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10-Team PPR Draft Strategy: How Early Do You Need to Grab WRs?

Round-by-Round 10-team Draft Strategy

You’re heading into a 10-team PPR draft. What do you need to know?

Here are two key things …

1) This format favors opportunity volume.

When you’re trying to decide between closely ranked players, lean toward the guy with volume upside.

The leader in targets and/or receptions won’t always be the better fantasy producer. But if you’re weighing them together in your draft, then there’s already at least something about them that makes them similar values.

Select the option with a path to a volume spike, and you’ll get the guy with an easier breakout case.

2) There will be plenty of “good” players for everyone.

What’s that mean? It’s easier in a 10-team league for every manager to start out with a team he/she likes – especially if you only need to start 2 WRs and 2 RBs – than it is in a 12-team draft.

So you can afford to go after a top QB and/or TE rather than stacking WRs and RBs basically whenever you think it makes sense.

But “top” is the key. You want to chase ultimate upside here. That’s where you’ll gain edges.

And if some of those upside targets disappoint, this league size will make it easier to find attractive replacements on waivers.

How Can You Take Advantage of the Format?

It all starts with your Draft War Room.

Use the fantasy football league sync to import all the specific settings from your league. And then as you draft, that Draft War Room will automatically update with every pick.

The result: round-by-round pick recommendations catered to your exact draft situation.

I used the Draft War Room to lay out these pick paths from every area of your 10-team draft. We're going 16 rounds with these lineup settings:

• 1 QB
• 2 RBs
• 2 WRs
• 1 TE
• 1 Flex (RB/WR/TE)
• 1 K
• 1 DST
• 7 bench spots

10-Team PPR Draft Strategy: Pick 1

Round 1

Target: Ja'Marr Chase

We could lump other positions in with this one, but Chase comes up well ahead of everyone else on the board in 3D value for this format:

• Chase 100.0
• CeeDee Lamb 89.4
• Bijan Robinson 88.9

So it makes sense to treat this spot as a solo for this year. And drafting on the end  ("at the turn") can differ from picking even a spot or two away.

Let's see how it goes from here ...

Rounds 2 & 3

Top Targets: Jonathan Taylor & Josh Jacobs

Taylor's ADP has dipped since the initial version of this article. He's a nice get as your No. 1 RB at the end of Round 2.

And stocking your lineup with a pair of potential workhorses to go with Chase makes for a strong start. We'll see how the WR options look over the next couple of turns.

Next Best: It's tricky

ADP and our projections position Tee Higgins and Chase Brown as the next two options here. But I wouldn't want to pair Bengals on my roster this early.

You might find Drake London or A.J. Brown getting here, and either would make for a nice target (if he falls past ADP).

Other Options

• Chase Brown
• Tee Higgins
• Kyren Williams
• Ladd McConkey
• Garrett Wilson

Rounds 4 & 5

Top Targets: Jalen Hurts & Kenneth Walker III

Time for our next WR, right? Well, you can skip to the options below if you want. But the Draft War Room favors grabbing an elite QB and a high-upside RB3 here.

Hurts has been our favorite value among the top QBs throughout draft season. His full-season scoring dipped to ninth at the position last year, but Hurts' average across 14 healthy games would have ranked fourth. And that includes passing numbers that suffered for multi-game injuries to A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert.

Walker comes off a career high in fantasy points per game, but losing six games to injury made the production look weaker. Now he gets a new OC (Klint Kubiak) who has talked up Walker's all-around ability since arriving.

Injuries remain a risk, but Walker appeared in 15 (of 17) games each of the previous two seasons.

Next Best: D.J. Moore & Tetairoa McMillan

Moore's a strong value in low-WR2 territory. He finished sixth and 14th among WRs in total PPR points the past two years.

You can worry about new target competition if you want. I'll go ahead and bet on the most accomplished NFL pass catcher in the unit (by far).

McMillan replaces Rashee Rice here because all indications point to a significant suspension sometime in the middle of Rice's season.

Of course, the other component is that we're actually excited about the rookie's outlook. That's why he landed among our top Breakout picks for 2025.

Other Options

• Chuba Hubbard
• George Kittle
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• D.K. Metcalf
• James Conner

Rounds 6 & 7

Top Targets: DeVonta Smith & Isiah Pacheco

The Board told you to double-tap RBs early and take another last time because it foresaw plenty of WR value remaining on the board these past two turns.

We know Smith trails A.J. Brown in target share and plays in one of the league's most run-heavy offenses. But he finished 21st and 17th among WRs in PPR points per game in that situation the past two years.

Pacheco slides down draft boards because of his weak return from injury last year. But Andy Reid said this offseason that his guy likely took the field too quickly after the leg fracture, and has said that Pacheco looks terrific this summer.

