Over the span of the next few weeks, we’re going to be bringing you our 2024 versions of the “Perfect Draft.” Anyone who has followed us for any length of time knows you can’t enter a draft without a strategy but which strategy you choose will directly affect who you want to target. With that in mind, these are the strategies we’re going to cover:
- Win Now
- Value
- Balanced
- Productive Struggle
- Fake Punt
- Bully QB/TE
- Robust RB
Today, we’ll continue the series with an analysis of a 1QB draft looking for value. In 1QB leagues, this is very likely the way to go. Go ahead and draft the best players available, ignore positions for the most part, and plan to flip players leading up to the start of the season. Inevitably, these teams are going to be very wide receiver-heavy. WR has the most value in dynasty leagues. We can let the other managers in the league worry about filling up their wide receiver spots, while we go ahead and dominate the wide receiver position.
We’re going to look at three different areas of the draft to demonstrate how to execute this strategy from anywhere in the draft order. Early is defined as picks one to four, middle as picks five to eight, and late as picks nine through 12. Many start-up draft picks are bound to be traded and every draft format is a little different but this will give you an idea of who you can target throughout the draft.
Using July ADP, let’s have the perfect dynasty startup draft.
First Round
Whether it’s CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase or Amon-Ra St. Brown, you can’t go wrong with these top four picks. Jefferson is my favorite of the group. He’s been the most consistently elite of the group, even though he missed some games last season. JJ McCarthy is a good long-term option at quarterback, and Jefferson is only 25 years old. He’ll get this off to a great start.
Harrison is going to have about as much value as any other player in dynasty leagues this season. He will be a target hog in the Cardinals offense right away this season. If you need to move him to boost up your running back group, it should be very easy to move him for a haul.
Late (Team Three) : Puka Nacua, WR LAR
Nacua has become Stafford’s primary target in the passing game. Cooper Kupp performed well when he returned last season, but at his age, he’s a major injury risk, and a risk to retire after this season. Nacua is a great building block for your team after the top receivers are off the board.
Second Round
