The Game Plan Post Draft (#FantasyFootball)

Fine readers of the Going For 2 fanbase my name is @TheBLeagueSays and I am 100% grateful for #NFLSchedule happening, it gives me content to communicate with you, and right now that’s about all we have in life right? This week I will present to you the @GoingFor_2 ‘The Game Plan Post Draft’ where I will give to you some plays to make in regards to your Dynasty evaluations or to target in the prop bet market.

But for now, thank you – stay safe – and enjoy! 

Slant Route

Who’s role seems secure after the Draft?

How many more Quarterbacks jobs will Allen Robinson save by the time his career is over?

Mitchell Trubisky had his 5th-year option declined, and in an (I guess) logical move the Bears hedged their bets by trading for Nick Foles when Free Agency opened a few months ago. But despite who the play-caller for the Bears is, one thing is always certain and that’s Allen Robinson will bail them all out. And in a world where you think supporting questionable Quarterbacks should be something a team does – the Bears didn’t really do much aside from adding aging veterans who are probably past it and a couple of rookies who could be anything at this point.

Robinson nearly hit similar heights to his ridiculous 2015 season (with Blake Bortles) to which he amassed 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2019, he topped his previous best with 154 targets and 98 receptions – which is now the fifth-highest total in Franchise history.

So at this point, it looks like whoever is the starting quarterback (maybe their starter isn’t in the facility yet!) is going to lean on the only sure thing in the passing game they have. Allen Robinson is currently being taken (remember this can fluctuate depending on league sizes) around the fifth round and is a bargain at that point as well.

Buy into him now.

Flat Route

 

Who’s role seems less secure after the draft?

Think back to the offseason prior to the 2019 season starting how we were all high on Kerryon Johnson, Damien Williams, Mark Ingram, Darrell Henderson, and Marlon Mack? Those conversations were fun right? Right?!

Right!

Remember that scene from The Avengers where they all turn to dust? Yeah, that happened to the above-mentioned post-draft. Offseason Coach speak is in full force and I could care less if anyone thinks Damien Williams, despite his mental Superbowl performance, is a shot at starting for the Chiefs over Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Or hearing Keryron Johnson will start over D’Andre Swift, because he won’t, either. Or any of the others standing a chance to get the nod over this year’s top Rookie Running Backs.

All of the guys you thought that were going to carry your teams for a few years are cooked. I’m not trying to be too hard on the veterans, but jeez. If you can get anything for them, it’s worth an ask but at this point, you might have to sit and wait on them for now and sell if an opportunity comes up because right now their values have hit the iceberg.

Comeback Route

Who benefited from a good draft?

Drew Lock was given the keys to the kingdom, with a bountiful haul in the draft which saw not only Jerry Jeudy, and K.J. Hamler but former Mizzou teammate Albert Okwuegbunam, not to mention the free agency recruitment of Melvin Gordon to go along with Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant.

A scary good team on paper. But games aren’t won on paper now are they!

Still, Drew Lock has 16 games to show John Elway and company that he is indeed the man to steer the Broncos the right way… otherwise, they could look into the talented 2021 draft class for alternatives before he knows it. Drew Lock is currently sitting relatively deep (in my opinion) as the QB31 on the MFL rankings behind guys like Mitchell Trubisky, Derek Carr, and even Gardner Minshew. Look for him to be a big mover up the rankings before redraft and casual gamers make their way back into Fantasy Football, it could be your last chance to get him with any discount.

Screen Route

Contrarian Rookies we aren’t talking about enough:

The Patriots were light at the Tight End position even at the start of last season, and I get that there was a need to look to the future. But the Patriots snatched a pair of Rookie Tight Ends that no one was talking about in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keane (both selected in the 3rd Round) who could both walk into starting roles straight away. 

