What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
Much like the 1.07 pick, I find myself feeling comfortable picking at the 1.08. I’m still able to leave Round 1 with a player who makes my team a legit threat to go off on any given week, but I’m also able to quickly add talent as my second pick comes back to me rather quickly.
The primary advantage of the 1.08 pick comes from the value that’s still available in Round 1 and yet still being able to acquire an additional high-level talent in Round 2. The pairing of the two early picks is what allows managers in this position to secure an all-around solid lineup. It’s also a decent position to be in to acquire a couple of solid RBs early and then target WR heavily in Rounds 4-7.
There are obvious drawbacks, primarily concerning the top-tier RBs that are destined to be off the board already. It’s also possible that my top WR choices may be off the board by the time I pick. The likelihood of getting to draft your preferred player in Round 1 is low, but there’s value galore at this spot in the draft.
Do you have a certain strategy when picking at 1.08 in 2022?
My overall strategy for the 1.08 pick is going to be to target the top-ranked player in Round 1, likely Justin Jefferson; then I’ll attempt to hit on a “hero RB” in Round 2, either with Alvin Kamara or D’Andre Swift, and then build out my heavy WR and TE roster over Rounds 3-7, likely targeting Kyle Pitts in Round 3 and a whole mess of WRs in Rounds 4-7. There are a few RBs I’m looking at to solidify my RB2 position, but it’s going to depend on what values eventually fall to me.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this draft spot?
Much like the 1.07 pick, I find myself feeling comfortable picking at the 1.08. I’m still able to leave Round 1 with a player who makes my team a legit threat to go off on any given week, but I’m also able to quickly add talent as my second pick comes back to me rather quickly.
The primary advantage of the 1.08 pick comes from the value that’s still available in Round 1 and yet still being able to acquire an additional high-level talent in Round 2. The pairing of the two early picks is what allows managers in this position to secure an all-around solid lineup. It’s also a decent position to be in to acquire a couple of solid RBs early and then target WR heavily in Rounds 4-7.
There are obvious drawbacks, primarily concerning the top-tier RBs that are destined to be off the board already. It’s also possible that my top WR choices may be off the board by the time I pick. The likelihood of getting to draft your preferred player in Round 1 is low, but there’s value galore at this spot in the draft.
Do you have a certain strategy when picking at 1.08 in 2022?
My overall strategy for the 1.08 pick is going to be to target the top-ranked player in Round 1, likely Justin Jefferson; then I’ll attempt to hit on a “hero RB” in Round 2, either with Alvin Kamara or D’Andre Swift, and then build out my heavy WR and TE roster over Rounds 3-7, likely targeting Kyle Pitts in Round 3 and a whole mess of WRs in Rounds 4-7. There are a few RBs I’m looking at to solidify my RB2 position, but it’s going to depend on what values eventually fall to me.
Who are the first-round targets in this spot, and what’s the order of preference?
My Round 1 pick will depend on who falls to the 1.08. There’s a slim chance that one of the top six RBs drops to 1.08. There’s perhaps an even slimmer chance that Cooper Kupp drops to the pick. According to Consensus ADP (Average Draft Position) on FantasyPros, the likely best player is Justin Jefferson. Jefferson is entering his third year and has never finished worse than WR6. Unless an injury-risk player like Dalvin Cook or Christian McCaffrey falls to me, I’m happily starting my draft with Justin Jefferson.
There’s a small part of me that wants to consider drafting Travis Kelce here, but I’m going to wait on TE for now. Jefferson may not finish as the top overall player, but he’s exactly the kind of surefire talent I want. His stability at the WR position also allows me to take a big swing with my Round 2 pick.
In order of preference, these are my projected top eight players: Jonathan Taylor, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, Cooper Kupp, Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook, Najee Harris, Justin Jefferson.
Is there anyone you’re avoiding who might be available to you in the first round?
