The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast · The Athletic

Fantasy Football Draft Strategies

·39 min·3 clips

Jake Ciely reveals why adding flex spots makes drafting more strategic and less rigid.

This episode features hosts Chris Welsh, Brandon Funston, and Jake Seeley analyzing various fantasy football draft strategies. They debate the merits of different roster constructions and drafting philosophies ahead of the fantasy season. The conversation is grounded in their experiences in industry expert leagues, including the Fantasy League of Experts and Scott Fishbowl. The hosts discuss the impact of adding multiple flex spots to league formats, which increases roster flexibility and strategic depth. Jake Seeley references a manager who successfully started two tight ends, like Darren Waller during his breakout year, in a flex-heavy lineup. Brandon Funston shares a draft scenario where, in a standard three-wide-receiver setup, he chose Chris Olave over Rhamondre Stevenson due to positional need. He contrasts this with a more flexible format where he could have simply taken the better player, Stevenson. They examine the "double bell cow" or "double hero" running back strategy, where a manager drafts two elite running backs early. Seeley states his ideal combo from the end of the first round would be Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb. Funston is more cautious, preferring this approach only if a top back like Christian McCaffrey is paired with a falling star like Chubb or Stevenson in the second round. The group then dissects the "zero running back" strategy, which involves waiting until the fourth or fifth round to select a first running back. Funston expresses strong skepticism toward zero RB, comparing it to starting your season by gambling on the waiver wire. Seeley agrees, noting that successful zero RB historically relied on being the only manager in a league employing that tactic. They identify potential zero RB targets like DeAndre Swift or Jamaal Williams, who carry significant risk. The conversation shifts to wide receiver strategies, debating if the position is deep enough to justify a "late-round WR" approach. Funston argues that running backs in the RB25-35 range were more reliable last year than wide receivers past WR40, making him hesitant to wait on the position. Seeley believes the true "dead zone" for running backs starts after the clear starters, not necessarily in the third round. On quarterbacks, both hosts show a willingness to draft the elite tier (Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes) early, around the second or third round. For late-round targets, they name Geno Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Anthony Richardson, and Russell Wilson as bounce-back candidates. In tight-end-premium leagues, Seeley vehemently opposes the format, arguing it only inflates the top tier without making the position more strategically valuable. For superflex leagues, Seeley's ideal strategy is to secure two quarterbacks within the first four rounds to avoid playing catch-up all season. A memorable insight is Seeley's view that successful waiver wire management for zero RB is overstated, as hit rates are low and people forget the many failed pickups. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdote with strategic analysis for fantasy players. Listeners will appreciate the hosts' candid disagreements and specific examples from recent drafts. This episode is ideal for fantasy managers preparing for drafts who want to hear experts debate roster construction and specific player values. Casual players who prefer simple "best player available" drafting might find the strategic deep-dive less immediately applicable.

As heard by us

A practical draft-strategy debate about elite running backs, wide receiver starts, and when to stay flexible.

Chris Welsh, Brandon Funston, and Jake Seeley frame draft strategy as a set of choices shaped by the board, not a fixed rulebook. They weigh elite running backs against wide receiver starts, explain when RB-RB can pay off, and show how a late-round turn can still leave similar…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a cleaner way to attack the board before your draft gets weird?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast