10-Team Draft Strategy: Why Playing It Safe Might Kill Your Season

 

How do you draft in a 10-team league?

The key to your 10-team draft strategy is chasing optimal performers at as many spots as possible.

You might think that’s the obvious goal for any fantasy football draft – and you wouldn’t be wrong.

But the smaller your league gets, the more important it becomes to find individual advantages.

In a 10-team league, there will be enough good players to give every team a solid-to-good lineup. That’s why you’ll need to try for optimal production in as many spots as possible.

That might mean grabbing a QB or TE earlier than you typically would in a 12-team draft. It might also mean collecting multiple risk-reward types at a certain position so that you can benefit from whichever one breaks out.

And it can be as simple as pinpointing the players with the most breakout potential throughout your draft.

We’ve Got Tools to Help You Build

We’ve built our 3D projections to provide the fantasy football help you need.

We combine:

1. Award-winning projections from our fantasy football analysts
2. Ceiling and floor projections to capture a player’s range of outcomes
3. Consensus projections from 38 other fantasy sites

The result: a much better representation of player value, one that will continuously update as you draft.

The Draft War Room will guide you throughout your draft. And it’s just one of many fantasy football tools we’ve built to help you win.

See the Logic at Work

Below you’ll get a preview of the Draft War Room’s guidance.

I’ve used a sample board for a 10-team, non-PPR league and run through drafts from every position to give you top strategies. 

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 Non-PPR Guide for Pick 1

Round 1

Top Target: Saquon Barkley

Barkley(100.0 in 3D Value points) sits comfortably ahead of:

• No. 2 Bijan Robinson (89.6)
• and No. 3 Ja’Marr Chase (89.1)

… in this format.

We project a decrease in Barkley’s fantasy output (322.3 to 281.4), but he still stands above the rest in non-PPR.

Rounds 2 & 3

Top Targets: Kyren Williams & A.J. Brown

If ADP holds, expect Kyren Williams and Josh Jacocs to top the RB board at the turn. Grab whichever you choose and pivot to WR in Round 3.

Brown makes for an ideal choice after grabbing your two top RBs. His yardage and TD efficiency deliver a high weekly ceiling, while the non-PPR scoring downplays any issue with his target volume.

Next Best: Drake London & Lamar Jackson

Brown (58.5) edges London (52.8) in 3D Value. But both are viable. 

If RBs fly early, Jackson makes sense to kick off Round 3. He’s our top-ranked QB in any format.

Other Options:

Josh Jacobs, Jayden Daniels, Tee Higgins, Brock Bowers

Rounds 4 & 5

Top Targets: Mike Evans & George Kittle

If you haven't grabbed a TE, Kittle could give you an advantage over most of your league at the TE position

Even with his injury, he should be locked in as a value who can help you in the playoffs.

Evans boasted a career-high 67.3% catch rate last year and should be a reliable every-week starter with his TD potential.

Next Best: Isiah Pacheco & Davante Adams

Pacheco has little competition on a top NFL offense. He is worth adding as a potential RB2.

You’ll find a large tier of WRs available here, but that likely will dry up by the end of Round 6. If Evans is gone, Adams fits well as your WR2.

Other Options:

Sam LaPorta, Joe Burrow

Rounds 6 & 7

Top Targets: James Conner & Jaylen Waddle

The Draft War Room continues to suggest RBs and WRs to fill out your bench, even if you haven’t touched TE or QB yet.

Conner and Waddle both are worth having in case of injury and bye weeks.

Worried about what you’ll get stuck with at QB and TE if you don’t pounce here? Try it out in the Mock Draft Trainer to see if you like the results … or would rather hit one or both positions earlier.

Next Best: Mark Andrews & David Montgomery

If Andrews remains on the board , he likely ranks as the best TE. He has scored 26 TDs over the last three seasons. Chasing that TD upside is easier in a non-PPR league, where you’re dinged less for his target volatility.

