Fantasy Football Draft Strategy 2022 - Drafting from the 5th Spot in a 12 Team Non-PPR League

Mock Draft: From the 5th Spot in a 12-Team Non-PPR League

About a month ago we took a look at drafting in the 6 th spot in standard leagues.  A lot has changed already since then, so we moved a spot up and decided to try it again. Mock drafts are filling up these days, which makes it much more interesting than just drafting against computers.  If you have not been mock drafting already, now is a great time to start.  You may want to take a look at the Standard Rankings page and start making your own rankings based on who you like going into the 2022 season.

Continuing to pick different draft positions is a great way to learn who will be available and will also help you decide which spot you like the best.  So make sure you test out a bunch of different spots!

I spent some time mock drafting in a 12-team Non-PPR (Standard) league and I had the 5 th spot.  Here is a look at the finished draft .  You can also take a look at the overall Standard ADP to get a better understanding of where players are being drafted.

Aim for at Least One Workhorse Back Early

So funnily enough I started almost the exact same as the 6 th spot mock I did a month ago.  I had the choice between Najee Harris and Dalvin Cook and went with Cook, who to me seems a bit less risky.  Then I went with Saquon Barkley, who should be the workhorse back in New York.

Running Backs are a premium in Standard leagues, so obviously you must grab the guys who will be on the field the most.  Pass-catching backs are great, but their catches won’t add anything in this format (besides yardage and touchdowns, of course).

Maybe Grab Your Tight End Earlier

Being in the 5 th spot gave me a unique opportunity when Tight End Mark Andrews fell to me in the third round.  I know I normally spout off about waiting to take QB/TE till later, but with such a high-powered offense and no one to really throw to in Baltimore, taking Andrews here just made the most sense.  He should put up big touchdown numbers, which is huge in standard scoring.

If you don’t feel like reaching for a top guy, at least target a player that should be a top receiving option in their offense (Cole Kmet comes to mind).

Grab Handcuffs

So this advice depends on who you grab the first few rounds.  Paying a 9th-round pick for Alexander Mattison is pretty steep, so I decided to pass on him.  However, he is one of the best handcuffs in the league, so you need to decide if it’s worth paying up for someone who may sit on your bench.

I went with AJ Dillon in the fourth round based on how he will be used and his potential to be the top back if Aaron Jones goes down with an injury.  Isaiah Spiller and Gus Edwards both also have shots to take carries, as well as be league winners if they get thrust into a starting role.

As I’ve stated before, Running Backs on waivers in standard leagues will be hard to come by, so take your shot early on guys you think have the biggest potential to be the lead back at some point in the season.

Look for Wide Receivers on High-Powered Passing Offenses

I think this is still a very valid point, so I’m going to keep it in this article in case you didn’t read my previous Standard mock draft.

Take a look at 2021’s passing offense leaders:

These are the teams that should produce a high volume of passing yards and passing touchdowns again in 2022.  When it comes to standard scoring, yardage and touchdowns are key to having a good team, so try and pass on Wide Receivers who will be on bad offenses.

I went with Chargers Mike Williams, Broncos Courtland Sutton, and Packers Allen Lazard all for this reason.

Wait on QB

I am slowly changing my tune on Tight Ends being drafted late, but I still maintain waiting till after Round Six or Seven for a Quarterback is your best strategy.  Tom Brady is somehow going to throw 59030 touchdowns (ok maybe more like 40-45) but is going in the ninth round.  Trey Lance, who should provide a decent rushing floor, is also going in round nine.  That is a lot cheaper than the other rushing Quarterbacks, who are going in round five.

I went with Russell Wilson here because I believe he will have a nice resurgence in Denver behind a much better offensive line and a more pass-heavy offense.

Long story short, there are plenty of great Quarterbacks who are going in later rounds, leaving you a ton more options in the early rounds to pick up good Running Backs and Wide Receivers.

Try to Stack

Nothing beats watching your Quarterback throw a touchdown to your Wide Receiver, and that is especially huge in Standard scoring.  Now, this may be difficult depending on who you draft, but if you have a Quarterback in mind, you can at least try to plan around it.

For instance, if you draft Patrick Mahomes, you can target JuJu Smith-Schuster in the eighth round.  Or if you like Skyy Moore or MVS better, you can get them even later.  Other times you will have to grab the Wide Receiver first, as is the case with most of the Receivers who go in the first three rounds.  Then it’s really up to you on whether you want the Quarterback.

CeeDee Lamb with Dak Prescott?  Yeah, that sounds pretty good.  Tyreek Hill with Tua Tagovailoa?  Maybe not so much.

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