PPR tiers and commentary about specific upside players in each round.

Every year for the past three, Sigmund Bloom and I have discussed our desire to present more nuanced draft plans that are still easy for readers to grasp. A snap shot of what’s going on in our brains without the page looking like jumbo jet’s instrument panel that has come to life in a horror movie.

This is my third update of my PPR tiers this month. This week, I examine high-upside plays within each tier. These players offer game-changing potential beyond their current position in life within my rankings.

ABOUT MY TIERS

My 2015 tiers have greater subtlety of detail than previous incarnations. It’s not a fully realized fantasy TripTik. I’m not sure it will ever be.

One of the differences between my tiers and others is that I ordered the players by ADP rather than my ranking. As you read on, you’ll begin to understand how these tiers will help you identify multiple, successful ways to build a competitive roster. They also share a thought process and a method for organizing rankings:

• My rankings (MW).
• Average draft position (ADP).
• Round Value (Value):
  • Rx (x equals the round value based on my rankings).
  • Par (my rankings and ADP are within 12 picks for the first 6 rounds; within 24 picks for rounds 7-20).
• How I value each player’s potential this year (Class):
  • U = Underrated – A greater talent than many analysts and fans regard him.
  • S = Safe – A combination of talent, opportunity, and scheme that limits his downside.
  • BB = Boom-Bust – Talent, opportunity, and/or scheme presents high upside, but equal downside.
  • LC = Low Ceiling – Talent, opportunity, and/or scheme presents limited upside.
  • H = High Upside – Talent, opportunity, and scheme presents high upside.
• Color-coded tiers/values – My tiers are ordered by ADP and the tier headings are color coded. Players are also color coded to match the tier where I value them. For instance, Marshawn Lynch has an ADP of 13, which places him in the Round 2 tier. I value him as a Round 1 player (No.4) overall. Lynch’s info is highlighted the same color as the Round 1 tier heading although he’s listed in the Round 2 tier.

Before I share the tiers, let’s review relationships among players based on my value of them relative to their ADP. Learning more about these value exchanges should help you formulate draft options that integrate my views with yours. Getting faimilar with these player relationships should also make the tiers more useful.

Rounds 1-2

How can there be hidden upside this high in a draft? Trust me brothers and sisters, there often is. It’s often the picks at the turn that are the sweetest. I still have pleasant memories of having my pick of rookie Edgerrin James, prime Eddie George, and first-year Ram Marshall Faulk at the turn of a draft that led to a dominant season. It just edged prime Jerry Rice and ascending Terrell Davis a couple of years prior.

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