This ADP mitigates the risk. And Pacheco displayed the upside by cracking the top 15 in PPR points per game in 2023.

Next Best: Jaylen Waddle & Tony Pollard

Which one of these numbers doesn't belong?

• 14
• 14
• 22
• 56

Those were Waddle's final rankings in PPR points per game the past four years, making 2025 the clear outlier.

Jonnu Smith's departure helps the target outlook, but the Dolphins should have been looking to rebound Waddle's opportunity even before that.

Pollard gained at least early-season appeal when Tyjae Spears suffered an August high-ankle sprain.

Other Options

• D'Andre Swift
• Zay Flowers
• Tony Pollard
• TreVeyon Henderson

Rounds 8 & 9

Top Targets: Chris Olave & Deebo Samuel

Upside Mode has kicked on for this turn. That automatically increases the value of the ceiling projections and ceiling likelihood within our 3D Value system to highlight high-upside players the rest of the way.

We've gotten here with four RBs and three WRs, but the values still say it's a good time to keep passing on QB and TE.

This pair would present a fourth-year WR who was going 12th at the position in ADP last summer and the versatile former lead WR for San Francisco. Terry McLaurin's uncertain status in Washington -- and lengthy summer absence -- adds target-share upside to Samuel.

Next Best: Jordan Addison & Jaylen Warren

Addison finished each of his first two seasons among the top 31 WRs in PPR points per game. His ceiling would obviously rise with a Justin Jefferson injury, and this is late enough to make up for his season-opening suspension.

Warren should pop higher if you get here with fewer than four RBs. He'll at least open the year as Pittsburgh's lead back and the backfield's most accomplished receiver. If he holds that role all year, Warren could turn into a League Winner.

Other Options

• Travis Etienne
• Jauan Jennings
• Deebo Samuel

Rounds 10 & 11

Top Targets: Justin Fields & Dalton Kincaid

This is why you can push off QB and TE through those first nine rounds, at least by current ADP.

Fields sits ninth in our QB rankings but has displayed top-6 scoring ability. Kincaid stands ninth in our PPR TE rankings.

He disappointed vs. high expectations the past two years. But Kincaid ranked 10th among TE in target share from Week 7 on as a rookie and repeated that for all of 2025. He's at least a solid PPR floor play.

Next Best: Justin Herbert & Travis Etienne

Herbert finished eight of the final 11 weeks last year among the top 13 fantasy QBs. He should get more help with the arrival of Round 2 WR Tre Harris, but the Chargers also look likely to lean back toward the run a bit.

Either way, Herbert makes sense if Fields doesn't stay on the board for you.

Etienne trailed Tank Bigsby in rushing efficiency last year and watched the team add fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten in May. But he should at least face an open competition for roles and workload this summer.

Etienne's an easy bet as a reserve, even if you want to pair him with a backfield mate.

Other Options

• Tyler Warren
• Tucker Kraft
• Jake Ferguson
• Tyjae Spears
• Dallas Goedert

Rounds 12 & 13

Top Targets: Tank Bigsby & Jayden Reed

Bigsby replaces Najee Harris here vs. my initial run. Even if Harris makes it back in plenty of time for the season, the lost time is costing him on-field acclimation to a new offense and giving rookie Omarion Hampton even more room to impress.

Bigsby, meanwhile, is reportedly putting on a "show" for his new coaching staff. He has already moved up our rankings a bit and could be a candidate for further movement depending on how the rest of summer goes.

Reed has slid from WR2-3 territory in ADP last offseason to the WR4 neighborhood this time around. That makes his weekly upside worth stashing, in case he gets better target volume and becomes more startable.

Next Best: Tyjae Spears & Tyler Warren

If you didn't get your TE before now, then this is a good turn to do so.

You probably can't count on Warren getting here, because he's likely to generate some camp buzz this summer. But the

Other Options

• Tucker Kraft
• Jake Ferguson
• Dallas Goedert
• Josh Downs
• Bhayshul Tuten

Rounds 14-16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Time to secure your season-opening kicker and team defense. Your DWR rankings will obviously still help with both.

Our Trust Factor ratings add a layer at DST by favoring positive early-season matchups and devaluing defenses with bad matchups. 

That’s how you should play the position all season rather than trying to find one every-week starter (in most formats).

10-Team PPR Draft Strategy: Pick 2, 3, or 4

Round 1

Top Target: CeeDee Lamb

Lamb let you down if you drafted him first last year, finishing just 10th among WRs in PPR points per game. But he ranked fifth in expected points per game and fourth before the Week 9 contest that ended Dak Prescott's season.

