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Perfect Draft: 10-Team PPR (Updated Aug. 29)

You should go into every fantasy draft with a general plan of attack.

Of course, you’ll need to be able to adjust throughout the draft and pounce on value wherever it presents itself. That’s where the dynamic MVP Board with Suggested Picks comes in.

But building a round-by-round strategy beforehand certainly helps. That’s exactly what we’re doing with the Perfect Draft series — using the MVP Board and ADP to get an idea of where the value will be in each round.

This is the 10-Team PPR Perfect Draft. Each strategy guide assumes 16-round drafts and starting lineups of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 K and 1 DEF. The MVP Board will help you adjust your strategy if your league settings are different.

Pick 1, 2, 3

Round 1

RB: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara

This had been the area for the Big 4 RBs. Ezekiel Elliott's extended vacation has changed that, at least according to our rankings. If you want to continue drafting him in this range, then the reward potential is certainly still there. Otherwise, go ahead and start with either your favorite among these studs or whichever guy makes it to you.

Rounds 2 and 3

RB: Joe Mixon, Todd Gurley, Dalvin Cook, Devonta Freeman, Kerryon Johnson
WR: Mike Evans, Adam Thielen, Keenan Allen
TE: Travis Kelce

The ADPs have shifted a bit in this range, which could alter whom you'll find available.

If Kelce gets to this point, he's a strong choice. Your 10-team league will present enough value at RB or WR to make up for spending a 2nd-rounder on the clear top TE and 1 of fantasy's surest things for 2019.

Mixon's the most likely of the first 3 RBs listed to reach you and would make for a fine choice. Touch volume and talent should help to make up for the weak O-line.

If your league starts 3 WRs instead of 2, then Evans jumps ahead of Mixon and Adam Thielen vaults to between Mixon and Chubb. If Kelce isn't an option here -- or you just don't want a TE so early -- then any combo of 1 RB and 1 WR among the players above (or others who slide) will serve your team just fine.

Regardless of whether you start 2 wideouts or 3, the board will want you to select a RB on 1 side and a pass-catcher on the other. George Kittle could be in play for Round 3, but we'd generally prefer 2 RBs and a WR with the 1st 3 picks from this range.

Rounds 4 and 5

RB: Melvin Gordon, Mark Ingram, Duke Johnson, Derrick Henry
WR: Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks
TE: Evan Engram

RBs likely lead your board at this turn. And if it's Gordon in the top spot, then this seems late enough to take a shot -- especially as your #3. ADP will likely keep Johnson from appearing in the recommended tiles at the top, but we project him ahead of Henry. If you're hoping to land Houston's new lead back, then don't count on him getting back to you late in Round 6.

Engram also isn't a good bet to reach your next turn. So if you like him over Hunter Henry and the rest of the remaining TEs, he's a fine option here. Of course, so is either Rams WR.

We'd generally like to leave this turn with 3 RBs and 2 pass-catchers (either 2 WRs or 1 and a TE).

Rounds 6 and 7

QB: Baker Mayfield
RB: Kenyan Drake, Tevin Coleman, Tarik Cohen, Miles Sanders
WR: D.J. Moore, Alshon Jeffery, A.J. Green, Allen Robinson, Josh Gordon
TE: Evan Engram, Hunter Henry

Want a reason to pass on TE through the 1st 5 rounds? Engram's 6.07 ADP gives him a chance to get to you at this turn. And if he doesn't, then Hunter Henry's 7.02 ADP makes him a nice consolation.

Engram's the strong leader if you arrive with 3 RBs and 2 WRs, whether you start 2 or 3 wideouts.

So you should be coming out of this turn with a TE and some combo of 6 RBs and WRs. Either 3 RBs and 3 WRs or 4 RBs and 2 WRs is a fine way to leave this range. (Deshaun Watson ranked high among recommendations here in the original post, but his ADP now sits late in Round 5.)

Rounds 8 and 9

QB: Cam Newton, Jameis Winston
RB: Latavius Murray, Derrius Guice, Rashaad Penny
WR: Sammy Watkins, Will Fuller, Christian Kirk, Curtis Samuel

The MVP Board probably wants you to leave this turn with a QB. Carson Wentz likely isn't getting here anymore, with an ADP early in Round 8 for this format. Newton still gives you top-5 upside at the position and makes for a nice option, though. His ADP suggests you can get him on either side of the 8-9 turn. And Winston just might follow as the #2 recommendation.

