12-Team Non PPR Draft Strategy

 

What’s the optimal 12-team Non PPR draft strategy?

Fantasy drafts are tricky. There are countless variables to consider each time you’re on the clock:

• Scoring system
• Positional value
• Team needs
• ADP
• Upside
• Injury risk

It’s easy to be overwhelmed and make costly draft mistakes.

And is there anything worse than seeing your top picks falter while your opponents land the late-round league winners?

The solution: A round-by-round draft strategy guide to maximize value with every pick.

The 12-team Non PPR draft strategy guide below will take you through top targets and secondary options for every pick of your draft.

We’re using our 3D Values and current ADP to pinpoint the best picks in each round.

Consider this your game plan heading into your draft.

No fantasy football draft goes exactly as planned, of course. You’ll likely need to adjust your Non PPR draft strategy throughout the proceedings to maximize value.

That’s where the customized, dynamic fantasy football cheat sheet on your Draft War Room comes into play, instantly analyzing 17 value indicators each time you’re on the clock to help you make the best pick.

Combine the Draft War Room with this round-by-round game plan, and you’ll be armed with the ultimate Non PPR fantasy football draft guide.

Note: This strategy guide assumes a 16-round draft and starting lineup of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 K and 1 DST. The Draft War Room will help you adjust your strategy if your league settings are different.

 

Non PPR Draft Strategy for Pick 1, 2, or 3

Round 1

Top Target: Saquon Barkley

You’ll find a RB topping your Draft War Room here, with Barkley leading Bijan Robinson and Derrick Henry.

Barkley is coming off a historic 2024 season, scoring the 23rd-most non-PPR points by a RB in NFL history. He returns to a nearly identical situation in 2025 in a high-scoring Eagles offense behind an elite offensive line.

Next Best: Bijan Robinson

Robinson doesn’t project for as many carries or rushing yards as Barkley. But he’s just as good a TD bet and will do more as a receiver.

Robinson might also be a safer bet than Barkley, considering he’s five years younger.

Other Options

• Derrick Henry
• Ja’Marr Chase

Rounds 2 & 3

Top Targets: Kyren Williams & Jayden Daniels

Williams ranked third among RBs in expected non-PPR points per game and seventh in actual points per game last year.

Strong goal-line usage fueled those numbers. Williams led all RBs with 70 red-zone carries and ranked third with 20 carries inside the 5-yard line.

The Rams drafted another RB (Jarquez Hunter) and have talked about deploying more of a committee this season. But Williams could lose some work and still be a nice value here.

QBs gain value in non-PPR leagues. The format doesn’t impact their scores, but it lowers RB, WR, and TE scores by removing reception scoring.

That makes the elite QBs such as Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels worth considering as early as Round 3.

Next Best: Drake London & Joe Mixon

London is coming off a WR6 finish in non-PPR points and could be even better in 2025. He’s still ascending at 24, and QB Michael Penix Jr. might prove to be a significant upgrade over last year’s version of Kirk Cousins.

The Texans gave Mixon workhorse usage: 19.3 carries and 3.8 targets across his 12 full games. Only three RBs scored more fantasy points over that stretch.

Houston added Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks to the backfield this offseason, but neither threatens Mixon’s lead role.

Other Options

• Breece Hall
• Bucky Irving
• Chase Brown
• Tee Higgins

Rounds 4 & 5

Top Targets: Chuba Hubbard & James Conner

Don’t be afraid to open your non-PPR draft with three RBs inside your first four or five picks (assuming you can start three RBs).

Hubbard finished 11th among RBs in non-PPR points per game last year. He proved excellent as a runner, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and ranking top-9 in rush yards over expected per attempt, yards after contact per attempt, and Pro Football Focus rush grade.

Hubbard's receiving performance trailed well behind, though. He's in danger of losing work to Rico Dowdle and/or Trevor Etienne there. That’s less worrisome in non-PPR than if would be in other formats.

Conner kept rolling last year, finishing RB14 in non-PPR points per game. That followed a RB7 finish in 2023.

He’ll remain Arizona’s clear lead back in 2025 and presents nice value here.

Next Best: Mike Evans & D.K. Metcalf

Evans is showing no signs of slowing down at 32. In fact, he averaged a career-best 2.41 yards per route on his way to a WR6 finish in non-PPR points per game last season.

Evans has now finished as a top-10 WR in non-PPR points per game in six of the past seven years.

Metcalf boasts exciting TD upside in Pittsburgh. He has averaged 8.0 TDs per season on an 11% TD rate for his career. QB Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, owns a career 6.1% TD rate. That’s second-highest among all QBs with 1,000+ career attempts since the 1970 merger.

Other Options

• Omarion Hampton
• David Montgomery
• Marvin Harrison Jr.
• D.J. Moore

Rounds 6 & 7

Top Targets: Jameson Williams & Tetairoa McMillan

Time to start filling out your WR corps if you went RB-heavy early.

Williams is coming off a breakout 2024 and ran particularly well over the second half, averaging 73.4 yards and 0.5 TDs over his final eight games. He ranked 18th among WRs in non-PPR points per game during that stretch.

