The NFL season is coming fast. With week two of the preseason already here, many fantasy managers are scrambling to figure out the perfect draft strategy. There also will be a lot of new players among fantasy football this season. In this article, you will find the best way to go about your draft for the 2021 season. I will break down smart choices to make if you have a top half pick in drafts.
Round 1 (1st overall): Christian McCaffrey
This pick is a no brainer. The only two logical choices at first overall are Christian McCaffrey and Dalvin Cook. I tend to lean towards McCaffrey with this pick. Some fantasy football managers may have skepticism taking CMC, due to him only playing three games in 2020, but Carolina’s offense is built around him.
In three games last season, McCaffrey scored six touchdowns (5 rushing – 1 receiving). He was on pace for over 400 total touches on the season. The injury he suffered in 2020 shouldn’t detour you from picking him first in your draft. He gets an absurd amount of volume that is rare to find. Look for CMC to pace running backs in fantasy football once again.
Round 1 (2nd overall): Dalvin Cook
Speaking of running backs who get a ton of volume, Dalvin Cook is more than worthy of the second overall pick in 2021. In 2020, Cook finished second in PPR formats and third in standard scoring. Dalvin Cook has elite vision and explosiveness, and in 14 games last season totaled 1,557 rushing yards with 16 rushing touchdowns.
The touchdown production alone is enough to take him second overall in drafts. He’s also involved in the Viking’s passing game, which is why he should be taken at second overall without hesitation. Look for another great year from Dalvin Cook.
Round 1 (3rd overall): Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott is coming off a down year. Dak Prescott was hurt in week 5 last season, and so was Dallas’ entire offensive line the remainder of the year. Due to the offense getting banged up, Zeke’s touchdown totals dipped. He finished 2020 with eight total touchdowns (6 rushing – 2 receiving). Zeke also had a bit of a drop and fumble problem in 2020. It looked like he was trying to do too much for a team that needed a ton of help.
Since entering the NFL in 2016, Zeke has finished no lower than ninth in standard and 13th in PPR scoring. That was when he played 10 games in 2017. After a pretty poor season from Elliott, he finished 11th in standard and ninth in PPR. It was the first season Elliott had less than 84.8 rushing yards per game. Zeke is also heavily involved in Dallas’ passing game. He consistently catches 50+ passes a season. With an entirely healthy offense going into the 2021 season, expect Zeke to get back in form.
Round 1 (4th overall): Derrick Henry
Now, after the first two picks things start to get tricky. You can make a number of choices depending on if you play in a PPR or standard scoring league. Regardless, Derrick Henry is the smart choice here. 2020 was a season Henry will never forget, rushing for over 2,000 yards. He also had 17 rushing touchdowns to add to that.
As well as pacing the NFL in rushing yards and touchdowns, he also led the NFL in total touches with 397! He basically got the triple crown for running backs. There’s no question Derrick Henry is a workhorse, and the Titans will continue to use him at such a high rate. You can expect the overall usage dip a bit, as it’s rare for a running back to even crack 2,000 yards once in his career. However with the great offense the Titans have, Henry should still be able to get plenty of redzone touches to carry his fantasy football production.
Round 1 (5th overall): Alvin Kamara/Nick Chubb
Alvin Kamara is generally not around this pick. According to ESPN’s ADP, Kamara is being taken third overall. Taking Kamara with a top 3 pick is too much of a risk. Drew Brees isn’t playing in 2021, and there’s a ton of questions around who’s the starting quarterback for the Saints. If Taysom Hill ends up as the week one starter, Kamara’s production should dip. Hill will surely take some rushing attempts from Kamara. I’m fading Kamara with a top three pick in drafts.
Nick Chubb, only playing in 12 games in 2020, finished as RB11 in PPR. Since his first NFL season, he’s been on pace for over 300 touches a year. If not for a shortened season in 2020, he could’ve finished top five at his position. He had 12 touchdowns in 2020, which is the most he’s had in a single season despite only playing in 12 games. Chubb isn’t worthy of a top five pick just yet due to Kareem Hunt taking away a chunk of touches. Regardless, Chubb is still a safe play to get 300+ touches in 2021.
Round 1 (6th overall): Davante Adams
Davante Adams is a superstar. Coming off a year finishing as the number one wide receiver in fantasy, fantasy managers were having their doubts. With speculation that Aaron Rodgers wasn’t playing in GB this season, managers were fading Adams in drafts.
Turns out, that’s not the case. Rodgers once again leads the Packers’ offense in 2021. This is fantastic news for Davante Adams. There’s no reason to believe Adams shouldn’t finish top five at his position in 2021. Over the past three seasons, he’s been a touchdown machine tallying 36 in 41 games! If not for a shortened season in 2019, Davante probably would have at least 40 touchdowns in three seasons. Adams is a safe bet for another great year, and the only receiver worth taking this early.
Conclusion
Prepping for your fantasy football drafts can get stressful. It’s everyone’s goal to win and build the best team possible. Always think about the choices you will eventually have to make, and have a backup plan just in case. Think about volume over anything when you’re struggling to make a decision. I believe these are the best picks to make at each spot (1-6) in the first round of your draft. Part 2 of this article coming soon (Round 1 picks 7-12)!
