When do you draft upside players?

[Djgb13 2,338]

At what point in the draft do you start targeting players with upside? For example how many WRs do you like to have drafted before you start taking someone like Sammy Watkins for instance that hasnt been tested yet but has the potential to be a breakout star?

[Matt Mueller 146]

Depends on the league but ideally at least 3. I'd want to fill my starters out with proven options first.

 

Sammy, as around the 33rd WR off the board currently, will go too high for my tastes.

[tanatastic 2,061]

I like to lockdown 2 solid wrs then get 2 upside guys. Sammy is a bill...I don't draft bills. But guys like Boykin and Brandin cooks, guys with great qbs in high volume offenses are guys I want as my reserve wrs.

 

I prefer to load up on rbs while keeping wr to 3-4 tops. Plug in wrs are easy to find in an emergency, but a plug in RB is practically nonexistent so I want 5 on my team. Out of those 5 I'd like to have at least 4 that I can start on any week and not get a zero. 1 lotto ticket like last years Christine Michael is ok, but I need guys who at least have a shot at 10 touches a game.

[Breesman32 11]

I start in mid rounds. Rounds 6, 7, and 10. I plan to have QB, 2 WRs, 2 RBs before drafting upside. Watkins, Sanders, Decker, Cooks, Benjamin, Hyde are players I see with upside.

[Kent 228]

It depends on how the draft is going. If you've gone heavy on one position and pickings are slim at another, you might go for broke on upside candidates early.

[Connorsdad 38]

Yeah I like having a couple upside players or lottery ticket guys.

 

I see a few rookies that could make an impact this season

 

B. Sankey

Terrance West

Brandon Cooks

Mike Evans

Jordan Mathews

Sammy Watkins

Jeremy Hill

Kelvin Benjamin

Carlos Hyde

 

And I see a few more upside players that I will try to get.

 

Khiry Robinson

Emmanuel Sanders

TY Hilton (good value at his current adp)

Rurben Randle

Jarrett Boykin

Deandre Hopkins

Jordan Cameron

 

Just to name a few possible players with potential to be starters on your fantasy team. (Hilton is already a starter)

[weepaws 2,452]

After my starter are in place then I look for the backups

[vrabinec 19]

The "upside" guys I like this year are all going very late Kenny Stills, Latimer, and Khiri Robinson. So I can typically take them with my last 3 picks before I take a defense and kicker in the last 2 rounds.

[Maroon Bells 18]

Depends on the player and how I feel about his level of upside, but my strategy has always been to draft them a round earlier than their ADP. Arian Foster's breakout year, his ADP was the 6th round. Took him in the 5th. Jimmy Graham's breakout year, his ADP was the 10th round. I took him in the 9th. You HAVE TO reach a little on players you believe in or you won't get them.

[DankNuggs 305]

I would say a rule of thumb is to not draft away their upside... Clearly to acquire them you need to draft them before anyone else does. But at the same time the more you draft away their upside, the more the risk/reward ratio doesn't work.

[gpann101 32]

Took mid round fliers on ashlon and mike Floyd..saved me from earlier fool's gold picks like Randall Cobb and miles Austin. It's all luck!

[Quickolas1 80]

Every pick.

[dehaven123 31]

Every pick.

 

this

i swing for the fences by taking who i believe to have highest upside on every single pick across all positions.

[Cuse9 128]

It depends on how the draft is going. If you've gone heavy on one position and pickings are slim at another, you might go for broke on upside candidates early.

Exactly. Your current roster as you draft dictates what you draft each pick. If you are solid with 2 stud running backs, then you are more likely to take a chance with a high upside player sooner. As stated by some of the others I like to get a good four or five solid starters before taking a plunge on a wild card.

[Gepetto 979]

Every round.