Although there is a lot made of different drafting strategies, fantasy football comes down to selecting the right players. While injuries determine the fates of a lot players, some players underperform and consistently leave a hole in your lineup. Through four weeks, I am going to discuss the best and worst fantasy picks of the season.
Quarterback
Best Pick: Matt Ryan
Drafted as the 20th quarterback off the board on average, Matt Ryan has been an absolute steal. Clearly comfortable in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Ryan has outscored all QBs by at least 20 points during the first four weeks. The Falcons’ schedule becomes much more difficult but it looks like only a Julio Jones injury can stop Ryan from finishing as a top 12 quarterback.
Worst Pick: Russell Wilson
While he has been impacted by injury, Russell Wilson didn’t top 15 fantasy points in any of his first three games. Regression is bound to kick in (as it has already started in Week 4) but owners who spent a high pick on Wilson were certainly impacted during the first three weeks. Currently sitting at QB20 in scoring, I expect Wilson to recover and finish as a top 12 quarterback. Carson Palmer owners may not be as lucky.
Running Back
Best Pick: DeMarco Murray
During drafting season, many didn’t know what to think of DeMarco Murray: will he be surpassed by stud rookie Derrick Henry? Will he return to his Dallas Cowboys form? All questions have been answered during the first four game. Murray amazingly is leading all running backs in scoring and has scored at least 21.5 fantasy points in each game this season. Selected on average with pick 52, Murray looks like the steal of drafting season.
Worst Pick: Todd Gurley
While Murray looks like the MVP, Gurley looks like the least valuable pick of drafting season. Often selected as the first running back off the board, Gurley is 28th in per game scoring out of running backs. Gurley’s concerns continue to be his lack of pass game involvement and his team’s poor offensive attack. His outlook should improve but there are legitimate questions about whether he is a top 10 running back.
Wide Receiver
Best Pick: Marvin Jones
Through four weeks, Marvin Jones has been nothing short of spectacular. Only outscored by first rounders A.J. Green, Antonio Brown, and Julio Jones, Marvin Jones has been extremely reliable for owners. With at least seven targets and 74 receiving yards in each of the first four weeks, Jones looks like a top 10 wide receiver going forward.
Worst Pick: Golden Tate
Consistently selected in the third round, Golden Tate has been a disastrous fantasy selection for owners. The breakout of Marvin Jones has relegated Tate to being unstartable in fantasy leagues. Currently WR81, Tate will have opportunities to turn his season around – but it’s currently difficult to be optimistic.
Tight End
Best Pick: Kyle Rudolph
Selected as TE24 in drafts, Kyle Rudolph was selected on average with pick 181. Through four weeks Rudolph is behind just Greg Olsen and Jordan Reed in tight end scoring. Tight end has become a very unreliable position so Rudolph’s consistency has been impressive. Rudolph and Olsen are the only tight ends to score at least 10.5 fantasy points in each of the first four weeks.
Worst Pick: Coby Fleener
While Rob Gronkowski is clearly the worst pick so far at the tight end position, we are excluding players who were doomed by injury. During drafting season Fleener was selected as the sixth tight end off the board but is currently producing as TE14. Outside of a solid Week 3 performance, in which many of his owners benched him, Fleener has just 11.4 fantasy points in three weeks.
