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Fantasy Football: Top value draft picks in Rounds 1-10

I have been licking my chops to write this article for a few weeks. After participating in the Scott Fish Bowl and several other drafts, I have a pretty good idea of which players I like in comparison to their ADP.

Using Yahoo! ADP as our guide, here are my favorite value picks in each round of a 10-team league.

Round 1 – Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

The ninth RB in Yahoo! ADP, Jones is sixth among running backs on my board. The 26-year-old has been a star for the Packers for two straight years, and he now has a large contract to show for it. Aaron Rodgers clearly loves having Jones on the field and involved in the passing game, and I see his floor as 1,000 rushing yards, 50 catches, and 10 TDs.

Round 2 – Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

As a believer in Zero RB, I have Kelce in my top-5 overall players. The gap between the 31-year-old and the pack at the TE position is staggering, and Kelce has the elite QB, offensive guru, and overall supporting cast to remain historically successful for at least one more year. Many fantasy managers still don’t understand the immense value of having a TE who can be expected to produce 100 catches and over 1,200 yards.

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Round 3 – Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Although Kelce rightfully grabs the TE headlines, Waller is a baller in his own right. The 28-year-old is coming off a pair of 1,100-yard seasons and is the unquestioned top dog in the Las Vegas passing attack. The conservative nature of Derek Carr makes Waller even more productive, as Carr loves to toss underneath passes to his largest target.

Round 4 – Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

I mentioned Allen previously in an article on safest picks, which is the reason I like him here. The 29-year-old has averaged 101 catches across the past four seasons and has already established a great rapport with emerging star Justin Herbert.

Round 5 – Robert Woods / Cooper Kupp, WRs, Los Angeles Rams

I’ll cheat and squeeze two teammates into this spot. The arrival of Matthew Stafford should be great news for a Rams passing game that was at times stifled by Jared Goff's limitations. Woods and Kupp were both nonetheless productive during Goff’s time in Los Angeles, and their floor is more of the same with Stafford tossing passes. In a best-case scenario, they both soar to new heights because of improved QB play.

Los Angeles Rams Wide Receiver Cooper Kupp (10) celebrates a touchdown with Wide Receiver Robert Woods (17)
Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp could shine brighter than ever alongside Matthew Stafford. (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Round 6 – Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

I’m a big fan of getting the primary targets in Seattle’s passing game. Russell Wilson is the most durable QB in football, and in recent years he has regularly locked onto Lockett and DK Metcalf. Without passing-game stars at the other offensive positions, Lockett has a good chance of catching 100 passes for a second straight year.

Round 7 – Mike Davis, RB, Atlanta Falcons / Chase Edmonds, RB, Arizona Cardinals

I could cheat and put James Robinson here, but we all know that his Rd. 7 ADP won’t last now that Travis Etienne is out for the season. As someone who regularly uses Zero RB or Hero RB draft strategies, I like to dive into the RB pool in Rounds 6-9, with Davis and Edmonds among my favorite targets.

I’ll be honest regarding Davis — I don’t think he’s especially good. But the rushing opportunities are wide open in Atlanta, and he showed last season in Carolina that he can be a productive fantasy option when a backfield opportunity becomes available. Edmonds is a different case — he has plenty of talent but needs to push James Connor out of a timeshare to really take off. I believe that Edmonds’ pass-catching abilities give him a nice floor and high ceiling.

[More tips for Rounds 1-10: Safest picks | Who to avoid]

Round 8 – Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts is the type of player that managers should chase in standard leagues. The 23-year-old has been getting solid reviews during his first training camp as a starting QB, and he has a massive fantasy ceiling because of his ability to accumulate points with his legs. If this season goes well, Hurts will rush for 1,000 yards and throw just well enough to be a reasonable facsimile to Lamar Jackson. And in standard formats, the waiver wire is full of QB options managers can turn to if Hurts doesn’t meet expectations.

Round 9 – Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

Williams is going much later in Yahoo! leagues than in industry and high-stakes contests, making him a potential steal. The Broncos traded up to the early part of Rd. 2 to grab the North Carolina product, which shows how much they wanted him and how much they didn’t want to rely on veteran Melvin Gordon. Williams should start the season sharing time with Gordon before slowly taking over the No. 1 job, making him someone you’ll want on your roster when your fantasy squad reaches the playoffs.

Round 10 – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

Tannehill is a great option for managers who choose to wait at the QB position, which is often a great strategy. The former Dolphin has been terrific since joining the Titans in 2019, and last year he was a top-10 fantasy QB despite handing off to Derrick Henry 378 times. The addition of Julio Jones provides new offensive coordinator Todd Downing with a great reason to make the offense slightly more pass-heavy, giving Tannehill top-5 potential. Pairing Hurts in Rd. 8 and Tannehill in Rd. 10 is my preferred way to draft QBs this year.

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