Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: How to Draft in SuperFlex

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With all of the different formats out there for fantasy football, there is no one perfect draft formula. This can be seen in the SuperFlex format as the values of players change drastically. If you are new to SuperFlex the basic premise behind it is this, you have an extra flex spot in which you can start any position even quarterback. Due to this, the most valuable position in this format is quarterback. As they tend to be the most consistent in scoring high point totals week in and week out. With this in mind, we have to pay close attention to runs on quarterbacks in the draft. As we start the SuperFlex draft we have to check our league scoring formats as this will impact some picks for us as well.

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For this article, I used a 12 team half PPR SuperFlex draft format, with no extra premiums. Along with a 5 player bench as most redraft leagues carry a small bench. Using the Fantasy Pros mock draft tool I will build a team. Hopefully, this will give you a good feel for how a team will look in this format. Let’s dive in!

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Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: How to Draft in SuperFlex

Round 1

For me, it’s important to leave round one with a quarterback in every SuperFlex draft. Adding a stud quarterback gives you a huge advantage in draft strategy and in the league. We drew the fifth selection this year in our league.  In this mock, we see two quarterbacks and two running backs go in the first four picks. This leaves us with a few good options at the quarterback position, Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. For me, I like the upside of Josh Allen who showed he can be a player for the QB1 in fantasy. Both of these players carry good rushing upside, however, Allen’s passing upside is far greater. As a result, I’d want Allen in this draft.

Other Options in Round 1

A few other players you could target in this round for me would be Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Aaron Rodgers. For me, Dak Prescott had the highest upside of these three as he is set up with great playmakers in Dallas. Along with that, the offensive line will be healthy to start the year. As a result, he is a guy I am targeting if I miss any of the early quarterbacks.

Justin Herbert has a ton of upside in year two, he will be set up for a huge amount of passing volume as they will need to keep up with the Chiefs in the AFC West. Along with this volume, he will be target great receivers in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams who will help him produce great numbers in 2021.

Last but not least Aaron Rodgers needs little explanation. He has always proven that he can produce for fantasy football no matter the weapons, I expect nothing less this year. With Davante Adams and the new addition of Amari Rodgers, I  see a repeat of a mid to high QB1 finish. I think he is a great target late in round one. You have to leave Round 1 with a stud quarterback in any SuperFlex draft.

Player Position
Josh Allen QB
Lamar Jackson QB
Dak Prescott QB
Justin Herbert QB
Russell Wilson QB
Aaron Rodgers QB

 Round 2

As our second pick comes up we see nine running backs already selected. This tells me we have to take a running back, as players are valuing them highly. Our top choices at our current pick are, Austin Ekeler and Jonathan Taylor. For me getting Jonathan Taylor here is too good to pass up, he flashed late in the season last year and could be in line for a huge workload this year. The preseason injury for Wentz has to cause a dip and we have benefited from it! Although Ekeler would have been a solid pick here as well, especially in PPR formats. As he is primed for a huge workload on what should be a high-scoring Chargers offense. Seeing close to 80-90 targets is not out of the question of Ekeler.

Other Options in Round 2

Although I love the idea of going Running back here in this mock due to board, this is not the only option. Other players you could target here would be Stefon Diggs, Calvin Ridley, George Kittle, or Darren Waller. All of these players are near the top of their position groups. Diggs and Ridley should both see huge workloads as they are the clear number one receiver on their teams. Add in that both these teams will be throwing a ton, and we have the perfect storm for WR1 potential.

Both George Kittle and Darren Waller are in that top tier of tight ends that set your team apart from the rest if you own them. George Kittle is returning from an injury-plagued season, but he should be in line for a large number of targets. He will be the focal point of that passing attack. This is the same for Darren Waller as he is the main passing weapon in the Raiders offense. The system loves to target tight ends so I expect Waller to repeat his 2020 campaign again in 2021.