The QB's back, and we're betting that WR George Pickens helps the offense more than he hurts Lamb's target share.

Next Best: Bijan Robinson

Robinson sits ahead of Saquon Barkley in both our rankings and ADP, thanks primarily to a much stronger receiving role. That gives him a higher weekly floor than the Eagles RB.

Robinson sits just ahead of the next couple of WRs, which tells you a bit about how WR value might spread over the next few rounds.

Other options

• Justin Jefferson
• Puka Nacua

Rounds 2 & 3

Top Target: Brian Thomas Jr. & Josh Jacobs

Finishing this turn with Dallas' alpha, Jacksonville's 2024 breakout, and a top-12 RB would be nice.

Thomas faces a potential target-share challenge from Travis Hunter. But the new guy might also simply enhance the offense while siphoning his work from others.

Jacobs' ADP for the format now puts him in range of this pick after placing him earlier in Round 2 previously.

We're not betting on Jacobs matching the workload share or TD fortune of last season. But he'll remain the lead back in an offense with a nice record of production through Matt LaFleur's six seasons.

Next Best: Drake London & Bucky Irving

London could become a true fantasy star this year if his huge late-season volume from QB Michael Penix Jr. carries over. But even if that normalizes, London still looks like a good bet for WR1-level performance.

Irving carries some uncertainty thanks to a change at OC, but new guy Josh Grizzard has indicated he'd like this year's backfield to look like it did late last season. That, of course, was when Irving took over the primary job and starting scoring like a RB1.

Other Options

• Kyren Williams
• Tee Higgins
• Chase Brown
• Breece Hall
• Tyreek Hill

Rounds 4 & 5

Top Target: Breece Hall & James Conner

If you get here with two WRs and one RB, then a pack of runners will flood your board.

Hall leads the way, and his current ADP stands more than three rounds later than where you had to draft him last year. We still have work-split questions to answer as the Jets move through their first summer under HC Aaron Glenn. But Hall's talent makes him easier to believe in.

If you get to your Round 5 spot with two RBs and two WRs, then the Draft War Room most likely wants you to grab a third RB. That could change if you start three WRs, but the RB value looks strong in this range.

Conner shouldn't need much selling at this point. He has finished all four of his Arizona seasons among the top 12 RBs in PPR points per game.

Next Best: Alvin Kamara & Mike Evans

Evans replaces Rashee Rice here with clearer recent indications that a significant suspension's likely coming this season for the Chiefs WR.

Evans, of course, just keeps being awesome. And the expected early-season absence of Chris Godwin should only boost his target outlook.

Kamara finds himself undervalued by the market for the second straight year. But we're not making the same mistake we did in failing to highlight him better in 2024.

Even if the 30-year-old Saint doesn't match his talent of a few years ago, he led all RBs in expected PPR points per game last season. That means the team gave him the ball a ton, especially in the passing game. And that's the most important factor in RB output.

Other options

• Kenneth Walker III
• Chuba Hubbard
• David Montgomery
• Garrett Wilson

The biggest thing to keep in mind for this turn is that it presents options. You can spend your Round 4-5 picks on two RBs, two WRs, or a split and leave happy.

Play around with the Mock Draft Trainer to see what you like best.

Rounds 6 & 7

Top Target: DeVonta Smith & Isiah Pacheco

Smith makes for a nice third WR in a 2-WR PPR lineup, or fourth if you start three. He doesn't win on target volume but has been hyper-efficient through four seasons -- including a 69.8% career catch rate -- and plays in one of the league's top scoring offenses.

At the least, there's spike-week appeal to combine with safer target bets in your lineup.

Pacheco returns to the clear backfield lead after limping through the end of 2024. Andy Reid indicated early this year that his RB probably returned a little too early from his leg fracture ... and later said his top back "looks tremendous."

You know what else looks tremendous? Pacheco's upside at market cost. That's why he led this RB Sleepers list.

Next Best: Zay Flowers & Jaylen Waddle

Flowers sports a better role (No. 1 WR) on his team but carries a volume question similar to Smith's. That said, better TD luck than he had the past two years (6.0% TD rate) could vault his production even without a target spike.

Waddle makes this a turn worth considering reaching a little for two WRs.

He's attractive enough after outscoring this year's ADP in each of his first three seasons. And the upside explodes if Tyreek Hill can't bounce back to pre-2024 form.

Other options

• D'Andre Swift
• Tony Pollard
• Tetairoa McMillan
• Travis Hunter
• George Pickens

Rounds 8 & 9

Top Target: Tetairoa McMillan & Jaylen Warren

This is a good turn to keep reinforcing your RB and WR groups, because the QB and TE ADPs suggest you'll still find good options later. Exactly who you pick can come down to personal preference (or, obviously, who actually makes it to you).