McMillan boasts a strong prospect profile and has a good chance to immediately emerge as Carolina’s top target. If QB Bryce Young keeps playing like he did over the second half of last season, McMillan will be a good bet for WR2-level production.

Next Best: Isiah Pacheco & Jaylen Waddle

Pacheco's 2024 season got derailed by a September broken leg. He operated as a workhorse before that injury, though, and the Chiefs added only complementary pieces to the backfield this offseason.

A healthy Pacheco remains a good bet to lead his backfield. Remember that he finished 14th among RBs in non-PPR points per game in 2023.

Waddle's volume and efficiency tanked in a weird Miami passing season. But that looks like an outlier when you compare it to the rest of Waddle's career:

• Sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft
• Caught 104 balls as a rookie
• Finished WR13 in year 2
• Finished WR22 in year 3

Waddle's a strong bounce-back bet in 2025, especially after Miami traded TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

Other Options

• Aaron Jones
• Tony Pollard
• George Pickens

Rounds 8 & 9

Top Targets: Jayden Reed & Chris Godwin

Reed disappointed last year, finishing 34th among WRs in non-PPR points per game. He remained efficient, though, averaging 15.6 yards per catch and 11.4 yards per target.

Reed’s biggest problem was the Packers going run-heavy, especially after QB Jordan Love's mid-season groin injury. Expect more passing volume from Green Bay this season and more targets for Reed.

Godwin carries some risk as he works back from last October's dislocated ankle. But that’s more than baked into this price tag. Godwin sat fifth among WRs in non-PPR points per game when he went down last year.

Next Best: Brian Robinson Jr. & Mark Andrews

Robinson won't excite anyone, but he finished RB23 in non-PPR points per game last year and should play the same role in 2025. He controlled the team's goal-line work, ranking 12th among RBs in expected rushing TDs per game.

Andrews works well in non-PPR leagues. He’s not a great bet for catch volume in a run-leaning Ravens offense. But he has scored 17 TDs in 27 games over the last two seasons. That has helped him finish TE1 and TE6 in non-PPR points per game.

Other Options

• Jaylen Warren
• Cam Skattebo
• Tyrone Tracy
• Jakobi Meyers
• Khalil Shakir

Rounds 10 & 11

Top Targets: Justin Fields & David Njoku

If you didn’t land an elite QB early, target Fields here.

It's not always pretty, but Fields has continually produced as a QB1 with upside thanks to his high-end rushing production. His 50.2 rushing yards per game rank second among QBs over the last four seasons, behind only Lamar Jackson.

Njoku averaged 9.9 targets and scored as the TE8 across nine healthy games last season. That followed TE10 and TE6 finishes in non-PPR points per game the previous two years. He’s an excellent value here.

Next Best: Tank Bigsby & Keon Coleman

Bigsby finds himself in a crowded Jaguars backfield but could emerge as the lead ball carrier. He’s coming off a promising 2024, ranking top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per carry, and rush yards over expected per attempt.

Coleman was coming on before a Week 9 wrist injury last year, posting 4-125-0 and 5-70-1 lines in the two preceding games. The 33rd overall pick of 2024 has an opportunity to earn a big role in a high-scoring Bills offense this season.

Other Options

• J.K. Dobbins
• Tyjae Spears
• Darnell Mooney
• Tucker Kraft

Rounds 12 & 13

Top Targets: Rashid Shaheed & Bhayshul Tuten

Shaheed drew a 23.3% target share and averaged 2.04 yards per route before a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last year. Both  marks ranked top-30 among WRs. He's back to 100% now and remains locked in as New Orleans’ No. 2 WR.

The Saints need to answer their big QB question but project for a significant spike in play volume under new HC Kellen Moore.

Whether you took Tank Bigby at the last turn or not, consider Tuten here. The rookie brings explosive rushing, and the new Jacksonville regime handpicked him.

Next Best: Dak Prescott & Tyler Allgeier

You could wait until Round 12 and still land a rock-solid QB1 in Prescott. A hamstring injury cut short his 2024, but he’s just a couple of years removed from a QB6 finish in points per game.

George Pickens’ arrival gives Prescott his best WR duo since at least 2021, when he had Amari Cooper with CeeDee Lamb.

Allgeier's a pure handcuff but one of the highest-upside handcuffs in the league.

He’d turn into a workhorse behind a strong offensive line if RB Bijan Robinson misses time. Allgeier proved super efficient last year, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and ranking fourth among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt (3.61).

Other Options

• Trevor Lawrence
• Ray Davis
• Jayden Higgins

Rounds 14, 15 & 16

Target a player with big upside in Round 14. You can sort by projected ceiling in your Draft War Room to find players with difference-making upside.

Some names to consider:

• Anthony Richardson
• Roschon Johnson
• Jaylen Wright
• MarShawn Lloyd
• Dylan Sampson
• Jerome Ford
• Diontae Johnson
• Cedric Tillman
• Xavier Legette
• Pat Bryant

Use your final two picks on a kicker and DST. Target a kicker on a strong offense. We recommend working the waiver wire and playing matchups at DST throughout the season.

