What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Right-Side-Up: Zero WR Strategy (1 Viewer)

PPRGuy

Footballguy
I play in 10 and 12 team PPRs and the past years I've been dominating by stacking RB and TE with a stud or value QB and then working all season to find value WRs. This year in particular I've noticed you can get incredible value at WR in the 6th, 7th 8th 9th and 10th rounds... 
WRs I love currently have ADPs in this range:

  • 64 Kelvin Benjamin 
  • 65 Emmanuel Sanders 
  • 67 Brandon Marshall 
  • 68 Willie Snead 
  • 71 Jamison Crowder 
  • 81 Donte Moncrief 
  • 89 DeVante Parker 
  • 91 Randall Cobb 
  • 92 Pierre Garcon 
  • 93 DeSean Jackson 
  • 96 Jeremy Maclin
These are all great value WR2s and WR3s with upside and it blows my mind that more experts don't promote this, 

How do you guys feel about this strategy of Zero-WR in the first 4, 5, or 6 rounds?

Specifically this year I am drafting in an auction and I can consistently get this for about 60-70% of my budget in mocks...

  • BELL
  • Zeke(value with suspension) 
  • Gronk
  • Brady
and then spend the rest of the 30% on value WRs and some upside RBs and replacement RBs for Zeke.

[These are all just Mocks but if I get just 90% of these teams they will be hits]

Many of my drafts look something like this...

  • QB Tom Brady...........$20
  • RB Le'Veon Bell........$60
  • RB Dalvin Cook.........$15
  • WR Tyreek Hill...........$15
  • WR Pierre Garcon.....$8
  • Flex Spencer Ware....$10
  • TE Rob Gronkowski...$30
  • BE Ezekiel Elliot.........$30
  • BE DeSean Jackson...$3
  • BE Doug Martin..........$5
  • BE Jaquizz Rodgers...$1
  • BE .... $1 from here on D/K/BE fodder


I know these are all mocks but I truly believe for all of you in auction leagues can pull something like this off and how does this not instantly be the favorite for the title... 

UPDATE: COMPETITIVE  10-TEAM SNAKE DRAFT (.5 ppr)
I am in a high buy-in league with competent fantasy players that drafted Aug. 22nd.​

Results of Early RB Strategy from the 7th slot below:​

1.(7)Devonta Freeman (Atl - RB)

2.(14)Ezekiel Elliott (Dal - RB)

3.(27)Travis Kelce (KC - TE)

4.(34)Tom Brady (NE - QB)

5.(47)Spencer Ware (KC - RB)

6.(54)Sammy Watkins (LAR - WR)

7.(67)Golden Tate (Det - WR)

8.(74)DeVante Parker (Mia - WR)

9.(87)Derrick Henry (Ten - RB)

10.(94)Corey Davis (Ten - WR)

11.(107)Cameron Meredith (Chi - WR)

12.(114)Minnesota (Min - DEF)

13.(127)Zay Jones (Buf - WR)

14.(134)Adam Thielen (Min - WR)

15.(147)Wil Lutz (NO - K)

Ideally I would've liked to get Demarco instead of Zeke but he went the pick before me. Also I decided on Devante over Doug Martin in the 8th, (so super RB heavy was there)

I reached a little on Kelce in the third but Gronk, TY, and Baldwin went each of the picks right before me... I would've taken one of them ideally but this 7th spot is an example of one of the ####tier situations for this strategy. Obviously if you get picks 3-5 I do not advise against one of the top 3 receivers ( I would go RB 2nd and third in that sitch, unless you're into gronk which I am)

Nonetheless, my squad will be rocking 

  • QB Brady
  • RB1 Freeman (Until Zeke Returns)
  • RB2 Ware
  • WR1 Watkins
  • WR2 Golden
  • TE Kelce
  • Flex Parker
  • D/ST Minnesota
  • K Lutz


All in all my squad appears to be competitive on paper to the rest of the teams while Zeke serves his suspension. In addition, I drafted 7 receivers with most of them being 'High Upside/Risk guys' hoping one will hit. My guess is that playing the odds that one of those bench guys will emerge if not more... At that point I will be able to really maximize leverage with strong RBs and potential options at WR in terms of trade and opportunity. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I play in 10 and 12 team PPRs and the past years I've been dominating by stacking RB and TE with a stud or value QB and then working all season to find value WRs. This year in particular I've noticed you can get incredible value at WR in the 6th, 7th 8th 9th and 10th rounds...
WRs I love currently have ADPs in this range:

