How to Dominate Your 2017 Yahoo Fantasy Football Draft

When drafting your fantasy team, the default settings on the site you use can frequently influence drafters. If you can look past the default rankings and simply choose the best player available, you will dominate your draft! Below, you will find my standard rankings for the top 12 rounds as well as Yahoo’s default ranking of that player.

You will also see a column labeled +/-. When you see a positive number in that column, it means I believe the player is undervalued by Yahoo. When you see a negative number, it means I believe the player is overvalued. While drafting, avoid players with negative +/- numbers (unless they fall significantly during the draft) and select players with positive +/- numbers (as long as you don’t reach for them).

*Both sets of rankings are as of 9/1/2017 at 3:00 ET

Round 1

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
1	David Johnson	ARI	RB	1	0
2	Le'Veon Bell	PIT	RB	2	0
3	Antonio Brown	PIT	WR	3	0
4	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL	RB	18	14
5	Julio Jones	ATL	WR	4	-1
6	Odell Beckham Jr.	NYG	WR	5	-1
7	A.J. Green	CIN	WR	11	4
8	Mike Evans	TB	WR	6	-2
9	Jordy Nelson	GB	WR	12	3
10	Melvin Gordon	LAC	RB	9	-1
11	Michael Thomas	NO	WR	13	2
12	Devonta Freeman	ATL	RB	10	-2

Analysis

In round one, Yahoo did a decent job of ranking the top players. I think A.J. Green is undervalued in the first round. Green is in his prime at age 29 and should be recovered from his hamstring injury. If you exclude the game he hurt his hamstring against Buffalo, Green averaged 13.38 fantasy points and more than 11 targets per game last season.

Round 2

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
13	LeSean McCoy	BUF	RB	8	-5
14	DeMarco Murray	TEN	RB	14	0
15	Jay Ajayi	MIA	RB	7	-8
16	Jordan Howard	CHI	RB	15	-1
17	Rob Gronkowski	NE	TE	34	17
18	Brandin Cooks	NE	WR	16	-2
19	Amari Cooper	OAK	WR	24	5
20	Doug Baldwin	SEA	WR	17	-3
21	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	WR	35	14
22	Dez Bryant	DAL	WR	19	-3
23	DeAndre Hopkins	HOU	WR	33	10
24	Alshon Jeffery	PHI	WR	40	16

Analysis

Rob Gronkowski stands out as the most undervalued player in round two. I realize the injury risk with Gronkowski, but if we even get ten games of Gronkowski’s dominance, he may be worth a second round pick. Last season, in a four game stretch when Gronkowski was at his healthiest, he averaged 118.25 yards per game and 16.33 fantasy points per game. He was a vertical threat for the Patriots and has matchup winning upside when healthy.

Round 3

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
25	Leonard Fournette	JAC	RB	22	-3
26	Todd Gurley	LAR	RB	20	-6
27	Terrelle Pryor	WAS	WR	26	-1
28	Keenan Allen	LAC	WR	39	11
29	Michael Crabtree	OAK	WR	46	17
30	Kareem Hunt	KC	RB	30	0
31	Allen Robinson	JAC	WR	49	18
32	Davante Adams	GB	WR	42	10
33	Lamar Miller	HOU	RB	29	-4
34	Martavis Bryant	PIT	WR	54	20
35	Travis Kelce	KC	TE	28	-7
36	Isaiah Crowell	CLE	RB	23	-13

Analysis

Lamar Miller had a disappointing season last year and recorded career lows in yards per carry and yards per catch. He also was near the bottom of the league in many advanced metrics. When a player receives volume (299 touches), and still struggles to produce fantasy points, I find it hard to expect a bounce back performance.

Todd Gurley was another major disappointment. He played all 16 games last year and rushed for more than 80 yards just once. He finished the season averaging only 3.18 yards per carry. Gurley also struggled in some key advanced metrics and while the volume should still be there, I’m questioning the production even with the addition of Sammy Watkins to stretch the field. I won’t own Gurley or Miller in any Yahoo leagues this year.