Here are three DSTs with favorable early schedules:

• Broncos (vs. TEN, at IND)
• Steelers (at NYJ, vs. SEA, at NE)
• 49ers (at SEA, at NO)

  

  

Non PPR Draft Strategy for Pick 4, 5, or 6

Round 1

Top Target: Derrick Henry

You’ll see RBs flooding the top of your rankings here, with Henry likely leading the way.

The 31-year-old showed no signs of decline last year, leading 47 qualifying RBs in rush yards over expected per attempt and Pro Football Focus rushing grade on his way to a RB2 finish in non-PPR points per game

Henry will remain a huge part of a high-scoring Ravens offense in 2025.

Next Best: Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs finished third among RBs in non-PPR points per game last year. 

Those numbers got a huge boost from David Montgomery missing the final three games. But there’s a chance Gibbs gets a bigger piece of the backfield pie this year if:

1. New OC John Morton deploys a different split, or
2. The Lions play from behind more often, a scenario that would mean more Gibbs.

Other Options

• Jonathan Taylor
• Christian McCaffrey
• Ashton Jeanty

Round 2

Top Target: A.J. Brown

Brown is coming off a WR11 finish in non-PPR points per game last season, despite the Eagles attempting 29 fewer passes than any other team. He drew a massive 31.4% target share in his 13 games, while setting career highs in yards per route and PFF receiving grade.

The Eagles will likely throw at least a little more — and maybe a lot more — in 2025. That could vault Brown back into the top eight.

Next Best: Kyren Williams

Williams ranked third among RBs in expected non-PPR points per game and seventh in actual points per game last year.

Strong goal-line usage fueled those numbers. Williams led all RBs with 70 red-zone carries and ranked third with 20 carries inside the 5-yard line.

The Rams drafted another RB (Jarquez Hunter) and have talked about deploying more of a committee this season. But Williams could lose some work and still be a nice value here.

Other Options

• Josh Jacobs
• Drake London
• Bucky Irving

Round 3

Top Target: Jayden Daniels

QBs gain value in non-PPR leagues. The format doesn’t impact their scores, but it lowers RB, WR, and TE scores by removing reception scoring.

That makes the elite QBs like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels, and Jalen Hurts worth considering as early as Round 3.

Next Best: Joe Mixon

The Texans gave Mixon workhorse usage: 19.3 carries and 3.8 targets across his 12 full games. Only three RBs scored more fantasy points over that stretch.

Houston added Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks to the backfield this offseason, but neither is a threat to Mixon’s lead role.

Other Options

• Jalen Hurts
• Breece Hall
• Chase Brown
• Ken Walker
• Tee Higgins
• Tyreek Hill

Round 4

Top Target: Chuba Hubbard

Hubbard finished 11th among RBs in non-PPR points per game last year. He proved excellent as a runner, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and ranking top-9 in rush yards over expected per attempt, yards after contact per attempt, and Pro Football Focus rush grade.

Hubbard's receiving performance trailed well behind, though. He's in danger of losing work to Rico Dowdle and/or Trevor Etienne there. That’s less worrisome in non-PPR than if would be in other formats.

Next Best: Mike Evans

Evans has showed no signs of slowing down at age 32. In fact, he averaged a career-best 2.41 yards per route on his way to a WR6 finish in non-PPR points per game last season.

Evans has now finished as a top-10 WR in non-PPR points per game in six of the last seven years.

Other Options

• Alvin Kamara
• Omarion Hampton
• Rashee Rice
• Marvin Harrison Jr.

Round 5

Top Target: James Conner

Don’t be afraid to open your non-PPR draft with three RBs inside your first four or five picks (assuming you can start three RBs).

Conner kept rolling last year, finishing RB14 in non-PPR points per game. That followed a RB7 finish in 2023. He’ll remain Arizona’s clear lead back in 2025 and presents nice value here.

Next Best: D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf will lead the 2025 Steelers in targets and boasts exciting TD upside. He’s averaged 8.0 TDs per season on an 11.0% TD rate for his career.

QB Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, owns a career 6.1% TD rate. That’s second-highest among all QBs with 1,000+ career attempts since the 1970 merger.

Other Options

• David Montgomery
• D.J. Moore
• Xavier Worthy
• Courtland Sutton

Round 6

Top Target: Jaylen Waddle

Time to start filling your WR room if you went RB-heavy early.

Waddle's volume and efficiency tanked in a weird Miami passing season. But that looks like an outlier when you compare it to the rest of his career:

• Sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft
• Caught 104 balls as a rookie
• Finished WR13 in year 2
• Finished WR22 in year 3

Waddle's a strong bounce-back bet in 2025, especially after Miami traded TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

Next Best: Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco's 2024 season got derailed by a September broken leg. He operated as a workhorse before that injury, though, and the Chiefs added only complementary pieces to the backfield this offseason.

A healthy Pacheco remains a good bet to lead his backfield. Remember that he finished 14th among RBs in non-PPR points per game in 2023.

Other Options

• Aaron Jones 
• Tony Pollard
• George Pickens

Round 7

Top Target: Jameson Williams

Williams is coming off a breakout 2024 and was particularly good over the second half, averaging 73.4 yards and 0.5 TDs over his final eight games. He ranked 18th among WRs in non-PPR points per game during that stretch.