McMillan should immediately claim the No. 1 WR role in Carolina. Even if you're not excited about him, Bryce Young, or the offense, that alone makes for a solid buy at this stage of your draft.

Warren already looked set for more workload upside than he carried the past two years. Preseason only helped that area by finding third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson running third, behind Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

Next Best: Chris Olave & Travis Etienne Jr.

If you like Olave over McMillan -- or want to pass on the Saint altogether -- that's fine. Either way, this is late enough to take a shot on a guy who was going in Round 3 a year ago.

Etienne looks like the best bet to open the year as Jacksonville's top back. But any piece of that backfield carries upside at their relative costs.

Other Options

• Jordan Addison
• Deebo Samuel
• Jerry Jeudy

By the way, Upside Mode has kicked on in this range. That automatically increases the value of the ceiling projections and ceiling likelihood within our 3D Value system to highlight high-upside players the rest of the way.

Round 10 & 11

Top Targets: Justin Fields & Dalton Kincaid

If Fields gets here and you still need a QB, then you're in luck.

We rank him just one spot higher among QBs than ADP has him, but the guy has a No. 6 ranking in fantasy points per game (2022) to his credit. And his two-year contract with $30 million guaranteed locks him in as at least the 2025 starter.

Kincaid lacks the fantasy excitement of Fields but similarly presents good value at this turn.

The third-year Bill ranked 10th among TEs in target share over the second half of his rookie season, and then again throughout an injury-marred 2025. Even if he remains more of a floor play going forward, that's more attractive at his depressed ADP.

Next Best: Justin Herbert & Tyler Warren

Message: This is the turn to land your QB and TE if you haven't done so already.

Herbert doesn't need much of a sales pitch at this stage of your draft. And the Colts didn't draft Warren 14th overall to bring him along slowly in a needy pass offense.

Other options

• Caleb Williams
• Tucker Kraft
• Jake Ferguson
• Jakobi Meyers
• Khalil Shakir

Rounds 12 & 13

Top Target: Jayden Reed & Tank Bigsby

This turn is less about specifically who to target and more about what to get. We're hunting for upside here, and don't ignore team fit.

That upside, of course, already gets factored heavily into the Upside Mode that's driving your pick recommendations at this stage. But it's OK to reach over Reed and/or Harris for Downs and/or Spears if you prefer the latter duo.

It's also OK to say, "I'm comfy with my RB (or WR) group at this point; I'm gonna just take two from the other position."

Next Best: Josh Downs & Tyjae Spears

Lastly, pay attention to the players' teams.

You don't need to avoid drafting teammates, but you shouldn't do so without being aware. You can draft Downs and Michael Pittman to the same roster if you want, for example, because they're both going late enough that you're not drafting them to start together.

Spears and Tony Pollard can similarly be rostered together for two key reasons:

1. Spears should present standalone value even when Pollard's healthy.
2. He's as direct a replacement as you'll find for a "handcuff" RB.

In most cases, playing the backup to your RB starter would mean a drop in production. The Titans RBs, meanwhile, look like twins in different jerseys.

In other cases, however, sharing a team might be a negative and break a tie in the favor or a different player at your draft turn -- especially earlier in your draft.

Other Options

• Brandon Aiyuk
• Tucker Kraft
• Jake Ferguson
• Dallas Goedert
• Darnell Mooney
• Rashid Shaheed
• Hollywood Brown
• J.K. Dobbins

ADP says you can wait until this range and still land one of the TEs above.

Rounds 14-16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Time to secure your season-opening kicker and team defense. Your DWR rankings will obviously still help with both.

Our Trust Factor ratings add a layer at DST by favoring positive early-season matchups and devaluing defenses with bad matchups. 

That’s how you should play the position all season rather than trying to find one every-week starter (in most formats).

10-Team PPR Draft Strategy: Pick 5, 6, 7, or 8

Round 1

Top Target: CeeDee Lamb

This might seem like too big a range to lump together, but it signals how close the WRs (and Christian McCaffrey) sit to each other in valuation.

Lamb's ADP for the format says he's the sixth player off the board on average. Don't be surprised if he's gone before your selection. But you also shouldn't despair in that case.

Next Best: Puka Nacua

Nacua lost five games and parts of two others to a knee injury last year. But he scored fantasy points even more efficiently than his first season when on the field. So he's an attractive consolation prize.

You might still find Nacua available if you pick at the back of this range, because plenty of drafters seem a little spooked by Davante Adams' arrival.

You'll still be in good shape in that case, though, with the guys listed below.

Other Options

• Christian McCaffrey
• Malik Nabers
• Nico Collins
• Brian Thomas Jr.

