Ladies and gentlemen of the sports and gambling world, it’s almost that time of the year that has everyone restless and gathering for BBQ, brews, and some good old fashion tailgating fun. Football season is only a few days away and although some might think it won’t happen, I believe it will.  With that being said, let’s talk about what’s really on everyone’s mind, who do I pick for fantasy this year? 

            Let’s start with the basics, most people are in either .5 point ppr leagues, 1 point ppr, or no point ppr leagues (rare, but it’s definitely a thing).  Some are even in keepers or dynasty leagues, but we don’t need to get into all that right now. Most people understand who they want when it comes to the first 5-6 rounds. What I’ve come to understand is that when it comes to rounds 7 and on most don’t really know who some of these players are being that they are either rookies or they are unsure of how they will fare being in new uniform. With each pick I deliver, I will also ensure where their value lies. Now, let’s get the ball rolling. 

Mecole Hardman – Mecole Hardman is coming off a solid season as the Chiefs 3rd WR on the depth chart. In a pretty stacked class of Wide Receivers, you don’t have to worry so much in the beginning of this draft about to grab. Mecole, even though technically listed behind Sammy Watkins on the depth chart, will end up being the #2 receiver (in my opinion) on the defending Super Bowl Champion team.

            Now, this is primarily because Sammy Watkins will always have those 2 or 3 great fantasy weeks per year. Then, he regresses back to nothingness for the remainder of the season. Watkins has shown us time and time again how unreliable he can be. And with that being said, Mecole Hardman is a guy that even in a bad game will somehow fish out 10-12 fantasy points for you on any given Sunday. 

            He averaged 20.7 yards per reception and added 6 TDs to go with that. Patrick Mahomes has spoken very highly of him, and so have the fans. For him, I would say wait until about round 9 or 10. Him being on the Chiefs and having Patty slinging balls to him just seems like a match made in heaven. 

J.K. Dobbins – J.K. Dobbins is a guy who people were pretty high on coming out of the draft this year and somehow that breakout potential has gone unnoticed as of recent. That is mostly thanks to the durability of the veteran back Mark Ingram II. However, the Ravens drafted him for a reason, and that is to take over eventually. They could have stayed with their RB core and Gus Edwards still backing things up, but they decided to invest a 2nd round draft pick in him. The Ravens as an offense will certainly not be slowing down anytime soon, and when Lamar doesn’t want to take things into his own hands, they now have 2 backs to turn up the heat. 

            J.K. averaged 6.2 yards per carry and 2,003 yards rushing. In addition to rushing he can receive too finishing with 2,250 yards from scrimmage. This makes him a threat in multiple facets of the game. Not to mention, he recently was given high praise by both Lamar Jackson and his coach John Harbaugh for his stellar performance in training camp. For his value, I would say if you can grab him in rounds 7 or 8 over guys like Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida, Marlon Mack and other notable backups that go around that time. If you drafted Mark Ingram II, then take him earlier if you can’t afford to lose the handcuff, they will both be eating this year… guaranteed. 

Tee Higgins – Now, my dad may be a Cincinnati Bengals fan, but that has zero influence on what I’m about to explain here. Tee Higgins is the real deal. He has been since I watched him play at Clemson, and I was thoroughly shocked that he didn’t go higher in the draft. On only 59 receptions he managed to come up with 1,167 yards with an average of 19.8 yards per reception. Tell me that doesn’t jack you up?! To go with that, the Bengals paired him with the reigning College Football Playoff Champion/Heisman Trophy winner in Joe Burrow. Also, not to mention he’s being mentored by A.J. Green, STUD. I’m one of the many who are incredibly high on Burrow, who I believe will bring Cincy back to relevancy once more. People may not see it, but it could be as soon as this year that they start winning games again. 

            The defense definitely needs work, but the offensive line has first round pick LT Jonah Williams who was derailed by injury in his first year, Center Trey Hopkins who was the only good thing about their line in the last season, and to top it off RG Billy Price who deserves another shot since each year his line mates have been injured or seemingly invisible. These guys could make a solid impact and give Burrow some cushion, and I believe Tee Higgins will be a guy who Joe looks for to bail him out when the going gets tough and trust me it will get VERY tough for him. That division is taking no prisoners when it comes to playing defense. For his draft position, I would wait until rounds 15 or 16 to grab him. 

Antonio Gibson – This Memphis product is seemingly sleeping on everyones draft boards, why is that? Simply put, he’s on the Washington Football Team. Boy is that fun to say! In all seriousness, he should be heavily looked at for this years draft especially with former starter Darius Guice erased from existence due to being an absolute scumbag. In college, this guy played Wide Receiver and Running Back, while tallying 369 yards rushing on only 33 carries, averaging 11.2 yards per carry. I know this stat doesn’t seem all that appealing, but here’s where it gets juicy. As a receiver he averaged 19 yards per reception and tallied up 735 yards on only 38 receptions… not to mention he only played 14 games. 

            This guy has potential in .5 point and 1 point ppr leagues to be an absolute menace. With the Washington Football team’s draft they were able to stack up their defense with the addition of Chase Young, and we all saw how quickly certain franchises were able to turn things around when getting that defensive cornerstone to carry that weight (ex: 49ers, Chargers). 

            The new backup in Kyle Allen had high praise for the Wide Receiver turned Running Back out of Memphis stating that “he’s learning fast, and he’s learning to play a lot faster.” Not to mention there’s been talk about how the miracle of Alex Smith’s comeback could spark a surge in a team that needs it more than ever. With the change of the team’s name, coach and culture I can see this franchise turning it around. With that being said, I would draft him in rounds 8 or 9 if you’re looking for a guy who could  shock the leaguer this year.

Zack Moss –  Here’s a guy who most of us didn’t know much about come a few months ago. When the Bills let go of Frank Gore I was wondering how they would fill that hole in their roster. Singletary is good, but he’s more of the quick receiving back rather than a power running back who can truck his way through an defense and get you that first down or goal line touchdown. In comes Zack Moss, a guy who is 5’ 10” 222 pounds of pure bulk. 

                        At Utah, he played four years averaging 5.7 yards per carry and managing to finish with 4,067 yards rushing on 712 carries. In his Senior year, he averaged 6 yards per carry, and carried the ball 235 times for 1,416 yards. That’s a lot of carries for only 13 games played. This tells me two things, he’s incredibly durable and is a power back you can hand it off too and even if he gets stuck once, he’ll go right back at it again. He also was quite the receiver, with 66 receptions for 685 yards with 10.1 yards per reception. This guy sounds like he could be a big surprise out of that Buffalo backfield who already possesses an offensive line that will give you more room than an SUV. 

                        Josh Allen can sling it, but will need to be bailed out when facing some better secondaries and Zack Moss is just the guy to take the heat off of him. He’s been a guy who’s standing out at training camps and the team has continuously spoken highly of him. For Moss, I would say if you can get him in round 9, take him and don’t look back.   

Thank you all for taking the time out your work day or whatever you’re doing to get yourself

prepared for your fantasy drafts. Remember, these guys are sleepers and have the most break

out potential so GET INVOLVED! I’m Barz, and hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

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