6:41AM ET
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Tristan H. Cockcroft
In fantasy football draft season, few things influence managers’ concerns more than the choice of the annual draft position .
We shouldn’t be bothered to a degree by this drudgery, perhaps because people think a precious first-round pick is important. This is important, and we certainly want to make sure the right choices are made while avoiding costly mistakes. Additionally, the draft order close to the draft itself is further frustrating for managers looking to build around Jonathan Taylor, who have zero chance of getting him if they don’t draw the requisite draft spot.
Well, don’t worry anymore. Each year, in this space, I provide you with a handy roadmap for the first two rounds of the fantasy football draft, outlining the top picks, and presenting the results of subsequent rounds based on your choices. This helps showcase the twists and turns you’ll go through in a standard 10- or 12-team PPR fantasy draft, giving you the best chance of making the smartest choice.
As always, I’ve provided my own recommended picks for the top 20 picks in the 10-team league and 24 picks in the 12-team league.
Draft Slot 1
Round 1 (Total Pick 1): Any top two wide receivers who support Christian McCaffrey or have the No. 1 overall pick One of the arguments is the long shot, as Jonathan Taylor is very clearly ahead of any other player in any single QB fantasy format (Josh Allen is the better of any second quarterback or super-resilient league). choose). Taylor, 23, leads him by nearly 40 points and is likely to repeat his 66.5 percent backcourt share. There is no wiser choice.
Round 2 (10 teams choose 20, 12 teams choose 24-team): With Taylor’s safety and prime, MyTEAM has flexibility in the next two drafts (calculating No. 3 rounds/choice of 21 or 25 options), one of which will almost certainly be wide receiver or tight end. It’s conceivable that CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, Keenan Allen or Mark Andrews (in order of my draft preference) will carry over to this position, especially on a 10-man team, but if there’s an early game, take RB2 to you gift receiving point. Javonte Williams, Leonard Fournette and Aaron Jones Owned It is known to have been selected in the early draft. Saquon Barkley is also a pick in stark contrast to Taylor.
Tristan’s pick: Taylor/Jones (10-team league), Taylor/Barkley (12-team league).
Draft Slot 2
Round 1 (Pick 2) : McCaffrey is the big wild card for the entire 2022 fantasy football draft. His 25.6 PPR fantasy points per game over the past four seasons is to date is the most of any player in any position (at least 40 games) and has scored at least 20 points in 32 of his 38 games, of which he played 30+. You’re not going to get more bang for your buck from the No. 2 overall pick, though once Taylor leaves the board, things will get louder for those top wide receivers. You can’t go wrong with Cooper Kupp or Justin Jefferson, in fact, Jefferson would be my sneaky bold choice at No. 2.
Round 2 (19 from 10 teams, 23 from 12 teams): However, McCaffrey’s risks cannot be ignored, especially given the importance of the first round of investment returns. After all, he’s missed 23 of the Carolina Panthers’ 33 games over the past two seasons. Picking McCaffrey all but guarantees the need for a high-rise second-rounder, and the tough decision is whether to choose the historically safer wide receiver position or the more reliable RB2. Seeing the picks lined up this way, your decision ultimately comes down to who you prefer: McCaffrey, say, Hill; or Koop, and maybe Jones? Remember, in a 10-team league, a fantasy manager has a very real chance to start at McCaffrey-Williams-Hill, the coveted top-three pick.
Tristan’s Choice: McCaffrey/Hill (10-team League), McCaffrey/Allen (12-team League).
Draft slot 3
1st round(3rd Pick): If Koop and Jefferson are close to McCaffrey in value at 2, then one of the three Groups will probably go here. My working assumption is that McCaffrey will be the most common No. 2 pick, in which case I’d see Koop, Jefferson, and best left-back Austin Eckler in your order of preference 3rd to 5th. For me, they’re almost a complete toss up.
Round 2 (18 out of 10 -team, Pick 22 in 12-team): This is where Kupp or Jefferson pays potentially huge dividends. At No. 18, a fantastic manager in a 10-team league has a perimeter chance to keep Joe Mixon, DeAndre Swift or Williams going this far, and that’s going to be one of your draft picks beginning. Even if not, it’s not shabby to be content with Fournette or Jones. Frankly, one of the reasons I like the 3-5 pick is that I have a good chance of getting a good shot at Jefferson and Williams, two of my favorite picks in the first two rounds. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to steal Andrews here, especially in a 12-team league. Tight ends are notorious for being described as “easy to fill” in the final rounds, but what’s often overlooked is the statistical advantage the position’s two best positions offer relative to the rest. Not everyone does, but I have Travis Kelce and Andrews as very obvious first-two-round picks among the 12 teams.
