The Draft as Fantasy Football Intended: Round 5

The fifth round, and with premier options fast falling off of the board, teams now have to be select at wide receiver and running back. There is still plenty of options at other positions with certain positions not expected to go until much later in the draft. Picks 65-80 are here and there may be some players here that surprise you.

Pick 65: The Edinburgh Knights Select Michael Thomas, Wide Receiver, New Orleans

Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A

Injury plagued in 2020, missing the entire season in 2021 due to injury also, Michael Thomas is a gamble for the Edinburgh Knights but one that if it pans out could be a key factor for a New Orleans wide receiver core. It is expected that Michael will command a good share of passing yards however the last time he scored points in fantasy football, Drew Brees was still his quarterback. I doubt that same level of efficiency will be achieved under Jameis Winston but Michael may want to prove the haters wrong this season.

Pick 66: The Galway Tribesmen Select Hunter Renfrow, Wide Receiver, Las Vegas

Points Last Year: 259.1 Points
Average Per Game: 15.2 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 10th
Last Year Rank NFL: 28th

The big factor why Renfrow has dropped this far has to be the inclusion of Davante Adams to the Raiders and I honestly think that won't slow him down that much this season. A weapon at third down, Hunter Renfrow showed characteristics that made him a player in a similar ilk to the likes of Julian Edelman last season, breaking into the top ten on the back of some brilliantly consistent performances. With Waller and Adams, he may be the player that breaks free and make Las Vegas scary. It's a great steal this early for Galway.

Pick 67: The Barry Islanders Select Allen Robinson II, Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams

Points Last Year: 87.0 Points
Average Per Game: 7.3 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 81st
Last Year Rank NFL: 197th

Another player disrupted by injuries last season, Allen Robinson in seasons past has been a monster however expect those levels to be slightly diminished this season. A switch to the superbowl champions away from Chicago should give Barry some hope that the targets will rain in, especially after a pitiful 7.3 points per game. With Los Angeles shedding Robert Woods and Odell Beckham, Robinson should slot in as a WR2 at the team, which in theory should leave Robinson aiming for a top 25 score this season.

Pick 68: The London Steelers Select Adam Thielen, Wide Receiver, Minnesota


Points Last Year: 199.8 Points
Average Per Game: 15.4 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 28th
Last Year Rank NFL: 70th

Yes, Adam Thielen is starting to get on a bit as far as wide receivers go but last season, barring the last 6 games where 4 were sat out and the remaining 2 went for just 8 points, Adam Thielen could still go as an elite fantasy option. Christmas has come early for the London Steelers who know as a WR2 supporting Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen is poised to have another great points per game year, where if healthy, is a clear top 10 candidate. Absolute gem of a pick at 68.

Pick 69: The Dundee Spinners Select Drake London, Wide Receiver, Atlanta


Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A

The rookie out of USC is a nice pick at 69. Atlanta desperately need the help at wide receiver and London looks poised to take a role on every down of football. Versitile through his college tenure, he moved from being a slot player to a perimiter player last season before a broken ankle stopped his progress and on top of that, he has been able to find plays in tough games too, having had a 38% target rate with the trojans when active last season. Dundee take probably the best wide out rookie in class this year and might get some good points because of it.

Pick 70: The Cork City Rebels Select Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, Baltimore


Points Last Year: 239.98 Points
Average Per Game: 20.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 16th
Last Year Rank NFL: 41st

This is the quarterback that everyone in fantasy looks for. They can run, they can pass, they are points machines. In a season where Lamar missed 5 games to injury, along with a deceptive 1.18 score in week 14, here is someone who consistently had a great floor and an even better ceiling. The Cork City Rebels stop a draft run of 6 straight wide receivers and they will be sorted at quarterback with a player hotly tipped for a MVP season. Who Lamar throws to may be the only issue with him this season.

