Zero WR Strategy

[Mike FF Today 608]

Last week Jason Mitchell was testing out the Zero RB strategy. This week, he loads up on the running backs early and waits to take a WR until the 6th round.

 

Here are the results.

 

This is a best ball league, so a standard league draft might look a little different but as Jason points out, I'd feel a little shaky heading into the season with this group of receivers, having to start 3 of them each week.

[tanatastic 2,061]

I actually think this can work fine. Id like to see a trio of Royal, Brown and Coleman as my reserves tho.

[Frozenbeernuts 1,652]

I think Ellington in the 4th round is a big mistake. If you were going to take a rb Doug Martin was a much better option. I am saying this even before he had a nice game this weekend. I am extremely anti Ellington. He will be a nice change of pace back when David Johnson is tired from running over and around the defense. It was also a perfect spot to get your first receiver in Tate or even Landry.

[ianmidd 3]

VJax as WR1. Good luck with that.

[Beyond Chaos 75]

I'm not sure about the strategy, but I don't like this particular team at all. I wouldn't even feel confident about any of my RBs here except Peterson.

[nordwave 2]

I think WR is deep this year, so the strategy could work. But I bet there were plenty of WRs on the board I'd rather have instead of the Ellington/Randle picks in the example.

[jgcrawfish 232]

VJax as WR1. Good luck with that.

 

I don't think Mike Evans gets as many TD's this year and he's already got a balky hamstring. Jackson could turn out to be a steal and put up similar numbers (except for TD's...which are harder to predict). I'm much more apt to go WR late because of the depth and guys like VJax being available later.

[roroco 75]

This strategy won't work if your pick is higher than 5th. You are out of the top tier RBs and you have to take a 2nd tier RB instead of a stud WR later in the draft. If you can get one of the top 5 RBs, then it might work, but even then, RB is extremely shallow at the top and broad once you get to the lower tiers.

 

I think the Zero RB theory is much better when you have a deep WR year. This year, people are waiting on WRs because they think they are safe. That is great for folks using the Zero RB theory because they can load up on top tier WRs.

 

I went the Zero RB route last year and won with Demaryius, Dez, Cobb, and Benjamin (10 team league, but we can start 4 WRs). I went for a similar strategy this year. This year's team is in my sig.

[yseguy22 8]

This strategy won't work if your pick is higher than 5th. You are out of the top tier RBs and you have to take a 2nd tier RB instead of a stud WR later in the draft. If you can get one of the top 5 RBs, then it might work, but even then, RB is extremely shallow at the top and broad once you get to the lower tiers.

 

I think the Zero RB theory is much better when you have a deep WR year. This year, people are waiting on WRs because they think they are safe. That is great for folks using the Zero RB theory because they can load up on top tier WRs.

 

I went the Zero RB route last year and won with Demaryius, Dez, Cobb, and Benjamin (10 team league, but we can start 4 WRs). I went for a similar strategy this year. This year's team is in my sig.

 

were these PPR leagues?

[jgcrawfish 232]

This strategy won't work if your pick is higher than 5th. You are out of the top tier RBs and you have to take a 2nd tier RB instead of a stud WR later in the draft. If you can get one of the top 5 RBs, then it might work, but even then, RB is extremely shallow at the top and broad once you get to the lower tiers.

 

I think the Zero RB theory is much better when you have a deep WR year. This year, people are waiting on WRs because they think they are safe. That is great for folks using the Zero RB theory because they can load up on top tier WRs.

 

I went the Zero RB route last year and won with Demaryius, Dez, Cobb, and Benjamin (10 team league, but we can start 4 WRs). I went for a similar strategy this year. This year's team is in my sig.

Something about your logic evades me, or perhaps I'm being obtuse.

 

First off, I'd like know who are going to be the top 5 producting RB's this year? There NOTHING that says a late 1st round pick spot that yields a combination of CJ Anderson/Jeremy Hill won't end up as the #1 and #2 RB's by season end. The top 5 guys drafted RARELY (if ever) end up as the top 5 guys in the end. Someone will bust, someone will soar.

 

It also VASTLY depends on the specifics of the league you're drafting for. In a 12 team league you are likely going to have a weakness. If you go QB early, you're sacrificing a quality starter somewhere else. If you go Gronk'ing early, another position suffers.

 

It matters WHO you draft, not what you draft. If on draft day last year your starting roster looked like: Ryan Tannehill, Le'veon Bell, Justin Forsett, Emmanuel Sanders, Odell Beckham Jr, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans and Delanie Walker you probably would have been laughed out of the draft...and you probably would have won a championship.

 

Again, this is all educated guessing and luck.

[tanatastic 2,061]

 

It matters WHO you draft, not what you draft. If on draft day last year your starting roster looked like: Ryan Tannehill, Le'veon Bell, Justin Forsett, Emmanuel Sanders, Odell Beckham Jr, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans and Delanie Walker you probably would have been laughed out of the draft...and you probably would have won a championship.

