THE NEWS of Lachie Whitfield gaining FWD status in AFL Fantasy for 2020 when a number of premium players lost it boosted his stocks in Fantasy Classic, but he could be more important in Fantasy Draft.
Looking ahead to the thousands of Drafts that will be held in February and March, it is likely that Brodie Grundy will be the consensus No.1 selection. Last season he had an ADP (average draft pick) of No.1 and it proved to be the right call as he was the top scorer of the season and averaged 11 points more than the next best ruckman, Max Gawn.
Since the announcement of Whitfield’s DPP (dual-position player), the Giant has bolted into being the obvious choice at pick two.
Although 2019 was only Whitfield’s second season averaging 100 or more and it was his career high by a significant margin, what makes the 25-year-old worthy of pick two is that he averaged 16 points more than the next best eligible forward.
Following the first two picks, the selections are most likely going to be midfielder heavy, especially in leagues with captains on. These will be headed by proven premiums such as Jack Macrae and Adam Treloar.
Where Tom Mitchell falls is going to be a huge talking point over summer.
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The record holder for most points in a season is returning after a year out due to a broken leg last pre-season. Some may rank the Hawk within the top three picks, while others may be happy for him to slide because of the unknown of how he may come back after 12 months out of the game.
You can throw a blanket over a lot of premium midfielders – especially those with a potential to average between 105-115 points. These selections are unlikely to make or break your season, but picking a reliable player to lead your engine room in the first or second round is super-important.
Strategy as to where Max Gawn and Jake Lloyd are taken will dictate a lot about how the first couple of rounds play out considering some will argue that they are approximately 10 points per week better than the next best players in their respective positions.
Possible top 10 Draft selections in 2020
1. Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) RUC
2. Lachie Whitfield (GWS) MID/FWD
3. Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs) MID
4. Adam Treloar (Collingwood) MID
5. Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn) MID
6. Max Gawn (Melbourne) RUC
7. Josh Dunkley (Western Bulldogs) MID
8. Zach Merrett (Essendon) MID
9. Tim Taranto (GWS) MID
10. Jake Lloyd (Sydney) DEF
The draft isn’t won or lost in the first couple of rounds. No matter deep your League is, some of the picks from the latter rounds will have an influence on Fantasy Draft success.
Coaches should highlight potential sleepers in the lead-up to Draft day. The list of new positions for 2020 has thrown up some names that could help you get a leg up over your opposition.
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Going into the new season as a 32-year-old, Nathan Jones’ Fantasy days are on the decline and was almost undraftable as a Fantasy midfielder. Now, with DEF/MID status, he has some relevancy for Draft coming in as a top 50 defender.
Andrew Brayshaw has been earmarked for a breakout season as he may spend more time in Fremantle’s midfield in his third season. He is listed as a MID/FWD and would be worth a look well before his ADP.
Other DPPs to consider due to 2020 position
Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton) DEF/MID
Devon Smith (Essendon) MID/FWD
Blake Acres (Fremantle) MID/FWD
Jack Steven (Geelong Cats) MID/FWD
Hugh Greenwood (Gold Coast) MID/FWD
Bayley Fritsch (Melbourne) DEF/FWD
Paul Ahern (North Melbourne) DEF/MID
Dan Houston (Port Adelaide) DEF/MID
Jordan Dawson (Sydney) DEF/FWD
Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs) MID/FWD
