If you’re like me, then you are probably pretty disappointed with your first round fantasy draft pick. With the first overall pick, I went with someone that I thought gave me the most consistency week in and week out. Well, Todd Gurley has been consistent in 2016, unfortunately, he has been consistently bad. He has yet to rush over 100 yards, only has four touchdowns, and has scored over 20 points only once the entire season.
So if I could do it all over again, who would I take with my pick? Let’s redraft the first round after week 11 of play.
Note: Draft is based on ESPN’s 1-point PPR scoring system. Injuries have been taken into account.
1. David Johnson – 244 Points
In my preseason rankings, I had David Johnson ranked as the number four running back. He was pretty much a consensus first-round pick in all leagues, but taking him number one overall seemed like a reach. He has been anything but a reach, ranking first among running backs and fifth overall in total points, and the running back with the highest average points per game (24.4). The ceiling was extremely high on Johnson going into the season, but the sample size was very small which caused him to drop to a late first-round pick. His dual-threat ability out of the backfield and underrated football IQ make Johnson my number one overall pick after week 11.
2. Le’Veon Bell – 165 Points
I think everyone knew what they would get out of Bell if they drafted him. The problem was that he was suspended the first three games of the season, causing him to fall into the second or third round in most leagues. If you were able to sustain a win or two during Bell’s absence then you are very happy that you took a chance on him. Since returning from suspension, Bell is averaging 23.6 points per game, second only to David Johnson, among running backs. Five of his seven games he has posted over 20 points, two of those contests racking in over 30 points, and in no game has he scored under double-digits. His dual-threat ability and patience between the tackles, make him an every-down back that you want on your team come playoff time.
3. Ezekiel Elliott – 210 Points
‘Zeke has gone on and exceeded his already high expectations. Before ever playing a down in the NFL he was considered a fantasy superstar by many. I was much more reserved in awarding him such high accolades, to say the least. However, I was wrong. After 11 weeks of play, Elliott is just off of the pace to break Eric Dickerson’s rookie rushing record. While I do still believe that much of his success is due to the greatness of the offensive line in Dallas, all you care about is the 21 points that he is averaging per game.
4. DeMarco Murray – 228 Points
Talk about a bounce back year for DeMarco Murray. He was pretty much off of everyone’s fantasy radar after his disappointing 2015 campaign, along with the Titan’s drafting Derrick Henry in the second round of the 2016 draft. Well, whoever nabbed him in the later rounds must feel pretty tickled right about now, I see you JF… Murray’s 228 points are second among all running backs, and his 20.7 average is good enough for fourth. Murray is a top 5 pick after 11 weeks of play.
5. Antonio Brown – 205 Points
No surprise here. Brown is a little bit off pace from his monster 2015 season, but he is still a fantasy beast and leads all receivers with 205 points. In 6 of 10 games he has scored over 20 points, coinciding with his 10-game average of 20.5 points per game, also first among receivers. I rated him as my number two receiver going into the season, and he has proven to be worth the hype.
6. Melvin Gordon – 205 Points
Maybe the biggest fantasy surprise is the emergence of Melvin Gordon. After a very disappointing rookie season, Gordon has bounced back in a huge way. He is averaging 20.5 points per game, good enough for 205 total points. Maybe most enticing from a fantasy perspective, he has only one game all year that he did not score double-digits. I always preach consistency and Gordon has been a model of it in 2016.
7. Mike Evans – 202 Points
After a breakout rookie season, Evans fell into a bit of a sophomore slump in 2015, I would know because I had him on my team. It’s now safe to say that he is officially back and is definitely QB Jameis Winston’s favorite target. After 11 weeks of play, Evans is averaging 20.2 points per game. He has hauled in eight touchdowns thus far and should have no problem eclipsing double digit TDs.
8. Julio Jones – 196 Points
Take out three games and Jones has had a monster year. In those three games, Julio produced a total of 11 points, therefore bringing his average way down. In the other seven games, he is averaging 26.4 points per contest. Always considered the best or one of the best receivers each and every year, Jones appears to be as healthy as ever at this point in the season. Taking him 8th overall may be a bit of a dropoff from his preseason ranking as those three bad games hurt his stock a bit.
9. Larry Fitzgerald – 176 Points
Why do we ever doubt this guy? His work ethic and competitiveness always make him one of the games elite. Fitz is having another Pro Bowl-caliber season averaging 17.6 points per game. He has no games under double-digits in 2016 making him a very reliable and consistent play. This production can speak for itself, but Fitzgerald snuck into the first round primarily due to the injury to A.J. Green, who was lost last week with a torn hamstring.
10. Tom Brady – 172 Points
Personally, I typically stay away from quarterbacks in the first round just because there are a lot more options that give you quality, consistent starts each and every week. However, Brady’s 28.7 points per game are the highest in the league since his return from suspension. He looks better than ever this season throwing for over 300 yards in 4 of the 6 games he has played (one game over 400). His 16 touchdowns to one interception is the best ratio in the NFL, and we know offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has no problem letting Brady air it out 35+ times per game. In redrafting a quarterback it came down to Brady or Rodgers for me. The deciding factor: Rodgers faces Philly, Houston, Seattle, and Minnesota down the stretch, one more than Brady’s tough stretch of LA, Baltimore, and Denver (two of those being in Foxborough).