A fantasy football draft is like a painting. The first brush strokes don’t make or break the final image. Instead, those poignant, deliberate swipes of the horse hair merely lay the foundation for something profoundly moving. Are you Rembrandt, or are you a toothless toddler with a mess of finger paint? The strategy you implement can define the type of success that follows in the upcoming season.
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- Fantasy Football Draft Strategy
Anchor RB Strategy (2023 Fantasy Football)
One popular strategy is rapidly gaining popularity among fantasy managers. An off-shoot of Zero-RB anti-fragility, the Hero (or Anchor)-RB draft solidifies the fledgling roster with a strong RB1 while also taking advantage of the plethora of talented receivers available in the early rounds.
How does one take advantage of the positive expected value from Anchor-RB? One misconception about the strategy is that the RB who watches over Gotham must be taken in the first round. In fact, some of the best RBs to grab and anchor around will still be available in the second and third rounds. This gives us the ability to grab an elite WR (or TE) in the first round, then wrap around with a ball carrier next and carry on with bolstering the receiving corps.
Example 1: First-Round Hero
- Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL), Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)
- Garrett Wilson (WR – GB), Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA), DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI), Chris Olave (WR – NO), Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)
- Calvin Ridley (WR – JAC), Keenan Allen (WR – LAC), Drake London (WR – ATL), Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
Having a superstar RB to kick off a fantasy draft really feels good. Some of the best up-and-coming WRs don’t cost a first-rounder anyway. This is the most common iteration of the Anchor-RB strategy.
Example 2: Shawarma Hero Sandwich
- Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN), Ja’Marr Chase (WR – CIN), Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR), Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA), Travis Kelce (TE – KC), CeeDee Lamb (WR – DAL), Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)
- Tony Pollard (RB – DAL), Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE), Nick Chubb (RB – CLE), Saquon Barkley (RB – NYG), Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
- Same as above.
This variation on the strategy is probably my favorite, especially if I get my hands on Jefferson, Chase or Kelce. I’m enamored with the stud RB options in Round 2 while taking shots on my favorite breakout receivers in the third.
Example 3: Last Gasp
- Same as Example 2
- Same as Example 1
- Josh Jacobs (RB – LV), Najee Harris (RB – PIT), Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET), J.K. Dobbins (RB – BAL)
Finally, there’s a part of me that is really intrigued with a “sawed-off Zero-RB” approach that attacks the elite receivers and seeks a lingering volume bell cow in the third to lock down stability at RB before the dreaded dead zone. Many will adopt this without planning ahead because the board will fall to them in a particular way. I dig it.
We are majorly underestimating the RB1 validity of the backs mentioned above, giving this example a lot of added value.
Anchor-RB is a compromise. It gives the manager some of the sweet, reliable receiving chops of Zero-RB but adds a nice, savory caramel filling to give a warm reassurance that the RB position won’t be a position of weakness. Take a bite. The stuff is hard to put down.
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