This format also favors Montgomery, even though we expect TD regression from the Lions' offense on whole. He makes for a solid bench RB if Conner has been drafted.

Other Options:

Patrick Mahomes, Tet McMillan, Xavier Worthy

Rounds 8 & 9

Top Targets: David Njoku & Jayden Reed

We outlined Njoku in our Sleepers article, and he tops more popular options such as Travis Kelce in this format.

If you haven't taken a TE yet, this turn should be the best spot for value.

Reed’s big-play ability also fits nicely in a reserve spot. His 2.20 yards per route last season ranked 17th among WRs with 50+ targets.

Next Best: Calvin Ridley & Chris Godwin

Consider going for two WRs at the turn if RBs have flown off the board. 

Ridley’s downfield usage adds value by pumping up his yardage efficiency. His 16.0-yard average target depth ranked fourth-deepest among 84 WRs with 50+ targets last year.

Godwin ranked second among WRs in receiving yards and third in receiving TDs through the seven weeks he played last season. If he can get back anywhere close to that coming off the dislocated ankle, Godwin could be a league-winning type of pick this late.

Other Options:

 Rome Odunze, Jaylen Warren

Rounds 10 & 11

Top Targets: Justin Fields & Tank Bigsby

The Draft War Room will finally move QB to the top of the board if you haven’t drafted one yet. Fields' rushing makes him a weekly top-12 candidate.

Bigsby makes sense in a non-PPR format. He has offered little receiving so far but could lead the Jags in rushing. Bigsby outperformed Travis Etienne in yards per carry, yards after contact per carry, and missed tackles forced per carry.

Next Best: Travis Etienne & Rashid Shaheed

Etienne should still lead the Jaguars backfield and be a solid late round bench addition.

The Saints' poor defense should mean more deep shots to Shaheed as they play catch-up. He offers spike weeks that can give you an advantage when bye weeks hit.

Other Options:

Caleb Williams, Dalton Kincaid, Cam Skattebo

Rounds 12 & 13

Top Targets: Keon Coleman & Jordan Mason

The Draft War Room automatically puts you in Upside Mode midway through your draft, emphasizing a player's ceiling projection and his likelihood of hitting that ceiling.

Coleman screams upside with his size, downfield ability, and after-catch skill. His 3D Value increases in Upside Mode, making him an attractive late option.

Mason won’t add much receiving, but his upside if Aaron Jones gets hurt is worth chasing in the final few rounds.

Next Best: Bhayshul Tuten & Trevor Lawrence

If he went earlier, Tuten would look riskier thanks to his crowded backfield. At this point, though, we’re chasing the upside. This guy averaged 6.3 yards per carry last season and then singed the turf with the speediest 40 time among RBs at the Combine. 

Even pairing him with Etienne (or Bigsby) can be a solid play.

If you haven’t drafted a QB yet, Lawrence becomes an option in new HC Liam Cohen’s offense. 

You can always use the Free Agent Finder in season to see if a QB on the waiver wire ends up a better play. 

Other Options:

Jordan Love, Hollywood Brown, Tyler Allgeier

Rounds 14, 15, & 16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Across these rounds, you should add one more upside play at whatever position makes sense and address the final two starting spots.

Try to target a kicker in a good offense.

As for D, our Trust Factor helps differentiate your options. That favors the DST units with more favorable season-opening matchups and downgrades those with poor matchups.

Why? Because you should target matchups more than trying to lean on a season-long starter at that position.

10-Team Non-PPR Guide for Pick 2 & 3

Round 1

Top Target: Bijan Robinson

If Saquon Barkley goes first, the Draft War Room prefers Robinson narrowly ahead of Chase (89.6 vs. 89.2 3D Values).

You can go with your preference between them, though.

Securing Robinson’s high touch floor here guards against the potential for your draft to get RB-happy early and leave you with weaker starting options.

Next Best: Ja’Marr Chase

Of course, you could do worse than starting your draft with Chase, even in non-PPR. The Bengal won the receiving triple crown, leading the NFL in:

receptions

receiving yards

and TDs. 

