Does it make sense to go after Travis Kelce in the late first or early second round? He plays a less-coveted position (tight end), but he’s a difference maker.
I am participating in a Fanex Draft as we speak, and working from the 8th drafting position, I was put in the position of having to decide on Kelce.
This is a 12-team league using PPR scoring. Teams must start 3 WR, and there’s also a flex position that can be a RB, WR or TE (with the scoring format, it usually makes sense to put a WR in there). In this kind of format, you really want to have at least four good wide receivers (and five makes sense, with injuries and the reality that you probably will misfire on one of your four).
At 1.08, I figured I would take either Kelce or one of the top 5 wide receivers. Hopkins and Michael Thomas were gone, so it was either Kelce or one of the three big-time wide receivers I liked: Adams, Smith-Schuster or Tyreek Hill. I didn’t want to pick Kelce and miss out on all three of those receivers, so I went with Adams. Ends up that both Kelce and Hill were available at 2.05, so I don’t think it made a ton of difference. An Adams-Kelce start is pretty similar to a Kelce-Hill start.
At 2.05, I had the luxury of two players I liked. I could go with either of the two big-time Kansas City pass catchers. I don’t think it made a big difference, but in hindsight I think I came out slightly ahead. I went with Kelce at 2.05, and later selected Curtis Samuel at 7.08. I’ve got those guys at a combined 468 points – 280 plus 188.
Had I selected Hill at 2.05, then I would have pulled the trigger on tight end Austin Hooper at 7.08, and I’ve got them at a combined 461 points – 283 plus 178. (I think Hooper has a chance to be a top-5 tight end, but I’ve got him 10 points behind Samuel.)
All of this reasoning, of course, is built around the assumptions that owners will behave how you think they will behave. They didn’t happen. Hooper was still there in the ninth round, so I picked him at 9.08. In hindsight, my best route would have been to select Hooper at 9.08, and then bolster the tight end position by choosing Kyle Rudolph in the 12th. That would have made me just fine at the tight end position, and my wide receiver group would be more of a strength.
Here’s my team so far …
| IAN'S FANEX TEAM | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pick | Pos | Player |
| 1.08 | WR | Davante Adams |
| 2.05 | TE | Travis Kelce |
| 3.08 | RB | Damien Williams |
| 4.05 | WR | Chris Godwin |
| 5.08 | RB | James White |
| 6.05 | WR | Robby Anderson |
| 7.08 | WR | Curtis Samuel |
| 8.05 | QB | Matt Ryan |
| 9.08 | TE | Austin Hooper |
| 10.05 | WR | Adam Humphries |
| 11.08 | WR | James Washington |
| 12.05 | QB | Jimmy Garoppolo |
| 13.08 | RB | Dion Lewis |
| 14.05 | RB | Matt Breida |
| 15.08 | RB | Chris Thompson |
| 16.05 | PK | Greg Zuerlein |
I’m not crazy about it. There’s not a lot of depth at running back. Biggest regret is selecting Jimmy Garoppolo at 12.05. In the next round, Carlos Hyde was chosen a few picks before 13.08. In hindsight, I should have taken Hyden at 12.05, and I would have still been able to get an adequate backup quarterback at 13.08. As it plays out, I don’t have great depth at running back. If Damien Williams gets hurt (or isn’t effective) I’m screwed.
At wide receiver, I’m not quite as strong as I would like. Would be nice if there was another Anderson-Samuel type player. Hopefully one of the two wide receivers I selected at 10.05 and 11.08 will pan out. Both came up big in their preseason openers. Humphries caught all 4 passes Marcus Mariota completed, while James Washington hit some big downfield plays for the Steelers.
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It’s 12 teams, with 20-man rosters and PPR scoring.
—Ian Allan