Round 4

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
37	Carlos Hyde	SF	RB	31	-6
38	Marshawn Lynch	OAK	RB	43	5
39	Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	WR	52	13
40	T.Y. Hilton	IND	WR	27	-13
41	Emmanuel Sanders	DEN	WR	55	14
42	Golden Tate	DET	WR	62	20
43	Tyreek Hill	KC	WR	41	-2
44	Aaron Rodgers	GB	QB	32	-12
45	Mark Ingram	NO	RB	53	8
46	Jordan Reed	WAS	TE	58	12
47	Tom Brady	NE	QB	36	-11
48	Sammy Watkins	LAR	WR	61	13

Analysis

In round four, Aaron Rodgers starts the trend of overvalued quarterbacks. Yahoo overvalues quarterbacks throughout the draft, but I’ll touch on it here since Rodgers will be the first quarterback Yahoo will tempt you with. The quarterback position is insanely deep this season. There are 16 quarterbacks I would be satisfied with as my QB1 in 2017 drafts, so drafting one in round four isn’t smart. Build a strong base of receivers and running backs while the rest of your league chases quarterbacks, then grab a value quarterback late in the draft and dominate your league.

Round 5

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
49	Kelvin Benjamin	CAR	WR	48	-1
50	Greg Olsen	CAR	TE	44	-6
51	Dalvin Cook	MIN	RB	21	-30
52	Joe Mixon	CIN	RB	45	-7
53	Ty Montgomery	GB	RB	37	-16
54	Christian McCaffrey	CAR	RB	25	-29
55	Stefon Diggs	MIN	WR	67	12
56	Frank Gore	IND	RB	85	29
57	Bilal Powell	NYJ	RB	70	13
58	Mike Gillislee	NE	RB	64	6
59	Jarvis Landry	MIA	WR	66	7
60	Adrian Peterson	NO	RB	68	8

Analysis

In round five, Stefon Diggs is undervalued by Yahoo. Diggs is a talented receiver and clearly an undervalued one. NFL.com’s Matt Harmon, creator of Reception Perception, posted a graphic on Twitter in April showing Diggs’ route running abilities. In the graphic, Harmon showed Diggs is better than average in success rate vs. man coverage, zone coverage, and press coverage and also has an above average contested catch rate. There is a lot to like about Diggs as he enters his third NFL season. He should be an easy steal in Yahoo leagues this year.

 

Round 6

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
61	Brandon Marshall	NYG	WR	93	32
62	Drew Brees	NO	QB	38	-24
63	C.J. Anderson	DEN	RB	47	-16
64	Jamison Crowder	WAS	WR	57	-7
65	Danny Woodhead	BAL	RB	75	10
66	DeSean Jackson	TB	WR	84	18
67	Willie Snead	NO	WR	79	12
68	Jimmy Graham	SEA	TE	56	-12
69	Terrance West	BAL	RB	83	14
70	Russell Wilson	SEA	QB	50	-20
71	Tevin Coleman	ATL	RB	63	-8
72	Ameer Abdullah	DET	RB	51	-21

Analysis

I expected Yahoo to correct Terrance West’s ranking once the news that Kenneth Dixon was out for the year, but they still undervalue him. West will see most of the early-down work for the Ravens and his overall volume in the offense will be enough to justify a mid-7th round pick.

Round 7

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
73	Paul Perkins	NYG	RB	91	18
74	Kyle Rudolph	MIN	TE	81	7
75	Theo Riddick	DET	RB	109	34
76	Donte Moncrief	IND	WR	110	34
77	Doug Martin	TB	RB	78	1
78	Andrew Luck	IND	QB	99	21
79	LeGarrette Blount	PHI	RB	94	15
80	Chris Hogan	NE	WR	97	17
81	Eric Decker	TEN	WR	96	15
82	Pierre Garcon	SF	WR	89	7
83	Robert Kelley	WAS	RB	77	-6
84	Jonathan Stewart	CAR	RB	95	11

Analysis

In standard leagues, touchdowns are king. If you’re receiver can score double-digit touchdowns in a season, he has a great shot at being at least a top 24 wide receiver. Donte Moncrief scored seven touchdowns last season on only 30 receptions. Obviously the 30 receptions isn’t what you want, but if Andrew Luck can get healthy, Moncrief has a shot to reach double-digit touchdowns.