He could regress from there and still offer dominating production.

Practice going RB vs. WR with your first pick in our Mock Draft Trainer to decide which direction to go. 

Other Option:

Derrick Henry

Rounds 2 & 3

Top Targets: Brock Bowers & Drake London

Drafting Bowers gives you a positional advantage. If he is still there in the late second, he climbs to the top of the Draft War Room

Bowers delivered the 11th-most receiving yards ever for a rookie. Upgrades at QB (Geno Smith) and OC (Chip Kelly) should make this a better offense, which certainly won’t hurt its top pass-catcher.

If you haven't taken a WR yet by Round 3, drafting a top player to anchor your lineup makes sense.

London ranked fourth among WRs in red-zone targets last season with 24. A full season with Michael Penix Jr. should boost the upside vs. last year’s version of Kirk Cousins.

Next Best: Bucky Irving & Kyren Williams

If you went WR in the first round, double-tapping RB in the second and third looks to be the best build, according to the Draft War Room.

Irving sets up to be the lead back all season for the Buccaneers and should have plenty of TD opportunities. He played at least 44% of the Buccaneers’ offensive snaps in his last seven healthy games, topping 52% in five of them. That may increase further this season.

Williams continues to be underrated. He ranked among the league’s top 4 in opportunity share each of the past two years.

Other Options:

Tyreek Hill, Tee Higgins

Rounds 4 & 5

Top Targets: Mike Evans & Kenneth Walker III

Evans (42.9) holds a clear advantage over Rashee Rice (35.6) at this turn thanks primarily to a stronger TD projection. Of course, we base that on his extended history of end-zone production and the career rebound his QB made over the past two years. 

Walker appears set for a great season as the lead back in a run-friendly offense. His ability as both a runner and receiver should come in handy (receiving yards still count too!)

Staying balanced with a WR/RB split if you took an early TE makes the most sense here.

Next Best: George Kittle & DJ Moore

Kittle actually comes in as our TE2 for this format, slightly ahead of Trey McBride. If he falls to the fifth round, you get a positional advantage (assuming you didn’t already draft Bowers, of course).

HC Ben Johnson discussed using Moore on designed runs more. Combined with his WR1 status on the Bears, that could be a boon with this scoring.

Other Options:

Jalen Hurts, Davante Adams

Rounds 6 & 7

Top Targets: James Conner & Jaylen Waddle

Conner’s 3D Value score of 31.5 clearly leads the way at the end of the sixth round. If he can stay healthy, he’ll bludgeon opponents from your flex spot. Conner ranked second in missed tackles forced per attempt at 0.29 last season, showing he still can produce even when the O-line breaks down.

Waddle resides in a crowded WR tier here, but his upside looked intriguing even before Miami shipped TE Jonnu Smith off to Pittsburgh.

The Dolphins sent just 50.4% of targets to their WRs last year, sixth-lowest in the league. If you’re looking for reasons the 2024 offense fell off – besides Tua’s latest concussion – look no further.

Expect Waddle and his mates to get the ball more in 2025. His usage and production fell out of line with the previous three seasons.

Next Best: Sam LaPorta & Tet McMillan

This remains a solid spot to address TE if you haven’t drafted one yet, and LaPorta gives you an every-week starter. 

If McMillan makes it into Round 7, his upside is worth stashing on the bench. His 219-pound frame allows McMilan to beat the press and gain separation, a strength in college. Now entering the Mike Evans role in HC Dave Canales’ offense, McMillan could explode for WR2 numbers at a WR4 price. 

Other Options:

George Pickens, David Montgomery 

Rounds 8 & 9

Top Target: Chris Olave & Javonte Williams

Olave has been pushed down many rankings due to last year’s concussion and the lack of faith in the Saints' offense. Last year Olave disappointed fantasy managers after only playing in eight games. 

His ADP has dropped from WR12 last season to WR35 this year.  

We still have faith in the Saints, which makes Olave a value who can outperform his draft position..

