Coleman's Favorite Players Rounds 6-10
Fantasy drafts are quickly approaching, and it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Fantasy Football Live has multiple articles about our favorite players in each round. While you likely won’t find elite level talent in these later rounds, they can still make or break your draft. Be sure to check out fellow experts Eric’s and Sean’s favorite players in these rounds. Here are my favorite players to target in these middle rounds (12 team, standard scoring).
Round 6: Golden Tate
ADP: 6.05
Golden Tate has finished as WR24 or better in each of his 4 seasons with Detroit. He currently ranks 6th in the league in receptions and as the safest option in one of the league’s most pass-heavy offenses, is poised for his 5th consecutive season catching 90+ passes from Matthew Stafford. Marvin Jones and newcomer Kenny Golladay will fight for targets on the outside, and with the departure of Eric Ebron, Tate should have a great opportunity to commandeer the middle of the field and go for another 120+ target season. Tate totaled WR3 or better numbers in 61.5% of his games in 2017, a higher percentage than Adam Thielen who is going 3 rounds earlier. He also garnered a top-15 target share last year and posted the league’s best catch rate (76.7% of his targets). In 2018, he’ll face the 13th easiest schedule for WR’s. Tate has high-end WR2 upside and is a steal going in the 6th round.
Round 7: Julian Edelman
ADP: 7.11
In the last 3 seasons where Edelman has played at least 12 games, he has caught at least 92 passes, gone for at least 972 yards, and scored at least 3 TD’s. In those 3 years, he has finished in the top-7 in receptions. In 2016, his last full season, he ranked 3rd in targets and 4th in catches. He goes into 2018 facing a 4-game suspension and should come back ready to jump right into the swing of things. This suspension as well as coming off of an injury is what has driven his draft stock down to the point that he can be an absolute steal with his current ADP. With the departure of Brandin Cooks as well as the injury history of Rob Gronkowski, Edelman will find himself without a lot of competition for targets. He’ll emerge as the go-to short yardage option for the best QB that the league has ever seen in an offense that had TB12 throwing the ball over 36 times per game in 2017.
Round 8: Chris Thompson
ADP: 8.07
Chris Thompson’s fantasy prospects will be the biggest beneficiary of the injury to Derrius Guice. He was RB26 last year despite the fact that he played in only 10 games. He actually averaged more yards per touch than Alvin Kamara in 2017. Prior to his injury, he was averaging 9 PPG and had he carried that average across the 6 games he missed, he would have finished as RB16. Over the last 5 years, 265 RB’s have totaled at least 100 touches. Thompson’s 1.47 PPR points per touch land him 2nd of those 265. Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine are slated to fight for the premier ball carrier role, but Thompson will still see his share of opportunities. He’ll be utilized heavily in the pass game for a QB who has made a living off of getting short, high percentage passes to his playmakers and letting them win open-field battles in space. Thompson’s ceiling is RB2 due to his elite backfield receiving abilities and the uncertainty of the Washington backfield.
Round 9: Cooper Kupp
ADP: 9.04
Cooper Kupp had a solid rookie year, catching 62 passes for 869 yards and 5 TD’s and a WR26 finish in fantasy. These numbers were enough to lead the Rams in both targets and receiving yards. The Rams had a 3rd WR on the field for 92% of pass plays last season so the addition of WR Brandin Cooks should not threaten Kupp’s fantasy prospects. He received 23 redzone targets in 2017, a number that should not be threatened by Cooks or Robert Woods. Nobody on the Rams even had half as many as Kupp. In one of the league’s most high-powered offenses, Kupp’s unique role as the short-yardage, possession receiver is so different than the roles played by Woods and Cooks that they shouldn’t threaten his target share. He is a WR3 with WR2 upside in 2018.
Round 10: Pierre Garcon
ADP: 10.03
Prior to his injury last season, Pierre Garçon was on pace for 134 targets, 80 receptions, and 1,000 receiving yards, and this was without Jimmy G. His competition for targets in San Francisco is Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis, both sprinters used primarily as deep threats. Garcon heads into 2018 facing the 12th easiest schedule for WR’s, on a team coached by offensive genius Mike Shanahan. This was the same coach who turned Matt Ryan into an MVP. Since 2009, Pierre Garçon is the 6th most targeted receiver in the NFL and he should emerge as Garoppolo’s primary target. You don’t pay a QB $27.5 million per year just to let him hand the ball off. They also brought in a great pass catching RB in Jerick McKinnon. This 49ers team is going to air it out early and often and for that reason, Garcon presents with WR2 upside and a low-end WR3 floor.