Kate's Fantasy Preview - 5th round draft picks

And we are on to the Fifth Round at your Fantasy Football Draft.... Now it's time to take a closer look at your roster. If you don't have a QB, better grab one. You better have 2 RB by now, but there are some nice 3rd back options still available. You'll also need a second WR so you could get him now as well.  If you want a DEF or a K at this point, be glad you are not in my league - anyone who drafts those positions this early has to buy the next round. For the whole bar.

(Before I get into the players, keep in mind a couple things. First, I base these on a 12-team league. For scoring, assume RBs are the best option, 1 point for 10-yards either running, passing, or catching, and PPR. I also assume it's not a Keeper league. If you throw keepers into the mix, it can hose up selection order. Finally, I don't pay much attention to Bye Weeks. Yeah, you may have your top 2 or 3 players out the same week, but that is why you work the waiver wire. Also, I'd rather rack up a ton of points in the other 14 weeks than take a lesser player to score evenly all season long.)

Round Five Options:

QB Robert Griffin III WAS - RG3 drops a bit in value for this season because of his knee injury last year. If he's smart, Coach Shanahan will keep him out of the pre-season games - or at least limit hit time. And that makes fantasy owners nervous. Ultimately, a talent like his will prevail and he'll be looking to hit the 4,000 yrd mark this year.

QB Matthew Stafford DET -The Lions keep looking great on paper and underperforming on the field. However, Stafford still gets his. With a healthy Megatron, he should hit 5,000 yrds this year.

TE Vernon Davis SF - Can you say Underwhelming? That was Vernon last year. He just seemed to disappear at the wrong times. In order for the 49ers to get back to the Super Bowl, he has to get himself back together this year. I'd take a shot on him here. Especially considering that Harbaugh has him playing a little WR in training camp, could get him more opportunities during the season.

TE Kyle Rudolph MIN - Being named the Pro Bowl MVP doesn't mean much, but it does mean that Kyle has the skill to be a top TE in this league.  His problem? He's catching passes from Christian Ponder. Sigh. At times, Ponder has been really great. And Kyle has been on the receiving end in those great games. I believe Ponder has a much better season this year, so that extends to Kyle.

WR Reggie Wayne IND - Formerly one of Peyton Manning's favorite target, Reggie hasn't quite connected with Andrew Luck.  He had nearly 1,400 yards but only had 5 TDs last year. I'm hearing Heyward-Bey may be out for a bit with a knee injury and Luck really wants to throw the ball anyway. I'm looking for Reggie's experience to be a key factor this year and his numbers to improve.

WR Dwayne Bowe KC - Andy Reid is the key to Dwayne getting back to being a fantasy scoring stud. With the addition of Alex Smith, he's a steal in this round. If you are going to gamble on someone who's had a rough couple years but has shown he knows how to be amazing, Dwayne's your guy.

WR Mike Wallace MIA -It's a new year and a new team for Mike.  He took the money and ran to Miami but can he and Tannehill connect for big points? Shrug. I'm just guessing on this one, I'd like to think what we saw when he was a Steeler wasn't all Big Ben. But he's still a solid #2 option for you at WR.

WR Antonio Brown PIT - Yet another guy who had a disappointing 2012 but I'm seeing an upturn for him this year. Wallace is gone and overall the Steelers are getting old. This may be their last year to battle for the top of the AFC North and Ben needs someone he knows and can count on. Look to AB for 1,000 yrds and 8 TDs this season. (Of course none of those will be against the Browns. Just saying.)

WR Steve Smith CAR -The problem with an athletic, running QB is that they like to take the ball into the End Zone. Cam Newton had 19 TDs last year, while Smith only had 4. That being said, if Cam is going to survive in this league, he has to be less showy and let his guys do some of the work. I expect this year will see better numbers for both Smith and RB DeAngelo Williams.

RB Darren McFadden OAK - One of the few - and I mean very few - Raiders worth a spot on your roster, Darren is going to be carrying the offensive hopes of his team. They just don't have much talent anywhere else so it's going to be a lot of fighting on the ground. Not sure how many TDs he will get, but you can count on 1,000 yards on the ground or in the air.

RB DeMarco Murray DAL - Total crap shoot on this guy. Cowboys drafted Joseph Randle in the 5th round and if Murray has any kind of injury (as he is prone to do) then Randle may take his spot even after he's better. If he can stay healthy, he's a good option for #3 RB.

RB Reggie Bush DET - Oh, Reggie. What's happened to you?  I blame Kim Kardashian. But seriously, the move to Detroit will move him back into being a meaningful RB and if it works out, he could finish top 10 in fantasy numbers. You have to run the ball in Michigan in the winter and Reggie can do that.

So that's what you have to look forward to here in round 5. Quite a few risky propositions here, but you don't win the league and become Champion of the World without taking a few calculated risks. Next time, we'll take a look at round six options and the big question everyone wants to know: DEF or Kicker?


Take Care. Good Luck. And if you are drafting before August 19th, you are just plain crazy!

Respectfully Submitted,
Cleveland Kate