With Jaydon Blue currently injured, Williams looks to start the season as the lead back (and possible workhorse) for the Cowboys. In non-PPR, he makes for some good, consistent depth.

Next Best: David Njoku & Calvin Ridley

If you haven't grabbed a TE yet, now is the time.

We outlined Njoku in our Sleepers article, and he tops more popular options such as Travis Kelce in this format.

Ridley will be the lead WR for the Titans and rookie QB Cam Ward. He has weekly WR2 upside on a team that may have to play from behind.

Other Options:

Travis Hunter, David Njoku

Rounds 10 & 11

Top Targets: Dak Prescott & Rashid Shaheed

If you haven’t drafted a QB yet, the Draft War Room will tell you strongly to do so now. Prescott ranks among our favorite values, with proven top-6 upside behind him, a pass-friendly new HC (Brian Schottenheimer), and physically gifted George Pickens bolstering the WR corps.

Shaheed moves him up the rankings in non-PPR since his lack of reception volume won’t hurt him. His deep-threat ability still gives him weekly upside though.. Shaheed ran a route on a team-high 87% of pass plays across his six games last season before the knee injury.  Repeating last year’s 23.3% target share over a full season could propel Shaheed into weekly-starter territory.

Next Best: Jaylen Warren & Josh Downs

Even if you drafted Kaleb Johnson, Warren holds solid upside of his own. He has a year of experience in OC Arthur Smith’s offense, often working as the pass-catching RB last season.

With Smith leaning toward a 50/50 run/pass split, there should be work for both Warren and Johnson. Plus, having both allows you to have whichever emerges as the clear lead back when that happens. 

Even without having Johnson on your team, Warren’s receiving ability and elusiveness (13th among RBs last year in PFF’s Elusiveness rating) should get him on the field early. He is worth stashing in case of that breakout. 

Downs’ 28% target-per-route rate ranked fifth among WRs. If he gets more snaps, Downs could explode into a weekly upside WR. His production did dip with Anthony Richardson starting, but Daniel Jones could be the best passing QB of Downs’ career. 

Other Options:

Jauan Jennings, Evan Engram, Brock Purdy

Rounds 12 & 13

Top Target: Keon Coleman & Jordan Mason

Coleman remains one of our favorite late-round WR shots. He ranked third last year in yards per catch among 84 WRs with 50+ targets.

Coleman worked deep, as expected, but he also won after the catch and saw more red-zone targets than his numbers reveal.

If the 2024 second-round pick can stay healthier in Year 2, his situation remains good for target-share upside. 

Mason’s set to run sidekick to a 30-year-old starter coming off an interesting season. Aaron Jones set career highs in carries per game, rushing yards, and total touches as a first-time Viking. But he also posted career lows in yards per carry and rushing success rate.

Minnesota’s investment in Mason suggests he’ll get more than backup-level work. There might be enough standalone value to sneak him into bye-week filler territory.

But the real upside, of course, lies in the possibility of a Jones injury.

Next Best: Tyjae Spears & Drake Maye

Spears flashed his elusiveness as a 2023 rookie, ranking 11th in yards after contact per attempt. Injuries impeded his quest for touches last year, but HC Brian Callahan has intimated Spears’ touch share will leave closer to Pollard’s this season.

At the very least, Spears arrives as one of the strongest handcuff options in the league.

If you have passed on QB so far, Maye’s rushing gives him QB1 upside. We are currently projecting him for 405 yards. 

Other Options:

Bhayshul Tuten, Luther Burden III

Rounds 14, 15, & 16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Across these rounds, you should add one more upside play at whatever position makes sense and address the final two starting spots.

Try to target a kicker in a good offense.

As for D, we’ve added Trust Factor this year to help differentiate your options. That favors the DST units with more favorable season-opening matchups and downgrades those with poor matchups.

Why? Because you should target matchups more than trying to lean on a season-long starter at that position.