  • 64 Kelvin Benjamin
  • 65 Emmanuel Sanders
  • 67 Brandon Marshall
  • 68 Willie Snead
  • 71 Jamison Crowder
  • 81 Donte Moncrief
  • 89 DeVante Parker
  • 91 Randall Cobb
  • 92 Pierre Garcon
  • 93 DeSean Jackson
  • 96 Jeremy Maclin
I like the strategy although I'd still never draft a QB that early.

I highlighted the WRs I'm particularly fond of. I'd add Diggs, Britt and possibly Merrideth to the list. I'd target three RBs in the first four rounds, especially if I'm drafting Zeke.

 
Every year I have this strategy and where I get burned is that those late RB's that you are targeting that make your team look deep and strong don't go that cheap.  The folks that spent on WR need those backs to have a decent roster and they know it.  Cook, Martin, Rodgers, Abdullah, Ware and many others are all going to go for way more than we see in mocks (at least in the leagues I have seen). 

I love the 0 WR strategy this year, but I have no illusions about getting solid RB'2 that cheap.  I prefer an approach like below.  Depending on how the draft goes I sometimes spend less on RB3 and take a good QB or TE, but I'm not overspending for either position.

Palmer - $1
Stafford- $1
Bell/Johnson - $70
Murray/Gordon/Freeman - $50
Lynch/Cook - $30
Hill - 20
Bryant, Marshall - 8
M. Jones, T Williams - 5
TE - Who ever is left for $3-5 (Ertz, Hooper, Bennet)

Then fill out my bench with guys like Rawls, Jammall Williams (GB), D. Lewis, R. Burkhead, J. Hill, P. Richardson, A. Hurns, T. Ginn, C. Kupp

 
Every year I have this strategy and where I get burned is that those late RB's that you are targeting that make your team look deep and strong don't go that cheap.  The folks that spent on WR need those backs to have a decent roster and they know it.  Cook, Martin, Rodgers, Abdullah, Ware and many others are all going to go for way more than we see in mocks (at least in the leagues I have seen). 

I love the 0 WR strategy this year, but I have no illusions about getting solid RB'2 that cheap.  I prefer an approach like below.  Depending on how the draft goes I sometimes spend less on RB3 and take a good QB or TE, but I'm not overspending for either position.

Palmer - $1
Stafford- $1
Bell/Johnson - $70
Murray/Gordon/Freeman - $50
Lynch/Cook - $30
Hill - 20
Bryant, Marshall - 8
M. Jones, T Williams - 5
TE - Who ever is left for $3-5 (Ertz, Hooper, Bennet)

Then fill out my bench with guys like Rawls, Jammall Williams (GB), D. Lewis, R. Burkhead, J. Hill, P. Richardson, A. Hurns, T. Ginn, C. Kupp
Completely agree. People going 0 rb are going to get burned hard this year in snake drafts. There will be a run on RBs and you will be left with Theo Riddick as your rb1

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I  like this strategy for auction format but in national contests like the FFPC you will get burned. Almost all the WRs mentioned are gone by Rd6, Rd7 at the latest. 

 
I like the strategy although I'd still never draft a QB that early.

I highlighted the WRs I'm particularly fond of. I'd add Diggs, Britt and possibly Merrideth to the list. I'd target three RBs in the first four rounds, especially if I'm drafting Zeke.
I totally agree with adding those guys... been looking at Zay Jones, Tedd Ginn, and Robby Anderson as basically last round fliers that could bolster your WR corps if you get lucky.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I also don't think this works in snake drafts
Definitely doesn't work as well, but check out my update where I tried it in a 10 team snake. Reached on a couple guys but the 7th slot isn't ideal. I'd say 1 or 2 is obviously the perfect slots for it with 8-10 being the next best. At those spots you hit crucial end of tiers for RBs, TEs and QBs. 

