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There will be a lot more where this came from, but I wanted to start at the most basic level. See, here's the thing, I have a compulsive need to do fantasy football research 24/7, 365 days a year, and I want to share a bit of what I'm noticing around the fantasy world leading up to your drafts in August.
So again, let's start at the most basic level. The 1st round, and more specifically, the consensus top picks.
There's always going to be "that-guy" in your drafts who comes out of left field and drafts Tom Brady in the 1st round, but if that guy decides to stay home with his collection of cats, this is what your first 6 picks will look like (order will of course depend on owner preference and league format):
1. David Johnson
2. Le'Veon Bell
3. Ezekiel Elliot
4. Antonio Brown
5. Julio Jones
6. Odell Beckham Jr.
After that it becomes a bit murkier and much more subjective. You'll talents like LeSean McCoy, Melvin Gordon, Mike Evans, and AJ Green round out a 10 team league's 1st round. For my money, the running backs at the top are so far ahead of the rest of the RB group, they would be difficult to pass up on if given the opportunity, even in PPR. All 3 (Zeke, Bell, and Johnson) finished 1, 2, and 3 at the position last year and none have shown any signs of letting up. In fact, the most encouraging and trustworthy part of all, is that they may all be entering their prime this coming season. If that's the case, they are a must inside the top 3.
With the wide-outs, you just can't go wrong with Antonio Brown. He's Mr. Reliable. Odell is Mr. Fantasy Championship, what this guy does in the final weeks of the season is remarkable and is the kind of play that wins you a title come December. Julio is just a freak, and at 28 years of age, he's right in the thick of his prime. Plus, the Falcons play more games on turf than any other team in the NFL this year. Fast track for Julio and that ATL offense.
Ahhh, can you smell it? Football season is almost here.