Fantasy Football AMA Recap: MarShawn Lloyd, Superflex strategy, Yahoo Expert League Draft among topics
You're heading into your draft this weekend and you need all the advice you can get. That's where we come in. Yahoo fantasy football analyst Joel Smyth joined the Yahoo Discord channel for an AMA on Wednesday afternoon. He answered questions pertaining to upcoming drafts. Check out the recap below.
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Question: What RB has a favorable home stretch the last six games?
Smyth: A few that I know. Bijan Robinson, whole second half of the season is a crazy-good schedule from what it looks like right now, and Jeremiyah Love's playoff schedule as well. Saquon Barkley's up until the playoffs is another to add to Jonathan Taylor, some of the top RBs, which is nice. Hopefully those extremes stick!
Question: Who's a better start in the flex spot in a Full-PPR league: Packers RB MarShawn Lloyd or Titans WR Carnell Tate?
Smyth: For Week 1, I'd say Lloyd, he got 100% of the work without Josh Jacobs in the preseason when playing with Jordan Love/the starters, I'd rather take that then Tate's first game after a rough preseason.
Question: Hey Joel, just wanted to know what your ideal draft looks like, at least for the first five or so rounds, in a Superflex league? Let's say you're picking middle of the first round, who do you take first?
Smyth: Some depends on format, QB more important by an underrated amount in 12-team leagues, and more important in half-PPR. In general my top seven would be Josh Allen, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Lamar Jackson, Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua and Drake Maye. General plan I like is to get two QBs through four rounds in 12-team leagues, but don't love going QB-QB to start as it limits your opportunities to take the value that falls to you. Can usually have a great QB value fall in your lap in R3-5. Think the high volume QB2s are money, Bo Nix, Brock Purdy, late-round Tyler Shough fits. I'd focus on RB/WR/QB primarily though, trying to have at least one elite RB in the first couple rounds, and going from there.
Subscribe to Fantasy Ultra to unlock our Strategy Lab, 150+ page Draft Playbook and more!Question: Tee Higgins or Jaylen Waddle?
Smyth: It's a tough one, I have them right next to each other in the positional and big board rankings. Close enough where I'd say Waddle in PPR, Higgins in half-PPR, but I think both are great picks for where they're going in the early fourth round.
Question: I just traded James Cook III and Rhamondre Stevenson for Christian McCaffrey in a 10-team PPR league with two flex spots. Thoughts?
Smyth: I'm okay with it, it's better in a 10-team league where depth is much easier. I like Stevenson but it's a trade that could easily win the league if CMC is just his normal self this season.
Question: I'm in a Half-PPR league and have the ninth pick out of 10. Would you recommend trying to double up on positions or would you say spreading between positions in the stronger play? Do you try to go get a QB-WR pairing or just take it if it falls in your lap?
Smyth: I think in most scenarios RB-RB is best for end of R1 picks. Just the way the board falls. Late R3-R4 WRs are much better than RBs, and I think landing two of the top-12 RBs sets you up really well and gives you that positional value. I often like my teams a lot better when i'm trying to search for late-round WRs I like rather than RBs.
For Question 2: I'm more of a if it falls in your lap guy. I don't avoid it if it happens if there's a solid combo of good offense/not too injury prone/not drafted super early... aka I'd rather take Omarion Hampton/Ladd McConkey than Trey McBride/Jeremiyah Love.
Question: How do you like your team from the Yahoo Expert League Draft? Do you see the Lions signing or trading for anyone to backup Jahmyr Gibbs?
Smyth: I feel overall solid, think I have a better than average team for the league, but with it being strong competition, nobody has a stacked/crazy roster. Giants' duo of Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo scares me, but I thought the value was there. Gibbs without a RB2 is insane, I'd expect the Lions to bring in someone, but doubt they take much meaningful work. Would expect a signing rather than a trade.
Question: Any chance that Mike Evans, Davante Adams or DK Metcalf return value this year?
Smyth: I think Adams has the best shot. He wont score a TD per game but think he can easily be a top-24 WR and valuable. It's scary how little receiving yards he had in 2025, but the Rams offense is amazing and he's still great at what they ask of him.
Evans, yes, if healthy, which is just a massive "if." I'm not drafting much of the SF offense just bc it's hard to be valuable if you're missing games and a high chance of missing early season or playoff games. Metcalf .... he can hit ADP. Is he going to be a fantasy WR2 and actually have value or help win? I just don't see it. He had 99 targets as the clear WR1 last season in Pittsburgh. His role in the offense/with Rodgers means he's not going to be a high target player, now they add Michael Pittman Jr., and Rodgers doesn't throw down field at 42 years old. It's just a low floor low ceiling pick when there's still players on the board that can be X-Factors.
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