Previously, this annual article was called “What’s in My Wallet” and was meant to describe the players I drafted most often. Not long ago, we moved to a “My Guys” approach, which still covers players I like to draft, but also gives me the freedom to include players I’m confident in, even if I’m not lucky enough to get several of them in my drafts.

I’m laying my cards on the table. My opponents know the types I want. Basically, I’m going to mix up the rest of my designs here to your advantage. As always, season this to taste and apply it to the unique challenges of your rooms. You know your setup better than I ever could.

The first round of fantasy drafts has become a minefield this year, with retirements, injuries and uncertainty. St. Brown is the kind of safe pick that helps you sleep soundly at night. The Lions have maintained their offensive infrastructure and the Sun God will lead his team in targets with ease. And this isn’t just a pick that covers the floor; St. Brown was the WR3 last year with half a point PPR scoring (17 weeks).

Anthony Richardson is on a lot of breakout and target lists, but I wonder if that’s a solution in search of a problem. The QB pool is absurdly large through 2024. Daniels likely offers the same rushing potential as Richardson, and Daniels was a much better passer in college. Reps are also important; Daniels threw 1,438 passes in college, Richardson only 393. You can currently draft Daniels about 4-5 rounds after Richardson in Yahoo spaces.

Atlanta’s offense has been hampered by poor quarterback play and questionable plays over the past few years. Now Kirk Cousins ​​is there to help fix things in the quarterback room, and new OC Zac Robinson has impressive credentials after working with Sean McVay. Add to that an absurdly simple game plan that takes place mostly indoors, and you have a goal-oriented offense.

You can also include Drake London if you want, although I haven’t been able to get him much this summer. Bottom line, you’ll want to draft some Falcons this year. They seem to be the overwhelming favorite in the NFC South, and fantasy production usually correlates with team success.

He may not slide into the second round of your draft, but be ready to pounce if he does. Aaron Rodgers has always been good to his key receivers, and Wilson’s combination of athleticism, intelligence, and competitive spirit gives him a chance to one day be the best receiver in the NFL. The Jets have a strong defense, which could mitigate some of the volume. But Wilson will always be a proactive pick for me.

The Ravens somehow escorted the average Gus Edwards into the end zone 13 times last year. Now Henry, a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, takes the pilot’s chair and is the clear favorite to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns.

Baltimore’s offensive line does have some issues, but some of those are mitigated by Lamar Jackson’s running ability, which stretches defenses and opens up running lanes. And remember, the Ravens rarely call Jackson’s name at the goal line, meaning others can score the chippies. Henry is one of the best second-round picks you can make, and a shambles if he somehow slips into your third round.

Once upon a time, Lawrence was the league’s golden boy, the next superstar to go with the first pick in the draft. Since then, it’s been a little rocky – losing his rookie year to Urban Meyer’s mistake didn’t help. But Lawrence has quietly made his name as a QB7 and QB12 over the past two years and is currently drafted as QB16. When you get around to drafting your second quarterback, he’s an excellent target.

It took a while for both players to reach full confidence potential last year, but in the end, the rules were different. Pacheco had eight touchdowns in his final eight games of last year (including the playoffs) and was useful in the passing game, where he caught 31 balls. Rice’s final 10 games were also eye-catching: 69 catches, 822 yards, four touchdowns. He’s not dynamic on deeper routes, but Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid will ensure he remains relevant.

Rice’s ongoing legal case must be mentioned, but it seems he will either face a short suspension this year or the case will be pushed back to 2025. I’m not afraid to proactively call Rice up.

I’m linking all three of these players because they’re boring veterans, the kind of players that generally provide nice value simply because they’re not shiny new toys.

• Cooper proved to be a reliable quarterback despite the Browns using five different quarterbacks last year. He developed into a Mike Evans light, with only slightly less touchdown ownership.

• Singletary was a surprise hero in the second half of 2023 and has immediate security with the Giants due to his Buffalo past with Brian Daboll.

• With Jahmyr Gibbs around, Montgomery’s opportunities are limited, but Montgomery may have more opportunities at the goal line and Detroit’s offensive line is fantastic.

Chemistry doesn’t happen overnight; you can’t order it off the Internet. Shakir is the only Buffalo wide receiver to ever catch a pass from Josh Allen in the regular season, and new face Curtis Samuel is battling a metatarsophalangeal joint injury. Shakir averaged a brisk 13.6 yards per target last year, and while those stats can be misleading for support players, we can’t ignore that Shakir was better than Stefon Diggs down the stretch – and Shakir also had 10 catches and two touchdowns in the playoffs. Shakir is the Buffalo receiver I’ve been targeting, and is rated as a low-priced WR54 in Yahoo Drafts.

Bengals D/ST

I usually go with a “games for today” approach to my DS/T picks. The Bengals are the biggest favorite in Week 1, at 9.5 points against a New England offense that could get shipwrecked early. Sounds good to me. Let’s take on Cincinnati in Week 1 and worry about the rest of the schedule later. Many leagues allow you to stream defensive position all season long.