2012 Fantasy Football Draft Analysis: Players to Target

So your turn on the clock is coming up, and you have to decide quickly who to draft.  Your list tells you who is the top ranked player, you see the top available player according to ESPN or Yahoo and the time is ticking down.  You pull the trigger on a player, then second guess your choice, but it's too late since you hit the draft button.

There can be a lot of pressure while drafting.  I like to go after players I want on my team even if they are not the best available player according to all my lists.  It's much better to have a team of players you want then a list of the best available players you were stuck with.  It's by far better for you to control your draft rather than have the draft control you.

Let's take a look at players to draft in each round of a standard 12 team draft, I will assume you get the fourth pick overall.  I will use player names of each player I am targeting in each round.  I will do my best to assume what players would be available at each round.

You must always take reliability into account.  Although you may have a high-ranked player available you have to think if they will play every game during the season.

Round 1:

Reliable QB:  Aaron Rodgers

Reliable RB:  LeSean McCoy

Reliable WR:  Calvin Johnson

Reliable TE:  Rob Gronkowski 

Round 2:

Reliable QB:  Tom Brady

Reliable RB:  Adrian Peterson

Reliable WR:  Roddy White

Reliable TE: Jimmy Graham

Round 3:

Reliable QB:  Tony Romo

Reliable RB:  Marshawn Lynch

Reliable  WR:  Jordy Nelson

Reliable TE:  Jermichael Finley

Round 4:

Reliable QB:  Eli Manning

Reliable RB:  Ahmad Bradshaw

Reliable WR:  Jordy Nelson

Reliable TE: Jason Witten

Round 5:

Reliable QB:  Phillip Rivers

Reliable RB:  BenJarvus Green-Ellis

Reliable WR: Demaryius Thomas

Reliable TE:  Tony Gonzalez

Round 6:

Reliable QB:  Ben Roethlisberger

Reliable RB:  Shonn Greene

Reliable WR:  Jeremy Maclin

Reliable TE:  Aaron Hernandez

Round 7:

Reliable QB:  Matt Ryan

Reliable RB:   James Starks

Reliable WR:  Michael Crabtree

Reliable TE:  Jacob Tamme

Round 8:

Reliable QB:  Robert Griffen III

Reliable RB: Mark Ingram

Reliable  WR:  Torrey Smith

Reliable TE:  Brent Celek

Round 9:

Reliable QB:  Jay Cutler

Reliable RB:  Jonathan Stewart

Reliable WR:  Darrius Heyward-Bey

Reliable TE:  Dustin Keller

Round 10:

Reliable QB:  Joe Flacco

Reliable RB:  Ben Tate

Reliable WR:  Nate Washington

Reliable TE: Jermaine Gresham

I will stop after 10 rounds for this article, but be sure to keep up with the site for some deep sleeper recommendations for later round picks.

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