Player Position
Jonathan Tayor RB
Austin Ekeler RB
Joe Mixon RB
Antonio Gibson RB
Justin Jefferson WR
Stefon Diggs WR
DeVante Adams WR
Calvin Ridley WR
George Kittle TE
Darren Waller TE

Round 3

Now in the third round, we see a small run on wide receivers start. When guys like Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and A.J. Brown come off the board right before us. As a result, I am looking to add my top wide receiver. We have the choice Between Justin Jefferson and D.K. Metcalf, for me, I am leaning Jefferson here. Jefferson is due for a huge workload in his second season and I expect him to repeat his amazing 2020 but add a few more touchdowns in there. Although D.K. Metcalf is also in line for a pretty large workload as well. I only worry that with a healthy Chris Carson we see a small regression from the wide receivers in general. Round 3 is where you can pick up some good value in a SuperFlex draft.

Other Options in Round 3

Other top players to target in this round are Keenan Allen, Terry McLaurin, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. All three of these guys are in line for big workloads in 2021. Keenan Allen will see close to 120 targets as the wide receiver one in the Chargers offense. He has all the talent in the world to turn those targets into fantasy production. Allen will also see a decent amount of touchdowns as I expect a lot of scoring from the Chargers.

Terry McLaurin finally has a quarterback who can and will sling it to him all over the field.  The addition of Fitzpatrick is going to do wonders for Scary Terry. He has proven to be a great WR2 with bad quarterback play, so I expect him to climb into the low WR1 range now. As for Clyde Edwards-Helaire, he is a steal this late. The hype was to high last season for him and people feel he disappointed. However, the improved offensive line and no Le’Veon Bell are all good for Clyde. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes will produce a ton of points and Clyde Edwards-Helaire will see a good amount of them.

Player Position
Ryan Tannehill QB
Jalen Hurts QB
Najee Harris RB
J.K. Dobbins RB
D’Andre Swift RB
D.K. Metcalf WR
Keenan Allen WR
Allen Robinson WR

Current Roster

Position Player Pick
QB Josh Allen 1.5
RB Jonathan Taylor 2.8
RB
WR Justin Jefferson 3.5
WR
TE
Flex
Flex
SuperFlex

Round 4

Moving forward in the SuperFlex draft we have set ourselves up well this will allow us to not reach for positional values. Moving into the fourth we see a huge run on quarterbacks. Once this is over there are no real great options left. As a result, I am going to look elsewhere, the hardest choice is picking from running back or wide receiver. Due to positional scarcity, I am leaning toward running back here.

With options like J.K. Dobbins and Chris Carson here. I’d go with J.K. Dobbins due to the fact I believe he has RB1 upside this season. Dobbins averaged over 16 PPR points per game from weeks 12-17 last season, he is primed to break out. I believe we will see a very efficient run game from the Ravens and an increased workload in the passing game from Dobbins.  As for Carson, I see a clear workhorse role in place on a team that loves to use him. He is primed for a huge workload on a team that should score a fair amount of points. However, I worry if he can stay healthy all year and this is what makes me lean Dobbins.

Other options in Round 4

Depending on how you want to build your team other options are out there in round four. David Montgomery, Robert Woods, and Amari Cooper are all great options as well. Montgomery showed last season that he can handle a workhorse role. Add in the fact that Cohen is still nursing his injury from last season, and I feel like we will see a lot more Montgomery in this offense.

Robert Woods is the guy to roster in Los Angeles now that Stafford is there. This upgrade at quarterback may finally be what Woods needed to make that leap into WR1 territory. However, as we can see he is constantly undervalued, and here in round four is a great value. Amari Cooper is also another undervalued option here. He is in line for a good amount of quality targets from Dak. We saw what this offense looked like early on in 2020, that was unstoppable. I expect a lot of passing from the 2021 Cowboys and expect Cooper to be one of the beneficiaries of that.

Player Position
Trevor Lawernce QB
Kirk Cousins QB
Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB
J.K. Dobbins RB
Miles Sanders RB
Allen Robinson WR
Terry McLaurin WR
Mike Evans WR
Chris Godwin WR

Round 5

As we approach the fifth round we see another wide receiver run. Looking at who is left and our team I am leaning quarterback here. Now in SuperFlex, we will have the option to start this player every week. So remember he is still as valuable as any other player. We have the option of Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins here. I am a big fan of Cousins as he has been a steady QB2 for the past few years. I would want to take Cousins here. However, no one can fault you for taking Baker in this spot as he has a fairly safe floor this season as well. He really improved last season. I expect with the return of Odell Beckham that he will only be an even better option in 2021.