If you get here with just 2 WRs, then this marks a good time for a 3rd. Each of the 4 listed presents intriguing upside. (Samuel probably won't make it back to you in the 10th anymore.) If you get here with 3 RBs and 3WRs, on the other hand, you can weigh your options at the 2 positions and take your favorite.

After your Round 9 pick, you'll want to have a TE, a QB and 7 combined RBs and WRs. Of course, if you'd prefer to wait longer on a QB or TE, you still can. Wentz's rise in ADP has only made waiting on QB more attractive.

Rounds 10 and 11

QB: Jameis Winston
RB: LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, Royce Freeman, Jaylen Samuels
WR: Corey Davis, Marvin Jones, Dante Pettis, Larry Fitzgerald, Marquez Valdes-Scantling
TE: David Njoku, Austin Hooper

Newton might make it back to you here if you passed on QBs at the last turn, but ADP says he probably won't. There's also enough upside on Njoku and Hooper to wait until this range for your TE, if you wish. If you get here with a starter at both positions, then fill needs or grab favorites from the WR and RB groups.

Mohamed Sanu and Tyrell Williams are mixed in with the above WRs in our rankings. But ADP says you can wait on them. Williams has the much better chance of going before your Round 12 turn, if you want to secure him.

Similarly, you'll see Chris Thompson and Nyheim Hines mixed into this RB range as well, but you can wait longer on them. Even if they go well ahead of ADP, you shouldn't be heartbroken about missing either player. Freeman and Samuels, meanwhile, aren't likely to get back to you if you pass on them here.

Rounds 12 and 13

QB: Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott, Philip Rivers
RB: Dion Lewis, Devin Singletary, Justice Hill, Justin Jackson
WR: Tyrell Williams, Courtland Sutton, DeSean Jackson, Michael Gallup, Mohamed Sanu, Tre'Quan Smith, Keke Coutee

If you waited until the 10-11 turn for your QB, you could grab an upside 2nd in this range. That said, you don't need to take a 2nd QB at all in a 10-team league that starts 1 QB.

Most likely, you're taking at least 1 RB or WR at this turn -- and quite possibly doubling up on that combined group. By this point, you should also be chasing upside (sort by "Ceiling" on your MVP Board) rather than strictly following the rankings. That's what I've done to produce the RB and WR lists above.

Rounds 14-16

In most cases, your final 3 turns should include your kicker and D/ST picks, along with upside picks at any position you still need to fill in.

On defense, Dallas looks like a solid season-opening D, with matchups at home against the Giants, at Washington and then back home for Miami. There's also upside to Arizona, with 3 home games over the first 4 weeks, beginning with a visit by the Lions.

Pick 4, 5, 6, 7

Round 1

RB: Ezekiel Elliott, David Johnson, Joe Mixon, James Conner
WR: Julio Jones, Odell Beckham, DeAndre Hopkins
TE: Travis Kelce

Your MVP Board will still likely project a big value gap between Elliott and the rest of the options in this range. Whether to trust that Elliott will return before the regular season has to be a personal decision, though. We don't know any more about his plan than you do.

After Elliott, Johnson sits closer to Jones in DMVP value, with a gap from Jones to Kelce. If you start 3 WRs instead of 2, then Jones and Beckham jump well ahead of Johnson -- though still clearly behind Elliott. Kelce's value also dips in this scenario, out of target range for your Round 1 pick, according to the MVP Board.

Kelce's also not likely to be the top recommendation in this range even if you start 2 WRs. But you can take him and see if Mixon gets back to you in Round 2 if you'd like. His 2.09 ADP says there's a good chance.

For this exercise, I'm taking Jones at Pick 7. Arizona's iffy preseason -- especially along the O-line -- makes Johnson a more discomforting option.

Round 2

RB: Joe Mixon, Todd Gurley, Dalvin Cook
WR: Tyreek Hill, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Evans
TE: Travis Kelce

This is a nice range for a RB, whether you took 1 in the first round or not. If both make it here, Mixon and Kelce are likely duking it out to lead your MVP recommendations. If you took a WR in Round 1, it'll be Mixon. If you started with a RB, it's likely Kelce here by a solid margin.

Kelce in the middle of Round 2 looks like 1 of the safer bets in the early rounds and a good way to go, regardless of how you started. Of course, there will be other attractive TE options if you'd prefer to wait on the position.