10-Team Non-PPR Guide for Pick 4, 5, 6 & 7

Round 1

Top Target: Derrick Henry

Henry sits behind Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley in our rankings but looks good one they’re off the board.

The 31-year-old likely won’t repeat his career-high 5.9 yards per rush from last year. But he has stayed freakishly healthy for a workhorse runner. His 2021 season that ended prematurely with a foot fracture marks the only time – through nine years – that Henry has missed more than one game.

He played all 17 each of the past two seasons and has delivered 10+ TD rusn for seven consecutive campaigns.

Next Best: Justin Jefferson

Jefferson sits in the top tier of WRs with Ja’Marr Chase, so nabbing him in the middle of Round 1 would be a win.

Practice with our Mock Draft Trainer to compare going WR vs. RB with your first pick.

Other Options:

Ashton Jeanty, Puka Nacua

Round 2

Top Target: Jonathan Taylor

If the draft goes according to ADP, Taylor should be available in the mid-second. He struggled with volume when Anthony Richardson played at QB, but if Daniel Jones takes the job, Taylor could contend for RB1 overall. 

His usage and production were noticeably different last year in games with Richardson than without him:

With Richardson on the bench, Taylor would be the focal point of the offense (and run game), allowing him to emerge as an RB1 overall contender. 

Even if Richardson merely improves as a passer, JT could still challenge for that spot.

Next Best: Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas delivered absurd production as a rookie. That included ranking sixth in the league with 2.45 yards per route. New HC Liam Coen has indicated the passing game will continue to center on Thomas. 

The offense should benefit from the coaching change and talent upgrades, led by WR Travis Hunter and RB Bhayshul Tuten.

Other Options:

Lamar Jackson, AJ Brown

Round 3

Top Target: Tyreek Hill

Hill disappointed fantasy managers last season, but the Dolphins should try to revert to their success in 2023.

Dolphins WRs combined for a 50.4% team share, sixth lowest in the league. In 2023, the team share was 67.8% (following a 2022 share of 66.5%). 

The Dolphins are likely to revert back to that successful 2023 offense, targeting Hill and the Dolphins WRs more.

Next Best: Josh Jacobs

Jacobs pops over other RB options like Breece Hall due to his potential volume and TD upside.

We currently project Jacobs to rank seventh in both rushing yards and rushing TDs.

Even if the Packers' 48.8% pass rate increases from last year, Jacobs should provide solid RB2 value.

Other Options:

Breece Hall, Ladd McConkey

Round 4

Top Target: Omarion Hampton

The rookie gives you a high upside player to utilize in the flex, especially if you have only taken one RB so far.

With Najee Harris' eye injury, Hampton has been soaking up the first team reps in training camp ... and looking great doing it.

His big frame and explosive ability outside are worth the shot. If he takes some time to develop still, stash him on your bench for the fantasy playoffs.

Next Best: Davante Adams

The Rams are all-in with QB Matthew Stafford entering the twilight of his career.

Adams replacing Cooper Kupp should mean massive targets (especially in the red zone).

Other Options:

Mike Evans, Alvin Kamara

Round 5

Top Target: Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco’s fractured fibula wrecked his 2024. But the Chiefs showed confidence in Pacheco by adding only a seventh-round rookie and Elijah Mitchell (cheap one-year deal after missing all of 2024) to the backfield this offseason.

Better health at WR would boost the offense overall, which can only help Pacheco’s scoring chances. Don’t be shocked if he looks like a steal by November.

Loading up early on RBs makes sense from the middle spots of the draft because the position dries up quicker than WR. 

Next Best: George Kittle

Kittle ranks second among TEs in our non-PPR rankings. He can deliver that pivotal  positional advantage if you don’t fancy the available RBs.

Other Options:

Joe Burrow, DJ Moore

Round 6

Top Target: Patrick Mahomes

Grabbing the best pure QB in the NFL in Round 6 could be a league-winning strategy. Though he has disappointed fantasy managers for the past two seasons, Mahomes may have his best supporting cast since Tyreek Hill left.

