NFL, Fantasy, *Fantasy, Fantasy Football, quarterback, Fantasy Draft, Fantasy Analysis
Looking at free agent pickups and players drafted in the final four rounds (of a 17 round draft), the playoff teams' top six were Michael Bush, Roy Helu, CJ Spiller, Willis McGahee, Pierre Thomas, and Beanie Wells. The non-playoff teams' top four were Ben Tate, Montario Hardesty, DeMarco Murray, and Jackie Battle. The non-playoff teams were outscored by an average of 68.83 points in this category, just 10 less than in the top-drafted RB category.The days of waiting until the middle-rounds to draft Matt Schaub while you stack up on your skill position players are over; you need an elite quarterback. This isn't to say that you can't take a running back or wide receiver in the first or second round, but if you miss out on one of the top five or six QB's you're at a severe disadvantage. I'd still suggest picking among Foster, Rice, and McCoy if you have one of the top three picks, but there's a huge drop off after those three and a deep pool of solid RB's, so taking someone like Aaron Rodgers over a Maurice Jones-Drew type player may be the way to go.
In summation, make sure you get an elite quarterback, even if it means waiting a round to get your RB1 or RB2.
8/3/12 |
Jess
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28558 respect
I'm retired now, but I always took a QB in the first round. While my fellow managers were focused on picking up a running back, I wanted to make sure to get a "sure-thing" QB. They earn just as many points as a solid RB, and if I waited until the 2nd round, I risked not getting a good one, depending on where I sat in the draft. The only time this ever screwed me was in a keeper league where people with great quarterbacks don't give them up.
With RB's in most systems anymore, save just a few, you're going to be able to pick up someone considered a "backup" and still get some great points from him on a weekly basis. There are more high scoring RB's out there than QB's, and I like a well-rounded team.
8/2/12 |
Tyler_Waddell
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298 respect
Not taking a quarterback round one has ultimately kicked me in the butt for the past two years. The league has become so pass friendly nowadays, even guys like Christian Ponder and Carson Palmer had some pretty outstanding fantasy football weeks.