 
I just did a 12 team ppr snake.  Unlike most years, I hated the 12 spot this year.  Anybody who looks at this is gonna tell me how screwed I am, but I like what I got.  Granted, I think T Hill is gonna be a wr1, and I like Benjamin to be a decent 2.  I was happy to get both.  Only scoring anomaly is that we get bonuses for longer touchdowns.  Here's what I did at the turns.

Gordon,  Zeke

Mcaffery,  T. Hill

K Benjamin, Eifert

D Parker,  Big Ben

Luck, Merideth 

Perine, Doctson 

Kamara, T Benjamin 

I had to reach a bunch based on ADP,  but at that spot, I needed to get guys I liked.  We'll see.

 
fantastic idea.in a 10 team leagur ppr for wr and te, Ive used it last 2 years and have won back2back titles.

you find wrs in a ditch, i.e., waivers.stream them.u DRAFT stud rbs early and often 3 rbs first 3 picks.

just did a fantasy football calculator mock draft 10 team ppr from #5 slot.

consistently got freeman 1, zeke or howard 2, dalvin cook 3, jordan reed 4, doug martin if i want him in 4th but usually good wrs like davante adams meredith kelvin benjamin diggs crowder available.or you take matt ryan/r.wilson here.

one other offshoot of zero wr is that you quickly deplete the rb pool which means u have a decided edge on opponents..

i would never draft any other way.zero RB is totally crazy. zero WR is the shark move..

 
I did an auction last week and did this with reasonable success I think.  12 team, .5 PPR, start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE

QB - Rivers $2 

RB - Johnson $70

RB - Bell $68 

WR - Diggs $14

WR - Sanders $12

WR - Parker $7

TE - Ertz $6

Flex - D. Martin $8

Bench was all $1 or $2 but I managed to get Robby Anderson, Rex Burkhead, Carson Wentz, Cooper Kupp, Wendell Smallwood, etc.  I'll have to work the waiver wire well to add depth but I like how it turned out.  

 
I did an auction last week and did this with reasonable success I think.  12 team, .5 PPR, start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE

QB - Rivers $2 

RB - Johnson $70

RB - Bell $68 

WR - Diggs $14

WR - Sanders $12

WR - Parker $7

TE - Ertz $6

Flex - D. Martin $8

Bench was all $1 or $2 but I managed to get Robby Anderson, Rex Burkhead, Carson Wentz, Cooper Kupp, Wendell Smallwood, etc.  I'll have to work the waiver wire well to add depth but I like how it turned out.  
Little shocked Sanders went so low but otherwise seems about right and a solid team

 
I did an auction last week and did this with reasonable success I think.  12 team, .5 PPR, start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE

QB - Rivers $2 

RB - Johnson $70

RB - Bell $68 

WR - Diggs $14

WR - Sanders $12

WR - Parker $7

TE - Ertz $6

Flex - D. Martin $8

Bench was all $1 or $2 but I managed to get Robby Anderson, Rex Burkhead, Carson Wentz, Cooper Kupp, Wendell Smallwood, etc.  I'll have to work the waiver wire well to add depth but I like how it turned out.  
Love that team. Your bench is garbage, but that's just part of the strategy. It can be improved over the season. 

 
Raback said:
I did an auction last week and did this with reasonable success I think.  12 team, .5 PPR, start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE

QB - Rivers $2 

RB - Johnson $70

RB - Bell $68 

WR - Diggs $14

WR - Sanders $12

WR - Parker $7

TE - Ertz $6

Flex - D. Martin $8

Bench was all $1 or $2 but I managed to get Robby Anderson, Rex Burkhead, Carson Wentz, Cooper Kupp, Wendell Smallwood, etc.  I'll have to work the waiver wire well to add depth but I like how it turned out.  
Holy #### that's really good

 
I don't like any of the zero plans.  However, I do feel that RBs are really thin this year and one needs taken in the first 2 rounds.   

 
I'm pondering the same thing right now.  Do I want:

Melvin Gordon - Crabtree - Benjamin - Diggs/Garcon/Parker

or

ABrown - Crabtree - Benjamin - TColeman/Abdullah/Powell

I feel the upside of Diggs/Garcon/Parker is greater than the RBs in the 5th-7th round.  The WRs would mostly be startable, but the RBs can very well not give you much half the weeks

 
Been in 2 drafts went RB heavy in both of them in the first few rounds. Didn't set out to do it that way. 

