I participated in my first fantasy draft of the season last week. Over the last two weeks, actually; it was a slow draft where participants had 2 hours to make each pick. I don't recommend drafting this early, but it was a cheap enough entry fee and a chance to see some early takes on players.
This is a best-ball league with no transactions once the draft is complete and no lineups to set -- you get your best starters (1 QB-TE-PK-D/ST, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 2 FLEX) each week. Tight ends get 1.5 points per reception, so they go earlier than in typical leagues; theoretically you could have 3 starters at the position. I won one of these leagues a couple of years back with Zach Ertz and Evan Engram in my lineup basically every week.
It goes 28 rounds -- quite a few -- to cover injuries, bye weeks, and to see just how deep everyone's rankings go. Standard construction is 3-4 QBs and TEs, 2-3 PKs and D/STs, and 7-8 RBs and WRs. I can't print the entire draft, but here's how my team turned out. Drafting from the 11th spot.
1.11. Davante Adams
2.2. Josh Jacobs
First 10 picks were 8 running backs, Michael Thomas and Travis Kelce. Adams was a pretty easy selection here: my No. 2 wideout or my No. 9 running back? I might have taken Jacobs had I gone running back. When I selected the Raiders starter, the other option I considered was Kenyan Drake, OR another wide receiver, since Tyreek Hill was still there. The lone reason I didn't was I think starting out WR-WR kills you at running back this year. Had I waited until 3.11 for a running back, my No. 1 would have been the 20th running back drafted. Couldn't do it.
3.11. Zach Ertz
4.2. David Johnson
Ertz is not a player I'm targeting this year, but I honestly didn't expect him to still be there at 3.11. (TE-premium; Kelce and Kittle went in the top 13 and Andrews, who I wouldn't have taken before Ertz, went at 3.4). Our lack of fondness for Bill O'Brien is well-known, but a three-down back like Johnson, who should be plenty busy this year, at 4.2, was too appealing to pass up. He was the 22nd running back taken and I suspect he'll at least be top 15.
5.11. Terry McLaurin
6.2. Deebo Samuel
Spoiler, we're really high on Deebo this year. Taking him after McLaurin (who we also like but not as much) was a simple calculation that Deebo would make it 6.2 and McLaurin might not. Regardless, I was very happy to get these two players in these rounds. They were the 20th and 23rd wide receivers taken. Behind 5-6 guys I liked less.
7.11. Josh Allen
8.2. Noah Fant
Quarterbacks went earlier in this draft than I expected. After I took Deebo a run of four went -- Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson (Jackson and Mahomes were long gone of course). Allen is the last of the top (fantasy) quarterbacks, who can supplement modest passing with huge rushing. I'd have preferred Murray, Wilson or Prescott, and in some drafts I've seen they're available here. Not this one. Fant was the 15th tight end off the board; he's around 10-12 in my rankings. Had been planning on Hayden Hurst, who went mid-7th, a mild surprise.
9.11. Phillip Lindsay
10.2. Zach Moss
Getting a little nervous about my running backs with just Jacobs and DJ, so I knew I'd be grabbing the best available here. There were 39 gone. Lindsay's not starting in Denver, but I think he'll outperform some of the backs taken ahead of him and be a viable weekly play even if Gordon stays healthy -- can't just put your 1,000-yard youngster on the sideline all game, right? Moss will be the No. 2 in Buffalo and I think a goal-line role is possible; should at least get a third of the snaps. If Singletary gets hurt... Next five running backs off the board were Tarik Cohen, Jordan Howard, Latavius Murray (who I considered), Tony Pollard and Darrell Henderson, just to illustrate what was left at this point.
11.11. Jimmy Garoppolo
12.2. Jace Sternberger
Needed a viable second quarterback. We're a little higher on Garoppolo than most, who was better the second half of last year than you'll recall (since the sharpest memory was him just handing the ball off in the NFC playoffs). He was the 20th quarterback drafted, after 5 guys I wouldn't have considered over him (Mayfield, Goff, Tannehill, Burrow and Lock -- only Tannehill might have given me pause). Sternberger was the 24th tight end off the board, Green Bay has nothing else at the position.
13.11. Nyheim Hines
14.2. N'Keal Harry
Nothing too earth-shattering here. Hines not getting much love but he's their passing downs back and Philip Rivers likes to throw that way. He'll make my lineup at times with a 6-7 catch week. Harry is as likely to be the No. 1 wide receiver in New England as anyone else (I'm including aged Julian Edelman, who will likely crumble into dust at some point with Brady gone and New England looking like an also-ran). There's at worst No. 2 potential from last year's first-round pick, and he was the 50th wide receiver off the board (a safer pick would have been Sterling Shepard, and I strongly considered him, but let's swing for the fences).
That's rounds 1-14, halfway home. I've got 2 QBs, 5 RBs, 4 WRs and 3 TEs. We'll wrap it up tomorrow. Feel free to let me know your likes and dislikes, I can take it.