Other Options in Round 5

Round five has a lot of options here if you chose not to go with a quarterback. Players like Darrell Henderson, D.J. Moore, and Julio Jones are all still on the board. Darrell Henderson is driving up boards after the Cam Akers injury and is in line for a solid workload in 2021. This backfield will still have a committee feel to it, however, Henderson is the most talented and will see the bulk of the load. He has RB2 upside for sure this season.

D.J. Moore is as steady as they come, he is a year in and year out WR2. I expect much of the same in 2021, he can creep toward the WR1 territory if he can get more touchdowns. This issue has really limited his upside so far in his career. Julio Jones is going to be a solid WR2 for many teams this year. The move to Tennessee allows him to be the second option to A.J. Brown. Some would even call it a 1a 1b situation. He has a great upside built-in as the Titans have not improved their defense. Due to this, I expect a good amount of passing from this offense in 20221.

Player Position
Trey Lance QB
Derek Carr QB
Josh Jacobs RB
Myles Gaskin RB
Kareem Hunt RB
Cooper Kupp WR
Diontae Johnson WR
Tyler Lockett WR
T.J. Hockenson TE
Mark Andrews TE

Round 6

Now in the sixth round, we have seen a majority of the quality running back options come off the board. Looking at the tight end position here is a good move in my opinion. As a result, we can see T.J. Hockenson and Mark Andrews still on the board. After these two the position really drops off, so I feel the need to grab one of these guys here. I like TJ Hockenson’s opportunity this season in Detroit. He could easily see 80-90 targets and have a shot at finishing in the top three tight ends this season. Mark Andrews is an option who could see a large number of targets as well in Baltimore.

However, I feel like there is a touch more risk as the Ravens added a lot of wide receiver depth in the off-season. This is why I am leaning Hockenson in Round 6 of this SuperFlex draft.

Other Options in Round 6

For me here in the sixth the options in the wide receiver group are very solid, players like Adam Thielen and  Tee Higgins are on the board. Although it could be his last season of relevance, Thielen can still play with the big guys. He is still Kirk’s favorite target, and especially in the red zone. However, I do see some regression in that department. He will still be an upside WR2 in 2021. As far as Tee Higgins goes, he has become a value due to the drafting of Ja’marr Chase. Higgins showed great prowess in year one and was very quarterback-proof after Burrow went down. I think Higgins will see close to 100 targets again this year and I expect him to produce greatly with these opportunities.

Player Position
Ryan Fitzpatrick QB
Tua Tagovailoa QB
Travis Etienne RB
Myles Gaskin RB
Javonte Willaims RB
Kareem Hunt RB
Brandon Aiyuk WR
Chase Claypool WR
JuJu Smith-Schuster WR
Kyle Pitts TE
Mark Andrews TE

Roster Through 6 Rounds

Position Player Pick
QB Josh Allen 1.5
RB Jonathan Taylor 2.8
RB JK Dobbins 4.8
WR AJ Brown 3.5
WR
TE TJ Hockenson 6.8
Flex
Flex
SuperFlex Kirk Cousins 5.5

Round 7

As we enter round seven, I am looking to fill out my roster needs. With this in mind, it is a good round to be needing a receiver as there are a few top-end guys left. We have a choice between guys like Kenny Golladay and Courtland Sutton.  I would shoot for upside here and take a shot on Sutton, I believe he may see a big role in this offense this season. He was on the edge of becoming a true star until his season-ending injury last year. Kenny Golladay also missed most of the season last year in Detroit. He moved on the New York in free agency this year. I worry about the offense and the quarterback play here, I feel like his upside is limited.

