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Fantasy: Strategy for drafting at the end of the round

Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2016 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

In this three-part series, theScore's fantasy editors break down the best ways to approach your draft depending on where you're selecting in the round.

Draft Position

Here's a look at how you can attack your draft if you've been assigned one of the final four picks in a 12-team standard scoring league.

Average draft position (ADP) data courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.

Round 1

Picks: 1.09-1.12

A rookie in the first round, are you crazy? We haven't seen much of Ezekiel Elliott, but his preseason debut confirmed everything we believed.

The Cowboys' offensive line is the best group of blockers in the league, and can augment the talents of any running back. Elliott has great vision and quickness, and can get more than just what's blocked for him. Being fully aware of all that, the Cowboys will lean on their running game to take the pressure off Mr. Glass Tony Romo.

If the hype around Elliott causes him to be drafted earlier in the first round, you can set your sights on Lamar Miller or David Johnson.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st

Round 2

Picks: 2.01-2.04

Coming away from the first two rounds without a receiver would be a risky game to play, so potential top-10 wideouts like Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, or, if we get some positive reports on his health, Jordy Nelson should be your targets after going RB at the end of the first round.

There's a chance you might get lucky and have Allen Robinson fall to you in the second round, but since his ADP is 2.01, we'll assume he's been selected.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd

Round 3

Picks: 3.09-3.12

There's a notable drop in value for running backs late in the third round, making it easy to focus on building up our receiving corps.

The Packers' offense is set for a major bounce-back year with Jordy Nelson returning from a torn ACL. Unfortunately, Nelson won't be available at this point in the draft, but his teammate, Randall Cobb, makes a quality WR2 in real life and fantasy.

Cobb was miscast as a No. 1 receiver in Nelson's absence, so it's safe to expect his numbers and overall efficiency to be restored, leading to something closer to his 2014 marks, when he had more than 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd

Round 4

Picks: 4.01-4.04

We want to come out of the first four rounds with a rock-solid core, which should consistently carry our team week to week.

Once again, the running back options carry too much uncertainty, highlighted by Carlos Hyde, DeMarco Murray, and Matt Forte. It's possible they emerge as reliable RB2s, but you can also envision a scenario in which they're stuck in timeshares or sidelined once again with injuries.

Jeremy Maclin faces no threat to be unseated as the Chiefs' top receiver, giving him a high floor. His numbers could actually increase this year, since the Kansas City defense might struggle if Justin Houston misses time, forcing the offense into shootouts.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th

Round 5

Picks: 5.09-5.12

Some fantasy owners don't like stacking players from the same team on their roster in re-draft leagues, but if both players are reliable weapons, there's no reason to actively avoid it.

Travis Kelce's numbers have been eerily similar over the last two years, with more than 800 yards and exactly five touchdowns in both seasons. Those are steady mid-level TE1 stats in fantasy, but there's an opportunity for a lot more.

If the Chiefs' defense does take a step back, as discussed above, Kelce and Maclin would be the two main beneficiaries. Kelce has a Gronk-like skill set, giving him top-three upside at the position if Andy Reid decides to unleash him.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th

Round 6

Picks: 6.01-6.04

We can't wait any longer before securing an RB2, and, as discussed in the second article of this series, Frank Gore is one of the better running back values in the middle rounds.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
RB2 Frank Gore 6th
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th

Round 7

Picks: 7.09-7.12

With the bulk of the roster in place, we should be in search of a high-upside running back, someone who could have a breakout season if everything went right for them.

Ameer Abdullah flashed superstar ability at times during his rookie season, but also had trouble with ball security, leading to an underwhelming campaign. In Year 2, he's been working his way back from a shoulder injury, but the coaching staff has been talking him up since March.

Theo Riddick will be a factor in the receiving game, and Zach Zenner appears to be the short-yardage hammer, but Abdullah is a far more talented player than anyone in the Lions' backfield, and that'll be even more evident in 2016.

Roster Player Round
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
RB2 Frank Gore 6th
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th
Bench Ameer Abdullah 7th

Round 8

Picks: 8.01-8.04

Eli Manning is coming off a career-high 35-touchdown season, and has more weapons than ever at his disposal. Rookie Sterling Shepard could give the Giants a legitimate secondary threat to pair with Odell Beckham, while Will Tye and Larry Donnell offer outlets at tight end.

Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo had so much success with Manning and Company that he was promoted to head coach. His affect on Manning can't be understated, and he'll continue to help the veteran quarterback reach new heights.

Roster Player Round
QB1 Eli Manning 8th
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
RB2 Frank Gore 6th
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th
Bench Ameer Abdullah 7th

Round 9

Picks: 9.09-9.12

Sometimes we can be fooled by preseason performances, but Christine Michael's "awakening" seems to be real.

We have yet to see Thomas Rawls in action this year as he recovers from an ankle injury, but if he stumbles out the gate, or suffers another injury at any point this season, Michael will be there to pick up his carries. And maybe, just maybe, he'll steal the job from Rawls.

Roster Player Round
QB1 Eli Manning 8th
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
RB2 Frank Gore 6th
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th
Bench Ameer Abdullah 7th
Bench Christine Michael 9th

Round 10

Picks: 10.01-10.04

All the talk through training camp suggests Devin Funchess is ready to be a major contributor to the Panthers' offense. It's clear Kelvin Benjamin isn't going to dominate targets like he did in his rookie season, so taking a late flier on Funchess seems more than worthwhile.

Roster Player Round
QB1 Eli Manning 8th
RB1 Ezekiel Elliott 1st
RB2 Frank Gore 6th
WR1 Brandon Marshall 2nd
WR2 Randall Cobb 3rd
WR3 Jeremy Maclin 4th
TE1 Travis Kelce 5th
Bench Ameer Abdullah 7th
Bench Christine Michael 9th
Bench Devin Funchess 10th

Late Rounds

As usual, the late rounds should be focused on boom-or-bust running backs and wide receivers who could become starters if the script goes according to plan for them. Handcuffing RBs isn't something you need to go out of your way to do, but with so much invested in Elliott, it's not a bad idea to secure Alfred Morris in the 11th round.

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