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This is a fun time of year in fantasy football for dynasty players. Many rookie drafts are scheduled or are in progress, and you can also join new dynasty leagues to get involved in a new draft right away.
The Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) is your best destination to join new dynasty leagues. Leagues are forming in superflex, standard, and best ball formats. One of my favorite types of FFPC dynasty leagues is the superflex best ball format.
I recently completed two FFPC dynasty rookie/free agent drafts, and feature the results here to share my insights for your own rookie/free agent drafts. Much of what I highlight will also apply to your startup drafts in terms of knowing what rookies to target throughout the draft process.
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FFPC Dynasty Fantasy Football League One: No. 8 Draft Slot
Round One: Zach Charbonnet – I won this league in 2021 with Derrick Henry and Alvin Kamara as my main running backs, but focusing on the future here was now an obvious priority. Wide receiver was already an area of longer-term strength with Garrett Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr. while rostering Amari Cooper and Jahan Dotson, too.
Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were drafted in the top 3 overall. There is a notable drop-off at RB in my estimation after the Seahawks rookie is off the board. Charbonnet will contribute enough in what should be a nearly even timeshare in Seattle. Kenneth Walker III is the big-play RB, but the rookie is more of an inside runner and pass-catcher who can get frequent rushing TD opportunities.
Round Three: Chase Brown – I had traded away my second-rounder, and chose to opt for more RB depth with the third pick. The Bengals’ new RB could take over as the No. 2 guy for the departed Samaje Perine. At Illinois Brown showed he is capable of carrying a significant load, and he is a Mixon injury or other happening away from getting a chance to play often. By 2024, Brown might also be in line for more work.
Round Four: Jelani Woods – This is a pick I was quite excited about considering where Woods fell in the draft. The FFPC is a premium tight end format (1.5 points per reception), and I have promising, but less proven options at the position in Greg Dulcich and Cade Otton. Woods needs to show us more too, but he has a lot of upside as a 6-7, 253-pound target working with a rookie QB. One of the three TEs I mention here may be headed for a breakout year, and Woods is a legit bet to become a favored key pass-catcher for Anthony Richardson.
Round Five: Romeo Doubs – There is a lot of conjecture that Jayden Reed will ease past Doubs on the Packers’ WR depth chart. But at this point of the draft, I am willing to take the shot that Doubs will assert himself in year two and at least have a few spike weeks of his own. As this RotoBaller player news update indicates, Doubs does have a real chance to function as a prime target for Jordan Love.
Round Six: Eric Gray – The Giants didn’t have a true backup to Saquon Barkley they can depend on heading into the NFL Draft. Durability is always a concern for the Giants superstar, and Gray can see a lot of quality touches as a versatile performer if needed to play a larger role at any time.
Round Seven: Mecole Hardman – He flopped as a potential starter while working with the best QB in the game, but published reports indicate that the Jets intend to expand Hardman’s route tree, and New York’s WR opportunities after Garrett Wilson are open for the taking. Hardman is a worthy later flier in all fantasy football draft formats.
Round Eight: A.T. Perry – He is a big target who doesn’t have much formidable competition on the New Orleans WR depth chart. Perry was a sixth-round NFL Draft pick, yet at some point early in his career, the 6-foot-3, 198-pounder may challenge to operate as a viable complement to Chris Olave.
Round Nine: Jake Moody – The 49ers thought highly enough of Moody to draft the kicker in the third round. While that was an obvious head-scratcher from an NFL perspective, it was also a signal that Moody can quickly become a top fantasy kicker. Any time an NFL team drafts a kicker, I take notice as a fantasy player, especially when he is taken so early in a highly unusual move.
Round 10: Seahawks defense – Pete Carroll and John Schneider made significant efforts in free agency and the NFL draft to improve the defense, and I expect more sacks and turnovers in 2023.
FFPC Dynasty Fantasy Football League Two: No. 9 Draft Slot
Draft position notes: In late March, I was on the hunt for a third QB to pair with Geno Smith and Trey Lance. I traded my 2023 first-rounder for a 2023 second-rounder (fourth in the round) and Jordan Love. When Aaron Rodgers was traded and the Packers surrounded Love with a bevy of potential playmakers in the NFL Draft, the deal appeared to work out well. I had also picked up some extra fourth-rounders in previous trades. I ended up moving down seven draft slots and landed Love, while still having a healthy amount of picks.
Round Two: Jalin Hyatt – Both my RB and WR positions were sufficiently anchored, so I went for my favorite upside pick on the board. Maybe I could have waited to land Hyatt, but I didn’t want to take that chance and he might be a difference-maker in the very tough FFPC environment. Hyatt is an explosive upside performer who fills a big need in the Giants’ passing game, and he can have some big weeks for best-ball purposes.
Jalin Hyatt led the nation with 677 yards on 20+ yard targets in 2022, per @PFF.
He also had at least one reception of 45+ yards in 7 games in 2022.
Big Play MACHINE. 🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/RIfvOxQEY9
— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) May 21, 2023
Round Three: Luke Musgrave – I will get another fine year or two out of Travis Kelce, but while he helps me win now, Musgrave can be the future at TE for my team. He should have the edge to become the No. 1 TE for Love and I took the opportunity to pair them together.
Round Four (Pick One): Tank Dell – A smallish WR, Dell is better suited for best ball formats because of his big-play upside combined with likely inconsistency. Houston did have obvious needs at the position, so Dell will get his chances to deliver some upside performances as a downfield playmaker.
Round Four (Pick Three) – This draft finished before the one I wrote about above, so I obviously could have waited on Hardman, but was still glad to land him.
Round Four (Pick Nine): At this point, I wanted to add more RB depth, and as the first draft demonstrated, I might have been able to wait on Gray too. But every draft is different and I have to take the guy I want to fit my desired need when he is available without second-guessing it at the time.
Round Five: Tucker Kraft – The Packers drafted Kraft in the third round, right after taking Musgrave in the second. Now I have the Green Bay TE situation locked up, a move more ideal for dynasty best ball formats, but also one to consider in regular dynasty drafts if Kraft falls far enough.
Round Six: Kyle Trask – The Buccaneers used a second-round pick on Trask in 2021 and will let him compete for the starting job, so the organization does see some real potential in the QB. Beating out Baker Mayfield is not a major obstacle on the way to possible fantasy relevance in superflex formats.
Round Seven: A.T. Perry – By this point of the draft, I will take Perry as a deeper sleeper every time.
Round Eight: Kenny McIntosh – The Seahawks rookie is worthy of a late flier. He was drafted in the seventh round by Seattle this year, yet McIntosh could see some quality touches as a receiving specialist, and the Seahawks have often been susceptible to many RB injuries. McIntosh will always have a possible chance to see extra work at any time.
Round Nine: Bailey Zappe – Zappe may be able to unseat Mac Jones as a starter, so why not take the late shot on a superflex QB depth flier?
Round 10: Cade York – I took the best kicker remaining, as I expect York to be quite productive in 2023. The Cleveland offense will give him a healthy amount of scoring opportunities as Deshaun Watson will now have a full camp and preseason to get into playing form.
Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.
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