The Most Valuable Position in Fantasy Football
Choosing the best fantasy football position can be a difficult decision to make. There are several options, including wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. All of these positions have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Running backs
Considering the RB’s importance in fantasy football, the question is, “Who should you draft?” After all, RBs are some of the most versatile players in the game. There are three main categories of running backs. They are based on the role they play on the field, their size, and their strength.
As a general rule, you should consider drafting a RB in the first or second round if you’re looking to build a high-scoring fantasy team. Despite the ubiquity of the position, it’s still one of the most risky positions to pick. There are so many teams competing for your attention that securing a running back can be a difficult task.
The standard scoring format favors RBs over other positions, especially in touchdown scoring. In a standard scoring league, you get points for every touch, touchdown, or yard gained. That’s not to say that running backs who don’t score a lot of touchdowns aren’t important. Rather, it’s a better idea to pick up a running back with high touch and target counts.
Wide receivers
Whether you play in a PPR league or a point per reception league, wide receivers are one of the most important positions in fantasy football. Their upside is great, but the risks are minimal. Moreover, wide receivers are a safer bet than late first round running backs.
As mentioned earlier, wide receivers have the greatest depth of all position players. In addition, they are the most reliable in terms of scoring points. A wide receiver can earn rushing yards on back-screen passes and end-arounds.
The number of ultra-talented young wide receivers is staggering. Some of these players are already being taken in the first round of the draft. Others will be taken several rounds later. In fact, a wide receiver can be a high-upside sleeper pick.
When picking a wide receiver, be sure to consider the offense he is going to be a part of. If he is paired with a new quarterback, it is best to avoid drafting him.
Tight end
Despite the popularity of running backs, tight ends have always been an important part of the fantasy football offense. There are few players who are as versatile as the tight end, and they can rack up yards and make a huge difference in the fantasy playoffs.
In the middle rounds, breakout players often make the difference in fantasy football. You may want to cede the tight end position to a streamer in a great matchup. Streamers have a limited ceiling but can provide great value.
A flier in the late rounds can land you a top 10 tight end. These players often have an elite target share and are connected to a functional quarterback. The value of a tight end can be different depending on the scoring format.
In 2021, the top tight ends averaged 13 fantasy points per game. The top pair averaged a combined 13 fantasy points per game, while the next pair averaged 10 fantasy points per game.
D/ST
During fantasy football draft season, the D/ST position can be a hot commodity. Many owners are willing to spend the first few rounds on D/STs, but this isn’t the best way to invest your draft capital. Having an above-average defense can propel your fantasy football team over some of the more difficult matchups of the season.
Fantasy players spend a lot of time studying running backs and wide receivers during the season. But, they often neglect the D/ST group. This can cause owners to lose out on vital depth elsewhere.
The D/ST group is not one of the hardest positions to get right in fantasy football. There isn’t a huge amount of positional scarcity, and there are plenty of players who make a ton of tackles. But, it is important to recognize that the value of the D/ST group drops off significantly further down the stack. It isn’t as important to focus on the straight As of your report card as it is to find a balance.