 

Again, this is all educated guessing and luck.

You would have been laughed out of this forum and maybe even found, burned alive and hanged just for taking Bell in rnd1. Plus your wife punched in the face. but guys that took Ball ind rnd 2 and got a "great deal" on Gerhart were lauded as fantasy masterminds and scholars of the art of VBD.

[jgcrawfish 232]

You would have been laughed out of this forum and maybe even found, burned alive and hanged just for taking Bell in rnd1. Plus your wife punched in the face. but guys that took Ball ind rnd 2 and got a "great deal" on Gerhart were lauded as fantasy masterminds and scholars of the art of VBD.

Like me, you have been here a while. In the "old" days you had to know things. It was beneficial to know team depth charts and backups at every skill position. Now every website we play on employs 3-10 guys who do nothing but fantasy football. They are paid to know coaching philosophy changes, player movement, and all kinds of stats. If you just follow the default ranking, don't screw up, and draft guys that stay healthy you've got a decent chance of having a decent season. VBD "assumes" that guys are going to hit some sort of pre-dicated performance number, which none of us actually know but all of us pretend to.

 

Again, this is all educated guessing and luck.

[tanatastic 2,061]

Like me, you have been here a while. In the "old" days you had to know things. It was beneficial to know team depth charts and backups at every skill position. Now every website we play on employs 3-10 guys who do nothing but fantasy football. They are paid to know coaching philosophy changes, player movement, and all kinds of stats. If you just follow the default ranking, don't screw up, and draft guys that stay healthy you've got a decent chance of having a decent season. VBD "assumes" that guys are going to hit some sort of pre-dicated performance number, which none of us actually know but all of us pretend to.

 

Again, this is all educated guessing and luck.

A great point among many in the post.

[Ray_T 591]

In a best ball strategy, this may work out ok. many of the WR's taken have question marks, but surely at least a couple will pan out and of the rest, some will likely be good in specific matchups throughout the year.

 

in a head to head strategy where you have to set a lineup each week, this wouldnt be ideal.

 

That being said, the best ball element makes this a completely different kind of draft.

 

I love the Stevie Johnson pickup late, and VJ and Fitz may be getting old, but I dont think the tank is completely empty. they will each have bad games against tougher matchups, but like I said earlier, in a best ball format, you dont worry about that too much. Perriman has similar risks, but his risk is associated with being young rather than being old.

 

Torrey Smith I worry about somewhat. not due to his talent, but due to the guy throwing him the ball. That being said, best ball strategy means his inconsistent play will still mean some good games and some bad.

 

His QB's are solid, and his RB's could be solid to possibly spectacular (depending on the Dallas RB situation)

 

I'd predict a playoff spot, but I would bet against a championship. a lot of things would have to go his way for a championship. but in the end, this isnt bad given the format.

 

if the format isnt best ball, I'd likely go WR a round or two earlier.

 

either way, the post was informative. I'd speculated that this could be done because I feel that the WR depth is better than it's ever been in the past. Now I see that it can be.

[stonewall 647]

You would have been laughed out of this forum and maybe even found, burned alive and hanged just for taking Bell in rnd1.

 

This is so true. In my hardest money league last season (12-team), I went Manning, Bell, and Gronk in the 1st 3 rounds....drafting outta the 2 hole. Was given a draft grade of C-, which was lowest in the league. Won the Ship.

 

Draft your gut. When necessary, reach for the championship.

[Breesman32 11]

I had actually tried this approach this year and its yet to be determined how I will do. I was not able to draft a first round RB and am holding out on chance/opportunity with my picks.

QB-Rodgers

RB-Ingram, Gore, Gurley, Spiller, Abdullah

WR-Andre, DeSean, Garcon, Parker, Agholor

TE-Eiffert

DST-Bills

K-Tucker

 

I had drafted Taliaferro but then dropped him for KC to play week 1 over bills.

[American Chewy 98]

would never subscribe to this strategy because it's a lot harder to find diamond in the rough wrs on waivers than it is with rbs.

[NEWPOSTERGUY! 267]

- this zero wr shtick/strategery?

 

 

[nordwave 2]

There's nothing new in Fantasy Football, and there never will be because it's such a simple concept and more luck is involved than most people want to admit.

And that situation means in order to get more web traffic and clicks, websites constantly have to invent new things to talk about, new "strategies".

Next up: "Zero Skill Position" drafting, and how stacking up early on the best Kickers and Defenses can be the key to your fantasy season.

[SexyRexy 60]

im thinking of going WR heavy first 3 rounds.

 

BC of this I moved from 1.2 and 2.11 to 1.10 and 2.3.

 

Still likely Forte is there at 10, but also will absolutely have 2 beast WR in a row option.

 

If I can leave with Dez (or DT or Julio)/Cobb (or Calvin or AJ Green)/Cooks (or Hopkins or Mathews or maybe even Forsett), I think I'd probably say that's amazing.