Value isn’t only a necessary part of drafting in the later rounds. There’s plenty of value in the first part of fantasy football drafts, too.

Far too often, fantasy football owners stick too close to Average Draft Position, and don’t pay attention to their own rankings. Reaching isn’t the worst thing as long as you have a good reason to make that pick. Reaching for a player who has an ADP 30 spots lower than your draft position doesn’t work.

But if you have a player in your sights and he’s within about 15 or 20 spots to your pick, then it’s worth investigating how well that player can fit your roster.

Here’s a few players I have my eye on in the 2019 fantasy football draft who have better value than their ADP.

James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Average Draft Position: 9

Conner has the ability to get a consistently heavy workload for a team that is known for feeding running backs more than about any other team in the NFL.

And currently, he’s sitting at the No. 9 position for ADP, which also puts him as the seventh-ranked running back.

There’s no reason that Conner shouldn’t be considered a top-five pick in fantasy football drafts. He doesn’t catch the ball as well as Le’Veon Bell did for the Steelers, but he will still get several opportunities in the running and passing game.

Last year, Conner suffered from injuries that derailed a top-tier fantasy football season. He missed three games, but still finished sixth among running backs in fantasy football scoring. Experts are freaking out about a possible timeshare because Conner wore down at the end of the season last year. That shouldn’t have been a surprise since that was his first season as the main running back. He will be in better shape this year, so I’m not fearful of a timeshare.

Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Average Draft Position: 23

I get it. Much like Conner last year, we saw an abysmal end of the season for Fournette. That only added to the narrative of a bust season for Fournette in 2018.

So while many are dismissing Fournette in 2019, don’t be that quick in dismissing him. Out of college, Fournette was a freak. He’s still one of the most athletic running backs in the NFL. And last year was a dumpster fire for the Jaguars. I expect much better results this season for the Jaguars, including better play from a healthy offensive line.

Fournette had to navigate behind a decimated offensive line in 2018, to go along with a losing attitude displayed by the entire team. It’s only his third season. We tend to give up on players too quickly in fantasy football, so I’m not falling for this trap. He’s a first-round fantasy football player with a current ADP at the end of the second round.

Keenan Allen has plenty of talent, but the risk is high for injury. Flickr

Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

Average Draft Position: 27

Allen is a target monster.

And while he’s struggled with injuries in his career before, he has played in each game during the last two seasons. The Chargers are once again going to be one of the most talented teams in the NFL, so that should mean Allen will once again have plenty of opportunities at generating targets.

Allen has been a top-10 wide receiver in targets during those last two seasons and that should continue once again. Touchdowns haven’t always been Allen’s best attribute, but you can’t deny his ability to be a master at attracting targets.

And at the third-round position, he’s a solid No. 1 for your wide receiver depth chart.

David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

Average Draft Position: 42

By the end of the season, Montgomery may be the biggest steal of the draft.

The rookie running back already was a workhorse running back in college, not only participating in the running game, but contributing in the passing game. Without Jordan Howard in the fray, Montgomery will assume that role right away and should contribute more in the passing game than Howard.

Tarik Cohen will still play a major role in this offense, but who is going to get the goal-line carries? It’s going to be Montgomery. He’s going to get carries and goal-line work. That’s a great Flex option for any fantasy football team.

This article has 2 comments

  1. CATHERINE MOREARTY

    Scott – I am glad to see you are blogging again this season. Will you be writing the Survivor Pool picks this year too? Hopefully you will choose Wed PM/Thur AM so that those of us whose leagues lock on Thur PM game can take advantage of the information. Good luck this season!

  2. Thanks! I do plan on doing the Survivor picks again this season, hopefully getting it out Tuesday PM. Good luck this season!

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