X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

Take Stefon Diggs in the First Round of Fantasy Football Drafts

Stefon Diggs - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

When you write/talk about fantasy football year-round, you tend to forget that many walk away from this game when the season ends and return the following summer. There are times when there is a “take” that seems consensus but to some may seem crazy. It’s why there is always an ADP shift in August (along with preseason).

I was reminded of this a couple of weeks ago when I tweeted that I would take Stefon Diggs, who is my fourth-ranked wide receiver, with a top-10 pick. There were responses saying that Diggs is not worth anywhere near a first-round pick. I was surprised cause Diggs often would go in the first round of early best ball drafts. But then I realized that many people who have not spent the last few months digging into numbers probably do not think Diggs is as valuable as I think he is.

You certainly do not have to draft Diggs in the first round just because that is what I would do. But first I am going to lay out the case for Diggs being a first-round pick! 

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

The Case For Stefon Diggs as a First-Rounder

After finishing as the third-best wide receiver in both total fantasy points and fantasy PPG in 2020, Diggs dropped to the WR7 overall and WR10 per game last season. While he still had a good season, he failed to live up to the expectations or draft cost to get him.

He also saw his targets, catches, and receiving yards decrease last season. So it is understandable why there would be some doubts. But, there was also a lot to like from Diggs' 2021 campaign. 

Diggs led the NFL in end zone targets - the most valuable kind of target - and it wasn’t even close. Diggs saw 23, which was six more than the next closest player, and the most any player saw in a season since DeAndre Hopkins in 2017.

He finished with 34 targets in the red zone, which was second among receivers and more than double his previous season number of 16. This usage led to Diggs scoring a career-high 10 touchdowns. 

Diggs also averaged nearly double-digit targets per game (9.6), and his air yards per game went up a tick from the previous year (from 106 to 108). He was also a very consistent fantasy option, scoring at least 15 fantasy points in 10 games, which was the fifth-most at his position. He’s been the fourth-best fantasy receiver since he arrived in Buffalo. 

But even knowing that about Diggs, you may be wondering why he should get drafted higher than where he finished last year. Diggs would have to improve upon his numbers, and there is a clear way he can get better without much changing from last season.

Last year, Diggs posted a catch rate of 62.8 percent - the worst since his rookie season. The year prior, it was 76.5 percent, which was a career-high. Before last year, Diggs had never posted a catch rate below 67 percent since his rookie season.

From his second year until 2020, his catch rate was 71.4 percent. Diggs should see positive regression in this category, meaning that his catch rate will likely not sit below 67 percent and we already know it could potentially be much higher. 

The catch rate increasing and the usage staying the same as 2021 would lead to a career year for Diggs. With the targets and air yards he sees, his receiving yards would climb closer to where it was in 2021. But the real key would be the end/red zone usage remaining high, while him just catching some more of those targets.

An improved catch rate paired with high usage near and in the end zone on an offense that scores as much as the Bills, means Diggs could realistically lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2022. 

Speaking of that offense, it is another big reason why you should be optimistic about Diggs. Last season, the Bills' offense ranked fifth in pass attempts, ninth in passing yards, and seventh in passing touchdowns. As long as Josh Allen remains healthy, the Bills will very likely finish top-10 again in each category and the upside is they can finish as high as first overall. 

But Diggs and his stats alone are not the only reason to invest a first-round pick on him. 

 

The Draft Board Allows You To Wait on RB

That is right, the draft board, at least how it is currently constructed, favors taking a receiver in the first round. In past years, the first round would be almost completely filled with running backs.

But this year, the first round has five receivers going off the board, according to consensus ADP. That just naturally pushes more running backs down the board. 

In the second round, you will be able to get names like D'Andre Swift, Aaron Jones, Leonard Fournette, Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara, Javonte Williams, and Nick Chubb, with some even falling to the third. And in the third round, you can find upside players like Travis Etienne, and Breece Hall, or go more proven routes with James Conner, David Montgomery or Ezekiel Elliott. Then there's Cam Akers and J.K. Dobbins, who are fantasy community darlings. 

In 2020, the third and fourth rounds were considered part of the RB dead zone, but this season that range is alive and well. It is after this range that the running back landscape gets much murkier.

But being able to find RB talent in Rounds 2-4 allows you the option to take a receiver early on. And it is looking like a wise investment to do so this year.

You may not have heard, but there was a lot of quarterback and receiver movement this offseason. That means there are much more players coming with some level of uncertainty.

