An Introduction To The Running Back Dead Zone (2021 Fantasy ...

So let’s dive in.Reminder to feel free to reach out on Twitter with questions anytime.Legitimately thrilled to announce that I'll be adding the role of "NFL Expert" to my responsibilities at @FantasyPros this season 🏈Expert notes (like the one below), featured articles, and rankings are all coming your way pic.twitter.com/aaCRvnjZzf— Brendan Tuma (@toomuchtuma) June 11, 2021Get expert advice during your draft with our fantasy football draft software >>The term “RB Dead Zone” is the latest trend among fantasy analysts. However, like the two aforementioned draft strategies, the lessons of the dead zone is rooted in data.We all know how important running backs are in fantasy football. Conversely, WR scoring doesn’t plummet until pick 50, and even then it isn’t that harsh of a drop-off until a couple of rounds later.In fact, it’s the history of WR production in Rounds 3-6 that makes avoiding the RB Dead Zone a draft strategy in the first place. So put it altogether and starting a draft with two stud RBs before hammering receivers in the Dead Zone puts you at a statistical advantage over your opponents.(Note: There’s some nuance needed when it comes to the elite tight ends and quarterbacks, which we will cover in future articles on this topic).You might still be questioning whether or not it actually makes sense to punt fantasy’s most important position with so many early-round selections. Again, that graph again includes data from the past six years.You might now be asking yourself “which running backs fit into the Dead Zone for 2021?” or “which wide receivers should I target in these rounds instead?” I’ll have followup pieces on both of these questions.