I’m sure there are some who might be tempted to take Nick Chubb or Joe Mixon over Justin Jefferson. Ultimately, I would prefer Jefferson over both players, not only due to his health but because he has the chance to be the WR1 overall, and both Chubb and Mixon don’t really have what it takes to be the RB1 overall. I also think there are some managers who may think Davante Adams is still a first-round fantasy talent. He may be, but you shouldn’t look to draft him like one.
What is the plan of attack for Rounds 2-3 based on the possible first-round scenarios?
After selecting Justin Jefferson in Round 1, I’m looking to take a swing on an RB in Round 2. According to consensus ADP, there are two RBs that might be available at this pick: D’Andre Swift and Alvin Kamara. I prefer Swift to Kamara this season, but I’ll take Kamara if Swift isn’t available. The reason why these two are the preferred options here is that they stand to round out my roster with a top WR talent and top RB talent.
The top of the 2022 draft has a lot of immaculate WR talent that I don’t want to miss out on. It also has a heavy dose of the best RBs. If I leave the first two rounds without at least one RB, I’ll feel like my RB stable is weak. Likewise, unless I nail my WR picks in Rounds 3-7, I’ll feel like my roster is weak at the position. My goal is to balance and diversify.
There is an alternate reality in Round 2 where both Kamara and Swift are already drafted. If that’s the case, the likeliest players to fall are Stefon Diggs and Davante Adams. While neither player is an innately bad pick, I would pivot my draft strategy to reach for Mark Andrews. Andrews finished 2021 as the TE1. The Ravens traded Marquise Brown this offseason, leaving Andrews as the true top target in the offense. It’s not unthinkable that he could beat his numbers from last season.
In Round 3, I have a few options. If I was able to acquire either Swift or Kamara, giving me a WR-RB pairing in the first two rounds, I will look to target a different TE in Round 3: Kyle Pitts. Pitts is the consensus ADP 34th player taken in drafts, so it’s not a stretch to select him with the 32nd pick. If he’s already taken, my strategy is to add more WR and RB talent to my roster. Leonard Fournette, David Montgomery and Tee Higgins are all players I would love to have.
Who are some targets in Rounds 4-7?
I’m a big believer in waiting to draft QBs and TEs. If I’m feeling confident, I’m willing to reach a little for Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, but I don’t want to stretch my picks too far beyond those two. I like Kyle Pitts for Round 3, but I don’t have to have him. Beyond those three, I only want TEs that fall to me at a major value. Ultimately, Rounds 4-7 are loaded with WR talent that will serve as the backbone of my roster.
After seven rounds, which positions do you expect to be areas of strength for you, and which positions will you still need to address?
If all goes according to plan, I’ll hopefully have a top two or three TE, a solid WR group that’s led by Justin Jefferson and a pair of RBs. My ideal roster is Justin Jefferson, D’Andre Swift, Kyle Pitts, Jaylen Waddle, Travis Etienne, Marquise Brown and Darnell Mooney. If I’m able to field a roster that resembles that group, I can start using my draft picks on depth players rather than forcing myself to fill roster needs with sub-par talent.
I do feel that my team will need additional RB help, so I’ll likely target players like Cordarrelle Patterson, Tony Pollard or Melvin Gordon in Round 8. In Round 9, I know I’m running out of solid QBs, so I’ll start weighing the available options. My preferred QB is Tom Brady, but he may be gone by my next pick, so I’m happy to settle for Trey Lance or Derek Carr.
Once I’ve built a little RB depth and selected my QB, the rest of my picks are committed towards WR fliers, meaning I want players that are riskier but have high-upside potential. Some players I’m looking at that are still available, based on consensus ADP, include Allen Lazard, Treylon Burks, Drake London, DeVante Parker, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chris Olave.
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Tim Metzler is a featured writer at FantasyPros, known for multiple article series’, including 5 Under 25, Expert Consensus Rantings, his in-season Running Diary and for his dynasty IDP rankings. For more from Tim, check out his archive and follow him @Timmy_The_Metz.