After the elite three in Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, and Ja'Marr Chase go, Diggs is right there with Davante Adams. But with Diggs, he is tied to the better QB and he did not change teams. 

Being able to take one of the elite receivers who come without question marks and then pairing them with the RB talent available in Round Two is looking like an optimal start. Which is just another reason to draft Diggs in the first round of fantasy drafts. 

Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




Win More With RotoBaller

Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Deebo Samuel1 hour ago

Bills Have Interest In Trading For Deebo Samuel
Jacoby Brissett1 hour ago

Drake Maye To Compete With Jacoby Brissett
Tommy Pham1 hour ago

Selected From Triple-A
Jonathon Brooks2 hours ago

Cowboys High On Jonathon Brooks
Ezekiel Elliott2 hours ago

Reunion With Cowboys Is Imminent
Deebo Samuel2 hours ago

Patriots Discussed Trading For Deebo Samuel Prior To Draft
Jackson Holliday2 hours ago

Sent Back To Minors
Alex Perez3 hours ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Matheus Nicolau3 hours ago

Returns To Action At UFC Vegas 91
J.D. Martinez3 hours ago

To Be Eased Into Lineup
Ariane Lipski3 hours ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Karine Silva3 hours ago

Looks For Ninth Victory In A Row
David Onama3 hours ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 91
Jonathan Pearce3 hours ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Yu Darvish3 hours ago

Throws Side Session
Donovan Mitchell4 hours ago

Struggles In Game 3
Jesús Luzardo4 hours ago

Jesus Luzardo Scratched With Elbow Discomfort
Ozzie Albies4 hours ago

Back From Injured List
Paolo Banchero4 hours ago

Dominates In Game 3
Anthony Davis4 hours ago

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Loss
Nikola Jokic4 hours ago

Just One Assist Shy Of Triple-Double In Game 3
Aaron Gordon5 hours ago

Posts Big Double-Double
Tyler Myers5 hours ago

On Track To Return Friday
Jesper Fast5 hours ago

Unlikely To Feature In The Playoffs
Matthew Tkachuk5 hours ago

Bags Two Goals In Game 3 Victory
Steven Stamkos5 hours ago

Scores Third Postseason Goal
Ilya Sorokin5 hours ago

Lasts 27 Minutes In Game 3
Frederik Andersen6 hours ago

Stops 29 Pucks In Another Win
Cincinnati Bengals15 hours ago

Bengals Have No Plans To Trade Trey Hendrickson
Justin Herbert15 hours ago

Patriots, Vikings Reached Out Regarding Justin Herbert
Deebo Samuel16 hours ago

Niners "More Likely" To Deal Deebo Samuel Than Brandon Aiyuk
Xavier Legette16 hours ago

Goes To Panthers To Close Out First Round
Ricky Pearsall16 hours ago

Niners Add To Receiver Room With Ricky Pearsall
Baltimore Ravens16 hours ago

Nate Wiggins Heading To Baltimore
Dallas Cowboys16 hours ago

Cowboys Select Tyler Guyton With 29th Pick
Mitchell Robinson16 hours ago

Injured Again On Thursday
Xavier Worthy16 hours ago

Chiefs Get Speed At Receiver In Xavier Worthy
Arizona Cardinals16 hours ago

Darius Robinson Goes To Cardinals At Pick No. 27
Jalen Brunson16 hours ago

Has Another Big Game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers16 hours ago

Buccaneers Draft Graham Barton At No. 26 Late In First Round
Tyrese Maxey16 hours ago

Helps Philly Take Game 3
Green Bay Packers16 hours ago

Packers Select Jordan Morgan With The 25th Selection
Joel Embiid17 hours ago

Dominates In Game 3
Detroit Lions17 hours ago

Lions Trade Up To Select Terrion Arnold With The 24th Overall Pick
Brian Thomas Jr.17 hours ago

Selected By Jacksonville
Philadelphia Eagles17 hours ago

Quinyon Mitchell Taken With The 22nd Pick
Miami Dolphins17 hours ago

Dolphins Select Chop Robinson With The 21st Pick
Pittsburgh Steelers17 hours ago

Troy Fautanu Goes To Steel City
Olivier-Maxence Prosper19 hours ago

Won't Play In Game 3
Kawhi Leonard19 hours ago

Questionable For Game 3
Stephen Curry19 hours ago

Named Clutch Player Of The Year
Joel Embiid20 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
J.P. France21 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A Sugar Land
José Ramírez21 hours ago