 
In standard this strategy might work, but a pretty dumb move in ppr. 


Completely agree. People going 0 rb are going to get burned hard this year in snake drafts. There will be a run on RBs and you will be left with Theo Riddick as your rb1
I also don't think this works in snake drafts
12 team ppr with a start 2rb/3wr/1flex

Got this from the 4 spot--can't say I'm gonna win the league, but I'd think I'll be in the race...I HOPE!!!

Julio Jones

Michael Thomas

Amari Cooper

Bilal Powell

Allen Robinson

Mark Ingram

Terrence West

Derek Carr

Danny Woodhead

Frank Gore

Theo Riddick

Matt Forte

Eric Ebron

 
Last edited by a moderator:
12 team ppr with a start 2rb/3wr/1flex

Got this from the 4 spot--can't say I'm gonna win the league, but I'd think I'll be in the race...I HOPE!!!

Julio Jones

Michael Thomas

Amari Cooper

Bilal Powell

Allen Robinson

Mark Ingram

Terrence West

Derek Carr

Danny Woodhead

Frank Gore

Theo Riddick

Matt Forte

Eric Ebron
You're drafting with some pretty weak people if you could get Mike Thomas and Cooper there in a 12-team PPR...
I do like your squad because I believe in woodhead and those recievers will give you such an advantage but your RBs do suck and I believe I could get more value out of a pierre garcon and Demarco in a ppr than an Amari Cooper and Terrence West... 

But Again you basically stole those receivers in a 12 man ppr 

 
12 team ppr with a start 2rb/3wr/1flex

Got this from the 4 spot--can't say I'm gonna win the league, but I'd think I'll be in the race...I HOPE!!!

Julio Jones

Michael Thomas

Amari Cooper

Bilal Powell

Allen Robinson

Mark Ingram

Terrence West

Derek Carr

Danny Woodhead

Frank Gore

Theo Riddick

Matt Forte

Eric Ebron
Cool team but it's the total opposites of what we were discussing.

 
fantastic idea.in a 10 team leagur ppr for wr and te, Ive used it last 2 years and have won back2back titles.

you find wrs in a ditch, i.e., waivers.stream them.u DRAFT stud rbs early and often 3 rbs first 3 picks.

just did a fantasy football calculator mock draft 10 team ppr from #5 slot.

consistently got freeman 1, zeke or howard 2, dalvin cook 3, jordan reed 4, doug martin if i want him in 4th but usually good wrs like davante adams meredith kelvin benjamin diggs crowder available.or you take matt ryan/r.wilson here.

one other offshoot of zero wr is that you quickly deplete the rb pool which means u have a decided edge on opponents..

i would never draft any other way.zero RB is totally crazy. zero WR is the shark move..
10 team leagues are fake and don't count.

 
I suppose it could work, but you can't assume any of those WRs will be there just because ADP says they should be. They may well all go the rounds you target them, which means maybe you'll get 1 of Kelvin, Bryant, Sanders, or maybe they'll all go before you. Because what usually happens is of a player's ADP is 6.11, the dudes picking 6.01-6.10 know they'd better take them of they won't make it back. 

I also don't care much for rigid strategies that paint me into a corner. I prefer to have loose strategies and let the draft come to me so I can maximize value. 

In my early years of FFB I'd go RB heavy regardless of who fell to me. And if always find myself trapped with crappy WR choices in the later rounds, while passing on valuable RBs who'd fall further than they should have because I took too many early. 

These days while I try to stay cognizant of a basic draft strategy, mainly I take it a round at a time & shift my strategy accordingly.  You just never know what player is going to fall to you. Maybe there's a goofy run on RBs in the 1st and Team 9 takes Gronk. You're picking 10th &  Evans is sitting there. Are you gonna pass on him because you're committed to zero WR strategy? 

Seems silly. 

Zero WR strategy seems like a good way to have a worse trio of WR than everyone else in your league. And since the later round RB values are pretty solid this year too, I don't know why you wouldn't just focus on getting BPA every turn. 

Good luck though! 

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top