Next Best: Tetairoa McMillan

McMillan boasts a strong prospect profile and has a good chance to immediately emerge as Carolina’s top target. If QB Bryce Young keeps playing like he did over the second half of last season, McMillan will be a good bet for WR2-level production.

Other Options

• TreVeyon Henderson
• Kaleb Johnson
• Rome Odunze

Round 8

Top Target: Brian Robinson

Robinson won't excite anyone, but he finished RB23 in non-PPR points per game last year and should play the same role in 2025. He controlled the team's goal-line work, ranking 12th among RBs in expected rushing TDs per game.

Next Best: Chris Godwin

Godwin comes with some risk as he works back from last October's dislocated ankle. But that’s more than baked into this price tag. Godwin was sitting fifth among WRs in non-PPR points per game when he went down last year.

Other Options

• Kyler Murray
• Jaylen Warren
• Cam Skattebo
• Jauan Jennings

Round 9

Top Target: Jayden Reed

Reed was relatively disappointing last year, finishing 34th among WRs in non-PPR points per game. He remained efficient, though, averaging 15.6 yards per catch and 11.4 yards per target.

Reed’s biggest problem was the Packers going run-heavy, especially after QB Jordan Love got banged up. Expect more passing volume from Green Bay this season — and more targets for Reed.

Next Best: Mark Andrews

Andrews works well in non-PPR leagues. He’s not a great bet for catch volume in a run-leaning Ravens offense. But he’s scored 17 TDs in 27 games over the last two seasons. That’s helped him finish TE1 and TE6 in non-PPR points per game.

Other Options

• Tyrone Tracy
• Travis Etienne
• Jakobi Meyers
• Khalil Shakir

Round 10

Top Target: Justin Fields

This is a good round to lock up your QB1 or TE1.

It's not always pretty, but Fields has consistently produced as a top-12 fantasy scorer thanks to his high-end rushing production. His 50.2 rushing yards per game rank second among QBs over the last four seasons, behind only Lamar Jackson.

Next Best: David Njoku

Njoku averaged 9.9 targets and scored as the TE8 across nine healthy games last season. That followed TE10 and TE6 finishes in non-PPR points per game the previous two years. He’s an excellent value here.

Other Options

• Justin Herbert
• J.K. Dobbins
• Michael Pittman
• Tucker Kraft

Round 11

Top Target: Tank Bigsby

Bigsby finds himself in a crowded Jaguars backfield but could emerge as the lead ball carrier. He’s coming off a promising 2024, ranking top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per carry, and rush yards over expected per attempt.

Next Best: Keon Coleman

Coleman was coming on before a Week 9 wrist injury last year, posting 4-125-0 and 5-70-1 lines in the two preceding games. The 33rd overall pick of the 2024 draft has an opportunity to earn a big role in a high-scoring Bills offense this season.

Other Options

• Tyjae Spears
• Zach Charbonnet
• Darnell Mooney

Round 12

Top Target: Bhayshul Tuten

Whether you took Tank Bigby at the last turn or not, consider Tuten here. The rookie brings explosive rushing, and the new Jacksonville regime handpicked him.

Next Best: Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed drew a 23.3% target share and averaged 2.04 yards per route before a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last year. Those were both top-30 marks among WRs.

He's back to 100% now and remains locked in as New Orleans’ No. 2 WR. The Saints have a big QB question but project for a significant spike in play volume under new HC Kellen Moore.

Other Options

• Dak Prescott
• Isaac Guerendo

Round 13

Top Target: Tyler Allgeier

Allgeier's a pure handcuff but one of the highest-upside handcuffs in the league.

He’d turn into a workhorse behind a strong offensive line if RB Bijan Robinson misses time. Allgeier proved super efficient last year, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and ranking fourth among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt (3.61).

Next Best: Ray Davis

Like Allgeier, Davis is a high-upside handcuff. He ripped off 152 total yards on 23 touches when Cook missed Week 6 last year.

Davis also has a shot at standalone fantasy value, though. Cook played just 48% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps last year, leaving room for another RB in this high-scoring offense.

Other Options

• Trevor Lawrence
• Trey Benson
• Jayden Higgins

Rounds 14, 15 & 16

Target a player with big upside in Round 14. You can sort by projected ceiling in your Draft War Room to find players with difference-making upside.

Some names to consider:

• Anthony Richardson
• Roschon Johnson
• Jaylen Wright
• MarShawn Lloyd
• Dylan Sampson
• Jerome Ford
• Diontae Johnson
• Cedric Tillman
• Xavier Legette
• Pat Bryant

Use your final two picks on a kicker and DST. Target a kicker on a strong offense. We recommend working the waiver wire and playing matchups at DST throughout the season.

Here are three DSTs with favorable early schedules:

• Broncos (vs. TEN, at IND)
• Steelers (at NYJ, vs. SEA, at NE)
• 49ers (at SEA, at NO)

 

 

Non PPR Draft Strategy for Pick 7, 8, or 9

Round 1

Top Target: Derrick Henry

You’ll see RBs flooding the top of your rankings here, with Henry leading the way if he’s still available.

