Man, figuring out fantasy football drafts is always a headache, right? This year, I was really torn between Ja’Marr Chase and Austin Ekeler. Both are beasts, but in totally different ways. So, I dove into some serious research to make the best choice.
The Research Rabbit Hole
First, I looked at their stats from last year. Ekeler was a scoring machine, especially in PPR leagues, with all those receptions. Chase, well, he’s Chase. He can explode for huge games any given week. Both solid, but I needed more to make up my mind.
Then I started checking out mock drafts. Seeing where these guys were generally going helped me get a feel for their perceived value. I noticed Chase often went a bit earlier, but Ekeler was never far behind. Still not making it any easier!
- Read tons of articles. Seriously, tons.
- Listened to fantasy football podcasts while I was at the gym.
- Talked it over with my buddies.
Pro and cons
After spending hours looking, reading and learning from the pros. I decided to create a list of pros and cons. With Ekeler I was thinking:
- Super consistent, especially in PPR.
- Tons of targets in the passing game.
- Proven track record of touchdowns.
- But…he’s a running back, and those guys get injured a lot.
For Chase:
- Unbelievable talent.
- Part of a high-powered offense.
- Big-play potential every single week.
- But…maybe a little more reliant on touchdowns than Ekeler’s receptions?
The Verdict (For Me)
Honestly, it was a super tough call. I kept going back and forth. But in the end, for my specific league, I decided to go with Chase. My league is only half-PPR, so Ekeler’s reception advantage wasn’t quite as huge. Also, I already had some solid, dependable running backs, so I felt like I could take the (slightly) bigger risk with Chase’s upside. That being said, the whole way through the draft, I was thinking, “man, hope I don’t regret this” and I am sure someone picked up Ekeler and is super pumped!
It all comes down to your league settings, your risk tolerance, and your gut feeling. There’s no truly “wrong” answer between these two. Good luck with your drafts, everyone!
