Fantasy Football Draft Advice 2015: Get the Edge to Win Your League
Jan 18, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in the third quarter in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Value Wide Receivers Over Running Backs
Once you get out of the top maybe 5 or 6 running backs, it really is sort of a crapshoot. If you can get an elite RB, I’m one to pull the trigger, but I try to see the bigger picture. Just by the nature of the position, RB is more of an injury risk than WR or TE and I definitely keep that in mind in early rounds.
The thing about WR’s is that the cream typically rises to the top. Say for example, AJ Green goes down, will Marvin Jones suddenly become a hot pick up? I doubt it. Kelvin Benjamin is down and I’m the furthest thing from interested in a Carolina WR.
Flip the script to the running back position last season: Ray Rice assaults his future wife and suddenly Justin Forsett is a top ten RB. Ben Tate looked like the guy for the Browns backfield and now it appears to be Isaiah Crowell‘s job to take. Denard Robinson somehow was a fantasy leader for a couple of weeks as a running back in Jacksonville’s offense so it just goes to show the RB position is often volatile. No matter the odds there seems to always be an unknown back or 2 or 3 that emerge from the depths as a fantasy starter.
One thing the Patriots have shown us is that you can throw just about any back into the lineup and be productive. Steven Ridley, Shane Vereen, Jonas Gray and Legarrette Blount all had big fantasy performances in New England last season.
The point is that a WR2 can often time have a higher ceiling than a RB2. Look no further than our very own Golden Tate about how a WR2 can explode in fantasy production with more opportunities. His performance while Calvin was out has him on the verge of becoming a WR1.
The point is that, if you aren’t sold on a RB, go for the best wideout on the board. The value you’re surrendering at RB is probably half of what you’d be sacrificing when you look for a receiver in the next round.
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