Drafting from: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
In looking at No. 7 overall in a standard league, we illustrated how most Fantasy owners will likely dread this draft position. The same goes for PPR leagues.
With the first six players locked in -- the order here in our three-man pick-by-pick series with myself, Dave Richard and Heath Cummings was Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson, Antonio Brown, Ezekiel Elliott, Julio Jones and Odell Beckham -- the first tough decision comes at No. 7. And just like the standard league, my choice here was A.J. Green.
I consider him the fourth-best receiver behind Brown, Jones and Beckham, and I'm not drafting a running back like LeSean McCoy, Devonta Freeman or Melvin Gordon at No. 7 overall in PPR. Green should once again post dominant stats, just like he would have last year if not for a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 11.
If you project Green's stats over his first nine games before getting hurt (66 catches for 964 yards and four touchdowns), he would have finished last season with 117 catches for 1,714 yards and seven touchdowns. The catches and yards would have easily led the NFL, and that's the player I expect to see in 2017, even with Tyler Eifert (back) hopefully back at 100 percent and the addition of rookie receiver John Ross.
I also expect Rob Gronkowski to rebound from last year's injury-plagued season, which limited him to eight games. I drafted Gronkowski in Round 2 ahead of receivers like Doug Baldwin and DeAndre Hopkins and running backs like DeMarco Murray, Jay Ajayi, Leonard Fournette and Todd Gurley.
When he's healthy -- and he played 15 games in both 2014 and 2015 -- Gronkowski is the biggest difference maker at any position. He's worth the risk at that spot in Round 2.
It was an easy choice to draft Jarvis Landry in Round 3 since he's been a top-15 PPR receiver in each of the past two seasons, and he's averaged 96 catches, 1,018 yards and four touchdowns over the past three years. There's nothing to suggest a dramatic downturn in production, and I'm ecstatic about this start.
Now, some of you might be looking at this roster and wonder, where are the running backs? Well, as you'll see below, they're coming -- and they're spectacular.
Here is my team at No. 7 overall:
- 1.7 A.J. Green, WR, CIN
- 2.18 Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE
- 3.31 Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA
- 4.42 Joe Mixon, RB, CIN
- 5.55 Ameer Abdullah, RB, DET
- 6.66 Danny Woodhead, RB, BAL
- 7.79 Kelvin Benjamin, WR, CAR
- 8.90 Eric Decker, WR, TEN
- 9.103 Terrance West, RB, BAL
- 10.114 Kirk Cousins, QB, WAS
- 11.127 Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN
- 12.138 J.J. Nelson, WR, ARI
- 13.151 Texans DST
- 14.162 Wil Lutz, K, NO
You might not like a running back trio of Mixon, Abdullah and Woodhead, which also includes potential handcuffs in West and Bernard, but I'll take this group in any league, especially PPR. There's a lot of upside for this collection of talent.
Mixon had 65 catches in two years at Oklahoma and can easily be a three-down back for the Bengals, especially if he beats out Jeremy Hill for the starting job as expected, with Bernard coming back from last year's torn ACL. And Woodhead has at least 76 catches in two of his past four seasons when he's been healthy, although he's coming off a torn ACL from last year and is 32. But he's joining a Ravens team that had more than 100 receptions from their running backs last year, and Kenneth Dixon (suspension) is out for the first four games, which also helps West.
As for Abdullah, he has plenty to prove in his third season, especially coming off last year's Lisfranc injury in his foot. But he should be the No. 1 running back for the Lions, and even though Theo Riddick will be a significant factor on passing downs, Abdullah is a breakout candidate in 2017.
I was able to wait on a quarterback with Cousins in Round 10, but he showed last season he can be a top-five quarterback and can easily replicate that performance again this year. And I filled out my receiving corps with Benjamin, Decker and Nelson.
While Benjamin could weigh this team down if he struggles this season, he was worth the risk in Round 7 as my No. 3 receiver. But I love the value for Decker in Round 8 since he can now be the No. 1 receiver for Marcus Mariota with his move to the Titans.
Favorite pick: Jarvis Landry
Landry is entering a potential contract year, and we hope the motivation of money helps him continue to play at a high level. And maybe score some more touchdowns.
He has 288 catches for 3,051 yards through the first three years of his career, but he's scored just 13 touchdowns. While that hasn't been a problem in PPR -- he's been a top-15 receiver each of the past two years -- he could be a monster if he finds the end zone just a couple of more times.
I'm banking on his continued success again this year, and I love his value in Round 3.
Pick I might regret: Joe Mixon
I'm expecting Mixon to play well as a rookie this year, but there's a risk involved with him as my No. 1 running back. He still has to prove he's better than Hill and Bernard, and all three running backs could be a factor this year, which would be frustrating.
I drafted Mixon over Mark Ingram, Mark Gillislee, Ty Montgomery and Carlos Hyde, and hopefully that's not a mistake. I also could have taken another receiver there, with Brandin Cooks, Larry Fitzgerald, Jamison Crowder, Donte Moncrief and Willie Snead on the board. But I'm buying into Mixon's potential this season, and I'm confident he will deliver as a breakout rookie in 2017.
Player who could make or break my team: Ameer Abdullah
Mixon, Abdullah and Woodhead fall into this category because I might need all three to play well as my starting running backs and flex, but I'm expecting all three to deliver.
Abdullah has the chance for about 1,200 total yards and six touchdowns as the starting running back for the Lions, even with Riddick stealing touches on passing downs and potentially Zach Zenner, Dwayne Washington or Matt Asiata hurting Abdullah at the goal line. If Abdullah does what I expect him to do then this team should be exceptional, but if he struggles or gets hurt then this team might falter.
