Who Do You Take?

Who Do You Take?

At the end of the day, fantasy drafts are really just fantasy managers making a number of really tough decisions in which they attempt to discern the potential between players that look very similar on paper.

To get us prepared for all the decisions that await us, Fantasy Football Fellowship coaches Harrison Zuckerberg and Bryce Johnson took some time to discuss which players they would select in hypothetical scenarios. 

Wide Receiver: D.J. Moore, Jaylen Waddle, or D.K. Metcalf?

Harrison: The easy answer for me is Jaylen Waddle. Moore certainly has the talent and is an elite receiver, but it is always wise to exercise caution when talking about a receiver who will be catching passes from a rookie quarterback. Likewise, Metcalf is a talented player, but he will not be working with the same caliber of offensive weapons that surround Waddle in Miami. Waddle has been a consistent fantasy option in his first three seasons, and the opportunity should be there for him to up his production further as defenses scheme to attempt to take away Tyreek Hill.

Bryce: Of this group, I definitely want Metcalf. Seattle has some good offensive weapons heading into the 2024 season, and that should correlate to Metcalf finding the end zone with greater regularity. If the Seahwks find a way to move Metcalf around when he lines up, which I believe they will, it also should open the door for some easier receptions in the passing game. Also, Metcalf’s receptions were surprisingly low in 2023 given the amount of targets he had (66 catches on 119 targets). If those numbers trend back towards the middle, he will get a boost from that fact alone.

Tight End: Mark Andrews, Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid?

Harrison: Although I would say Andrews is the player who is most trustworthy, the player that I want out of this group is Kincaid. All of the reports coming out of camp are that Buffalo is making it a top priority to get the football into Kincaid’s hands when the team has the ball. Kincaid clearly demonstrated his talent a year ago, and he won’t enter this season needing to prove that he is the team’s best option at the position as he did a year ago. Expect a big year from Kincaid in 2024. 

Bryce: I’m all in on the Dalton Kincaid bandwagon! He’s got a really good opportunity to be the No. 1 option in the passing game for the Bills. Buffalo is currently lacking a clear No. 1 option at wide receiver, and it certainly appears that Kincaid will benefit the most from that lack of proven playmaking out wide. After emerging as a valuable fantasy asset halfway through his rookie season, Kincaid appears poised to take a monster step forward in year two. 

Running Back: Jonathan Brooks, Tony Pollard, or Jaylen Warren?

Harrison: I am going to go with the upside and say Jonathon Brooks. He is a super athletic running back, and he was drafted by the Panthers to be the guy. I know it is a bummer that he is coming off of the knee injury and that he will likely miss the few first weeks of the season, but he has the potential to be a breakout star once he hits the field. Both Pollard and Warren probably have higher floors than Brooks because they are known commodities in stable situations, but I also think they are somewhat limited in how production they will be able to give fantasy managers. This is definitely a case where I think it is worth it to take a shot on the young guy. 

Bryce: I find myself leaning towards Jaylen Warren. I think his ceiling is a little bit higher than the other guys, if you look at the season as a whole. Brooks could eventually be a breakout candidate, but it is going to take some time for him to get the carries. I know many people are concerned about Najee Harris taking snaps and carries away from Warren, but I am pretty convinced that Warren will ultimately separate himself and become the clear No. 1 in the Steelers’ backfield.