#1: Trey McBride or Brock Bowers
Good tight ends are so valuable in fantasy. You could have the worst roster in the league but having a top tight end like Trey McBride or Brock Bowers separates you from the rest. That could move you from the worst team to being a bubble team just like that. And if you have a well constructed roster one of those two makes you a contender. In fantasy drafts you can go big in the WRs and RBs early, and pick tight ends later, which isn’t bad but that brings you a starting tight end like Mark Andrew’s. Picking tight end early is the best option. The WR and RB depth is getting better by the year, and you can still get consistent top scoring guys outside of the 3rd round. You can draft the #1 tight ends later in the 1st and still get a top 5 player at a different position and top 10 positional players will still be available in the 3rd. Getting a top tight end early is key.
#2: Do you know what else is key? Volume is key
You can be a terrible WR in real life, but when you’re on a team with no real WR2 and you’re getting over 20% of the targets you will be a top 10 fantasy WR. JSN was probably the biggest league winner this year, and a lot of that goes to his skill, but he also had the highest target share in the NFL. Of the top 5 players with the most volume share Njigba, Chase, and Nacua were in that top 5. (Nacua was actually 6th but I am discluding Garret Wilson because of all the injuries.) When you look down the list you can see why Tet Mcmillian was such a breakout being top 10 in target share. Wandale Robinson was also top 10 in target share which is why he was top 10 in receiving yards. In PPR leagues when you can even have one WR who gets that many targets, the yards don’t matter when they’re getting 6+ catches every game.
#3: Consistent Running Backs
Running Back is probably the most inconsistent position in fantasy. No matter how good they have at the very least 3 games where they play absolute garbage. You see great players like Bucky Irving, Quinshon Judkins, and Kenneth Walker outside the top 20 with even backup running backs above them in consistency rating. Many people say Christian McCaffery was the fantasy MVP and that is for good reason. He never failed you in fantasy and he was never a bust for your team. He was #1 in the NFL in consistency ratings. Last year when Saquon Barkley was the so called fantasy MVP he was #1 in consistency. This year lots of people can agree Saquon wasn’t an as good fantasy player to have on your team and that is a lot because he had less consistent games being 14th in consistency ratings. In your fantasy draft Don’t focus as much on star RBs focus more on the consistent ones. In other terms: I would rather have the RB that has 15 points every week than the RB that has 25 one week, then 5 the next because you will never know when you will need the 25.
#4: Waste the last two rounds
When I say waste the last two rounds I don’t mean be picking Phillip Rivers and Ty Simpson (who will score less than Rivers this year), I mean picking two young guys you have great belief in. So basically your breakout picks. For me it would be Jalen Coker of the Panthers. But for the last two rounds it could be anybody you think is a breakout, and if they don’t work out for you, just drop them for somebody on the waiver wire. The point of fantasy isn't to win its to have fun. And picking the players you like in the last two rounds would for sure help that. Just pick some players that have super high upside and could breakout and have a JSN type year.