The 31-year-old showed no signs of decline last year, leading 47 qualifying RBs in rush yards over expected per attempt and Pro Football Focus rushing grade on his way to a RB2 finish in non-PPR points per game

Henry will remain a huge part of a high-scoring Ravens offense in 2025.

Next Best: Christian McCaffrey

We won’t fault you for preferring a safer option in Round 1. But McCaffrey certainly has the upside to pay off. 

Just two years ago when he scored 1.7 more non-PPR points per game than any other RB. He’s had a healthy 2025 offseason and will continue to be the 49ers’ workhorse for as long as his body holds up.

Other Options

• Ashton Jeanty
• CeeDee Lamb

Round 2

Top Target: Jonathan Taylor

Taylor missed three games last season but averaged 21.6 carries and 102 rushing yards across the other 14. Those marks ranked first and third league-wide.

Indianapolis’ QB situation adds some risk to his 2025 outlook. But the second-round price tag factors that in. Taylor has the upside to be a top-5 non-PPR RB.

Next Best: Nico Collins

Collins finished seventh among WRs in non-PPR points per game last year, despite a midseason hamstring injury and a disappointing season from Houston’s offense.

He ranked second in PFF receiving grade and third in yards per route among 84 qualifying WRs. This is a bonafide star well worth a pick in the early second round of fantasy drafts.

Other Options

• Brian Thomas Jr.
• A.J. Brown
• Kyren Williams

Round 3

Top Target: Joe Mixon

The Texans gave Mixon workhorse usage: 19.3 carries and 3.8 targets across his 12 full games. Only three RBs scored more fantasy points over that stretch.

Houston added Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks to the backfield this offseason, but neither is a threat to Mixon’s lead role.

Top Target: Jalen Hurts

Hurts' 2024 might've seemed disappointing. But he still finished fifth among QBs in fantasy points per game after back-to-back QB2 finishes.

Hurts set career highs in multiple passing metrics, despite WR A.J. Brown, WR DeVonta Smith, and TE Dallas Goedert all missing multiple games. And he remains easily the position's best bet for rushing TDs.

Elite QBs like Hurts gain value in non-PPR leagues. The format doesn’t impact their scores, but it lowers RB, WR, and TE scores by removing reception scoring.

Other Options

• Chase Brown
• Tyreek Hill

Round 4

Top Target: Breece Hall

Hall is coming off an underwhelming season in Aaron Rodgers’ pass-heavy offense. The Jets will make a big shift toward the run in 2025 under QB Justin Fields. Expect Hall to be a focal point.

He finished seventh among RBs in non-PPR points per game as a rookie in 2022 and 12th in 2023.

Next Best: Mike Evans

Evans has showed no signs of slowing down at age 32. In fact, he averaged a career-best 2.41 yards per route on his way to a WR6 finish in non-PPR points per game last season.

Evans has now finished as a top-10 WR in non-PPR points per game in six of the last seven years.

Other Options

• Ken Walker
• Chuba Hubbard
• Rashee Rice
• Davante Adams

Round 5

Top Target: D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf will lead the 2025 Steelers in targets and boasts exciting TD upside. He’s averaged 8.0 TDs per season on an 11.0% TD rate for his career.

QB Aaron Rodgers, meanwhile, owns a career 6.1% TD rate. That’s second-highest among all QBs with 1,000+ career attempts since the 1970 merger.

Next Best: David Montgomery

Only 11 RBs averaged more non-PPR points per game than Montgomery last year. Perhaps he loses a little more work to Jahmyr Gibbs in 2025, but he’ll still be a good TD bet in a high-scoring offense.

And if Gibbs misses time, Montgomery will be a top-12 fantasy option.

Other Options

• D.J. Moore
• Xavier Worthy
• Courtland Sutton

Round 6

Top Target: Jaylen Waddle

Waddle's volume and efficiency tanked in what was a weird Miami passing season. But that looks like an outlier when you compare it to the rest of Waddle's career:

• Sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft
• Caught 104 balls as a rookie
• Finished WR13 in year 2
• Finished WR22 in year 3

Waddle's a strong bounce-back bet in 2025, especially after Miami traded TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

Next Best: Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco's 2024 season got derailed by a September broken leg. He operated as a workhorse before that injury, though, and the Chiefs added only complementary pieces to the backfield this offseason.

A healthy Pacheco remains a good bet to lead his backfield. Remember that he finished 14th among RBs in non-PPR points per game in 2023.

Other Options

• Aaron Jones 
• Tony Pollard
• George Pickens

Round 7

Top Target: Jameson Williams

This is a nice round to target a WR, especially if you only have two up to this point.

Williams is coming off a breakout 2024 and was particularly good over the second half, averaging 73.4 yards and 0.5 TDs over his final eight games. He ranked 18th among WRs in non-PPR points per game during that stretch.

Next Best: Tetairoa McMillan

McMillan boasts a strong prospect profile and has a good chance to immediately emerge as Carolina’s top target. If QB Bryce Young keeps playing like he did over the second half of last season, McMillan will be a good bet for WR2-level production.

