Fantasy Football: Who Should Be the Number One Pick?

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It is a pressure unlike any other. You show up to your fantasy football draft and realize you have the first overall pick. Literally every option is available to you, and you have to nail it, because there’s no coming back from screwing up this pick. Believe me, last year, I had it, and went with Todd Gurley. I had to win my last five games just to finish 8-8. In 2009, I had it, and selected Chris Johnson. See how getting the pick right can shape your entire season?

Okay, maybe I’m being dramatic, but still…

It’s important – because, most likely, you won’t be picking again until 20+ more players are off the board. Each man has his own philosophy, but I always go running back or wide receiver if I’m picking high in the first round. Quarterbacks will tempt you, but considering they’re one of the few positions on the field that are guaranteed snaps/touches, you can get a good value later in the draft. At one point, Rob Gronkowski was a bona fide first rounder. But, those days are behind him, and he was certainly never worthy of the first overall selection. Plus, this year, the potential TE1 class is looking rather strong. Do I need to mention kickers and defenses here? Okay, running back or wide receiver – we’ve established that.

So, I’ve narrowed this year’s discussion down to four guys you should consider if you end up with the first overall selection.

Odell Beckham, Jr.

The New York Giants wide receiver has played three seasons in the NFL. He’s yet to have a season recording below 1,300 yards and double-digit touchdowns. He’s undoubtedly the future of the receiver position for his speed and reliable hands. Some might call him a head case, but I’m not running him through a psych evaluation to make my fantasy roster.

The dude is good, and will be good for many years to come. In fact, this could be his best season yet. The Giants added veteran one-on-one nightmare, Brandon Marshall, to the receiving corps. Theoretically, that should mean more opportunity for ODB. Don’t be afraid to draft this guy among the top few picks.

Le’Veon Bell

The Pittsburgh Steelers could very well field the most complete back in all of football. The dude missed four games due to suspension last season and still finished with 1,884 total yards and nine total touchdowns. In case you’re keeping track, that’s an average that translates to 2,512 total yards and 12 total touchdowns.

Factor in the fact that he plays for the best offense in the AFC not named the New England Patriots, and the opportunity for a monstrous campaign is there.

Antonio Brown

For the last several years, Brown has been the best wide receiver in the NFL. Four straight 1,200+ yard seasons with double-digit touchdowns. Factor in his entire career, and he’s quietly approaching Hall of Fame discussion. 8,377 career yards, 50 career touchdowns – if he’s able to keep that production going for a few more seasons, he’ll undoubtedly be in the conversation.

That’s the question for me – is he able to maintain that level of success? How many times have we seen elite wide receivers slip after a few good years? We all know time catches up quick with NFL athletes. Who knows when it’ll happen to Brown?

David Johnson

Johnson is the Swiss army knife for the Arizona Cardinals. His game resembles that of one Marshall Faulk. In 2016, I thought he presented a strong case for NFL MVP, but the Cards stunk, so his buzz was largely among fantasy players. Still, you can’t ignore 20 total touchdowns and 2,118 total yards in a single season.

Those numbers have fantasy players all over the country clamoring for the third-year back, but those numbers are so lofty, I have to pump the brakes a bit. Are we setting unrealistic expectations here?

The Verdict

It all depends on your league, of course, but all of these guys should be solid options whether your league is PPR or not. If it is a PPR league, Beckham and Brown both would warrant consideration. If it’s a standard league, you might want to look at one of the running backs.

That said, if I’m in this spot this year, I’m going with Bell regardless. I know everyone is salivating over Johnson (there’s a joke in there somewhere), but I want to see more consistency out of him before I invest the first overall pick in him. Wide receiver looks like a deep class, but I don’t know that you’ll be able to wait and get a dynamic back like Bell late in the draft.

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley@WrestlingNewsCo

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