Other Options in Round 7

If you still wanted to stay in the wide receiver position Chase Claypool is also available here. I worry about his role in this offense. Although he had an amazing rookie season I question the amount of volume the receivers will see with an improved run game and three top-tier wide receiver talents. Looking elsewhere players like Mike Davis and Kareem Hunt are also available. These two make it hard to go wide receiver here as they have decent RB2 upside. Both of these guys feel like a boom or bust play personally so I am staying away here in favor of the wide receivers.

Davis has never handled a full workload in back-to-back seasons, this concerns me. Along with the offensive line in Atlanta, which could struggle in 2021. As for Hunt, I worry with the return of Odell Beckham Jr. and Nick Chubb that he will see limited touches. He has proven he can have RB1 upside in the past though so I can’t fault anyone for taking him here. If you waited to pick a quarterback, there are likely to still be some available at this point in your SuperFlex draft.

Player Position
Justin Fields QB
Derek Carr QB
Damien Harris RB
Travis Etienne RB
Raheem Mostert RB
DJ Chark WR
Jerry Jeudy WR
Tyler Boyd WR
Noah Fant TE
Robert Tonyan TE
Logan Thomas TE

Round 8

Now in the eighth round, we are faced with a tough choice, as we have no positional needs. We have a few upside targets on the board like DJ Chark and Javonte Williams. I believe both of these players see an expanded role in their offenses this season. DJ Chark has proven he can be a 1000 yards receiver already once in his career. Last season was a down year and his value has plummeted. The influx of Trevor Lawrence should help him tremendously. As for Williams, I expect him to push Melvin Gordon for the lead role in the Broncos’ offense. With that being said I also expect the Broncos’ offense to be better than it was last season, equaling more points and more fantasy points. I would want Williams here to help build depth at the running back position.

Other Options in Round 8

Along with these two players, You have options like Chase Edmonds and Dallas Goedert. Goedert showed that he is ready to be the lead tight end late last season. However, Ertz is still there and limiting Goederts upside, if Ertz is traded I expect Goedert to see a huge role in this offense. As for Chase Edmonds, I see an increased role in Arizona. However I don’t love the idea that James Conner is there, he could see most of the work inside the twenties. If this comes to fruition Edmonds’ upside is extremely limited. He is even less valuable in a SuperFlex draft.

Player Position
Zach Wilson QB
Cam Newton QB
James Robinson RB
Melvin Gordon RB
Micheal Carter RB
Will Fuller WR
Deebo Samuel WR
Antonio Brown WR
Jarvis Landry WR
Tyler Higbee TE
Logan Thomas TE

Round 9

Moving into the ninth round we see a decent amount of running backs and wide receivers come off the board. Due to this, I want to try and add another receiver here and a high upside guy in DeVonta Smith. I expect him to see a ton of targets. As last year’s Heisman Trophy winner we know this kid can play. The question will be what can he do with these targets? I expect him to be effective with them and produce mid-level WR2 numbers if he can stay healthy all season!

Another option I am considering is loading up at running back and taking a gut like Micheal Carter. Landing in New York gives him a good shot to take over the largest role in their backfield. With this, I believe Carter can finish as a high-end RB3 as a floor. The Jets will want o run the ball as much as they can to help take pressure off Zach Wilson. This could lead to large fantasy totals for Carter.

Other Options in Round 9

If you want to stay with the running back position a great option here as well is Ronald Jones. Last season we saw him handle a big role even with Fournette there. This season I expect his role to expand as he has a more explosive upside the Fournette brings. However the addition of Gio Bernard could really limit their passing work, this could be bad news in half or full PPR leagues.

If you have waited on tight end until now you still have good options left as well, One name that stands out is Robert Tonyan. Tonyan burst onto the scene last season in Green Bay, I expect some regression from him but not a ton. I firmly believe he can finish as a TE1 this season. With the fact Rodgers is definitely returning, I still expect a good touchdown total and solid involvement in a weaponless receiving core, outside Adams of course. The quarterback pickings will be slim by this point in a SuperFlex draft so pick one up quick.

