Now that draft season is almost over, it is time to reflect back on some of the players we may have landed and are confidently heading into 2021 with. I have drafted in more than a dozen real leagues and many other best ball leagues and mock drafts. While every draft is different, and you certainly do not end up with the same players in most of your leagues, these are the guys that I ended up with in quite a few leagues. When they fell to my spot of being best available players or to fit a need, I was very happy to select them for my 2021 rosters.
Advertisem*nt
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford: We’ve seen quarterbacks leave environments that have not proved conducive to success and flourish elsewhere before. The most recent example was Ryan Tannehill, and we can cite Rich Gannon if we go back further. That sort of outlook heavily applies to Stafford, who never won a playoff game with Detroit, and while he did play with Calvin Johnson, Stafford’s receiving depth was never overly impressive. Well, at least not compared to his new pass-catching group. Having a one-two combo of Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, plus Tyler Higbee, Van Jefferson etc. gives Stafford the deepest receiving crew of his career, and working with Sean McVay is an obvious major boost over who he had coaching him in the past. Nabbing Stafford in the ninth round or so of my drafts was my frequent approach when waiting later on QB picks. I know many of us prefer running QBs, but I think Stafford is set for a big year in fantasy football and real life.
Running Backs
Antonio Gibson: Whenever I was positioned late in the first round of drafts, I was taking Gibson early in the second round as my RB2 whenever possible. He was a revelation as a TD producer as a rookie, with 11 rushing scores in 14 games. That was in a season where many first-year players faced an uphill battle with an unusual preseason. The Washington offense should also be much improved this year with Ryan Fitzpatrick at the controls, assuring us that he will get more frequent chances to finish off scoring drives. What we will have to wait and see is if Gibson becomes more involved in the passing game. Fitzpatrick is more of a downfield gunner, but with Gibson’s college receiving background he can possibly figure in differently than other RBs at times. Elevated pass-catching output could put him at RB1 status, and he is heading into the season ready to play after dealing with some turf toe concerns.
Gus Edwards: I was attempting to take him more in later drafts, as even though Lamar Jackson will still get his heavy share of the rushing work, there will still be a lot of room for Edwards to operate (this is a fantastic breakdown of Edwards from my colleague Gene Clemons). Consider that last year, in a lesser role, he rushed for six TDs. Edwards has also averaged 5.2 yards per carry throughout his career. Mark Ingram rushed for 1,018 yards and 10 TDs working with Jackson in 2019. Rumors of Le’Veon Bell being signed do not concern me. He is just added depth for Baltimore. If I waited a bit later for my RB2 or took Edwards as a flex, I was feeling very comfortable with the pick.
Michael Carter: Yeah, yeah, I know there is a lot of buzz about Ty Johnson — and Mike LaFleur has a long history with Tevin Coleman from his days in San Francisco and Atlanta. But I still believe that Carter is the most talented RB on the Jets’ roster and New York simply cannot afford to keep a player with his explosive abilities on the sidelines for too long. He provides dynamic elements as a runner and receiver that the other Jets RBs just cannot, and they need those type of playmaking skills in their offense. He does not model as a featured RB, but if he shares in a split with Coleman or Johnson he can make the most of all his touches. When Carter pushes his way into the mix, he will at least be an upside flex play. I was glad to land him in the eighth round or so in late drafts. I remain firm that he will rise quickly as a fantasy option even if the current reports indicate otherwise.
Advertisem*nt
Wide Receiver
Tyler Lockett: He is widely regarded as a “boom or bust” Fantasy WR. Last year Lockett had six PPR games with 17-plus fantasy points and three with 33-plus points. He also had five outings in which he scored eight or fewer points. This year, I expect more steadiness from the Seattle passing game, and that means more consistency from Lockett. Defenses took away the deep ball in the second half of last season and the Seahawks did not adjust. Now under new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, Seattle should hit on more frequent higher percentage passing plays and that will translate into more reliable production from Lockett. The Seahawks will fix what was broken last year and Lockett should be more dependable as Russell Wilson’s longest-tenured WR target.
Deebo Samuel: In many drafts, Samuel was not taken as a Top 30 WR, and I was very happy to land him as a value when others passed. He is a yardage after the catch demon who just needs to stay healthy for a possible breakout year. In the seven games he played in 2020, Samuel led the league in yardage after the catch per reception, with a 12.1 mark. Only two other NFL players finished above 10.0 in that category and no other WR finished above 8.0. Brandon Aiyuk gets a lot of deserved attention, but Samuel was getting overlooked by some and I was ready to take advantage.
Jaylen Waddle: The Dolphins have surrounded Tua Tagovailoa with a deeper receiving crew as they hope he can raise his game in year two. While Will Fuller was a notable add, Waddle could prove to be the biggest difference-maker. He can wreck defenses at all levels, possibly taking a slant for a TD or beating the secondary for a big play downfield. Plus, there is the obvious benefit of having played with Tagovailoa at Alabama. Waddle has tremendous and immediate upside and could prove to be the most productive of the 2021 rookie wide receivers in fantasy football.
Tight End
Gerald Everett: For similar reasons as I provided with Lockett above, I expect Everett to possibly rise to fantasy TE1 status. He will now be playing with his best QB yet and the Seahawks intend to make him an integral part of their more consistent passing game. Everett is a needed addition in the Seattle offense for Wilson to target on key passing downs and he has past experience with Waldron. Everett averaged 5.9 yards after the catch last season, which ranked third among tight ends. When I was not able to land a top TE early on, I often went with a pair of TEs such as Robert Tonyan and Everett, with Everett being the sleeper play. Look for him to become a significant third option in the Seattle passing game.
(Top photo: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
