Drafting from the 12th Spot in a 12-Team PPR League
This week we will be moving all the way from the first spot to the last spot in a PPR mock draft and seeing if that should change your strategy. Mock drafting is starting to get hot once again, with rooms filling up in anticipation for the start of the NFL season. ADP is already changing rapidly as we get news out of training camps, and we will continue to see some wild swings as preseason games start this week. You may want to look at the PPR Rankings page and start making your own rankings based on who you like going into the 2022 season.
I spent some time mock drafting in a 12-team PPR league, and I had the first overall spot. The final results can be seen here . You can take a look at the overall PPR ADP to get a better understanding of where players are being drafted.
Round 1 and 2 Pick of the Litter
Ok so obviously it’s not quite every player available since you are the 12 th pick, but you will find a nice group of players here for your first two picks. There most likely will be a stud Running Back or two left, at least one stud Wide Receiver, and potentially even Tight End Travis Kelce.
That said, it’s up to each individual to choose how they want to start their team. In PPR you may want to grab a stud Wide Receiver like Stefon Diggs. If you are like me, you can’t pass up the opportunity for two workhorse backs who should catch plenty of passes this year: Dalvin Cook and Aaron Jones. No matter what, go into the first round with a basic idea of at least what positions you’d like to come away with.
Reach Reach Reach
Since I started RB/RB, I felt the need to go with some Wide Receivers for my next two picks. I wasn’t in love with Terry McLaurin or D.K. Metcalf (higher ADP than who I went with), so I reached for some guys who I believed wouldn’t make it back to me.
As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, when you are at the beginning/end of the draft order, you are going to have 22 picks between some rounds. That means you’ll probably have to reach for guys who you really want. I reached for Courtland Sutton and Mike Williams, both of who have later round ADPs than where I grabbed them. But that’s the price for drafting from the 12th spot.
Go Into the Draft Knowing What QB/TE You Want
Because we need to reach for most players, it may be a good idea to know what Quarterback and what Tight End you are hoping to end up with. If you want one of the top three QBs or TEs, you will most likely need to grab them in rounds 2-4. By my fifth pick, the top four Tight Ends were off the board, as were the top five Quarterbacks. This just means you’ll have to grab your player target early.
The same applies to later-round players, although if you miss out on your guy at that point there are probably one or two players who are close enough that it won’t hurt too much. Now I had hoped to grab Russell Wilson in this draft to pair with Courtland Sutton, but someone grabbed him two spots ahead of me in the seventh round. This is probably more just someone sniping him from me than having to adjust for future mock drafts.
Adjust Expectations Based on Mock Drafts
Doing mock drafts from the 12 th (and technically the first spot) is a great way to determine how much you’ll have to reach for certain players you want. Going off what I said earlier, Russell Wilson went two picks before me in the seventh round. Do I adjust strategy and grab him with my sixth pick? Or do I have a backup Quarterback in mind (Tom Brady, Trey Lance) who I can scoop up instead?
It's a bit harder with Wide Receivers and Running Backs, but at least with those positions, there are a good amount of other players at the position you can pivot to. Still, if you know you are drafting in the 12 th spot and really want a player, it is a good idea to have a plan on where they typically are drafted and make sure you reach for them in the appropriate round.
Finish the Draft with Some Running Back Sleepers
I think this advice holds true for every draft, but maybe that’s just me. There is a lot of double-digit round Running Backs that are potential boom/bust players. There are rookies like Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City) who are making headlines in training camp and could be a backup in one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. There are guys like Darrell Henderson and Gus Edwards who could take 50% of the carries from their teammates. There are other players like Rachaad White or Jamaal Williams who could take over the backfield if the starter goes down (aka handcuffs).
Since the Wide Receiver position is so deep, you may want to lean towards taking more Running Backs here, since picking the right one can lead you to a league championship, if you hold onto them long enough of course.
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