carries in 2020. Whilst there is cause for concern with the addition of Julio Jones in 2021, it is hard to see the team moving away from the man who just rushed for over 2000 yards. However, Henry offers very little upside in the passing game.
If you want him you’re going to have to take him in the first round, but he is hard to pass up knowing that, barring injury, you have a safe floor of 1500 rushing yards.
WR – Mike Evans
It isn’t very often Mike Evans can appear on a list and be the second most polarizing option. But after Derek Carr, listing the only man to go 7/7 finish with 1,000-yard seasons to start his career as my guy seems safe.
Evans has finished between WR3 & WR17 every season in his career, save for his rookie year. While one may wonder how he will keep his streak going in an offense with Rob Gronkowski, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, etc., remember from weeks 9-17 last season he led the team in receiving yards. He was also second in receptions, which includes Brown’s 11 reception game in Week 17.
Whilst there is some concern for his boom or bust nature, he is a safe high-end option to take in the late-fourth-to-early-fifth round knowing you have yourself a consistent WR1 to set and forget.
TE – Darren Waller
Assuming you were drafting high enough in the first round to take Derrick Henry, you’re likely drafting late in the second and in a position to stack Darren Waller with his Quarterback Derek Carr. Since bursting onto the scene, Waller has finished as the TE2 and TE3 and accounted for 27% of the passing yards for the Raiders.
What’s not to like? Waller is a guy you can draft in the second round who is either a difference-maker at the Tight End position or a guy you can flex out if one of your late-round tight ends, like Jimmy Graham in 2020, becomes a viable starting fantasy Tight End.
I will not leave a draft without a top-three TE, and while it sometimes means I miss on a stud receiver such as a Davante Adams, I am more than happy to chance that one will come to me via waivers or late-round picks. I want to make sure I have a difference-maker at TE.
Until next time feel free to reach out on Twitter @markbullishere.