Tristan’s Choice: Koop/Williams (10-team league), Koop/Andrews (12-team league).
Draft Slot 4
First round (draft 4): This is the first place I’ve strayed from the draft based on league depth. Ekeler and Jefferson, So far The two best players to stay on my draft list are high-rise, high-ROI types, but since wide receivers usually fit the latter description best, I tend to be deeper in the league. This is probably your most likely draft position with Jefferson Williams, and for a bigger potential win, a manager at this position in a 12-team league has a very real chance of getting Michael Pitt Mann Jr. or Kyle Pitts in round 3, another potential win.
Round 2 (17 out of 10 -team, Pick 21 in 12-team): This is probably the earliest position 10 team managers should consider 2 tight end Andrews, which may be more important in a league with only a handful of running backs , make sure you can still get Jones, Barkley or Nick Chubb in round 3. I’d recommend picking RB-WR or WR-RB from this position, considering what’s likely to come in round 2.
Tristan’s Choice: Ekeler/Deebo Samuel (10 teams league), Jefferson/Fournette (12 teams league)
Draft slot 5
Round 1 (Choose 5): I’d say I’m in the minority on this, but given that Jefferson didn’t have a 7th pick in the 300+ NFFC drafts this month, I’d stress that you shouldn’t let him sneak past the 5th overall pick in the PPR draft Bit. Assuming Ekeler is gone, the running back you have at your disposal presents too many health-related or team support issues to choose from one of the most important wide receivers in the game. Ekeler brings more character and team stability than Derrick Henry, Najee Harris or Dalvin Cook.
Round 2 (16th pick from 10 teams, 20th pick from 12 teams): The 5th is probably my favorite pick of the 2022 draft, as I expect the talent to drop straight after, whether it’s a 10- or 12-team Whether it’s a 10- or 12-team league, Jefferson’s or Eckler’s score provides a second-round selection. There’s nothing wrong with using RB-RB, especially when scoring Williams, Alvin Kamara, Fournette or Jones. There’s nothing wrong with WR-WR, and Jefferson-Lamb will be a dominant pairing. By the way, in a 10-team league, based on my predictions, this is definitely the latest time I’ve had Kelce slip.
Tristan’s Choice: Jefferson/Kamara (10-team league), Eckler/Jones (12-team league)
Draft No. 6
First round (choose 6): Now it gets interesting. Fantasy managers go in a few different directions, and looking at most early draft returns (especially ADP), Harris would be the most common choice, if not already off the board. I consider him one of the top running backs — due to his role lock — but question whether his ceiling is as high as McCaffrey, Henry or Cook. Plus, 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase makes perfect sense here. It’s a philosophical question that you need to ask yourself before the draft in order to be fully prepared, whether to bring Harris here or if I let him in the last two spots. Henry is my top pick, a McCaffrey-like risk/reward option, who ranks third in football in PPR fantasy points (193.3) over eight weeks in 2021, and 40-plus more than any other running back.
Round 2 (15 from 10 teams, 19 from 12 teams): Teams that select Henry will almost certainly want some safety from a second-round pick, which could mean hoping for Lamb, Samuel, or Hill became a wide receiver. If Joe Mixon or Travis Kelce somehow slips, make it a gift.
Tristan’s Choice: Henry/Lam (10-team league), Henry/Hill (12-team league)
Draft Slot 7
Round 1 (Choose 7): Round 1 The second half is where positional movement is a potential pitfall, and in a league where as many as five running backs have left, they tend to keep running under their false impressions. will dry up quickly. To me, Chase is a clear top-eight talent who fits the higher-level description that wide receivers usually make, and what I’ve written about before shouldn’t be underestimated in these crucial first-round games. There’s nothing wrong with picking the seventh pick and running back, Henry (if there is one), Harris, Cook and Mixon are by far the most logical candidates, but I think Chase is closer to Cub in value Pope and Jefferson, not Davant Adams and Stephen Diggs.
Round 2( 14 for 10, 18 for 12): Another reason I support Chase at No. 7 is that the running back has more Probably the most logical best player 2nd round pick at this draft position. Adams and Diggs almost always leave, which means Kelce, Lamb or Samuel are still around. Anyway, those who pick Chase should prefer the running backs here because there’s a good chance everyone in the top 15 will be eliminated by this team’s 3rd round pick and my 16th-ranked running back Cam Akers Is a good third-round pick for this team, and anyone below him represents a reach.