Player Position
Zach Wilson QB
Cam Newton QB
Zack Moss RB
Trey Sermon RB
David Jonhson RB
Micheal Gallup WR
Laviska Shenault WR
Corey Davis WR
Jarvis Landry WR
Curtis Samuel WR
Logan Thomas TE

Current Roster

Position Player Pick
QB Josh Allen 1.5
RB Jonathan Taylor 2.8
RB JK Dobbins 4.8
WR AJ Brown 3.5
WR Courtland Sutton 7.5
TE TJ Hockenson 6.8
Flex Javonte Williams 8.8
Flex DeVonta Smith 9.5
SuperFlex Kirk Cousins 5.5

Round 10

This is a key part of your draft as this can make or break your season’s hopes and dreams. All fantasy leagues can be won by finding that late-round darling. Looking at our roster we only have one real need and that is getting a true third quarterback as an insurance policy. Most importantly this allows us to take some risks on high upside players. Adding quarterbacks is key in any SuperFlex draft.

I see Kenyan Drake here in the tenth as good value, in a timeshare last season he produced a top 15 finish in PPR. Even with the move to Vegas I still think he will see a decent workload. The Raiders have shown us that they do not want to use Jacobs as a workhorse. This is where Drake comes in and could see a decent passing volume and rushing volume. We could see a situation similar to Chubb and Hunt here. Allowing him to be viable as a bye week fill-in or flex play.

Another complement back is also available here which makes me think, this is Nyheim Hines. Hines showed that he can produce RB2 numbers as a complement to Jonathan Taylor. He can be used in the slot of in two-back sets, as a result, he also sees a ton of passing down work. This is great for half and full PPR formats. I am staying away due to the fact I already roster Jonathan Taylor.

Other options In Round 10

Staying with the running back theme AJ Dillon is still here. He is a very talented young back in an offense who will score a ton of points. The only concern here is how many touches does he get with Aaron Jones returning. Jones is injured currently in camp and rookie Kylin Hill is getting a lot of work with the ones on the passing downs. This is something to monitor as the season draws closer.  Another option in the wide receiver group is Marvin Jones Jr. he is coming over to Jacksonville with a path to a large role. Jones has always outplayed his ADP and I expect the same this season. Jones should see a decent amount of targets as the second option out wide in this new-look offense. Here in round 10 of the SuperFlex draft, you have a chance to add a possible high-end WR3.

Player Position
Sam Darnold QB
Jared Goff QB
Latavius Murray RB
Jamaal Williams RB
Devin Singletary RB
Marquise Brown WR
Micheal Pittman WR
Corey Davis WR
Jaylen Waddle WR
Irv Smith TE
Mike Gesicki TE

Rounds 11-12

Now in the eleventh round, I see a name that I’m high on this season. Darnell Mooney is staring us in the face. He looked great last season along with a quarterback upgrade his upside is huge. Add all of this to the glow reviews he is getting in camp and he could be a real league winner for many if his ADP stays this late. Finding high upside flex plays can really set your draft apart in SuperFlex formats.

As we move into the twelve we have to secure our third quarterback due to more have come off the board in between picks. A guy I am higher on than most is Jared Goff. He is available here along with Daniel Jones and Ben Roethlisberger. I am opting out of Big Ben as he shares the same bye week as Josh Allen. As a result, I am taking Goff here and securing the safety blanket.

Other Options in Rounds 11-12

Player Position
Jared Goff QB
Jameis Winston QB
David Johnson RB
Alexander Mattison RB
Tony Pollard RB
DeVante Parker WR
Russell Gage WR
Elijah Moore WR
TY Hilton WR
Evan Engram TE
Jonnu smith TE

Current Roster

Position Player Pick
QB Josh Allen 1.5
RB Jonathan Taylor 2.8
RB JK Dobbins 4.8
WR AJ Brown 3.5
WR Courtland Sutton 7.5
TE TJ Hockenson 6.8
Flex Javonte Williams 8.8
Flex DeVonta Smith 9.5
SuperFlex Kirk Cousins 5.5
RB Bench Kenyan Drake 10.8
WR Bench Darnell Mooney 11.5
QB Bench Jared Goff 12.8

Rounds 13-14

Buckling down here in the last three rounds of the draft we really want to target upside. These picks can win us our league just like the last three! Surprisingly a player set for a breakout is still available. Micheal Pittman sits on the board as a result I am all in here.  The Wentz injury has driven his value down, however, I think he can still produce a solid fantasy season. If so he can be a steal here in any SuperFlex draft.