Round 3

RB: Devonta Freeman, Kerryon Johnson, Aaron Jones
WR: Adam Thielen, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs
TE: George Kittle, Zach Ertz

The strength of the RB options likely to reach you here increases your options for the previous 2 picks. You can start your team with Julio Jones and Travis Kelce, for example, and still likely land our Breakout Player or our Comeback Player as your top back. (We've moved Freeman ahead of Johnson since the original Perfect Drafts.)

If you already drafted 2 RBs, then there's strength at WR and TE. Kittle and Ertz (we flipped them this week) don't bring the relative safety of Kelce, but each has already displayed plenty of upside.

Round 4

RB: Mark Ingram, Josh Jacobs, Duke Johnson, Derrick Henry, Marlon Mack
WR: Stefon Diggs, Julian Edelman, Robert Woods
TE: Zach Ertz

This is a fine range for Ertz and his mid-4th ADP. Kittle now sits late in Round 3 and probably won't get here.

Beyond the TEs, this looks like a better turn for a WR than a RB. Diggs and Edelman both reside inside our top 15 WRs for PPR, and both finished top-13 in PPR points per game last season. They also both sit comfortably ahead of Woods in MVP+ value.

The RB options look solid as well, though, if you started light at that position. Chris Carson isn't getting to this range on average anymore. Johnson probably won't show up in your recommended-pick tiles because of an ADP that's still catching up to the Lamar Miller injury. You'll probably get a shot at him in Round 5 of 10-team drafts as well. But he starts making sense in this round.

Round 5

RB: Duke Johnson, Derrick Henry, Sony Michel, Marlon Mack, Phillip Lindsay, James White
WR: Chris Godwin, Tyler Lockett, T.Y. Hilton, D.J. Moore, Tyler Boyd
TE: Evan Engram, Hunter Henry

This round offers you plenty of options, and your decision can be driven but what you did through the first 4 rounds. Start with 2 RBs and 2 WRs? Then RBs probably lead your board, whether your lineup settings include 2 or 3 WR slots.

If you selected 3 RBs and 1 WR through 4 rounds, then the wideouts and Engram jump to the front of the recommendations at this turn. ADP suggests that Engram makes this the 4th straight round in which you might find a top-5 TE available. It also suggests you can still find him (and Henry) next turn.

If you want White, you might need to reach over a couple of RBs in our rankings. That's fine. And this is the last turn at which you should expect to find him available. As you can see, the RB and WR landscapes in this range have changed quite a bit on preseason injuries and a key retirement.

Round 6

RB: Phillip Lindsay, Kenyan Drake, James White, Tarik Cohen
WR: D.J. Moore, Tyler Boyd, Alshon Jeffery, Allen Robinson
TE: Evan Engram, Hunter Henry, O.J. Howard

If your draft goes according to ADP, then this turn might be the best argument against taking Travis Kelce back in Round 2. We have Engram projected to see 110 targets, 4th most at the position in our projections and 20 more than the next guy (Henry). And that's just a 15-game projection. Engram already exceeded that as a 2017 rookie (115 in 15 games) and likely has upside beyond it again now that Odell Beckham's gone.

Engram sits well ahead of Henry in DMVP points at this turn and looks like the top choice (if you arrive without a TE, of course). If O.J. Howard is your guy, you'll probably need to take him at this turn. (And you'll need to reach over Engram and Henry in our rankings to get to him.)

If you already selected a TE or would just rather wait, then this is a solid spot for a 3rd RB or a 3rd WR. Lindsay and White carry ADPs in early Round 6, so they'll need to slide a bit to be options at this turn.

Round 7

QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Kenyan Drake, Tarik Cohen, Latavius Murray, Derrius Guice, Austin Ekeler
WR: Alshon Jeffery, Allen Robinson, Josh Gordon, Sammy Watkins, Robby Anderson, Will Fuller
TE: Jared Cook

According to ADP, you can still get 2 of the top 29 RBs in our projections or 5 of our top-30 PPR wideouts. Those look like the best routes here, especially if you've already secured your TE.

ADP says you won't get another shot at Wentz after this anymore. But Cam Newton makes for a nice fallback if you miss out -- with a Round 10 ADP for 10-team drafts.

Round 8

QB: Cam Newton
RB: Kenyan Drake, Tarik Cohen, Latavius Murray, Derrius Guice
WR: Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Will Fuller

If you need to start 3 WRs and arrive here with 2, you're still doing fine with Robinson, Watkins and Fuller leading the recommendations. They sit 26th, 29th and 31st in our default PPR rankings. Any of the 3 would be just fine as your 3rd wideout.

