Midrange android phone on Black Friday

Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather get an older flagship that will be priced similar to a recent mid-range phone, than a mid-range phone. Looking at specs alone, even a 2 year old Note 2 is still better than some of the mid-range offerings. Plus it's getting Lollipop. Getting a mid-range device gives the question of whether it will receive an update or not.