Round 1, Pick No. 6 - Ray Rice, RB, Ravens: It's safe to say fantasy owners are a lot more savvy so we will see running backs flying off the board, and at this spot Ray Rice from Rutgers is likely to be around because of the offseason roster restructure. Yes, the core of the Ravens team has changed, but I can see the running game being a staple to establish offensive confidence. Very few running backs are as reliable and consistent as Ray Rice, this is a safe play with the 6th pick.
Round 2, Pick No. 16 - Frank Gore, RB, 49ers: I know, the Niners have some young talent like LaMicheal James ready to fight for playing time and Gore has some wear on his tread. But at this point in the draft I think Gore is worth the pick. If you breakdown the numbers he posted in the 2011 and 2012 season, they are almost identical, which to me spells consistency. Isn't that what you want as a fantasy owner?
Round 3, Pick No. 26 - Roddy White, WR, Falcons: Being sandwiched with four or five fantasy owner before you and after you is a less than ideal. By now a couple of quarterbacks have come off the board, so you have to be surgical and precise. Roddy White is my best-case scenario; I'll go with him earlier instead of a Percy Harvin because White is so dependable. The UAB product could push his teammate, fantasy star Julio Jones for production and value in 2013.
Round 4, Pick No. 36 - Reggie Wayne WR, Colts: The Colts upgraded their offense by signing running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Football 101 tells you that a solid run game opens up the vertical attack. With Andrew Luck's college coach r Pep Hamilton calling plays this makes Reggie Wayne a sure thing in the fourth round. I couldn't imagine witnessing Wayne on the board and not pulling the trigger. If you are thinking about the "old" word save it for 2015, last season Wayne tied his second best season in yards, and had the most targets in his career.
Round 5, Pick No. 46 - Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos: Now that I've loaded up on running backs and wide receivers, I can also see the crafty veteran Peyton Manning lasting until this point in drafts because of the depth of the first tier quarterbacks. Peyton is still viewed as a risky pick and would likely be drafted lower, but his talent and fantasy production will win you championships. Expect Peyton now two years removed from his injury to have a lot more swag and chemistry with Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. Oh, by the way Wes Welker is with the Broncos.
Round 6, Pick No. 56 -Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers: Mathews hasn't really lived up to the expectation of fantasy owners. Last year, Mathews was flying off the draft board early, but this year should be a correction in his market value. Don't give up on the promising running back, with a new regime sometimes that's all a player needs to reach maximum potential in fantasy football.
Round 7, Pick No. 66 - Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins: After Garcon's return from injury he finished the 2012 campaign strong. RGIII seemed to always be connecting with the playmaker, and I suspect that Coach Shanahan will want RGIII throwing the ball a lot more. I view Garcon as a solid number three receiver. You will definitely find him in Round 7 because owners likely will shoot for him later in the draft because of durability concerns. Don't be surprise if he posted better than 1,200 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2012.
Round 8, Pick No. 76 - Montee Ball, RB, Broncos: With the departure of Willis McGahee, Ball is no lock to be the featured running back in Denver, but I like his chances to beat out Knowshon Moreno. The 8th round is the perfect spot to get a desirable backup that has the potential to produce like Redskins rookie running back Alfred Morris did in the 2012 season.
Round 9, Pick No. 86 - Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers: The offseason has brought major concerns about the tight end position, which has major fantasy implications. Last season the tight end market crashed, fantasy performances were below satisfactory based on how high tight ends were going. Having said all this, Vernon Davis should have a strong year. Early reports are that Davis has been lining up at the wide receiver position, which means the Niners are looking to target him a lot more, especially since Crabtree is out.
Round 10, Pick No. 96 - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles: Maclin is coming off a solid 2012 campaign, and his headed into Chip Kelly's high-octane offense. We could see Maclin at multiple positions, which would increase his touches and targets. I'm projecting that Maclin will be more than a spot start, and before mid-season he could be a solid number two receiver. Don't waste your late picks with guesses, at this spot in the 10th round you're looking for sleepers that will give you a chance to win your league.
Round 11, Pick No. 106 - Bernard Pierce, RB, Ravens: The handcuff comes into play here. I have a sneaky suspicion that Pierce could take away some carries from Rice and become a major part of the offense. Don't over analyze my analysis, because Ray Rice is still the guy and Pierce is the running back in waiting if anything happens to Rice. Either way, the Temple product Pierce has value as a bench running back in fantasy, and is a natural handcuff for all Rice owners.
Round 12, Pick No. 116 - Denarius Moore, WR, Raiders: Moore posted 618 yards with five touchdowns in 13 games of his rookie season. Last season he bested his rookie performance with 741 yards with seven touchdowns. With Darrius Heyward-Bey gone, fantasy owners might want to think of Moore as the Raiders top wide receiver.
Round 13, Pick No. 126 - Phillip Rivers, QB, Chargers: He is the forgotten quarterback in this year's fantasy draft. After nearly a decade of good fantasy production, Rivers fell off in 2012. But now he has a new coach, healthy wide receivers, and lower expectations. Even if the Chargers aren't good in 2013, there will be plenty of opportunity for garbage points. I think waiting and taking Rivers late is a great low risk high reward play in 2013 fantasy drafts.
Round 14, Pick No. 136 - Blair Walsh, K, Vikings: 92% accuracy as a rookie with ten field goals over 50 yards. Not to mention he's on a team that plays in a dome, and an offense that is not very good at throwing the ball on 3rd downs. This is the first kicker I'd take without hesitation.
Round 15, Pick No. 146 New England Patriots Defense/Special Teams: If you miss out on the premier defenses and wait until the last round, New England is as good a bet as any, with Bill Belichick still coming up with master game plans. The addition of Adrian Wilson has improved the secondary of the defense. The newly acquired Leon Washington will be returning kicks and should give them some real fantasy appeal. If this unit struggles to produce fantasy points you can always drop them and play the matchups for the rest of the season.