Round 9

QB: Cam Newton
RB: Rashaad Penny
WR: Sammy Watkins, Christian Kirk, Curtis Samuel, Sterling Shepard, Corey Davis, Emmanuel Sanders
TE: David Njoku

If you get here without a QB, Newton probably leads the recommendations. And he's a fine pick here. The board might even greet you with him and Jameis Winston in the top 2 spots. Newton might make it to your next turn. Winston probably will.

You should be able to count on still seeing some top-36 options at WR. That's a good direction to go at this turn, whether you start 2 or 3.

This is not a good spot to seek RB value unless someone falls past ADP.

Round 10

QB: Cam Newton, Jameis Winston
RB: LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis
WR: Sterling Shepard, Corey Davis, Marvin Jones
TE: David Njoku, Austin Hooper

If you get to this turn without a QB or a TE, then you can find options with attractive upside. The board will probably urge you to take a QB (if you haven't already), with Newton and Winston leading your recommendations. We'd take that route over targeting any of the specific options at RB or WR.

ADP suggests Hooper will stick around for at least your next turn and possibly into Round 12. He's a potential prize if you opt for patience at TE. You might want to go ahead and grab him here if you go that route, though. He's our #10 TE but finished last season 6th in PPR at the position and enters 2019 with tantalizing TD upside under OC Dirk Koetter.

You'll be in good shape if you leave this turn with a QB, a TE, 4 RBs and 4 WRs.

Round 11

QB: Jameis Winston
RB: LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, Chris Thompson, Nyheim Hines, Jaylen Samuels
WR: Corey Davis, Marvin Jones, Tyrell Williams, Mohamed Sanu, Keke Coutee
TE: Austin Hooper, Jordan Reed

WR looks quite deep this year. ADP suggests you might still find Tennessee's likely target leader available this late. You'll almost definitely find Sanu and Williams still available.

Of course, you should also be shooting for upside at this point rather than sticking too closely to the rankings. You should also go ahead and grab a player you're targeting rather than trusting ADP too much.

If you want Samuels -- whether you drafted James Conner earlier or not -- you'll need to reach over some other RBs in our rankings to get him. But that's fine. And you can't expect him to last beyond this turn (if he even makes it here). Duke Johnson's ADP might yet climb beyond this range, but drafting since the trade suggests he's still in play through this turn (probably not in Round 12, though).

Similarly, Coutee and Sanders might not make it back to you in Round 12. So you could reach over Sanu and Williams to get either and then still potentially catch Sanu (almost definitely) or Williams next round.

Round 12

QB: Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott, Philip Rivers
RB: Dion Lewis, Devin Singletary, Tony Pollard, Justice Hill, Justin Jackson
WR: Tyrell Williams, Courtland Sutton, Michael Gallup, Mohamed Sanu, Tre'Quan Smith, Keke Coutee
TE: Austin Hooper, Jordan Reed

You should be sorting your board by "Ceiling" projections instead of straight point totals at this stage. That's what I did for the RB and WR listings above. You can see that enticing options remain at both positions.

If you want a 2nd QB or TE, this is a good time for either. We wouldn't bother with a 2nd TE in most 10-team setups, though. And passing on a backup QB in a single-starter, 10-team league is just fine, too. Unless your league plays with deep rosters or your league mates are nuts, you'll be able to find insurance and/or streaming options for each position on the waiver wire.

Round 13

QB: Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott
RB: Dion Lewis, Devin Singletary, Tony Pollard, Justice Hill, Justin Jackson
WR: Tyrell Williams, Courtland Sutton, Michael Gallup, Mohamed Sanu, Tre'Quan Smith, Keke Coutee
TE: Austin Hooper

Same deal as last round.

Rounds 14-16

In most cases, your final 3 turns should include your kicker and D/ST picks, along with upside picks at any position you still need to fill in.

On defense, Dallas looks like a solid season-opening D, with matchups at home against the Giants, at Washington and then back home for Miami. There's also upside to Arizona, with 3 home games over the first 4 weeks, beginning with a visit by the Lions.

Picks 8, 9, 10

Rounds 1-2

RB: James Conner, Joe Mixon, Todd Gurley
WR: Julio Jones, Odell Beckham
TE: Travis Kelce

If all these players make it to you and you start just 2 WRs, then RBs likely lead the DMVP recommendations. If you start 3 wideouts, then Jones and Beckham lead the way. We've been favoring the elite wideouts in this range lately either way. Mixon, at least, will probably make it back to you in Round 2.

