10 Pivot Points in your Fantasy Football Draft
Jayson Braddock highlights 10 players you should pivot away from and of course the alternatives you should turn to.
By: Jayson Braddock | @jaysonbraddock | Published: Aug 19, 2021, 6:15 AM EDT
In every draft, you come upon picks where there’s a player that you should take based on consensus rankings. I’ll spotlight 10 players that you should pivot off of and give you an alternative to select in their place.
10 Pivot Points in your Draft
- Dak Prescott - With his top trio of receivers in the fold, two tight ends that can get the job done, and a stud running back, there are high expectations for Prescott this season. That being said, something is fishy with the way the team is being nonchalant about Prescott not playing. PIVOT: Russell Wilson
- Justin Herbert - He burst onto the scene in his rookie season and it seems as if everyone is expecting his production to elevate up in year two. There’s a new coaching staff, Mike Williams is the number two receiver and always banged up, and their rookie third-round receiver, Josh Palmer is serviceable but not special. PIVOT: Matthew Stafford
- Alvin Kamara - Drew Brees is no longer the quarterback in New Orleans. Instead, Jameis Winston and/or Taysom Hill will take on the task of spreading out the defense to allow Kamara to eat up space as a runner and receiving threat. The production won’t match past seasons. PIVOT: Ezekiel Elliott
- Saquon Barkley - He’s an immense talent when healthy and on the field. I’m not betting on him to stay healthy and on the field with a selection at the top of the draft. There are still concerns with quarterback play and we need to see the offensive line gel. PIVOT: Nick Chubb
- Derrick Henry - The number that running backs never want to go over is 400. When running backs hit 400+ carries in a season, there’s typically a steep decline in their play. Henry has gone 400+ carries in back-to-back seasons. PIVOT: Jonathan Taylor
- Chris Godwin - Injury history is a chief concern for Godwin, but also the fact that Tom Brady has a multitude of receiving options in Godwin, Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Tyler Johnson, Jaelon Darden, Rob Gronkowski, OJ Howard, and several backs that Brady will feed the ball to in the passing game. PIVOT: CeeDee Lamb
- Ja’Marr Chase - Will Joe Burrow have more chemistry with Chase from their time together two years ago or with Tee Higgins from last year? What if he feeds the slot machine, Tyler Boyd? How will the year off of football be on Chase’s body in his return? There’s a lot of questions concerning the Cincinnati Bengals’ dynamic, especially with Chase. Take Boyd later and pivot to another receiver on the Chase pick. PIVOT: D.J. Chark
- Odell Beckham Jr. - No one knows if Beckham is ready to become an elite receiver again, but I’m not taking that gamble. Baker Mayfield can feed Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Anthony Schwartz, Harrison Bryant, Austin Hooper, and more without having to feed Beckham if he becomes a malcontent or gets injured. PIVOT: Michael Pittman Jr.
- Noah Fant - The talk over the last couple of months was that the Denver Broncos were going to make a push for Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson. Watson’s situation has cleared up about as much as mud and Rodgers worked things out with Green Bay this season. That leaves Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock competing to toss the ball to Fant and his playmaking teammates. I’d rather have the tight end that caught almost twice as many touchdowns (11) last year from Rodgers, than Fant has hauled in over his first two seasons (6). PIVOT: Robert Tonyan
- Rob Gronkowski - He’s 32 years old and has recorded 50+ receptions in one out of his last five years. While he had seven touchdowns last season, he didn’t play the previous season and only had three touchdown receptions in two of the three seasons prior to 2019. There’s a lot of mouths to feed in Tampa Bay and Gronk is most likely to save his best play for meaningful games in the postseason. PIVOT: Gerald Everett