Round 2

Top Target: De'Von Achane

If you snagged a WR in Round 1, then this is a great time to get your RB1. And vice versa.

Because we got Lamb (or Nacua) in this exercise, Achane and Taylor lead the way. The former became a PPR maven in 2024, leading the position by 10 receptions and 49 receiving yards despite missing his QB for six games.

(And yes, Achane was even better in Tua games.)

Next Best: Jonathan Taylor

Taylor's the first RB in our annual Underrated Players list because he's going eighth in ADP at the position despite having a RB1-overall season behind him.

Not just that ... Taylor also scored at an RB1-overall rate last year in his five games without QB Anthony Richardson.

Other Options

• Brian Thomas Jr.
• A.J. Brown
• Drake London

Round 3

Top Target: Chase Brown

We've gotten here with a WR and a RB rostered, and the Draft War Room looks thirsty for that RB2.

Brown's the first of four backs surrounding Tee Higgins on my board at this turn.

He finished 14th in PPR points per game last year despite sharing the backfield for half the season. From Week 9 on -- when Cincinnati made Brown the man -- he ranked fifth at the position in points per game.

The Bengals did nothing in the offseason to suggest they want to challenge his backfield lead.

Next Best: Kyren Williams

Williams' $11 million-a-year extension should assuage any fears of him losing work to Blake Corum and/or Jarquez Hunter.

That shifts the focus back to one of just two RBs who ranked among the top 4 in opportunity share each of the past two years. (Saquon Barkley was the other.)

Other Options

• Tee Higgins
• Alvin Kamara

Round 4

Top Target: Joe Burrow

This assumes the top 4 in our QB rankings have already gone. And the Burrow recommendation highlights the separation between him and our QB6, Patrick Mahomes.

Burrow doesn't bring the rushing that pushes our top 4 QBs to the top. But that didn't stop him from finishing second in both total fantasy points and points per game last season.

Next Best: Kenneth Walker III

It's fair to worry about the injury risk with Walker. But before sitting out six games last year, he missed just two each of the previous two seasons.

That would be plenty of time for Walker to take advantage of an offense that Seahawks coaches indicate will feature its lead RB. New OC Klint Kubiak has praised not only Walker's rushing, but his receiving as well.

Other Options

• Alvin Kamara
• Rashee Rice

Round 5

Top Target: James Conner

We've arrived here with two RBs, Burrow and one WR. But the Draft War Room still says it's time to keep fortifying the backfield.

(That changes, of course, if you need to start three wideouts.)

The perennially underrated Conner leads the way. And if you need the sales pitch on why to draft this guy in Round 5, then you must be new to Draft Sharks.

A homeowner on our annual Underrated list, Conner has delivered top-12 PPR points per game in each of his four Arizona seasons. Yet his ADP sits at RB20.

Next Best: Chuba Hubbard

Hubbard became the de facto workhorse in Carolina last year, with Miles Sanders forgetting how to play football and second-round pick Jonathon Brooks forgetting to bring a second knee.

The Panthers extended him in November at a little more than $8 million per year to show they want that lead to continue.

Other options

• Garrett Wilson
• D.J. Moore
• D.K. Metcalf
• David Montgomery

If you want a WR instead, the options ain't bad.

Round 6

Top Target: Jaylen Waddle

You shouldn't be surprised to see WRs ruling this turn, and the available names are key to why the Draft War Room went RB-heavy earlier.

Waddle let you down in 2024, but he finished the previous three seasons 22nd, 14th, and 15th in PPR points per game.

And guess what ... his worst season just happened to coincide with a crap year for the Miami offense. (Funny how that works.) So there's incentive for the Dolphins to get the ball back into Waddle's hands.

Next Best: DeVonta Smith

The Eagles' offense went extremely run-heavy last season, even by their own standards. Smith's numbers barely noticed, though, as he still finished 17th among WRs in points per game.

Despite A.J. Brown ranking third among WRs in target share (adjusted for games missed), Smith still managed a strong No. 12 finish.

He's also virtually tied with Waddle here in 3D Value: 75.0 to 74.7 on my board. So feel free to choose your favorite between them.

Other Options

• Zay Flowers
• Courtland Sutton
• Travis Hunter
• George Pickens

Round 7

Top Target: Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco presents tremendous upside from this range. The Chiefs showed us they believe in him rebounding to the backfield lead by adding only Elijah Mitchell and seventh-rounder Brashard Smith this offseason, while re-signing Kareem Hunt (after Mitchell) to only a small, one-year deal.

Next Best: D'Andre Swift

It's tough to get excited about Swift. He ran inefficiently last year (matching most of his career. And new coach Ben Johnson made Jamaal Williams a workhorse while giving Swift a career-low 7.1 carries per game with the 2022 Lions.

