Fantasy Football Draft Strategy by Round

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy by Round

A good fantasy football draft strategy is elemental to winning your league, and knowing which round to pick each player is just as important. You need to know all about the average draft position and ensure that the player you are drafting is worth the pick. We did our own fantasy football mock draft to showcase where you might find some of the players you want. Ultimately, it all comes down to where you pick and what players are the best fit for your team.

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Round 1

Don't overthink this. Take the best player available. Whether you have the third pick or the seventh pick in your fantasy football draft, you still need to be ready to adjust. Eight elite wide receivers, including Ceedee Lamb and Amon-Ra St. Brown, could jettison your team to the top. If you get the first pick, you choose Christian McCaffrey. If you get anything after that, there is some wiggle room.

Round 2

This is where you pick the best player available. If you picked Lamb, St. Brown, or JaMarr Chase in the first round, you may want a running back in the second round. Someone like De'Von Achane or Isiah Pacheco would be good options, as they are both projected to be mid-to-late second-round picks.

Round 3

When you are in the third round, you want to start stacking your team. I like to target the best tight end or running back. If Sam LaPorta is available, grab him. Having one wide receiver, one running back, and one tight end would be the ultimate balancing act. However, if LaPorta and Travis Kelce are both gone, then snagging someone like running back James Cook or wide receiver Nico Collins would not be bad options. Cook had his best season last year, rushing for 1122 yards and two touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry rate while also catching 44 passes for four scores. There is so much potential for more, especially now that Josh Allen has lost his top two targets.

Round 4

If you have nabbed a running back, wide receiver, and tight end, then you can take the best player available. There are a plethora of good players available in the fourth round. Personally, I want to strengthen my wide receivers or running backs and wait for a quarterback. This means I am likely grabbing someone like Joe Mixon or DeVonte Smith to fortify my team. If you have not yet secured a tight end, then you would snag Trey McBride or Mark Andrews to be your top guy.

Round 5

Never underestimate the power of value in the fifth round. This is where you can ideally either start to grab a quarterback or fortify another position. If you go quarterback, go for C.J. Stroud, who we ranked 50th in our ADP rankings. Anthony Richardson would also be a great value, as he is currently 54th on our list. However, if you choose to fortify a position, there are some options. If you want a good running back, D'Andre Swift would be a good bet to become your second back. Likewise, George Pickens would be an excellent choice as your second receiver.

Round 6

By now, you should have at least one running back or two receivers. If you already selected a quarterback in the earlier rounds, you can fill up your needs. Christian Kirk would be the perfect wide receiver to add to your team because he is currently Trevor Lawrence's top target in Jacksonville. Zamir White would be a good option if you need a second running back.

If you still have not picked a quarterback, look for Dak Prescott in this round. Prescott had a sensational season, passing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He wants a new contract and will need to have another good season to secure an extension. Likewise, if you have not picked a tight end yet, then Evan Engram or Kyle Pitts would be good choices. Engram had another solid season, catching 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 13.5 fantasy points per game. You will take that from a tight end any day.

Round 7

You should have selected two receivers, two running backs, and a tight end by now to balance your team. If you have filled up your skill spots but are still missing a quarterback, go get Jordan Love or Kyler Murray. If neither is available, you can actually wait one more round and add a good depth piece. Someone like Tony Pollard would be a good investment as a third or fourth running back. While he struggled last year, he will be on a team that will focus on running the ball a lot more than the Dallas Cowboys did. Also, don't sleep on Zach Moss, who will start for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Round 8

The eighth round is either about grabbing that particular depth piece or finally securing a quarterback. There are some good gems in this round, such as Jaylen Warren and Xavier Worthy. For Warren, he can run the ball and catch out of the backfield while serving as the change of pace back behind Najee Harris. Meanwhile, Worthy will catch passes from Patrick Mahomes, who will be looking for someone to throw to, thanks to the legal troubles of Rashee Rice and the Marquise Brown injury.

If you still need a quarterback, select Brock Purdy in the eighth round. Purdy was excellent last season, passing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Expect him to have another solid season, especially with guys like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey to throw to.

Round 9

The ninth round is about stacking your team after selecting all your slots. Now, you are building a strong bench. Select Rome Odunze in this round, as the first-round pick will be catching passes from Caleb Williams. This is also where guys like Gus Edwards and Jerome Ford can come in handy to stack your team.

Round 10

You want to leave this round with at least two backups for one of your skill positions. Significantly, there is still good value here as you might find someone like rookie running back Blake Corum or Romeo Doubs. Corum can be a great option, especially if Kyren Williams struggles or suffers an injury. Also, Doubs has generated a good rapport with Jordan Love, especially after catching 59 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

Strategy For The Final Rounds

When completing your team, you want to ensure you have four running backs and four wide receivers. This is important because, eventually, one of your players will suffer an injury. If you have a handcuff for one of your stars, you won't need to worry about trying to claim them on the waiver wire. You may see some people in your league reach for a defense or even a kicker. Don't do that. You can wait until the final three rounds to select a defense or a kicker, knowing that you may end up streaming them anyway.

Recap

There is no one way to draft. Some people employ the zero draft strategy, and it works to perfection. Others will go heavy on the running backs and avoid picking a receiver. Ultimately, the path to a championship starts with a good draft and continues throughout the season as you attempt to add key pieces to your team to help you reach the end.

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