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San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) carries in front of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kyle Wilber (51) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

The bulk of fantasy draft season may still be a few months away, but MFL10 drafts are in full swing, and average draft positions are starting to take shape. If you’re new to MFL10, or “best-ball” drafts, this beginner’s guide by our Pat Thorman is worth a read. Seriously, the guy did seventy-one MFL10 drafts last year!

As with any fantasy format, we can begin earmarking specific players to target in certain rounds. In terms of strategy, there are some key differences in how to approach MFL10 drafts as opposed to a standard redraft league, and which types of players to prioritize. In the most general sense, we’re looking for volume but also want to go for upside over consistency – think high-ceiling Brandin Cooks types over high-floor Pierre Garcon. And with no waiver wire, “zero-RB” strategy has no place in MFL10s, so don’t skimp on those running backs.

Rounds 1-5

For our purposes, any of the usual suspects with a first-round average draft position will do just fine. Let’s say we’re picking in the middle of the first round and selected Mike Evans to get things started. (Players’ current ADPs are given in parentheses. ADPs are from Fantasy Football Calculator, because while we’re discussing MFL10s here, there are other best-ball games and FFC is more applicable.)

RB: Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins (15.8)

Ajayi enjoyed a breakout year in 2016, ranking third out of 53 qualifiers in PFF’s elusive rating metric (76.0) and standing among fantasy’s RB1s at season’s end. Ajayi averaged 3.46 yards after contact per attempt (second-best) and forced a missed tackle once every 4.6 touches. The coaching staff wants to increase Ajayi’s workload, and for a player who eclipsed 200 rushing yards in three separate games after taking over the starting gig in Week 6, that makes for an ideal second-round target in MFL10s.

WR: Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles (31.4)
RB: Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers (31.1)

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