But this is late enough to take on Swift's risk, plus the upside that he continues to lead the backfield.

Other Options

• Chris Olave
• Calvin Ridley
• T.J. Hockenson
• Aaron Jones

Round 8

Top Target: Tony Pollard

We've gotten here with a QB, three RBs, and three WRs.

Pollard leads the way by a decent margin -- assuming you only need to start two WRs -- and he makes plenty of sense. We're excited about Tyjae Spears' upside around here. but we all need to assume Pollard will continue to operate as the clear leader.

Even if there's risk he cedes more work to Spears, that's included in an eighth-round price and RB4 role on your roster.

Next Best: Jakobi Meyers

Welcome to another season of the fantasy market underrating Meyers.

All he did was finish the past two seasons ranked 28th and then 24th in PPR points per game. That climbed to 19th last year after Davante Adams left, on the 11th-most expected points per game.

Meyers should be going earlier.

Other Options

• Deebo Samuel
• Jauan Jennings
• Mark Andrews

Round 9

Top Target: Ricky Pearsall

These rounds will ping-pong between RB and WR if you take the early QB (like we did here) because there's TE value for a while.

Pearsall started understandably slowly as a rookie, thanks primarily to a late-August gunshot wound. But he took the field by midseason and finished the year with a pair of strong fantasy outings (WR7 and WR14 PPR finishes).

This year presents opportunity for more:

• Deebo Samuel's gone.
• Brandon Aiyuk's not expected to be ready for the start of the season.
• Even Jauan Jennings isn't practicing thanks to some combo of a contract tussle and a calf issue.

Next Best: Jordan Addison

The season-opening suspension hurts, but Addison should remain a potentially startable fantasy asset from Week 4 on.

Other Options

• Jauan Jennings
• Jaylen Warren

Round 10

Top Target: Dalton Kincaid

The Bills TE leads by a wide margin at this turn, and it's no shock. He sits ninth in our PPR TE rankings but just 14th in ADP.

Why? Because he let fantasy drafters down last year, finishing just 20th at the position in points per game. But Kincaid also ranked 10th among TEs in target share (adjusted for games missed) after hitting that same spot from Week 7 on in his rookie season.

If he can stay healthy this season, Kincaid should be well-positioned to remain the No. 2 target with one of the league's top QBs. And the market's lowered expectations mean he doesn't need to do as much to become winning pick.

Next Best: Tyler Warren

If Kincaid's gone, then Warren likely tops your board at this point. He trails Kincaid in ADP for this format at the moment, but don't be surprised if that's different when you draft.

Warren's huge final college season presents obvious upside, especially after it motivated the Colts to take him 15th overall in the draft. But it doesn't make him a lock to produce immediately.

Other Options

• Travis Etienne
• Jaylen Warren

Round 11

Top Target: Travis Etienne

We get here with QB and TE covered, plus four RBs and four WRs. The pick suggestions will likely hinge on whether you start three WRs or two.

For this 2-WR exercise, the DWR favors RB. Etienne's no longer exciting, but that's why he's available in Round 11. Someone's going to lead Jacksonville's backfield, and he remains the best bet -- at least to open the year.

That said, it's OK to chase what you want on the board at this point.

Next Best: J.K. Dobbins

Dobbins led the Broncos' initial "unofficial" depth chart. We're not expecting that to mean he actually operates as the lead back. But Dobbins appears to at least be trending toward a good-sized role early in the season.

That plus the overall uncertainty of the Denver backfield split, as well as Dobbins' decent history of production when healthy, make him well worth a stash at this level.

Other Options

• Michael Pittman
• Matthew Golden
• Darnell Mooney
• Tyjae Spears

Round 12

Top Target: Rashid Shaheed

The risk with Shaheed is that he and his team's QB situation combine to make him too inconsistent to hit your lineup all season. The upside: He gets enough targets to capitalize on his strong yardage efficiency:

• 17.5 yards per catch last season
• 18.1-yard aDOT

Next Best: Keon Coleman

Coleman averaged an even stronger 19.2 yards per catch as a rookie. That included deep targets (seventh-highest rate among qualifying WRs) and 7.7 yards after catch per reception (fifth).

Other Options

• Michael Pittman Jr.
• Darnell Mooney
• Rashid Shaheed
• Hollywood Brown

Round 13

Top Target: Tank Bigsby

It's all about upside at this point. Grab your favorites wherever they fit.

The Jaguars RB beat Etienne on rushing efficiency last year. That could make him the carry leader to open this season. Or he could land third on new HC Liam Coen's depth chart.