Pick 71: The Nottingham Sheriffs Select Dalton Schultz, Tight End, Dallas


Points Last Year: 208.8 Points
Average Per Game: 12.3 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 3rd
Last Year Rank NFL: 64th

Dalton Schultz became one of the most dependent Tight Ends in the league last season in Dallas and Nottingham get another solid option to their side. In a side where the wide out talent was talked about the most, 8 touchdowns and a consistent 6 targets a game early on set out the blueprint for how he would be used. A similar season would still be great for him and on top of that, no Amari Cooper should mean more targets going his way. I like the pick but the only issue may be touchdown dependency.

Pick 72: The Swansea Smelters Select JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver, Kansas City


Points Last Year: 34.8 Points
Average Per Game: 7.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A

When JuJu broke out in 2018, many looked at him as a direct replacement for Antonio Brown at Pittsburgh. Flash forward to now, turbulence with management, with injuries and with tiktok dancing on team embelms, A move to Kansas City may be a blessing in disguise for him and for Swansea. With uncertainty over who the best wide out option is at arrowhead, if JuJu can find the form he had as a rookie, he could be a fierce choice as a player. As the third wide receiver for Swansea, this is the right time to pick him.

Pick 73: The Birmingham Bulls Select DeVonta Smith, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia


Points Last Year: 185.6 Points
Average Per Game: 10.9 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 30th
Last Year Rank NFL: 80th

DeVonta Smith looked like a decent option through his opening campaign, managing to score decently until production began to slant at the end of the season. Somewhat held back in fantasy value by being on a heavy rush team, his stock will also take a hit with the introduction of A.J. Brown into the mix. Still, there are going to be opportunities for a player who still managed 5 touchdowns last season. This is a decent selection for the Birmingham Bulls and one that will be interesting to keep tabs on moving forward.

Pick 74: The Belfast Giants Select Rashod Bateman, Wide Receiver, Baltimore


Points Last Year: 103.5 Points
Average Per Game: 8.6 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 70th
Last Year Rank NFL: 179th

A rookie last season, Rashod Bateman missed the opening five games and did a solid job for his opening outing. Nothing too flashy about his run forward, most of his looks at points came with the absence of Lamar Jackson, with a career best 17.3 points in week 14. Bateman is expected to get a much increased pashing share with the absence of Hollywood Brown and Sammy Watkins, so for Belfast, a pick on paper that seems a little thin actually has a lot of substance behind it. Good pick.

Pick 75: The Glasgow Pipers Select Garrett Wilson, Wide Receiver, New York Jets


Points Last Year: 0.0 Points
Average Per Game: 0.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: N/A
Last Year Rank NFL: N/A

The rookie out of THE Ohio State University, (yes, I did puke in my mouth a little writing that,) goes at 75 which means Glasgow are hopeful on the Wilson to Wilson connection. Seldom dropping the rock in college, it is expected that Garrett will slot in as either the WR1 or WR2 option alongside Elijah Moore and make some good progress early on. There will be competition for the starting spots at the Jets however I think the Pipers have made an astute play here.

Pick 76: The Newport Coal Miners Select Kareem Hunt, Running Back, Cleveland


Points Last Year: 110.0 Points
Average Per Game: 13.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 49th
Last Year Rank NFL: 165th

Kareem Hunt looked great for the first six games of the season, but outside of those, he only played twice more all season. The most effective 1-2 rushing punch in the NFL, there aren't many RB2's that get a fifth round pick and Kareem is one of them. Averaging a touchdown a game for the first 5 games of the season, if Kareem can stay healthy for Newport, this could be money all day long. How much time he'll get with the ball will be interesting too, so this has a natural risk attached to it.

Pick 77: The Bristol Buccaneers Select Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Running Back, Kansas City


Points Last Year: 117.6 Points
Average Per Game: 11.8 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 44th
Last Year Rank NFL: 157th

Clyde Edwards-Helaire to some respects may be fortunate to still have the starting role in Kansas City with the emergence of Jerrick McKinnon last season in his absence. Clyde's points haul was solid, showing promise early with back to back 100 yard performances but with those results, he still didn't manage to break 20 points during the campaign. He has decent utility at this stage of the running back pool for the Bristol Buccaneers but when the offence is pass first, there will only be so many chances for him.

