We last left off at pick 6 in the draft, ending with Davante Adams. The back half of the first round in fantasy football drafts gets tricky. Who you pick here will determine the path of your draft. With earlier picks coming up in round two, this pick should reflect on your next. However, with your first round pick, take who you know won’t be there.
Round 1 (7th overall): Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley is the smart choice here, if available. Coming off a tragic knee injury in 2020, Saquon has a lot to prove. The Giants should make his job easier this season with additions to the offense like Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney.
Saquon will benefit from aneasy strength of schedule, as the Giants currently have the ranked 7th easiest schedule in the NFL. We’re looking for Barkley to produce like he did in his rookie season, when he finished in the top two at his position. He moves down the board due to his knee not being 100% yet. Look for the Giants to ease him into the offense.
If Barkley is gone in your draft, grab the best running back available. You could potentially grab Tyreek Hill with this pick, but I value the running back position more.
Round 1 (8th overall): Jonathan Taylor
At this point, Jonathan Taylor is the player to take. There’s a possibility someone in your draft reaches for him, but Taylor’s ADP has slid recently. The news of Carson Wentz and Quentin Nelson being out 5-12 week hasn’t been kind to Taylor’s value.
Regardless, Taylor is a ‘must’ at this spot however. He is able to produce back-end RB1 numbers this season due to his talent alone. He ended 2020 on a tear, averaging 20 carries, 121.5 yards, 2.6 catches, and 23 receiving yards over the Colts’ last six games. The Colts will be leaning on Taylor a lot in 2021, and he should get a ridiculous amount of volume. Take Taylor with confidence.
Round 1 (9th overall): Travis Kelce
In the back-middle of the round where generally all of the top running backs are gone, you have a tough decision to make. Do you reach for running back, or take a receiver? At this spot, go ahead and grab your tight end.
It’s no secret Travis Kelce has been the best at the position for a long time. Since 2016, Kelce has finished first in PPR scoring each season. Kelce is consistently a target monster in Kansas City’s offense, averaging 144 targets over the past three seasons. He’s also averaging over 100 catches in that same span.
While most of your fantasy football league mates will wait on a tight end, this is the perfect opportunity to have a significant edge each week for your team. Even players like George Kittle, who’s currently being drafted as the second tight end, are significantly outpaced by Kelce each year.
Round 1 (10th overall): Tyreek Hill
Whether you’re in a standard or PPR league, Tyreek Hill has significant value. In 2020, Hill finished as the WR2 in fantasy football. Hill is also another target monster. In two of the past 3 seasons, he’s had 135+ targets. Along with the large number of targets, he’s also a touchdown machine. In 2020 Tyreek Hill ended the year with 15!
Other than Travis Kelce, Hill isn’t battling anyone else for targets. Kansas City’s offense is run by the best quarterback in the league, Patrick Mahomes, and should remain at the top of every passing category in the NFL. It’s extremely hard to stop the Chiefs’ offense. Tyreek Hill is a safe play at this spot, and will remain a top five receiver.
Round 1 (11th overall): Aaron Jones
This is just about where Aaron Jones is going in drafts, and it’s the perfect time to grab him. The Packers re-signed Jones to a four-year, $48 million dollar contract. Green Bay also let Jamaal Williams walk, and now have A.J. Dillion as Jones’ back up. One less running back to worry about in the Packers’ offense means more touches for Aaron Jones.
The past two seasons, Jones has finished as a top five RB in fantasy football. There’s a lot to love about Jones heading into the 2021 season. He gets a solid amount of work in the pass game, averaging 48 receptions the last two seasons. He’s also a consistent scorer, tallying 30 touchdowns over the same span.
Even with A.J. Dillion’s size advantage, Aaron Jones should still get a good chunk of short yardage/goal line carries. Jones ranked eighth in carry shares inside the five yard line in 2019, and 10th in 2020. Jones is the clear lead back in Green Bay since he took the role, and has been extremely efficient. As long as Aaron Rodgers is on the field, Jones is a great pick.
Round 1(12th overall): Austin Ekeler
In PPR, Ekeler is a no-brainer pick here. The Chargers’ offense has been great with Herbert under center, and Ekeler gets a ton of targets. In 10 games last season, Austin Ekeler had 54 catches. He was on pace for about 90 catches before his hamstring injury. He doesn’t get as much work on the ground as the other running backs going before him, but he still produces at a high rate averaging 4.6 yards per carry in 2020.
Fantasy football managers that have Ekeler are hoping he produces 2019 numbers; when he nearly had 1,000 yards receiving. The Chargers have complete trust in Ekeler to be one of the faces of their offense. The Chargers also bolstered their offensive line this offseason adding Corey Linsley, Matt Feller, and rookie first round pick Rashawn Slater. It’s definitely possible he finishes in the top five amongst running backs in PPR, and top-10 in standard. The upside is too much to pass up on.
Conclusion
These are the players you should consider taking at each spot in the back half of the first round in your fantasy football draft. Regardless of what pick you have, you’re getting a stud in the first round. Pick with confidence, and trust your research!