Next Best: Josh Downs

Downs would likely be in better shape if Daniel Jones beats Anthony Richardson out for the starting gig. But he cracked the top 36 in PPR last year even with Richardson playing terribly across 11 starts.

This late in the draft, shoot for the upside instead of worrying about the downside.

Other Options

• Tyler Warren
• Darnell Mooney
• Hollywood Brown
• J.K. Dobbins

Rounds 14-16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Time to secure your season-opening kicker and team defense. Your DWR rankings will obviously still help with both.

Our Trust Factor ratings add a layer at DST by favoring positive early-season matchups and devaluing defenses with bad matchups. 

That’s how you should play the position all season rather than trying to find one every-week starter (in most formats).

10-Team PPR Draft Strategy: Pick 9 or 10

Round 1

Top Target: Malik Nabers

Nabers led all WRs in target share as a rookie and delivered the seventh-most points per game at the position.

This year's QBs fall short of being exciting, but they should be a heckuva lot better than last year's dregs.

Next Best: Ashton Jeanty

Christian McCaffrey will lead Jeanty if he remains on the board. But the Raiders rookie is certainly in play.

He racked up 594 carries and 66 receptions over the past two years, and then the Raiders drafted him sixth overall into a ghost backfield. (The RB formerly known as Raheem Mostert looks like the No. 2 guy.)

Jeanty could challenge for the touch lead among all RBs right away, especially in a Chip Kelly offense that tends to turn up the play volume.

Other Option

• Nico Collins
• De'Von Achane

Round 2

Top Target: De'Von Achane

WRs would lead this spot if we went Jeanty (or McCaffrey) instead of Nabers last round. But high-ceiling RBs greet us instead.

Achane led all RBs by 10 receptions in his second season and finished sixth in PPR points per game. He was at his best with Tua Tagovailoa, who missed six games.

If the QB can stay healthy, then Achane can crack the position's top 4.

Next Best: Jonathan Taylor

Taylor would probably (secretly?) love to see Anthony Richardson lose this summer's QB competition. He scored fantasy points at a rate that would have led all RBs in the games that Richardson missed last year.

Taylor's worth a bet in Round 2, especially with another RB1-overall season already behind him (2021).

Other Option

• Derrick Henry
• Nico Collins
• A.J. Brown

Rounds 3 & 4

Top Targets: Chase Brown & Jalen Hurts

I have to be honest: I entered this draft season wary of Brown inside Round 3. But the Bengals have sure acted like they believe in him as their new lead back.

The team added only sixth-round rookie Devin Neal and 30-year-old (in September) passing-down back Samaje Perine. Perhaps Perine steals more receiving work than Brown was giving away late last year.

But he ranked fifth among RBs in PPR points per game from Week 9 on last season (when he took over the backfield). Playing in the high-powered Bengals offense adds TD upside.

Hurts looked disappointing in fantasy last year only because he had been so good before that. But he still scored as the QB5 in healthy games and actually gained TD opportunities vs. 2023.

Expect this year to present a passing rebound with better health among A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert.

Next Best: Kyren Williams & Joe Burrow

The Draft War Room really likes Bengals around this turn.

If Hurts goes before your Round 4 turn, then Burrow might very well jump over others to lead the pick recommendations. That's because he resides closer to our top 4 QBs in 3D Value than he does to No. 6 Patrick Mahomes.

Williams had many drafters worried that he'd lose work to Rams draftees of the past two years. But L.A. extending him at $11 million a year says we should expect Williams to maintain backfield control

Only he and Saquon Barkley finished each of the past two seasons among the league's top 4 in opportunity share.

Other Options

• Breece Hall
• Alvin Kamara
• Tyreek Hill
• Rashee Rice

Rounds 5 & 6

Top Targets: James Conner & D.J. Moore

Conner's four Arizona seasons have all found him landing among the top 12 in PPR points per game. That makes yet another low-RB2 ADP for him pretty insulting.

Take advantage.

Moore, on the other hand, is sliding primarily because the market's concerned about new target challenges.

But why fret over a college TE and a second-round WR stealing Moore's action? I say we bet on the prime-aged, time-tested receiver in a Chicago offense that everyone expects to improve immensely.

Next Best: David Montgomery & D.K. Metcalf

Montgomery actually led Jahmyr Gibbs in expected PPR points per game before the Week 15 game he left early with an injury. We'll see what the OC switch means, but he's worth a look as your third RB.

Metcalf should see strong target shares with Aaron Rodgers piloting an otherwise barren pass offense. (Sorry not sorry, Jonnu Smith.)