As we move to the fourteenth round I would take a shot on another second-year wide receiver set to breakout. This player is Gabriel Davis, I like him over guys like Jamison Crowder and Jalen Reagor here. Davis is in a much higher scoring offense and could see a large red zone target share. This is a prime example of chasing upside. Along with the fact Davis is one injury away from seeing a ton of targets. This is the type of move could win you your league.

Other options in Rounds 13-14

Player Position
Drew Lock QB
Jimmy Garoppolo QB
Marlon Mack RB
J.D. McKissic RB
James White RB
Nelson Agholor WR
Jalen Reagor WR
KJ Hamler WR
Sterling Shepard WR
Adam Trautman TE
Rob Gronkowski TE

Rounds 15-16

Here is a spot to really chase upside and taking a stab at another rookie running back. Adding Kenneth Gainwell here in the fifteenth seems like a good upside selection. He is getting huge buzz in camp as a receiving back. As a result, I would want in on him due to how former Colts offensive coordinator now head coach  Nick Sirianni is at the helm. We all remember what he did with Hines last season. Gainwell could be in for a big workload in 2021 and a value in all drafts, not just a SuperFlex draft.

With our final pick in the draft, I’d like to add a bench tight end. Luckily there are a few good names left on the board. One that stands out to me is Blake Jarwin he has the greats upside of the guys left. Coming back from an ACL his ADP has dropped drastically. I want any piece of the Cowboys’ passing attack as it should be very effective and high-scoring. Jarwin here is a nice safety blanket and bye week fill-in for Hockenson.

Other Options in Rounds 15-16

Player Position
Andy Dalton QB
Tyrod Taylor QB
Salvon Ahmed RB
Damien Williams RB
Sony Michel RB
Chuba Hubbard RB
Tre’Quan Smith WR
John Brown WR
Jamison Crowder WR
Christian Kirk WR
Jared Cook TE
Gerald Everett TE

Final Roster

Position Player Pick
QB Josh Allen 1.5
RB Jonathan Taylor 2.8
RB JK Dobbins 4.8
WR AJ Brown 3.5
WR Courtland Sutton 7.5
TE TJ Hockenson 6.8
Flex Javonte Williams 8.8
Flex DeVonta Smith 9.5
SuperFlex Kirk Cousins 5.5
RB Bench Kenyan Drake 10.8
WR Bench Darnell Mooney 11.5
QB Bench Jared Goff 12.8
WR Bench Micheal Pittman 13.5
WR Bench Gabriel Davis 14.8
RB Bench Kenneth Gainwell 15.5
TE Bench Blake Jarwin 16.8


Draft Recap 

After we have finished our draft we can look back and see that we have a good amount of upside sprinkled in with a few safe reliable players.  We can see how focusing on quarterbacks and running backs early allows us to have some depth at both positions. Also, we can see I personally passed on a second tight end as this league has no premiums and there were few tight ends selected allowing for decent stream options early on.

The key takeaway for me in a SuperFlex draft is to target quarterbacks early and leave the draft with three starting options. This allows you to have a safety blanket in case of injury, trading mid-season for one is almost impossible from my experience. It is very hard to make it to the championship let alone win without at least two starting quarterbacks in your lineup! Always remember to check your league scoring options as well. This can affect the way your SuperFlex draft will go, if there is a bonus for tight end receptions expect them to go much sooner. I would also add at least one backup tight end in that format.

The final takeaway, use ADP as a guide but never be afraid to draft the player you believe in. ADP is just a way to break up players based on how much everyone else likes a player. It can be helpful to know that you can wait for a round or two when deciding between players, however, get your guys! Remember fantasy is more fun when you win with your guys!

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