Other Options

• TreVeyon Henderson
• Kaleb Johnson
• Rome Odunze

Round 8

Top Target: Brian Robinson Jr.

Robinson won't excite anyone, but he finished RB23 in non-PPR points per game last year and should play the same role in 2025. He controlled the team's goal-line work, ranking 12th among RBs in expected rushing TDs per game.

Next Best: Chris Godwin

Godwin comes with some risk as he works back from last October's dislocated ankle. But that’s more than baked into this price tag. Godwin sat fifth among WRs in non-PPR points per game when he went down last year.

Other Options

• Kyler Murray
• Jaylen Warren
• Cam Skattebo
• Jauan Jennings

Round 9

Top Target: Jayden Reed

Reed disappointed last year, finishing 34th among WRs in non-PPR points per game. He remained efficient, though, averaging 15.6 yards per catch and 11.4 yards per target.

Reed’s biggest problem was the Packers going run-heavy, especially after QB Jordan Love got banged up. Expect more passing volume from Green Bay this season and more targets for Reed.

Next Best: Mark Andrews

Andrews works well in non-PPR leagues. He’s not a great bet for catch volume in a run-leaning Ravens offense. But he has scored 17 TDs in 27 games over the last two seasons. That has helped him finish TE1 and TE6 in non-PPR points per game.

Other Options

• Tyrone Tracy
• Travis Etienne
• Jakobi Meyers
• Khalil Shakir

Round 10

Top Target: Justin Fields

This is a good round to lock up your QB1 or TE1.

It's not always pretty, but Fields has continually produced as a top-12 fantasy scorer thanks to his high-end rushing production. His 50.2 rushing yards per game rank second among QBs over the last four seasons, behind only Lamar Jackson.

Next Best: David Njoku

Njoku averaged 9.9 targets and scored as the TE8 across nine healthy games last season. That followed TE10 and TE6 finishes in non-PPR points per game the previous two years. He’s an excellent value here.

Other Options

• Justin Herbert
• J.K. Dobbins
• Michael Pittman
• Tucker Kraft

Round 11

Top Target: Tank Bigsby

Bigsby finds himself in a crowded Jaguars backfield but could emerge as the lead ball carrier. He’s coming off a promising 2024, ranking top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per carry, and rush yards over expected per attempt.

Next Best: Keon Coleman

Coleman was coming on before a Week 9 wrist injury last year, posting 4-125-0 and 5-70-1 lines in the two preceding games. The 33rd overall pick of the 2024 draft has an opportunity to earn a big role in a high-scoring Bills offense this season.

Other Options

• Tyjae Spears
• Zach Charbonnet
• Darnell Mooney

Round 12

Top Target: Bhayshul Tuten

Whether you took Tank Bigby at the last turn or not, consider Tuten here. The rookie brings explosive rushing, and the new Jacksonville regime handpicked him.

Next Best: Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed drew a 23.3% target share and averaged 2.04 yards per route before a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last year. Both marks ranked top-30 among WRs.

He's back to 100% now and remains locked in as New Orleans’ No. 2 WR. The Saints have a big QB question but project for a significant spike in play volume under new HC Kellen Moore.

Other Options

• Dak Prescott
• Isaac Guerendo

Round 13

Top Target: Tyler Allgeier

Allgeier's a pure handcuff but one of the highest-upside handcuffs in the league.

He’d turn into a workhorse behind a strong offensive line if RB Bijan Robinson misses time. Allgeier was super efficient last year, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and ranking fourth among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt (3.61).

Next Best: Ray Davis

Like Allgeier, Davis is a high-upside handcuff. He ripped off 152 total yards on 23 touches when Cook missed Week 6 last year.

Davis also has a shot at standalone fantasy value, though. Cook played just 48% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps last year, leaving room for another RB in this high-scoring offense.

Other Options

• Trevor Lawrence
• Trey Benson
• Jayden Higgins

Rounds 14, 15 & 16

Target a player with big upside in Round 14. You can sort by projected ceiling in your Draft War Room to find players with difference-making upside.

Some names to consider:

• Anthony Richardson
• Roschon Johnson
• Jaylen Wright
• MarShawn Lloyd
• Dylan Sampson
• Jerome Ford
• Diontae Johnson
• Cedric Tillman
• Xavier Legette
• Pat Bryant

Use your final two picks on a kicker and DST. Target a kicker on a strong offense. We recommend working the waiver wire and playing matchups at DST throughout the season.

Here are three DSTs with favorable early schedules:

• Broncos (vs. TEN, at IND)
• Steelers (at NYJ, vs. SEA, at NE)
• 49ers (at SEA, at NO)

 

 

Non PPR Draft Strategy for Pick 10, 11, or 12

Rounds 1 & 2

Top Targets: Derrick Henry & Jonathan Taylor

You’ll likely see RBs flooding the top of your rankings here. Plan on taking at least one — and likely two — with your first two picks.