Round 8

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
85	Tyler Eifert	CIN	TE	86	1
86	Devante Parker	MIA	WR	59	-27
87	Jeremy Maclin	BAL	WR	82	-5
88	Ted Ginn	NO	WR	120	32
89	Tyrell Williams	LAC	WR	73	-16
90	Derrick Henry	TEN	RB	69	-21
91	Kenny Britt	CLE	WR	98	7
92	John Brown	ARI	WR	116	24
93	Randall Cobb	GB	WR	105	12
94	Adam Thielen	MIN	WR	113	19
95	Delanie Walker	TEN	TE	87	-8
96	Matt Forte	NYJ	RB	134	38

Analysis

Taking over for Brandin Cooks, Ted Ginn becomes the field-stretcher in the Saints offense. He’ll get a quarterback upgrade and will run on New Orleans’ turf for half of his games, helping his speed. Ginn will play in ten indoor stadiums this season, a big change from playing most of this games outdoors last year. While Ginn might not be Brandin Cooks, the role should be the same. Ginn has matchup winning upside with Drew Brees under center and should be a great WR4/5 for your fantasy team. The fact that Yahoo values him in the 10th/111th round allows you to select Ginn at a strong value.

Round 9

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
97	Kirk Cousins	WAS	QB	72	-25
98	Marcus Mariota	TEN	QB	60	-38
99	Jack Doyle	IND	TE	107	8
100	Jordan Matthews	BUF	WR	118	18
101	Rex Burkhead	NE	RB	124	23
102	Corey Davis	TEN	WR	139	37
103	Thomas Rawls	SEA	RB	101	-2
104	Darren McFadden	DAL	RB	111	7
105	Jacquizz Rodgers	TB	RB	119	14
106	Devin Funchess	CAR	WR	164	58
107	Matt Ryan	ATL	QB	65	-42
108	Josh Doctson	WAS	WR	180	72

Analysis

Matt Ryan stands out as another overvalued quarterback. I don’t own Matt Ryan in a single league this year, and in my future drafts, I don’t plan to select him either. In 2016, he finished as QB2, behind only Aaron Rodgers. In 2016, Ryan had a 7.1% touchdown percentage. His career average touchdown percentage is 4.7%, and that’s after his hyper-efficient 2016 season. If we regress Ryan’s touchdown percentage to the mean, he would have thrown for 25 touchdowns instead of 38. Applying only this regression to 2016, he would have scored 52 fewer fantasy points and would have dropped to QB6. While Yahoo ranks Ryan in the 6th round, I think the Falcons offense is worse this year, so I’ve ranked Ryan outside of my top 100 players.

Round 10

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
109	Mike Wallace	BAL	WR	130	21
110	Dak Prescott	DAL	QB	90	-20
111	Eddie Lacy	SEA	RB	114	3
112	Cam Newton	CAR	QB	76	-36
113	Ben Roethlisberger	PIT	QB	71	-42
114	Jamaal Charles	DEN	RB	285	171
115	Martellus Bennett	GB	TE	54	-61
116	Duke Johnson	CLE	RB	106	-10
117	Samaje Perine	WAS	RB	166	49
118	Hunter Henry	LAC	TE	103	-15
119	Kevin White	CHI	WR	170	51
120	C.J. Prosise	SEA	RB	138	18

Round 11

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
121	Corey Coleman	CLE	WR	127	6
122	Zay Jones	BUF	WR	135	13
123	Derek Carr	OAK	QB	100	-23
124	Danny Amendola	NE	WR	169	45
125	Rishard Matthews	TEN	WR	108	-17
126	Philip Rivers	LAC	QB	80	-46
127	Marvin Jones	DET	WR	122	-5
128	DeAndre Washington	OAK	RB	244	116
129	Kenny Stills	MIA	WR	152	23
130	Tyler Lockett	SEA	WR	162	32
131	Jameis Winston	TB	QB	74	-57
132	Zach Ertz	PHI	TE	88	-44

Analysis

Round 11 and 12 feature three running backs who will see plenty of receiving work. While Yahoo does not feature PPR settings, these three backs already have a role in their team’s offense, and would likely see an expanded role if the lead running back(s) on their teams were to get injured. My favorite of the three is DeAndre Washington, followed by Giovani Bernard and Alvin Kamara.

Round 12

Rank	Player Name	Team	Position	Yahoo Rankings	+/-
133	Giovani Bernard	CIN	RB	199	66
134	Eric Ebron	DET	TE	117	-17
135	Alvin Kamara	NO	RB	191	56
136	Kenny Golladay	DET	WR	179	43
137	Nelson Agholor	PHI	WR	163	26
138	Darren Sproles	PHI	RB	147	9
139	Matthew Stafford	DET	QB	102	-37
140	Sterling Shepard	NYG	WR	154	14
141	James White	NE	RB	131	-10
142	Robert Woods	LAR	WR	178	36
143	Marqise Lee	JAC	WR	158	15
144	Breshad Perriman	BAL	WR	168	24

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