There will likely be enticing enough options at RB and WR at your next turn, though, to support any 2-player start among these options.

Rounds 3-4

RB: Devonta Freeman, Aaron Jones, Melvin Gordon, Chris Carson, Mark Ingram, Josh Jacobs
WR: Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, Julian Edelman
TE: George Kittle, Zach Ertz

It's possible to start with 2 WRs or 1 WR and Travis Kelce, and then still get Freeman and Carson as your top 2 RBs. You certainly can't count on both of them, though. So we'd tend to lean toward grabbing a RB and a receiver at each of these 1st 2 turns. Freeman and Jones each carry late-3rd ADPs.

That said, you'll likely find enough WR value at the 5-6 and 7-8 turns to support starting your roster with 3 RBs among your 1st 4 picks, if you like the available options there (or taking a stud TE early). Kittle and Ertz just might lead your board recommendations if you take 2 RBs and 1 WR with your first 3 picks.

Rounds 5-6

RB: Marlon Mack, Phillip Lindsay, James White
WR: T.Y. Hilton, D.J. Moore, Tyler Boyd, Alshon Jeffery
TE: Evan Engram, Hunter Henry

Kenyan Drake fits this group in the rankings, but he's likely to stay on the board for a couple more rounds. You can wait on him.

The RB options are attractive here. So is Evan Engram. Taking 2 WRs earlier and then leaving this turn with 3 RBs, 2 WRs and a TE (especially if you only start 2 WRs) looks nice.

Rounds 7-8

QB: Carson Wentz
RB: Kenyan Drake, Tarik Cohen, Latavius Murray, Derrius Guice
WR: Alshon Jeffery, Allen Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Robby Anderson
TE: Jared Cook, David Njoku

Carson Wentz creeps into the recommendations here, and his ADP says this will be your last chance to get him. That doesn't mean you need to jump, but he's a fine selection here.

The RB and WR options look most enticing here, with ADP suggesting we'll get at least 1 more shot at Njoku.

Rounds 9-10

QB: Cam Newton
RB: Rashaad Penny, Matt Breida
WR: Sammy Watkins, Sterling Shepard, Corey Davis, Marvin Jones
TE: David Njoku

It'd be good to get to this turn with 4 RBs already rostered, because this isn't a great time to be in the RB market (unless someone attractive falls past ADP).

If you arrive with no TE or QB, then Njoku and Newton will likely lead your recommendations. Taking those 2 would treat you well. If you snagged your TE earlier, then the WR group here looks pretty good -- especially if Watkins gets here. He's not that far ahead of Shepard in our projections, but his ceiling dominates the young Giant's.

Rounds 11-12

QB: Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky, Dak Prescott
RB: Dion Lewis, Jordan Howard, Kalen Ballage, Royce Freeman, Tony Pollard, LeSean McCoy
WR: Tyrell Williams, Courtland Sutton, DeSean Jackson, Michael Gallup, Mohamed Sanu, Tre'Quan Smith, Keke Coutee
TE: Austin Hooper, Jordan Reed

If you've held off on TE this long, then you might still be able to draft the #10 guy in our PPR rankings (Hooper). He finished last season 6th among PPR TEs even while scoring just 4 TDs. So he's certainly a viable starting option.

At RB and WR, I've sorted by "Ceiling" projections here. That's what you should be shooting for over straight projections-based rankings at this stage. At the same time, your existing roster could help direct your decisions here. If you already own Damien Williams, Derrick Henry or Tevin Coleman, for example, then handcuffing the teammate here carries more value for your roster than Hyde, Lewis or Breida presents on his own. All 3 not only present handcuff upside but could also score decently even if their teams' top backs stay healthy.

Rounds 13-16

You should be pushing off your kicker and D/ST picks until late. Whether to target either position at 13-14 or 15-16 will depend on how things go in your particular draft, though. If your league has a waiver run before the season starts, then don't bother drafting a kicker at all. Just pick 1 up off waivers. Use the extra spot for some injury insurance or a "watch" player until you need to set your lineup.

On defense, Dallas looks like a solid season-opening D, with matchups at home against the Giants, at Washington and then back home for Miami. There's also upside to Arizona, with 3 home games over the first 4 weeks, beginning with a visit by the Lions.

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.