Taking into consideration the popularity of fantasy football and fantasy sports, in general, it is not surprising that more and more people try to identify the key to a perfect fantasy football draft. Therefore we decided to take the time and create a short guideline including tips related to fantasy football mock draft, as well as fantasy football draft strategy. In addition to this, we have shared some insights related to handcuffing as well as the best fantasy running back (RB) handcuffs and No. 3 receivers. We hope that by the end of your reading you will be much clearer about fantasy football draft board, fantasy football WHO to draft, fantasy football HOW to draft. Enjoy!
Fantasy Football Draft Handcuffing
What we would like to start this football draft article with has to do with handcuffing. For those of you who might not be familiar with this term, let us clarify that fantasy handcuffs are considered to be players (primarily back-up RB) who would be the most likely replacement in case a starting player gets injured. On the one hand, there might be fans that are not keen on handcuffing because it seems to limit their upside. On the other hand, we cannot deny that whenever there is an injury the value of the back-up players gets tremendous. So, to provide you with as helpful information related to building a fantasy football draft (or fantasy football mock draft) we have articulated 2 tips to bear in mind. Here they are:
1. Choose handcuffs that do not have competition
To illustrate how important it is to focus on handcuffs with little to no competition let us give you the following example. Whether you know it or not, due to the injury of Jamaal Charles last season Charcandrick West had to play quite actively. While this might not be such a bad case scenario, we need to remind you that a significant amount of his goal-line work ended up being stolen by Spencer Ware. This is the disadvantage that goes hand in hand with having a handcuff running back that joins a committee.
2. Pay attention to the correlation between the value of the running back and the importance of the handcuff
Similar to the previous tip related to fantasy football draft, here we would also like to give you an example. We believe that checking out concrete cases actually helps people see how principles work in practice. So, here we are. Having in mind that T.J. Yeldon and Chris Ivory are expected to be part-time running backs in Jacksonville it is not advisable to draft them. On the other hand, we consider that drafting Jerick McKinnon would be a wise choice especially regarding Round 10-11 if you happen to be willing to select a top performing back like Adrian Peterson.
2016 Best Running Back Handcuffs
When it comes to strategies related to fantasy football draft, it always helps to not only get general tips but also to check out what options you have and what specifics various players demonstrate. In the following list, we have included the very best 8 RB handcuffs for this year. This information will help you answer two important questions: fantasy football how to draft and fantasy football who to draft. Take a closer look if you would like to be able to make even wiser choices related to fantasy football draft strategy and your fantasy football draft board.
1# DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
As soon as you check out the results related to last year’s performance of Williams, it will become crystal clear to you why he is considered such a good handcuff option. As a result of the knee injury of Le’Veon Bell, he was replaced be Williams who managed to tally more than 10 touchdowns, as well as over 1200 yards from scrimmage. Having in mind what an outstanding performance he has succeeded in demonstrating it is not surprising that this handcuff is considered to be the best one regarding fantasy football draft. Therefore, this season he is likely to take the same role.
2# Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)
Assuming that Adrian Peterson gets injured McKinnon is the most likely to be chosen as running back for the Vikings. In fact, taking into consideration that during the last season he was capable of getting 5.2 yards per carry without taking a major role the team is looking for ways of involving him even more actively in the offense. In spite of the undeniable qualities and successes of Adrian Peterson, it would not be unexpected if he does not play till the end of the season. And guess who will be the fantasy RB1 if such a scenario gets fulfilled? There are no doubts that the easiness with which McKinnon can make a 68-yard TD is likely to help him end up becoming the leading running back.
3# Darren McFadden (Cowboys)
Tallying over 1400 yards from scrimmage and running for 4.6 yards per carry will definitely help Darren McFadden be the one playing second fiddle (the lead player in Dallas is Ezekiel Elliott). Still, take note that he would have even higher chances if by the beginning of Week 1 Alfred Morris is no longer part of the premises.
4# Charles Sims (Buccaneers)
We move on this section of our fantasy football draft article by presenting another running back handcuff that has a lot of potentials. On the one hand, we cannot deny that the performance of the lead dog Doug Martin last season was simply incredible. On the other hand, one can only speculate what Sims might be capable of accomplishing in his absence. After all, it was Sims who managed to surpass 1000 yards from scrimmage, and at the same time demonstrated an incredible receiving ability with over 50 catches.
5# Tevin Coleman (Falcons)
When it comes to Tevin Coleman, we need to remind you that a rib injury prevented him from being the lead back of the Falcons. As a result of this Devonta Freeman got the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and actually succeeded in running for a significant amount of touchdowns. Even if at this point Coleman is not as good when it comes to ball security departments or blocking, he will definitely be the one with a lot of fantasy value if the current lead back Freeman gets injured.
6# Tim Hightower (Saints)
The next player to have a look at in the process of diving deeper into the world of fantasy football mock draft and handcuffing is Tim Hightower. This player managed to run 84 times for 3 touchdowns and over 320 yards. This is why he is the most probable cuff if the underrated Mark Ingram cannot play.
