Here’s a dry run of draft expectations when holding the No. 7 pick in a 12-team mixed roto league, specifically working off an ESPN.com mock draft (March 12), the Average Draft Position report from Fantasy Pros … and our fluid positional rankings for 2020 (below).
POSITIONAL FANTASY RANKINGS
TOP 40 STARTING PITCHERS
TOP 25 FIRST BASEMEN
TOP 30 SHORTSTOPS
TOP 25 SECOND BASEMEN
TOP 30 THIRD BASEMEN
TOP 20 CATCHERS
TOP 50 OUTFIELDERS
For the sake of brevity … we’ll cut off the options portion of this exercise at Round 18.
My only prerequisites: a) Get value at every turn … and b) snag six offensive players within the first eight picks.
Round 1, Pick 7 overall—Best overall player
First option: OF Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Second option: SS Trevor Story, Rockies
Third option: SS Francisco Lindor, Indians
Round 2, Pick 18 overall—Best overall player
First option: 3B Anthony Rendon, Angels
Second option: 3B Rafael Devers, Red Sox
Third option: SP Max Scherzer, Nationals
Round 3, Pick 31 overall—Best overall player or middle infielder
First option: SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
Second option: 2B Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres
Third option: 2B/SS Gleyber Torres, Yankees
Round 4, Pick 42 overall—Most accomplished versatile hitter
First option: 2B/SS/OF Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
Second option: 3B/OF Kris Bryant, Cubs
Third option: 1B Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals
Round 5, Pick 55 overall—Best overall player
First option: RP Josh Hader, Brewers
Second option: OF Eloy Jimenez, White Sox
Third option: 3B Eugenio Suarez, Reds
Round 6, Pick 66 overall—Best starting pitcher or middle infielder
First option: SP Zack Greinke, Astros
Second option: SS Marcus Semien, Athletics
Third option: SS Aldaberto Mondesi, Royals
Round 7, Pick 79 overall—Best outfielder or starting pitcher
First option: OF Jorge Soler, Royals
Second option: OF Victor Robles, Nationals
Third option: SP Tyler Glasnow, Rays
Round 8, Pick 90 overall—Best corner infielder or starting pitcher
First option: 3B Josh Donaldson, Twins
Second option: 3B Yoan Moncada, White Sox
Third option: SP Noah Syndergaard, Mets
Round 9, Pick 103 overall—Best available player
First option: C Gary Sanchez, Yankees
Second option: OF Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees
Round 10, Pick 114 overall—Best middle infielder or starting pitcher
First option: SS Tim Anderson, White Sox
Second option: SP Jose Berrios, Twins
Third option: SP Sonny Gray, Reds
Round 11, Pick 127 overall—Best starting pitcher or reliever
First option: SP Mike Soroka, Braves
Second option: RP Raisel Iglesias, Reds
Third option: RP Brandon Workman, Red Sox
Round 12, Pick 138 overall—Best starting pitcher or corner infielder
First option: SP David Price, Dodgers
Second option: 1B/3B Yuli Gurriel, Astros
Third option: SP Max Fried, Braves
Round 13, Pick 151 overall—Best player available
First option: SP Max Fried, Braves
Second option: 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF Danny Santana, Rangers
Round 14, Pick 162 overall—Best corner infielder or starting pitcher
First option: 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF Danny Santana, Rangers
Second option: SP Matthew Boyd, Tigers
Third option: SP Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks
Round 15, Pick 175 overall—Best starting pitcher
First option: SP Matthew Boyd, Tigers
Second option: SP Kenta Maeda, Twins
Third option: SP Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks
Round 16, Pick 186 overall—Best closer available
First option: RP Ian Kennedy, Royals
Second option: RP Hector Neris, Phillies
Third option: RP Carlos Martinez, Cardinals
Round 17, Pick 199 overall—Looking for upside with infielder or outfielder
First option: 1B/3B/OF Hunter Dozier, Royals
Second option: OF Andrew McCutchen, Phillies
Third option: SS/OF Jon Berti, Marlins
Round 18, Pick 210 overall—Best player available
First option: SP Dylan Bundy, Angels
Second option: 3B/OF Tommy Edman, Cardinals
Third option: RP Keone Kela, Pirates
FULL 25-MAN SQUAD
C — Gary Sanchez, Yankees
1B — Yuli Gurriel, Astros
2B — Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
SS — Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
3B — Anthony Rendon, Angels
1B/3B — Josh Donaldson, Twins
2B/SS — Tim Anderson, White Sox
OF — Mookie Betts, Dodgers
OF — Jorge Soler, Royals
OF — Victor Robles, Nationals
OF — Hunter Dozier, Royals
SP — Zack Greinke, Astros
SP — Mike Soroka, Braves
SP — Max Fried, Braves
SP — David Price, Dodgers
SP — Matthew Boyd, Tigers
RP — Josh Hader, Brewers
RP — Ian Kennedy, Royals
RP — Scott Oberg, Rockies
BENCH — 1B/DH Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
BENCH — OF Bryan Reynolds, Pirates
BENCH — 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF Danny Santana, Rangers
BENCH — SP Dylan Bundy, Angels
BENCH — SP Michael Kopech, White Sox
BENCH — OF Jo Adell, Angels