Saquon Barkley was the No. 1 RB in fantasy, averaging 22.2 ppg. He led the position with a whopping five games of 30+ fantasy points this year.
Fantasy managers were reluctant to take a 30 year old running back in the second round. Well, Derrick Henry is built different. Averaging 19.8 ppg, Henry finished as the overall RB4 on the season. The King stays king.
Don't draft veteran RBs changing teams they said. Barkley, Joe Mixon, and Josh Jacobs argue otherwise. Sometimes falling out of the third round entirely, Jacobs averaged 17.2 ppg, finishing as the overall RB8.
The greatest rushing QB in NFL history posted his second career overall QB1 finish, averaging 25.3 ppg. He also delivered when it mattered most, posting games of 41, 23, and 31 in the fantasy playoffs.
By the time late August rolled round, Malik Nabers had shot up to the 3-4 turn. But he spent most of the Summer as a fifth round pick. A rookie WR saddled with some of the worst QB play imaginable, Nabers still managed 18.2 ppg, good for an overall WR6 finish.
Enduring all of the missed games due to injuries sustained at practice was frustrating. But when Tee Higgins was on the field, he was an elite WR1. The Bengals WR2 averaged a career best 18.5 ppg, finishing inside the top 5 for the first time in his career.
In the year of proving all the macro trends wrong, we actually did want this WR1 with a rookie QB. Jayden Daniels elevated Terry McLaurin to a career best 15.8 ppg. Not bad for a seventh rounder.
Having an elite TE matters. Every year, it's important to have an edge at the position. But, as always, you can't pay for it. Brock Bowers went in the eighth round and averaged 15.5 ppg, finishing as the overall TE3.
Chase Brown spent the first half of the season in a timeshare with Zack Moss. Then, the sophomore ran away with the backfield, bolstered a bit by Moss' season-ending injury. Brown averaged 15.9 ppg.
Whether you were able to get Brian Thomas in the 10th round or you reached for him in the 9th, 8th, or even 7th, he was worth it. BTJ averaged 16.7 ppg despite catching passes from Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones all season.