Next Best: James Conner

Conner remains underrated due to age. His volume makes him a strong value. He ranked 18th in opportunity share last season at 66.3%, the central cog of the Cardinals’ offense. And the old guy can still play, too. He ranked seventh among RBs in PFF’s elusive rating last year. 

Other Options:

Alvin Kamara, DK Metcalf

Round 7

Top Target: David Montgomery

We’ll see exactly what Montgomery’s workload looks like after the OC switch, but he was actually leading Jahmyr Gibbs in expected fantasy points per game last year before the late-season injury. 

That means the guy going six rounds behind Gibbs in ADP was getting higher-value opportunities. Even if that shifts further toward Gibbs, Monty makes plenty of sense at this stage. 

Next Best: Jaylen Waddle

Before his disappointing 2024, Waddle hit 70+ catches and 1,000+ yards in three straight seasons. His 104 receptions in 2021 set the rookie record (before Puka Nacua and Brock Bowers came along to rudely displace him).

Miami should have been plotting a big rebound for Waddle’s usage even before the Jonnu Smith trade freed up target share.

Don’t be surprised if Waddle becomes a weekly starter for you.

Other Options:

Mark Andrews, George Pickens

Round 8

Top Target: Chris Olave

Olave’s ADP has been depressed by fears over the Saints' offense. But, Olave has topped a 23.5% target share and 2.05 yards per route in each of his three NFL seasons, one of only five WRs to achieve that feat. The four others?:

• Justin Jefferson

• A.J. Brown

• CeeDee Lamb

• Amon-Ra St. Brown

Next Best: Aaron Jones

Jones showcased consistency last year with a heavy share of snaps (753) playing all 17 games. He had 1,138 rushing yards (ninth among RBs) and 408 receiving yards (seventh)

Other Options:

Tony Pollard, Jayden Reed

Round 9

Top Target: Rome Odunze

The crowded pass-catching corps complicates his target outlook, but Odunze went ninth overall in the 2024 draft. He should be able to win a larger role in the wake of Keenan Allen’s departure.

That possibility gets even easier to buy into if he reaches your Round 9 turn. Odunze gets a further boost from Upside Mode flipping on midway through your draft. That elevates the impact of our ceiling projections to target breakout types in your later rounds.

Next Best: Kaleb Johnson

Johnson is another upside play who gets propped up with Upside Mode.

Johnson’s contact balance and ability to overcome a mediocre line at Iowa turned him into a top-100 pick.

With the draft capital investment by the Steelers, Johnson should get plenty of touches in OC Arthur Smith’s run first offense. 

Other Options:

David Njoku, Jakobi Meyers

Round 10

Top Target: Dalton Kincaid

If you haven’t addressed TE yet, Kincaid pops as an upside option this late.

He hasn’t presented the yardage or TD upside to excite non-PPR managers yet. But Kincaid ranked 10th among TEs in target share last season (adjusted for games missed). That’s enough to make him a late starting option, while Josh Allen boosts everyone’s outlook.

Next Best: D'Andre Swift

The Bears brought in very little to challenge Swift for the top spot. Healthy and back with new HC Ben Johnson, Swift has top-20 RB potential.

Other Options:

Brandon Aiyuk, Cam Skattebo

Round 11

Top Target: Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed’s downfield ability was on display last season before his knee injury. He caught 18 of 28 deep targets (64.3%) over his first two NFL seasons.

That speed plus New Orleans’ shallow WR depth chart leaves a clear path to useful production. Even if rookie QB Tyler Shough struggles, there’s room for his strong arm to leverage that downfield ability.

Next Best: Jaylen Warren

Warren may be known more for his pass catching, but his rushing volume early in the season should be enough to make him flex-worthy in good match-ups.

Plus, receiving yards still count.

He notched 1.51 yards per route run last season, rankinging eighth among RBs.

Warren should be a solid bye week fill-in.

