I’ve been exploring with this series of articles/podcasts the optimal route to take from all 12 draft spots, and I’m producing an article like this and an accompanying video/podcast.
I’m covering the TWELFTH pick now, finally. These teams are looking a little different at the end of Round 1, so let’s see what the optimal route is when you have those back-to-back picks. One thing is for sure this year: if you’re picking at the end of Round 1, the board dries up faster around 90-100 picks in. Once again, we’ll use the Fantasy Points Generator as our guide.
Team drafted using the Fantasy Points Generator
Listen to the accompanying Hansen’s Hints Podcast on Drafting from #12!
Rounds 1-2
The question here is simple: I know I’m not going RB-RB, so is it WR/RB here or WR/WR? I tried both ways, and it was the former, so I start with:
Rounds 3-4
Next up, Jahmyr Gibbs or Najee Harris were tempting, but I stayed patient and addressed WR, which was the optimal route.
Rounds 5-6
One way to compare the various drafts is to look at how drafting late in the first gives you a better chance to get a great starting lineup, whereas drafting early in Round 1 helps you draft the best overall team. One issue is you do have to overpay a tad for TE and QB, but not much with these two stalwarts:
Rounds 7-8
Now I’m good at QB, WR, and TE, so the main thing I need is a good RB2 and RB3, which is not a problem thanks to these two guys:
Rounds 9-10
This is where the talent drops off considerably, so we’ll do the best we can with some boring picks and some upside picks.
I did the best I could with a solid RB4 in Brian Robinson and a stash-and-hope back in Gus Edwards, given the JK Dobbins situation. Being a little light at WR, I decided to take an upside guy for later in the season in Rashee Rice after I went boring with Jakobi Meyers, but then went back to upside with Rashid Shaheed. I went back to Kenny Pickett as my QB2 and, of course, Chiggy Okonkwo as my TE2.
Team Wrapup
I do like this team and its balance, and it did solidly against the computer with the most projected starter points of all 12 teams:
This draft was a little different with the double picks, but it checks most of the general boxes for me for 2022. They include:
- At least one legit stud RB in Nick Chubb.
- No worse than a tier 3 TE (top-5-6) with the top tier 3 TE in Kyle Pitts.
- Only decent value at QB with Trevor Lawrence.
- Rachaad White
- A strong starting WR trio in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jerry Jeudy, and Christian Watson
Skyy Moore(not getting him hurts)
Once again, it does seem like the quality drops off around 85-95 picks in when drafting at the very end of Round 1, so it’s important to nail those first eight picks.
