This past weekend, I had the pleasure of drafting against a number of my colleagues for our 14-team staff league, cleverly named the “DFF Redraft Championship.” The draft was a ton of fun, and I can already tell the competition is going to be stiff. For some additional context, our starting lineups consist of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 3 W/R/T, 1 K, and 1 DEF. Passing TDs are worth 6 points, while rushing and receiving first downs are worth 0.5 points. There is also a 0.1 point per carry bonus and a 0.5 TE reception bonus.
In this article, I’ll be breaking down the thought process behind each of my picks.
1.10 – Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
My draft got off to a bit of a rocky start. I was hopeful that Jonathan Taylor or Saquon Barkley would slip to me, but I had to settle for Austin Ekeler instead. In hindsight, I wish I had taken Nick Chubb due to the 0.5 bonus for rushing first downs and 0.1 points per carry. Still, I’m happy with Austin Ekeler, who I believe will crack 100 targets with ease this season.
2.05 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
With my second pick, I strongly considered A.J. Brown and Calvin Ridley. But I knew from my mock drafts that the running back position would thin considerably before my next pick, so I opted for Clyde Edwards-Helaire instead. I’m confident that CEH can improve upon his “disappointing” rookie season, which he finished as the RB21 in PPG despite just 4 rushing TDs.
3.10 – Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Amari Cooper was on an incredible pace with Dak Prescott to start the season in 2020, and I believe he can more or less pick up where he left off this season. The Cowboys’ offense is going to be prolific, and I was thrilled to grab a piece of it here in Round 3.
4.05 – Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In Round 4, I was able to lock up my WR2 spot with Chris Godwin, another top receiver in a high-volume passing offense. Mike Evans might have the edge when it comes to big plays, but I expect Godwin to lead the Buccaneers in targets this season.
5.10 – Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Due to the 0.5 TE reception bonus, players like T.J. Hockenson, Mark Andrews, and Kyle Pitts went off the board higher than I expected. I was able to grab Goedert as the TE7, which is exactly where I have him ranked for 2021. I believe he can lead the Eagles in targets this season, and double-digit TDs are absolutely within his range of outcomes.
6.05 – Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Tyler Boyd is the forgotten man in Cincinnati. Before Joe Burrow’s injury in 2020, Tyler Boyd was pacing for a top-24 finish. Yes, the offense added Ja’Marr Chase, but the Bengals are going to throw a ton and A.J. Green’s departure opens up over 100 targets. Boyd’s role should remain largely unchanged in 2021.
7.10 – Zack Moss, RB, Buffalo Bills
By the time I was on the clock in Round 7, the RB position was essentially a wasteland. Zack Moss was my highest-ranked RB, and I desperately needed to grab an RB3 before every viable option was taken. Moss has the physical profile and skill set to take over as the primary back in Buffalo.
8.05 – Antonio Brown, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antonio Brown was an easy pick in Round 8. I knew that I wanted another WR, and he was my highest-ranked on the board by far. Pairing Brown with Godwin slightly caps my team’s weekly upside, but it does boost my floor. And if anything happens to Godwin, I know that Brown is capable of stepping into that role and providing my team with high-end WR2 production.
9.10 – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
Heading into the draft, Ryan Tannehill was one of my top QB targets. I love his situation in Tennessee with two alpha WRs, a great running game, and a below-average defense. Tannehill also has decent mobility, which helps to keep his weekly floor high. I was thrilled to grab him as the QB11 off the board.
10.05 – Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
It’s important to have RB depth in any league, but the position is stretched especially thin in a 14-team league. When Pollard slid to me in Round 10, I pushed the button without hesitation. He should have some standalone value in this high-powered Dallas offense, and his upside is sky-high if anything happens to Ezekiel Elliott.
11.10 – J.D. McKissic, RB, Washington Football Team
When the time came to make this pick, I had a lot of similarly-ranked WRs still left on the board, so instead I opted for more RB depth in J.D. McKissic. His pass-catching role in Washington’s offense should give him a nice floor as a bye-week or injury fill-in.
12.05 – Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals
At this point, over 150 picks into the draft, it’s difficult to find WRs with upside. I chose Christian Kirk here because I can at least paint a picture. He’s in a pass-heavy offense where the WR2 position is up for grabs. He hasn’t lived up to expectation thus far in his career, but maybe with a full-time move into the slot, he can finally take the next step.
13.10 – Anthony Firkser, TE, Tennessee Titans
With the TE Premium scoring, I felt comfortable grabbing a second TE late. Anthony Firkser has a clear path to the third-most targets in Tennessee, and the pick just felt right since I had grabbed Tannehill earlier.
14.05 – Xavier Jones, RB, Los Angeles Rams
In the wake of the Cam Akers injury, there is opportunity in the Rams’ backfield. Drafting Xavier Jones might look pretty silly in a month or two, especially if the Rams choose to bring in another veteran back to play behind Darrell Henderson, but I didn’t miss out on any great players here.
15.10 – San Francisco 49ers D/ST
I plan to stream various D/STs throughout the season, so I was really only focused on the early schedule here. The 49ers play the Lions in Week 1 and the Eagles in Week 2.
16.05 – Marquez Callaway, WR, New Orleans Saints
With Michael Thomas expected to miss at least the first month of the season, Marquez Callaway is now firmly entrenched as a starter in New Orleans. If he flashes early on, maybe he can carve out a permanent role in the offense.
17.10 – Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
With the 236th overall pick, I selected Rhamondre Stevenson. He has a chance to lock down the RB2 spot in New England, and I can stash him in my IR slot to pick up a kicker for Week 1.
18.05 – Olamide Zaccheus, WR, Atlanta Falcons
After Calvin Ridley, the Falcons’ passing game is wide open. Russell Gage and Kyle Pitts are expected to soak up most of the non-Ridley targets, but who knows? Maybe Olamide Zaccheus can carve out a role for himself. If not, he’s an easy-cut candidate after Week 1.
Final Roster and Thoughts
QB – Ryan Tannehill
RB – Austin Ekeler, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Zack Moss, Tony Pollard, J.D. McKissic, Xavier Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson
WR – Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin, Tyler Boyd, Antonio Brown, Christian Kirk, Marquez Callaway, Olamide Zaccheus
TE – Dallas Goedert, Anthony Firkser
DEF – 49ers
K – None
I’m incredibly happy with my draft. I was able to build one of the deepest RB corps in the league without completely sacrificing the QB or TE position. I have reliable starters at WR, and a healthy mix of floor and upside across my entire roster.
Thanks for reading this article! If you like my team (or hate it), look me up on Twitter at @fantasyfreezer and let me know! I love answering fantasy questions, discussing trades, and engaging in friendly debates, so be sure to drop in and say hello.