Other Options:

Keon Coleman, Michael Pittman

Round 12

Top Target: Jordan Mason

Mason comes off a strong 2024 that found him ranked third in rushing yards over expected per attempt (1.38) and seventh in breakaway run rate (36.9%).

There’s room for Mason to carve out some standalone value after the Vikings traded draft capital for him and boosted his contract. Of course, his real upside would come with a Jones injury. The incumbent missed 2+ games in three of the past five seasons.

Next Best: Drake Maye

If you haven’t addressed QB yet, Maye’s rushing upside makes him a great value late in the draft.

Other Options:

Colston Loveland, Jayden Higgins

Round 13

Top Target: Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten’s athletic upside makes him worth a stash.

If he isn’t active early in the season, you can easily swap him out with another RB using our Free Agent Finder.

Next Best: Tyjae Spears

Spears grades higher when getting points for receptions, but he could get enough snaps to give big-play upside in this format. And if Tony Pollard goes down, Spears becomes a likely fantasy starter.

Other Options:

Hollywood Brown, Tyler Allgeier

Rounds 14, 15, & 16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Across these rounds, you should add one more upside play at whatever position makes sense and address the final two starting spots.

Try to target a kicker in a good offense.

As for D, we’ve added Trust Factor this year to help differentiate your options. That favors the DST units with more favorable season-opening matchups and downgrades those with poor matchups.

Why? Because you should target matchups more than trying to lean on a season-long starter at that position.

10-Team Non-PPR Guide for Pick 8, 9 & 10

Round 1-2

Top Target: Jonathan Taylor & Christian McCaffrey

Pairing two of the best RBs in the NFL in a non-PPR league is rare, but Taylor and McCaffrey should be available if the draft goes according to ADP.

McCaffrey might make you uncomfortable after he missed 13 games last year, but he was the dominant No. 1 player the year before. That’s worth targeting as long as he’s healthy through camp.

Landing two guys with the upside to lead the position in scoring just might make this the best draft position in the format.

Next Best: Ashton Jeanty & Nico Collins

Jeanty has upside to the top of the position right away via his likely workhorse role, proven receiving ability, and new OC. Chip Kelly’s NFL offenses have run high on play volume and been friendly to RB production.

Collins sits close to Brian Thomas Jr. in 3D Value, so either one will be a fine choice in Round 2.

Collins edges Thomas here with slightly higher baseline and floor projections.

Other Options:

Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers

Rounds 3 & 4

Top Target: Tee Higgins & Jalen Hurts

Higgins finished a career-best third among WRs in non-PPR points per game last season. That marked his second Top-12 finish among the past three years.

Cincinnati’s financial commitment and pass-happy ways under Zac Taylor portend similar fortune for Higgins going forward.

Hurts pops as a top option if he remains on the board in the early fourth. His passing production dipped with less volume and multi-game injuries to A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert last season. But Hurts led all QBs in carries and actually increased his expected TDs over the previous season, despite Saquon Barkley’s arrival.  

He’s still a stud.

Next Best: Kenneth Walker III & Omarion Hampton

If you didn’t go RB-RB in the first two rounds, Walker profiles as lead backs on attractive offenses that should operate plenty on the ground.

Hampton's upside is worth gambling on in this format despite him being a rookie.

Other Options:

Garrett Wilson, Chuba Hubbard

Rounds 5 & 6

Top Target: DK Metcalf & James Conner

Metcalf’s downfield ability and playing with Aaron Rodgers could overcome potentially limited target volume and make him the wideout a strong starting option for you.

Conner has ranked among the Top 14 RBs in non-PPR points per game each of his four Arizona seasons. 

Next Best: Alvin Kamara & DJ Moore

Kamara is known mostly for his pass catching, but he can still be a solid flex option even in this format. With not much of a threat to his snaps, Kamara should get enough volume to be useful.

He has ranked as a top-20 RB every season of his career in non-PPR, making him a safe choice at his RB17 ADP.

Moore should be the lead WR in HC Ben Johnson’s offense, working all over the field. He has checked in between 24% and 27% in target share each of the past four years.