Jose Ramirez Launches Grand Slam In Three-Hit Day
Daniel Gafford21 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Tim Hardaway21 hours ago

Jr. Ruled Out For Game 3
Giannis Antetokounmpo22 hours ago

Doubtful For Game 3
Khris Middleton22 hours ago

Misses Thursday's Practice, Questionable For Game 3
Dean Wade22 hours ago

Ruled Out For First Round
Sonny Milano22 hours ago

Misses Practice On Thursday
Filip Chytil22 hours ago

Joins Rangers For Trip To Washington
Jesper Fast22 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday
Matt Martin22 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Anton Lundell23 hours ago

Takes Over As Second-Line Center Thursday
Ryan Lomberg23 hours ago

Ruled Out For Game 3
Zack Gelof24 hours ago

A's Place Zack Gelof On 10-Day Injured List
Alec Marsh24 hours ago

Lands On Injured List
Keibert Ruiz24 hours ago

Back From The Injured List
Jackson Merrill1 day ago

Scratched With Groin Tigthness
Nolan Jones1 day ago

Remains Sidelined Thursday
Max Muncy1 day ago

On The Bench Thursday
Alex Vlasic1 day ago

Inks Six-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Kyle Okposo1 day ago

To Suit Up In Game 3
William Nylander1 day ago

Reportedly Dealing With Migraine Issue
Framber Valdez1 day ago

To Start Sunday
Brett Pesce1 day ago

Tony DeAngelo To Replace Brett Pesce
Cal Raleigh1 day ago

Back In The Lineup Thursday
J.P. Crawford1 day ago

Heading To The Injured List
Sam Bennett1 day ago

To Miss At Least A Week
Ceddanne Rafaela1 day ago

The Team's Everyday Shortstop
Vaughn Grissom1 day ago

Unlikely To Return This Weekend
Rafael Devers1 day ago

Likely To Return To Third Base On Saturday
Corey Seager1 day ago

Serving As Designated Hitter Against Seattle
Jack Eichel1 day ago

Makes NHL History In Game 2 Win
Brad Marchand1 day ago

Racks Up Three Points In Game 3 Victory
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Posts Two Assists In Wednesday's Loss
Anze Kopitar1 day ago

Completes Three-Point Night With Overtime Game-Winner
Trey Murphy1 day ago

III Cools Off In Game 2
CJ McCollum1 day ago

Blows Hot And Cold In Game 2
Brandon Ingram1 day ago

Overcomes Cold Start In Game 2
Uros Medic1 day ago

A Massive Favorite At UFC Vegas 91
Tim Means1 day ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 91
Austen Lane1 day ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Jhonata Diniz1 day ago

Making UFC Debut
Bogdan Guskov1 day ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Vegas 91
Ryan Spann1 day ago

Looks To Snap Losing Skid At UFC Vegas 91
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Survives At Talladega For First Win Of 2024
Brad Keselowski4 days ago

Finishes Second At Talladega After Last-Lap Wreck
Anthony Alfredo4 days ago

Gets Best Finish For Beard Motorsports Since 2022
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

One Of The Strongest At Talladega
NASCAR4 days ago

Bubba Wallace Finishes 36th At Talladega Superspeedway
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Fails To Deliver Value In DFS At Talladega
NASCAR4 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finishes Fourth At Talladega
Noah Gragson4 days ago

Surprisingly The Most Consistent Driver At Talladega
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Acquits Himself Nicely In Drafting Debut
Michael McDowell5 days ago

Ends Talladega Wrecked From The Lead
Alex Bowman5 days ago

Quietly Captures Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Daniel Hemric5 days ago

Surges To Ninth-Place Result At Talladega
Harrison Burton5 days ago

Squeezes Into Top 10 At Talladega
NASCAR5 days ago

Bubba Wallace Will Start 14th For the GEICO 500
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Avoid Rostering Tyler Reddick At Talladega?
John Hunter Nemechek5 days ago

Should DFS Players Roster John Hunter Nemechek At Talladega?
Joey Logano5 days ago

Expect Joey Logano To Compete For The Win At Talladega
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Is Denny Hamlin Recommended For Talladega?
Justin Haley5 days ago

Is A Top DFS Value At Talladega
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win Talladega
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is Best Suited As A Tournament Play At Talladega
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Keon Coleman- Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