Pick 78: The Cardiff Dragons Select Damien Harris, Running Back, New England


Points Last Year: 210.1 Points
Average Per Game: 14.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 14th
Last Year Rank NFL: 52nd

The Patriots finally get a player off the board with Damien Harris being a smash and grab for Cardiff. Having a 15 touchdown season last year, Harris was able to go under the radar behind a resolute defence and a rookie quarterback. Damien Harris should get some similar work this season but it is a little weakness knowing there won't be many passes out of the back to him. This finalises running backs for Cardiff, and their roster may be the only one with 4 RB1's this season.

Pick 79: The Dublin Brewers Select Kyler Murray, Quarterback, Arizona


Points Last Year: 300.48 Points
Average Per Game: 21.5 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 10th
Last Year Rank NFL: 19th

By NFL standards, he may be the size of a fifth grader but with a bumper contract and weapons for days, Kyler Murray just has to stay healthy to reap the rewards of a Cliff Kingsbury offence. With Hollywood Brown and Zach Ertz initially to throw to, and after week 6, De'Andre Hopkins, naturally with most early selected quarterbacks, mobility is a huge bonus for him and for Dublin. Only once did he score under 10 points last season, which means a high floor. High floor good. Study clause bad. No more study clause.

Pick 80: The Aberdeen Oilers Select Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas


Points Last Year: 320.56 Points
Average Per Game: 20.0 Points
Last Year Rank Position: 7th
Last Year Rank NFL: 13th

Backup to Mahomes for the Oilers, Aberdeen have their quarter-Dak. Prescott's Dallas run last season was a mix of great performances and some downright average ones, going through a mid to late stretch of only 11 points a game. Still, there is tremendous upside to Dak Prescott when he finds his passing feet. CeeDee Lamb will be the main target along with Dalton Schultz and Michael Gallup. Dak can be accused of eating too many Butterfingers however. 6 fumbles last season will be an alarming stat for Aberdeen.

Five rounds down, and twelve more to go, let's see how the statistics line up for both position and for team.

Round 5 By Position:
Wide Receiver: 9
Quarterback: 3
Running Back: 3
Tight End: 1

Round 5 By NFL Team:
Baltimore: 2
Dallas: 2
Kansas City: 2
New Orleans: 1
Las Vegas: 1
Los Angeles Rams: 1
Minnesota: 1
Atlanta: 1
Philadelphia: 1
New York Jets: 1
Cleveland: 1
New England: 1
Arizona: 1

Overall By Position:
Wide Receiver: 38
Running Back: 30
Tight End: 6
Quarterback: 6

Overall By NFL Team:
Buffalo: 4
Los Angeles Chargers: 4
Baltimore: 4
Dallas: 4
Kansas City: 4
Las Vegas: 4
Cincinnati: 3
Denver: 3
San Francisco: 3
Tampa Bay: 3
Los Angeles Rams: 3
Minnesota: 3
Atlanta: 3
Philadelphia: 3
Cleveland: 3
Arizona: 3
Miami: 2
Carolina: 2
Indianapolis: 2
Pittsburgh: 2
Detroit: 2
Washington: 2
Chicago: 2
Seattle: 2
New Orleans: 2
New York Jets: 2
Tennessee: 1
Green Bay: 1
New York Giants: 1
Houston: 1
Jacksonville: 1
New England: 1

Check back in for regular updates as more rounds get chalked off in the Draft as Fantasy Football Intended for Fantasy Football as ESPN Intended. Artwork was illustrated by Althea Charlie. Round 6 will mark the one-third's distance in the draft. We will map out how teams have drafted so far next time out!