Other Options

• Jaylen Waddle
• DeVonta Smith
• Zay Flowers
• Xavier Worthy

Rounds 7 & 8

Top Targets: Tetairoa McMillan & Isiah Pacheco

Grab a WR and a RB around this turn.

This combo gives you a top-10-drafted rookie wideout stepping onto a team that needs him to lead; plus a RB who finished 14th in PPR points per game last time we saw him healthy (2023).

Next Best: Jameson Williams & Tony Pollard

The second combo presents a 2024 breakout WR who has continued to generate buzz this offseason.

Pollard doesn't match Pacheco on upside. He ranked a just OK 22nd in PPR points per game and 20th in expected in his first Titans season. And there's some risk that a healthier Tyjae Spears claims more work this year.

Other Options

• Calvin Ridley
• David Njoku
• Mark Andrews

Rounds 9 & 10

Top Targets: Ricky Pearsall & Dalton Kincaid

Pearsall carries some breakout potential in a Niners offense now missing Deebo Samuel and wondering when Brandon Aiyuk's repaired knee (ACL) will be ready.

San Francisco showed how much it likes Pearsall by drafting him in Round 1 last year. And he got significant playing time after recovering from his gunshot wound, despite missing loads of practice time.

Time for Your Tight End

When you get to Round 9, it'll probably look like your Draft War Room wants you to follow that WR selection with a RB. But don't be surprised if the TEs leap to the top after you get around the turn.

It makes sense. Grabbing Kincaid as your TE starter will present more value than the available RBs will as your No. 5.

Kincaid might have already let you down in the past, but his depressed ADP means you don't need to expect too much. And he's still a 25-year-old former first-round pick in an upside spot.

Next Best: Jakobi Meyers & Tyler Warren

If Kincaid's gone, then Warren leaps over the RBs to lead the recs. And this would be a good time to take a shot on the first-round rookie who delivered a 104-1,233-8 receiving line in his final Penn State campaign.

Meyers has finished three straight seasons among the top 30 WRs in PPR points per game. His usage climbed to the fringes of WR1 territory after Vegas traded Davante Adams away last year.

Don't be shocked if Meyers produces at a weekly WR2 level this year.

Other Options

• Jaylen Warren
• Khalil Shakir

Rounds 11 & 12

Top Targets: Jayden Reed & Tank Bigsby

Reed landed just 41st among WRs in PPR points per game last year. But he tied for a mere 63rd in expected points per game. That means his mid-WR4 showing actually outperformed the usage Green Bay gave him.

Expect at least some lean back toward the pass this year. The Packers leaned heavily into the run after a mid-season groin injury to QB Jordan Love (following an early-season knee sprain). The further they lean, the better for Reed.

Bigsby gets more attractive with his early buzz from Jaguars camp.

Next Best: Josh Downs & Tank Bigsby

Bigsby might be positioning himself to lead this year's Jags backfield in scoring. This is plenty late enough to chase that upside.

Downs got an outlook boost when the Colts named Daniel Jones the starter. He has proved positive for target volume in shorter-range receivers throughout his (disappointing) career.

Other Options

• Austin Ekeler
• Michael Pittman Jr.
• Darnell Mooney
• Keon Coleman
• Rashid Shaheed

Rounds 13 & 14

Top Targets: J.K. Dobbins & Tucker Kraft

The Draft War Room likes a stash at RB or WR and a second TE here.

The merit of the first is obvious. The second might seem frivolous -- and you don't need a TE2 in a 10-team league. But it's also fine to nab Kraft or Ferguson as either insurance on Kincaid (whom we drafted earlier) or a platoon partner.

Next Best: Rashid Shaheed & Jake Ferguson

Shaheed ranked 34th among WRs in PPR points per game at the time of his injury last year, and his usage climbed close to WR2 range. He's a nice upside play in this range.

Ferguson should find himself in a pass-friendly Dallas offense this year. George Pickens' arrival might lower his target ceiling. But the Cowboys' strength at WR could also open space for Ferguson to operate, as well as help the offense on whole.

Other Options

• Jordan Mason
• Hollywood Brown
• Jayden Higgins
• Brandon Aiyuk

Rounds 15 & 16

Top Targets: K & DST

Time to secure your season-opening kicker and team defense. Your DWR rankings will obviously still help with both.

Our Trust Factor ratings add a layer at DST by favoring positive early-season matchups and devaluing defenses with bad matchups. 

That’s how you should play the position all season rather than trying to find one every-week starter (in most formats).

Build Your 10-Team Draft Strategy

Now that you've gotten round-by-round tips from your draft position, it's time to set your own board.

The Draft War Room will sync with your league and guide you through your draft -- for any format.

Learn more about the industry's most powerful draft assistant in this video.

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The Most Criminally Underrated Fantasy Football Players 2025

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