Drafting from the number 4 spot gives you a lot of flexibility. You can shape your team the way you want from the get-go. The big decision here: do you grab one of the top 2 running backs or one of the top 5 wide receivers? Even though it's a 3-WR league, I went with Breece Hall as my RB1 at 4th overall. Despite coming off an ACL injury last season, Hall finished as RB2 and only had five touchdowns. Now a year removed from the injury and with Aaron Rodgers in the mix, Hall has a real shot at being the RB1 this year, which is hard to pass up. But if you prefer to go with Justin Jefferson, Ja'Mar Chase, Bijan Robinson, or Amon-Ra St. Brown, you can't go wrong either; all are great options for your first pick.
In a 3-WR league, starting RB-RB might seem risky, but I went with Isiah Pacheco for my second pick because I saw a steep drop-off in WR talent. This way, I've got a solid RB lineup from the start. When it came back around to me in the third round, I grabbed last year's QB1, Josh Allen. I'd rather lock in one of the top rushing quarterbacks than worry about WR questions like Mike Evans potentially being done, Brandon Aiyuk's trade rumors, or Deebo Samuel's health. Allen just felt safer.
So, what about wide receivers? I tackled that with my next six picks: DeVonta Smith, Zay Flowers, Keenan Allen, Diontae Johnson, Jordan Addison, and Xavier Worthy. My strategy was to stock up on high-upside and high-floor WRs. Smith and Flowers could be boom or bust, but they also have the potential to win you a week on their own. Flowers, in particular, was crucial to my FFT Magazine league win last year with his standout Week 16 performance.
Here's how my team shaped up from the 4th pick:
1.04: Breece Hall, RB, NYJ
2.09: Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC
3.04: Josh Allen, QB, BUF
4.09: DeVonta Smith, WR, PHI
5.04: Zay Flowers, WR, BAL
6.09: Keenan Allen, WR, LAC
7.04: Diontae Johnson, WR, PIT
8.09: Jordan Addison, WR, MIN
9.04: Xavier Worthy, WR, KC
10.09: David Njoku, TE, CLE
11.04: Jerry Jeudy, WR, DEN
12.09: Kimani Vidal, RB, LAC
13.04: Quentin Johnston, WR, LAC
14.09: Ricky Pearsall, WR, SF
If you're drafting from the 4th spot and go for an RB-RB start, loading up on WRs in the middle rounds is key. You might need to take some boom-or-bust WRs that others have overlooked, but they could deliver big-time performances during the playoffs, just like they did for me last year.
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Some people are skeptical about Zay Flowers with Mark Andrews back and Derrick Henry joining the team, but I see it as a positive. Andrews and Henry should create more one-on-one chances for Flowers. His rookie season was solid, with 19+ fantasy points in four of his last five regular-season games, and his big performance in the AFC Championship game was impressive (even with that fumble—sorry Ravens fans).
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I might regret picking Josh Allen here instead of grabbing a WR first. I passed on players like Mike Evans, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel, and could have gone for a QB like Anthony Richardson later. But to me, Allen felt like the safer bet compared to those riskier WRs.
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I'm high on Isiah Pacheco because of his impressive rookie season and strong finish last year, including a big performance in Week 17 and three touchdowns during the Chiefs' Super Bowl run. With little competition for touches and an aging Travis Kelce, I expect Pacheco to be a key player and have a standout year.
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