The 31-year-old Henry showed no signs of decline last year, leading 47 qualifying RBs in rush yards over expected per attempt and Pro Football Focus rushing grade on his way to a RB2 finish in non-PPR points per game. He’ll remain a huge part of a high-scoring Ravens offense in 2025.

Taylor missed three games last season but averaged 21.6 carries and 102 rushing yards across the other 14. Those marks ranked first and third league-wide.

Indianapolis’ QB situation adds some risk to his 2025 outlook, but Taylor has the upside to be a top-5 non-PPR RB.

Next Best: Ashton Jeanty & Nico Collins

Draft capital makes Jeanty a strong bet for big volume this season. Four of the last six RBs to go top-10 in the NFL Draft averaged 19+ touches per game as rookies.

OC Chip Kelly's historically fast-paced and run-leaning attack will also help Jeanty, who’s coming off a massive 2,601 rushing yards at Boise State last year.

Collins finished seventh among WRs in non-PPR points per game last year, despite a mid-season hamstring injury and a disappointing season from Houston’s offense.

He ranked second in PFF receiving grade and third in yards per route among 84 qualifying WRs. This is a bonafide star well worth a pick in the early second round of fantasy drafts.

Other Options

• Kyren Williams
• Brian Thomas Jr.
• Malik Nabers

Rounds 3 & 4

Top Targets: Jalen Hurts & Joe Mixon

Hurts comes off a 2024 that was only relatively disappointing. He still finished fifth among QBs in fantasy points per game after back-to-back QB2 finishes.

Hurts set career highs in multiple passing metrics last year, despite WR A.J. Brown, WR DeVonta Smith, and TE Dallas Goedert all missing multiple games. And he remains easily the best bet for rushing TDs at the position

Elite QBs like Hurts gain value in non-PPR leagues. The format doesn’t impact their scores, but it lowers RB, WR, and TE scores by removing receptions from the equation.

The Texans gave Mixon workhorse usage: 19.3 carries and 3.8 targets across his 12 full games. Only three RBs scored more fantasy points over that stretch.

Houston added Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks to the backfield this offseason, but neither is a threat to Mixon’s lead role.

Next Best: Mike Evans & Breece Hall

Evans has showed no signs of slowing down at age 32. In fact, he averaged a career-best 2.41 yards per route on his way to a WR6 finish in non-PPR points per game last season.

Evans has now finished as a top-10 WR in non-PPR points per game in six of the last seven years.

Hall comes off an underwhelming season in Aaron Rodgers’ pass-heavy offense. The Jets will make a big shift toward the run in 2025 under QB Justin Fields. Expect Hall to be a focal point.

He finished seventh among RBs in non-PPR points per game as a rookie in 2022 and 12th in 2023.

Other Options

• Ken Walker
• Chuba Hubbard
• Rashee Rice
• Davante Adams

Rounds 5 & 6

Top Targets: Jaylen Waddle & David Montgomery

Waddle's volume and efficiency tanked in what was a weird Miami passing season. But that looks like an outlier when you compare it to the rest of Waddle's career:

• Sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft
• Caught 104 balls as a rookie
• Finished WR13 in year 2
• Finished WR22 in year 3

Waddle's a strong bounce-back bet in 2025, especially after Miami traded TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

Only 11 RBs averaged more non-PPR points per game than Montgomery last year. Perhaps he loses a little more work to Jahmyr Gibbs in 2025, but he’ll still be a good TD bet in a high-scoring Lions offense.

And if Gibbs misses time, Montgomery will be a top-12 fantasy option.

Next Best: Isiah Pacheco & Xavier Worthy

Pacheco's 2024 season got derailed by a September broken leg. He operated as a workhorse before that injury, though, and the Chiefs added only complementary pieces to the backfield this offseason.

A healthy Pacheco remains a good bet to lead his backfield. Remember that he finished 14th among RBs in non-PPR points per game in 2023.

Worthy’s rookie season started slowly. But he got rolling over the second half, averaging 5.8 catches, 67.9 yards, and 0.6 TDs over his final 10 games (including playoffs).

We’ll see how he fits in alongside Rashee Rice. But this 22-year-old former first-round pick is worth betting on in Round 5 or 6.

Other Options

• Aaron Jones 
• Tony Pollard
• Courtland Sutton
• George Pickens

Rounds 7 & 8

Top Targets: Jameson Williams & Tetairoa McMillan

This is a nice round to target a WR or two, especially if you only have two up to this point.

Williams comes off a breakout 2024 and proved particularly good over the second half, averaging 73.4 yards and 0.5 TDs over his final eight games. He ranked 18th among WRs in non-PPR points per game during that stretch.

McMillan boasts a strong prospect profile and has a good chance to immediately emerge as Carolina’s top target. If QB Bryce Young keeps playing like he did over the second half of last season, McMillan will be a good bet for WR2-level production.

Next Best: Chris Godwin & Brian Robinson

Godwin carries some risk as he works back from last October's dislocated ankle. But that’s more than baked into this price tag. Godwin was sitting fifth among WRs in non-PPR points per game when he went down last year.

Robinson won't excite anyone, but he finished RB23 in non-PPR points per game last year and should play the same role in 2025. He controlled the team's goal-line work, ranking 12th among RBs in expected rushing TDs per game.