No Rob Gronkowski (for reals this time), no Ben Watson (retired), while Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse were/are non-existent. It’s a position that’s up for grabs which we thought was the case last year. So, the Patriots went out and spent up on two guys for the same position which isn’t something you think about when it comes to the Patriots Drafts.

Now the Tight End class wasn’t deemed very talented compared to previous years and the names were thrown about at the top of the pile were not named Asiasi or Keane. But sometimes we overthink things too much and maybe we should just follow the breadcrumbs on this one.

Out Route

Who should we be wary of after the draft?

I’m 100% throwing in the caveat of it depends on the format of Fantasy Football you are playing to how you view Adam Thielen in 2020 as we can sit here and debate all you want on whether he is a ‘buy or sell’ right now.

So before Justin Jefferson gets the hang on being a starter and before Tajae Sharpe, Olabisi Johnson and Irv Smith get worked in and vulture opportunities while knowing that they’ll push Dalvin Cook into the ground as his contract this year expires – I would think that Thielen right now in this case is a ‘sell’ candidate. They’ve paid Cousins (again) and we see another co-ordinator in Minnesota again, while he also missed 6 games in 2019 while entering his age 30 season. The Vikings are looking younger, faster – new. As someone who has Thielen, that would concern me enough to cash out now.

But on the other hand, he is a ‘buy’ candidate. There’s no Stefon Diggs in town anymore, and Thielen is now clearly the alpha in the Vikings’ Wide Receiver depth chart. In the two seasons prior he was punching over 140 Targets and over 1250 yards in those years. And while we talk about who was and wasn’t brought into the Green Bay Packers this season, and how Davante Adams is going to get fed; then the same principles should apply to Thielen also who is probably going at a three to four round discount to what his Divisional rival is with the same Target distribution bias that Adams will get too.

Again. It depends on the format you are playing. In seasonal leagues like redraft and best-ball, I’m all in for one more year. But in dynasty leagues, however, I’m out.

The 9 Route

Straight forward steal of your Rookie Draft will be

Quez Watkins out of Southern Miss could be a steal if things break right for him. I think in Philadelphia he will be the surprise of the trio that the Eagles Wide Receivers that were picked up and his skill set is exactly what they probably lacked.

When DeSean Jackson was out there – even in the limited time he was – they looked dangerous. And the Eagles made no secret of wanting to improve this department. I feel like Watkins is a different type of Receiver than what Jalen Reagor and John Hightower are, so being a ‘speed guy’ could be his advantage in finding more time with Carson Wentz and the starting squad.

There is a chance that Quez Watkins went undrafted in your Rookie Draft and most Drafts what I’ve seen he’s being picked up in the 5th Round so he could still be out there in your Waiver Wire pool.

Go and grab him.

Hail Mary

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and that’s Ryan Tannehill has shown us a few things in his career to be true. He can play well in spurts. He can play badly in spurts. And he’s also not been the picture of perfect health in the past neither.

Enter Cole McDonald.

The ‘Rainbow Warrior’ had a solid 2019, throwing his stats out there for 511-326-4135-33 and also had some wheels on him, as he rushed for 383 yards with 7 touchdowns which were enough for the Titans to grab him in the 7th Round. Now they do have Logan Woodside ahead of him at this point who seems more of a cookie-cutter backup Quarterback straight off the assembly line. McDonald, however, could be a little different from what both offer. Maybe a bit of spark if he gets called upon.

He can be had in the last round of all your Rookie Drafts, and to sit on your Taxi squad for the whole year. But again, just in case… he’s a name to keep an eye on.

I want to thank you for getting this far and taking in everything I have presented. You can as always follow and find me at @TheBLeagueSays and offer any view or conversation about this. Don’t forget to check out the #GF2 weekly rankings which you can find https://goingfor2.com/2019-fantasy-football-redraft-rankings-gf2-consensus/, and to subscribe, rate, review, and share and listen to The Back Row Giants podcast I host every week; which you can follow on Twitter @BackRowGiants also.

Let’s all get better together!

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