Draft Strategy: 12th Spot in a 12-team PPR League
Drafting toward the end of the draft can be a difficult thing to navigate, filled with pros and cons. On the one hand, you get back-to-back picks, but you also have to wait a long time between picks. Drafting in the 12th spot also means you, in theory, get the worst first-round pick. Those first few rounds are important when it comes to fantasy football. You can read as many ADP lists, rankings, or advice columns as you want, but in the end, those you draft against will dictate much of what happens. While it’s true that you can’t win your league during the draft, you can make things easier or harder on yourself depending on what you do. This is especially true when it comes to the first few rounds. I’ve already discussed the strategy of this spot in a half-PPR league. The strategy may not change much when jumping to a full PPR league but it does increase the importance of having solid pass catchers. Let’s look at what you may want to do if you’re in this spot, as well as some specific players to target.
Round 1 and Round 2
When you get to the end of the first round you should be looking at players like Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Jonathan Taylor, Puka Nacua, Garrett Wilson, Kyren Williams, and possibly Jahmyr Gibbs. Knowing that you get back-to-back picks and that the drop-off is steep at both RB and WR after the first two rounds, going RB/WR is the best direction here. My preference would be Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs finished as the RB8 in PPR scoring in his rookie season and ranked top 10 among RBs in targets and catches. He also saw his usage in the run game grow as the season went on. If he’s unavailable, I’d pivot to Jonathan Taylor who finished 11th among RBs in PPR points per game last season. In round two, Wilson would be the target. Talent has never been a problem with Wilson who has surpassed 80 catches and 1000 receiving yards in two straight seasons and now gets a healthy Aaron Rodgers. Nacua would have been an option here but with the uncertainty surrounding his knee injury, I prefer Wilson. If he’s gone I’d look to A.J. Brown who has finished top five among WRs in PPR points in his two seasons with the Eagles and now is part of an offense that could be even better with new OC Kellen Moore calling the shots.
Ideal Picks: Jahmyr Gibbs, Garrett Wilson
Next Best: Jonathan Taylor, A.J. Brown
Round 3 and Round 4
Players like Cooper Kupp, Mike Evans, James Cook, Jaylen Waddle, Michael Pittman, and Stefon Diggs should be available here. I’m a fan of the hero-RB strategy in PPR leagues and with Kupp and Waddle available, that’s where I’d go. Nacua, currently dealing with a knee injury, may have supplanted Kupp as the Rams WR1, but the gap between them is not very wide. In 11 games together last season Nacua only out-targeted Kupp 95 to 94 and Kupp was a top 20 wide receiver. Waddle had a down season in 2023 and still finished in the top 25 at the position. Waddle is a perfect bounce-back candidate. He is a young, explosive player who still has WR1 upside. If Kupp and Waddle are gone I’d go with Mike Evans and James Cook. Mike Evans is 30 years old and may not be an exciting pick, but he is a good anchor to any receiving group. He also has a better nose for the end zone than most receivers. After losing Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason, the Bills will be looking for playmakers, and with very few established weapons, Cook should be more involved in both the running game and passing game. A true breakout could be on the horizon.
Ideal Picks: Cooper Kupp, Jaylen Waddle
Next Best: Mike Evans, James Cook
Round 5 and Round 6
If things have fallen right you have one RB and three WRs. That means you should be looking to secure your RB2. My favorite option in this range is James Conner. At 28 years old, Conner looked excellent in 2023, ranking in the top five among RBs in yards per carry and yards after contact. He also finished 13th in PPR formats and should once again be the unquestioned leader of the Arizona backfield. After Conner, this is a good time to hone in on QB. Both Anthony Richardson and Joe Burrow should be available. I prefer Richardson because of his rushing upside. His style of play can lead to injuries, as we saw last season, but it’s not like Burrow has been a paragon of health. Richardson has the potential to finish as the overall QB1. However, if Richardson and Conner are gone I’d turn my sights on Joe Burrow and Tank Dell. Burrow is, for now, healthy and has both the individual talent and talent surrounding him to be a top five QB. Dell is an electric, explosive receiver who has a great connection with his QB. We already saw this connection this preseason when C.J. Stroud hit Dell in stride for a 34-yard TD against the Steelers. With so many weapons on the Texans, the speedy Dell could be open quite a bit.
Ideal Picks: James Conner, Anthony Richardson
Next Best: Joe Burrow, Tank Dell
Round 7 and Round 8
By the time you get to rounds seven and eight, I would be punting the tight-end position. My favorite targets in this range are Raheem Mostert and Diontae Johnson. Mostert is coming off a career-best season where he finished third among RBs in PPR points per game. At 32 years old, there are obvious durability concerns but as long as he is on the field he should be an absolute steal. With Johnson, the major worry is the QB throwing him the ball. Bryce Young had an ugly rookie season. But Johnson has a penchant for getting open and should dominate targets in the Carolina offense. If Young can improve in year two then Johnson could be a great value. If neither of them are available I would look to Giants RB Devin Singletary and Titans WR Calvin Ridley. The Giants like to run the ball and Singletary should get most of the work. Ridley got big free-agent money from Tennessee and will be in a pass-happy offense where he could be the No. 1 target. Will Levis is a reason to temper expectations, but if Ridley and Levis develop a consistent connection it could pay big dividends.
Ideal Picks: Raheem Mostert, Diontae Johnson
Next Best: Devin Singletary, Calvin Ridley
Late Rounds/Recap
Now you should be looking to select your tight end and fill out your roster for depth. Depending on the number of bench spots you have, targeting one of the top two rookie QBs (Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels) could prove fruitful later in the season if Richardson (or Burrow) falters or gets injured. The tight-ends you’ll be deciding between are Dallas Goedert at the eight-nine turn or someone like Pat Freiermuth at the end of round 11. Because I don’t see much difference between the two and actually believe Freiermuth could end up having the better season I’d wait and take Freiermuth. The rest of your bench should consist of depth pieces and high-upside players who have the potential to develop into weekly contributors as the season develops or if there is an injury to a starter ahead of them. Some names to look for are Tyjae Spears, Christian Watson, Jerome Ford, Jakobi Meyers, Ladd McConkey, Zach Charbonnet, and Ja’Lynn Polk. Then use your last two picks on your defense and kicker. Happy drafting.
Filed under: Free Articles