If that continues, he should certainly have spike weeks and could end up as a WR2 in this format. 

Other Options:

David Montgomery, Jameson Williams

Rounds 7 & 8

Top Target: Jayden Reed & David Njoku

Expect the Packers’ pass rate to rebound from last year’s low for the Matt LaFleur era. That would help Reed’s opportunities, and he has scored fantasy points efficiently when he has gotten the ball through two seasons..

Target Njoku here if you don’t have a TE yet. His 21.7% first-read rate tied for sixth among TEs. He should be a focal point for the Browns offense following up a 21.7% first read rate last year, sixth among TEs last year.

Next Best: Tony Pollard & TreVeyon Henderson

Pollard’s volume makes him worth a bench spot, especially if Cam Ward improves the Titans' offense as a whole. Pollard did rank ninth in yards after contact per attempt in 2024.

Don’t be surprised if Henderson doesn’t actually stay on the board this long. If he does, though, his explosive running style and strong receiving present plenty of upside no matter the scoring format.

Other Options:

Jordan Addison, Kaleb Johnson

Rounds 9 & 10

Top Target: Rome Odunze & Jaylen Warren

Odunze gives you upside in the Bears’ new offense with his athleticism and downfield ability.

New HC Ben Johnson’s offenses have ranked top-5 in points in each of the last three years.

If they the Bears can come close to that, Odunze will have more scoring opportunities than he did as a rookie.

Warren may be known more for his pass catching, but his rushing volume early in the season should be enough to make him flex-worthy in good match-ups.

Plus, receiving yards still count.

He notched 1.51 yards per route run last season, rankinging eighth among RBs.

Warren should be a solid bye week fill-in.

Next Best: Josh Downs & D'Andre Swift

Downs benefits from Daniel Jones being named the starting QB and should provide weekly TD upside.

Swift is the lead back on a potentially high flying offense with new HC Ben Johnson

Other Options:

Cam Skattebo, Brandon Aiyuk

Rounds 11 & 12

Top Target: Rashid Shaheed & Tank Bigsby

haheed moves him up the rankings in non-PPR since his lack of reception volume won’t hurt him. His deep-threat ability still gives him weekly upside though.. Shaheed ran a route on a team-high 87% of pass plays across his six games last season before the knee injury.  Repeating last year’s 23.3% target share over a full season could propel Shaheed into weekly-starter territory.

The Jaguars still have some sorting to do in their backfield. Bigsby ran better than Travis Etienne last season, which could position him for the early-season rushing lead in 2025. That’d make Bigsby a nice get this late in your draft, even if he becomes a “sell” candidate by the end of September.

Next Best: Justin Fields & Keon Coleman

If you haven’t addressed QB yet, Fields sits ninth in our rankings. In his 40 career games playing at least 90% of snaps, Fields has averaged 9.6 rushes per game over the last three years. 

Over a 17 game season, that would put Fields at 163 rushes for the season. That would have led all QBs last season.

Josh Palmer’s arrival adds competition for Coleman, but it doesn’t block the second-year man from earning Buffalo’s lead outside role.

Coleman averaged a terrific 7.7 yards after catch per reception last season, while also sporting the team’s second-deepest aDOT. That combo could mean wonderful yardage efficiency if it continues. And Coleman could easily emerge as Josh Allen’s favorite red-zone target (at least when the QB’s willing to not run it in himself).

Other Options:

Tucker Kraft, Javonte Williams

Rounds 13, 14, 15 & 16

Top Targets: Upside + K + DST

Across these rounds, you should add one more upside play at whatever position makes sense and address the final two starting spots.

Try to target a kicker in a good offense.

As for D, we’ve added Trust Factor this year to help differentiate your options. That favors the DST units with more favorable season-opening matchups and downgrades those with poor matchups.

Why? Because you should target matchups more than trying to lean on a season-long starter at that position.

Build Your 10-Team Draft Strategy

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