7# DeAndre Washington (Raiders)
If you ask yourself what made the Raiders draft Washington in the fifth round, it has to do with the fact that they do not appear to fully rely on Latavius Murray when it comes to the backfield. So, although right now Washington is a back-up, it would not be surprising to see him thrive if Murray does not perform effectively or gets injured.
8# Alfred Blue (Texans)
We finish this section of the fantasy football draft article by saying a few words about Alfred Blue. As far as his abilities are concerned, we need to let you know that on average he managed to have 14 carries and to run for more than 100 yards on a couple of occasions last season. In the same time on 352 NFL rushes, he ended up running for 3.5 yards per carry. In other words, we can conclude that his performance has not always been quite excellent. Having in mind that he spent a couple of years being the backup for Adrian Blue it would not be surprising if he also becomes the backup for Lamar Miller.
Tips About Drafting Wide Receivers
Another way of improving your knowledge and skills related to fantasy football draft and fantasy football draft strategy is to pay a closer look to the players you draft as receivers. It is not always possible to choose some of the bigger names, so it might be helpful to check our list of No. 3 receivers we consider most recommendable.
1. John Brown (ARI)
There is no doubt that Brown is No. 3 in Arizona. However, he managed to get targeted more than 100 times throughout two consecutive seasons. In the same time, he has been recognized for having achieved 7 touchdowns and 1003 receiving yards in the last year.
2. Michael Thomas (NO)
As far as the performance of this wide receiver is concerned, we can say that during the previous two seasons he managed to average 9 touchdowns, 790 receiving yards and 55 receptions. So, since Marques Colston is already a free agent, it would not be surprising if Michael Thomas ends up playing as a starting WR together with Brandon Coleman and Willie Snead.
3. Tyler Lockett (SEA)
What we would like to share with you about this particular wide receiver, is that he succeeded in catching six TDs and over 50 passes on more than 60 targets for 664 yards. In addition to this, there is only one player in his team that is better when it comes to touchdowns and receptions.
4. Dorial Green-Beckham (TEN)
Regarding this WR, it is interesting to mention that he ended up being the second one on the Titans as a result of his 4 receiving TDs. In fact, Delanie Walker is the only one in the team who is better at receiving yards although Green-Beckham was fourth when it comes to receptions.
5. Breshad Perriman (BAL)
Perriman needed to miss last year’s season due to an injury, but his previous performance is not to be underestimated. For instance, he succeeded in scoring 9 touchdowns and tallying over 1000 receiving yards on 50 catches in his very last final year at UCF. So, while Kamar Aiken and Steve Smith Sr. can now focus on handling the deep threats, Breshad Perriman is the one who can deal with any tough possessions. However, there is one more player who also aims at getting the starting job, and this is Mike Wallace.
6. Rueben Randle (PHI)
What we need to recognize Randle for has to do with the fact that there is no single game that he missed throughout his whole career. In addition to being truly reliable, he managed to receive 8 TDs and to catch 57 passes for 797 yards during the last year. So, it is not surprising that he is a solid No. 3 alternative in Philly.
7. Ted Ginn Jr. (CAR)
As a result of the injury of Kelvin Benjamin, a lot of people wondered if the quality of the Panthers’ passing game was about to decrease. What happened in practice was that in addition to Newton keeping on performing well, it was Ginn who dealt with most of the touchdowns. This is the reason why he is considered to be promising despite his drop passes. Regarding results he is associated with 10 scored touchdowns and averaging 16.8 yards per catch.
8. Stevie Johnson (SD)
When it comes to the performance of Johnson, he was able to make 3 TDs and 45 catches for 497 yards while actively taking part in 10 games. So, it would not be surprising if he becomes the top choice when it comes to replacing Philip Rivers in case he cannot play.
9. Darrius Heyward-Bey (PIT)
Before we bring to an end this section of the fantasy football draft article we would like to present you two more players. The first one is Darrius Heyward-Bey who succeeded in catching 2 TDs and 21 passes for 314 yards during the previous season. So, having in mind that Martavis Bryant is not allowed to take part in the 2016 season it is Sammie Coates or Darrius Heyward-Bey who will compete for the lead role.
Other No. 3 wide receivers we would like to encourage you to take a look at are Sterling Shepard (NYG), Davante Adams (GB), Jared Abbrederis (GB), Seth Roberts (OAK), Andre Holmes (OAK), Josh Doctson (WAS), Jamison Crowder (WAS), Devin Smith (NYJ), and Marquess Wilson (CHI).
Conclusion
Certainly, there is a lot more that can be said about fantasy football mock draft, fantasy football draft board and fantasy football draft strategy (also important points like fantasy football WHO to draft and fantasy football HOW to draft). However, we hope that as a result of the tips and rankings we brought to you in this fantasy football article you are now one step closer to being even more successful at playing fantasy football.
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