NFL Draft Predictions - Second Round Mock Draft (2024)

Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft is in the books! The good news is all the draft action will pick back up tonight at 7 pm ET as Rounds 2-3 of the draft will begin. There are still plenty of good players on the board who could have a big impact on fantasy football... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft Results - Malik Nabers Fantasy Football Outlook

After months of waiting, Malik Nabers finally has his NFL team. The LSU prospect was in contention for WR1 in the class and went only two picks after Marvin Harrison Jr. The Giants have desperately needed a playmaking receiver to elevate the offense. Nabers has all the speed in the world and a thick frame... Read More


Adonai Mitchell - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Predicting The Next QB, RB, WR, and TE Selected (Round 2)

The first round of the 2024 NFL draft was loaded with surprises. A record-breaking wait on defense, some winners and losers, and an early Michael Penix Jr. appearance headlined the night. There are still plenty of exciting talents at skill positions floating around. Who will be the next QB, RB, WR, and TE selected in... Read More


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft Instant Reaction: Round 1 Winners and Losers For Fantasy Football

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is now in the books. It was a night full of surprises, with six quarterbacks going in the first 12 picks. Thursday really shook things up across the league, so it's time to parse through what happened and make some sense of things. Below are some of... Read More


Michael Penix Jr. - CFB DFS Picks, Daily College Fantasy Football, NFL Draft Rookies

2024 NFL Draft - Worst Draft Picks In The First Round

Some teams made some really good picks on Thursday night in the first round of the NFL Draft. Other teams...well, let's just say that some teams made some baffling decisions. These decisions could prove to be smart moves, or they could set these organizations back in a big way. Here are the worst picks from... Read More


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2024 Fantasy Football Blind Resumes – Running Back Edition

Fantasy football drafts won't take place for a couple of months, but it's never too early to get into the fantasy mindset after a wild offseason. Many star running backs like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Aaron Jones found new homes while Joe Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans. Those moves will certainly affect where each player will go next season. Luckily, on Underdog Fantasy, we can... Read More


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Value Plays: Week 5 Bargain Bin for DraftKings Including Quinten Dormady, Jacob Saylors, Jahcour Pearson, More

Welcome to the Week 5 edition of RotoBaller's UFL DFS Bargain Bin, where the goal is to touch on some potentially mispriced players in DraftKings' Week 5 UFL contests. Each week during the UFL 2024 season and postseason, I’ll give you my thoughts on where there may be some value spots to exploit for DraftKings'... Read More


Kyler Murray - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Why Do The Bears, Cardinals, and Vikings Have Two First-Round Picks?

The NFL Draft is always one of the most exciting days for organizations and fans, but fans of teams with more than one first-round pick are even more excited and overjoyed. In the 2024 NFL Draft, three teams have multiple picks on Day 1. Landing two studs on the first day of the event can... Read More


Brian Thomas Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft: What Time Is The NFL Draft Tonight? How To Watch Thursday's Draft Picks

It’s finally here, RotoBallers! After months of waiting and speculation, the 2024 NFL Draft starts tonight. Along with the Super Bowl and the Kickoff Game that starts the season, Draft Day is one of the most exciting days on the NFL calendar. The anticipation is over and it is time to get things rolling. It... Read More


Darius Slayton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft - Veterans With The Most Fantasy Football Value To Lose On Draft Night

It's almost here! The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft will take place tonight in Detroit, with 32 players set to join their first NFL team after all is said and done. But those players aren't just being drafted into empty roster spots. The NFL is a zero-sum game. For every new player that... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Biggest Fantasy Football Questions

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us and anticipation is high for what could be a wild edition that will likely have huge fantasy football implications for the season ahead. RotoBaller's David Rispoli digs into the biggest fantasy football questions of the 2024 NFL Draft. What draft decisions could have... Read More


2024 NFL Draft Mock Spectacular - Woo Fantasy Podcast

Rotoballer analyst Brandon Murchison (@RotoSuperstar) is joined by co-host Nick Hefley (@therealffgoat) as they dive into their final first-round mock for the 2024 NFL Draft. With what is expected to be a wild and crazy night of selections and potential moves, where will the most coveted players for fantasy managers land? They discuss landing spots... Read More


2024 NFL Draft: Three Shocking Predictions for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The 2024 NFL Draft is upon us and anticipation is high for what could be a wild First Round. RotoBaller's David Rispoli drops three bold predictions for what could happen in Round 1 of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune... Read More