There’s three tiers to the fantasy football draft. In the first tier, it’s all about not screwing up and finding players who don’t get hurt.
In the last tier, finding those handcuff running backs or dismissed rookies can reinvigorate your roster.
In that middle portion, it gets a little tricker. This is the place where players who may have injury problems, but plenty of talent, reside. It’s where you can find rookies who may have to wait a few games, but will eventually pan out. And it’s a place where you can find those talented backups who finally get a chance.
Patience is the key to the middle tier…and a place to find your quarterback, since there’s no reason to draft one early.
Here’s a few players I’m targeting as solid middle-tier picks who can contribute.
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings, WR
His current average draft position is a little higher than the middle tier at 68, which is generally from rounds six through 10, encompassing picks 72 through 120, but if he drops in your league, gobble him up.
Diggs is the main wide receiver on a Vikings team that will likely do a fair share of passing. When healthy in 2016, Diggs was targeted a little more than eight times per game. That puts him more in the conversation as a solid WR2 than a WR3.
The targets will once again be there for Diggs and his production level is solid. He’s not a touchdown monster, but he’ll be consistent scorer as a WR2.
Donte Moncrief, Indianpolis Colts, WR
Moncrief isn’t the target monster that teammate TY Hilton has become. Instead, Moncrief is the touchdown magnet that Hilton owners would like for the Colts top wideout to be.
In only nine games last season, Moncrief caught seven touchdowns. The year before, he caught six touchdowns. The targets aren’t necessarily there, with 56 targets in nine games in 2016, but the volume is enough in the Colts offense that they can sustain two wide receivers.
Moncrief needs touchdowns to produce, but his past production highlights a definite niche in that department. I’m not usually a fan of players who only score touchdowns as a way of producing, but Moncrief is a legitimate red zone threat, and with an ADP of 81, you could do a lot worse.
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans, RB
Depending on how your roster looks by the eighth round of the fantasy football draft, this could be one of the biggest steals of the year.
Henry’s consensus ADP is 85, meaning he could still be available at the beginning of the eighth round. By that time, your team should at least have starters at running back, wide receiver, tight end and quarterback, so this would be a nice coup for a running back who I anticipate will be on the field permanently later this season.
Starter DeMarco Murray is known to have injuries, and his well-worn streak of carries is no secret. That’s why I’m making it imperative to have Henry on my roster, based on the belief that Murray won’t make it through the season. Henry will be a high-volume running back taken in the middle portion of the draft, so it doesn’t get much better than that.
Cameron Meredith, Chicago Bears, WR
Many doubt the Bears far more than I do. That must be why Meredith, who is shaping up to be the top wide receiver on the roster, is listed so far down on the ADP chart.
He’s going off at 98th overall, and is the 38th ranked wide receiver. The Bears passing attack isn’t great, but Meredith should garner a little more attention than outside the WR3 ranking.
He came on later last year and started 10 games, racking up 97 targets. Those targets led to production, too, going for 888 yards and four touchdowns. We don’t know how good Kevin White can be, so I’m leaning more on Meredith this season for the Bears as a decent pick this late in the draft.
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs, RB
He’s a stash with an ADP of 97. But if he splits some carries with Spencer Ware and then eventually wins over the coaching staff, he would be a dynamic fantasy option for your roster.
Ware isn’t immune from having to share the workload and everything points to Hunt being the main contender for splitting some of those carries. If Ware can’t get it done again, Hunt is a nice piece to have on your roster because the Chiefs rely on the running game.
The only problem with this is that you will have to exercise patience with Hunt since his workload won’t increase overnight. If your team is good enough to have that patience, he is a top candidate for seeing some production this season.
Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, QB
I’ve said several times I’m eyeing Winston as my quarterback. His ADP is 87 and he’s being considered the 12th quarterback in the draft.
But I’m going to be patient in my draft for Winston. If someone reaches too high, then I’ll pass, and likely look to Matthew Stafford later in the draft as my answer at the quarterback position. My No. 1 is Winston, though, since his weapons are better and it’s his third year, a milestone for quarterbacks.
A little reach for Winston is fine, but don’t go overboard. There is plenty of depth at this position in 2017.