Tristan’s pick: Chase/Swift (10-team league), Chase/Williams (12-team league)
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Draft Slot 8
Round 1 (Choose 8): Running back seems Like the road here, assuming all top-three wide receivers are off the board, and fantasy managers should generally make a good selection from the positional tier of Harris, Cook and Mixon. The eighth pick, at least according to my metrics, is the No. 1 pick Kelce should come to your mind. Wasn’t it just a year ago that Kelce was a clear first-round talent? Of course, his fantasy output fell and the replacement level of the position rose, but it wasn’t the huge profit that was perceived. In fact, Kelcher is only allowing four points per game, and his role in 2022 could expand with the Hill trade. Meanwhile, tight ends at No. 11 and No. 13 have only risen by about three-quarters on average, with teams outside the top 20 remaining unchanged.
Round 2 (13 from 10 teams, 17 from 12 teams):
Speaking of Kelce, it’s not unthinkable — in fact, likely — that he’ll stick with this pick in a 10-team league, which can be hidden of. Considering the (admittedly mild) concerns raised about the Harris/Cook/Mickerson trio before, wide receivers are the most logical target for a fantasy manager here, especially Adams or Dee in a 10-team or Lamb. A realistic chance for Gus or Samuel in a 12-team league.
Tristan’s pick: Harris/Diggs (10-team league), Harris/Samuel (12-team league)
Draft slot 9
1st round (draft 9):
In a 10-team league, strategizing around 10 teams becomes the equation here, because picking a wide receiver here can mean watching Cook and Mixon finished 10th and 11th. Sure, Kelche would be 12th, but if you’re not willing to put him at 9th, if the final first-round running back is at 10th, you’ll really feel better on the backswing ? 11? A case could be drawn up for as many as eight different players, bringing the aforementioned Chase and Harris and, later, Swift into the fray.
Round 2 (10 teams choose 12, 12 teams choose 16): 12 – Team league, I wouldn’t be afraid to use RB-RB in the right pairing, I would say Williams is in my ranking The most worthy of choice. That’s another reason why I prefer first-round running backs regardless of league depth, because that’s probably where you’ll find Kelcher or Lamb on the backswing.
Tristan’s pick: Cook/Adams (10-team league), Cook/Kamara (12-team league)
10th round pick
Round 1 (10th pick): Over the past few seasons, the WR-WR strategy has gained a bit of meaning from this often-dreaded draft position. This season, it’s more of a WR-TE decision — whether to take Kelce or not — and count me as a Kelce supporter. Interestingly, Cook is well ahead of the 10th overall pick in many NFFC leagues. However, you shouldn’t let it happen. Wide receivers Adams and Diggs are also a lot of viable options at the 10.
Round 2 (draft) 11 of 10, 15 of 12) : My Mixon/Lamb pairing in the 12-team league is very important, if you have a chance to get it, but so is Adams/Swift A very ideal start to the format. As mentioned by the second-round pick at No. 7, running back tapering in the 3rd round should be the decision here, almost forcing the need for at least one overall pick of 10 or 15.
Tristan’s Choice: Kelce/Mickerson (10-team league), Mixon/Lamb (12-team league)
Draft Slot 11 (12 Team League)
Round 1 (Draft 11): Kelce in this and The next draft spot in the round is logically left, don’t worry, because you’ll get a lot of good players in the process. Granted, it’s hard to build your running back consistency, but seeing David Montgomery, Ezekiel Elliott, Josh Jacobs and Brishall play in rounds 3 and 4 in a 12-team league Wheel selection is not uncommon. That’s fine when your first two options are Adams and Kelce.
Round 2 (Select 14): As mentioned before, the 16th pick is the newest spot I’ve slipped Kelce down in a 10-team league, and this is my newest spot d to slip him into a 12-man team. Calculate that into your plan for the first two rounds, because if a top-seven running back is the most important thing, you may need to get him into the first round.
Tristan’s Choice:
Kells/Diggs
Draft Slot 12 (12-Team League)
Rounds 1-2 (draft 12-13): This is a far cry from the rough draws of the past, which I predict is the first time a noticeable drop in talent has come after the 13th all-round pick. For me, that was after Diggs, and while I had no problem swapping Diggs and Swift between this and the 11th pick “Tristan’s pick”, I put Swift here just in consideration of the 36th pick The draft running back has plummeted to worry about picking. I wouldn’t even consider any of the 12 teams on my list that draft 14 or higher players.
Tristan’s Choice: Adams/Swift.
