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What are the best picks in the first two rounds of fantasy football drafts from slots 7-9?
Drafting in the middle of every round is one of the worst positions to be in when it comes to fantasy football. You don’t get the benefit of elite talent at the top or the benefit of the turn at each round.
While there isn’t a 20-pick gap between picks, it can leave you with what feels like very average options. It’s important to nail the first two rounds to set yourself up for success later on in the draft. Here are the perfect first two rounds from slots seven through nine.
* Note: These projections are based on a 12-team PPR league
1.7 & 2.6 – WR Amon-Ra St. Brown & WR Nico Collins
St. Brown enters Year 4 and is the focal point of the Detroit Lions offense. The Lions will play all but three of their games indoors, which is good for quarterback Jared Goff and therefore St. Brown. St. Brown scored 20 or more fantasy points in seven games last season while having the fourth most targets in the NFL. There is some risk in Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, or Sam LaPorta eating into his target share. However, St. Brown has WR1 upside and is the definition of consistency.
It feels like the public may be a little too high on the Houston Texans, but it’s also hard not to like Nico Collins. Collins ranked second in yards per route run last year at 3.37 YPRR and he’s dominant after the catch. There may be competition for targets, specifically with Stefon Diggs. With that said, C.J. Stroud and Collins have a very strong rapport on the field. If anything, the presence of Diggs and Tank Dell should take some of the attention off of Collins and open up some opportunity. At this draft slot, a WR-WR start makes a lot of sense.
1.8 & 2.5 – WR Justin Jefferson & WR Chris Olave
We are about to find out really quickly whether or not Justin Jefferson is quarterback-proof. Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, but for fantasy purposes, he needs a quarterback who can get him the ball. There is a huge drop-off from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold. When Jefferson returned from a hamstring injury in Week 14, he was WR18 until the end of the season with Cousins out of the lineup. At 1.8, Jefferson is fantastic value and you can’t pass on him at this spot. Darnold will lower Jefferson’s ceiling, but he still has a high floor.
If you do take Jefferson, it’s also not a bad idea to double up at the position in Round 2 to ensure a top wide receiver. Everybody talks about the Year 3 breakout. Olave had 1100 yards last year and is entering his third season. He should get a large target share with A.T. Perry and Rashid Shaheed as the other two wide receivers in the offense. It’s hard to trust Derek Carr, but new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak should provide a boost. Somebody has to get targets, and that player will be Olave.
1.9 & 2.4 – WR Garrett Wilson & RB Derrick Henry
Wilson is another player at the wide receiver position who could hit his Year 3 breakout. The Jets wide receiver has shown flashes and eclipsed 1000 yards in his first two seasons. Much of the disappointment comes due to the bad quarterback play that he’s dealt with in his career. Aaron Rodgers will be healthy and if he plays even at 70 percent of what he was, that’s still significantly better than Zach Wilson or any of the other quarterbacks the Jets have started. Wilson is currently being drafted as the WR7, but inside the top 5 is within the realm of possibilities.
There are many reasons not to draft Derrick Henry. Running backs who change teams late in their careers typically don’t find a lot of success. Henry is coming off of one of his least efficient seasons and he’s not a threat as a pass catcher. Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens offensive line has concerns and Lamar Jackson could steal touchdowns from him. With that said, the Ravens clearly saw Henry as a fit as they attempted to trade for him at the deadline last year. Jackson’s threat as a runner should open more space for Henry than he has seen in his entire career. He may not finish as the RB1, but he feels like a safe pick and that’s not a bad thing at this spot.