Other Options

• Kyler Murray
• TreVeyon Henderson
• Kaleb Johnson
• Jaylen Warren
• Rome Odunze
• Jauan Jennings

Rounds 9 & 10

Top Targets: Justin Fields & David Njoku

This is a good turn to lock up your QB1 and TE1.

It's not always pretty, but Fields has consistently produced as a top-12 fantasy scorer thanks to his high-end rushing production. His 50.2 rushing yards per game rank second among QBs over the last four seasons, behind only Lamar Jackson.

Njoku averaged 9.9 targets and scored as the TE8 across nine healthy games last season. That followed TE10 and TE6 finishes in non-PPR points per game the previous two years. He’s an excellent value here.

Next Best: Jayden Reed & Jakobi Meyers

Reed was relatively disappointing last year, finishing 34th among WRs in non-PPR points per game. He remained efficient, though, averaging 15.6 yards per catch and 11.4 yards per target.

Reed’s biggest problem was the Packers going run-heavy, especially after QB Jordan Love got banged up. Expect more passing volume from Green Bay this season — and more targets for Reed.

Meyers is not the most exciting pick on the board. But he’s coming off a 129-target, 87-catch season, finishing 33rd among WRs in non-PPR points per game.

He’s a nice, stable floor pick in Round 9 or 10.

Other Options

• Tyrone Tracy
• Travis Etienne
• J.K. Dobbins
• Khalil Shakir
• Michael Pittman
• Tucker Kraft

Rounds 11 & 12

Top Targets: Tank Bigsby & Keon Coleman

Bigsby finds himself in a crowded Jaguars backfield but could emerge as the lead ball carrier. He’s coming off a promising 2024, ranking top-9 among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per carry, and rush yards over expected per attempt.

Coleman was coming on before a Week 9 wrist injury last year, posting 4-125-0 and 5-70-1 lines in the two preceding games. The 33rd overall pick of the 2024 draft has an opportunity to earn a big role in a high-scoring Bills offense this season.

Next Best: Bhayshul Tuten & Rashid Shaheed

Not a bad idea to double tap Jaguars RBs at this turn considering how productive new HC Liam Coen’s Buccaneers backfield was last season. Tuten brings explosive rushing, and the new Jacksonville regime handpicked him.

Shaheed drew a 23.3% target share and averaged 2.04 yards per route before a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 last year. Those were both top-30 marks among WRs.

He's back to 100% now and remains locked in as New Orleans’ No. 2 WR. The Saints have a big QB question but project for a significant spike in play volume under new HC Kellen Moore.

Other Options

• Dak Prescott
• Tyjae Spears
• Zach Charbonnet
• Isaac Guerendo
• Darnell Mooney

Rounds 13 & 14

Top Targets: Tyler Allgeier & Ray Davis

Prioritize high-upside RB stashes at this point of your draft.

Allgeier is a pure handcuff — but one of the highest-upside handcuffs in the league.

He’d turn into a workhorse behind a strong offensive line if RB Bijan Robinson misses time. Allgeier was super efficient last year, averaging 4.7 yards per carry and ranking fourth among 47 qualifying RBs in yards after contact per attempt (3.61).

Like Allgeier, Davis is a high-upside handcuff. He ripped off 152 total yards on 23 touches when Cook missed Week 6 last year.

Davis also has a shot at standalone fantasy value, though. Cook played just 48% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps last year, leaving room for another RB in this high-scoring offense.

Next Best: Jaylen Wright & Cedric Tillman

Wright is the favorite for No. 2 duties in Miami. That could mean enough work behind the undersized De’Von Achane for some half-PPR flex appeal. An Achane injury would turn Wright into an exciting fantasy starter.

Tillman proved highly productive over four games as a full-timer last year, averaging:

• 10.0 targets
• 6.0 catches
• 75.5 yards
• 0.8 TDs

He's in line for a full-time role in 2025, making him one of the best deep sleepers at WR.

Other Options

• Anthony Richardson
• Roschon Johnson
• MarShawn Lloyd
• Dylan Sampson
• Jerome Ford
• Diontae Johnson
• Xavier Legette

Rounds 15 & 16

Use your final two picks on a kicker and DST. Target a kicker on a strong offense. We recommend working the waiver wire and playing matchups at DST throughout the season.

Here are three DSTs with favorable early schedules:

• Broncos (vs. TEN, at IND)
• Steelers (at NYJ, vs. SEA, at NE)
• 49ers (at SEA, at NO)

 

---

 

The Ultimate Non PPR Draft Strategy Guide: A Customized, Dynamic Cheat Sheet

Having round-by-round strategy heading into your draft is important.

But fantasy football drafts are unpredictable. You need to be nimble. You need to adjust on the fly to capture the most value.

You need a customized, dynamic cheat sheet.

The Draft War Room takes our award-winning player projections and applies them to your league’s exact rules to give you a precise set of rankings.

Then it recalibrates throughout your draft based on 17 value indicators to make sure you’re making the absolute best pick each time you’re on the clock.

CREATE YOUR DRAFT WAR ROOM NOW!