Among the many challenges that go along with preparing for a fantasy football draft, stress over one’s draft position tends to ring the loudest.
It’s a constant worry among fantasy managers, as those who wind up slotted at the back of the order fret about playing catch-up at running back or wide receiver, having missed out on the top picks at those positions. Meanwhile, those who nab the top draft position sometimes prefer the rhythm that comes with a more middling slot.
Wherever you reside on the debate about draft position, you have come to the right place. This column is where I take you through the twists and turns of the draft’s first two rounds, providing you a handy road map for success. Listed below are recommended candidates for each draft slot, potential combinations for each of your first two picks and ideal selections from each slot.
This edition covers 10-team leagues. For each draft slot, you’ll find a “players unlocked” section, which indicates the earliest pick at which you should consider the player listed.
All references to fantasy points are for PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.
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Draft slot 1
Round 1 (Pick 1): Christian McCaffrey is the consensus No. 1 pick. He led all of fantasy in points per game last season, scoring 100.8 more total points (and 3.2 points per game more) than any other running back did. Neither his age (28) nor the calf issue that kept him out of preseason games prevents him from exclusively belonging in this spot.
Players unlocked: McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill
Round 2 (Pick 20): Can a fantasy manager absorb a pair of older running backs with injury risks from this draft slot? Selecting McCaffrey, the game’s best all-around talent at the position, and Derrick Henry, a top-shelf performer when healthy (who will now play for one of the most run-oriented offenses), gives teams drafting from the No. 1 slot a big head start. It might merely mean making your third-round pick a more consistent, reliable wide receiver, such as Davante Adams or Michael Pittman Jr. This is also the earliest slot from which you can even begin considering a quarterback, although I don’t recommend it until about 10 to 12 spots further down the road.
Players unlocked: Josh Allen, Rachaad White
Tristan’s picks: Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry
Draft slot 2
Round 1 (Pick 2): We’re still in a WR-dominant era, as 13 different players at the position scored 300-plus points from 2021 to 2023, with Hill and CeeDee Lamb doing so in both of the past two seasons. They’re the clear class at the position, although it’s not a steep drop to the next tier. Hill currently brings with him a hint more safety, as Lamb is in the midst of a holdout. For those who prefer to build around running backs, Breece Hall makes the most compelling case and is a fine No. 2 pick after finishing second in RB scoring behind McCaffrey. Hall’s New York Jets should sport a more productive offense with a healthy Aaron Rodgers. Plus, Hall did have seven games of 20-plus points in 2023 despite Rodgers’ lengthy absence.
Players unlocked: Hall, Lamb
Round 2 (Pick 19): The tricky part for teams slotted second or third this season is that there’s a big drop-off between the running backs you’ll find in the early stages of Round 3 and when this slot comes back again in Rounds 4-5, meaning you might be playing from behind at the position if you don’t select one either here or three spots later. There’s an abundance of reliable (even if not top-shelf) options in Isiah Pacheco, Travis Etienne Jr. and the aforementioned Henry.
Players unlocked: De’Von Achane, Nico Collins
Tristan’s picks: Tyreek Hill, Travis Etienne Jr.
Draft slot 3
Round 1 (Pick 3): Determining your comfort level with Lamb’s holdout should drive this decision, as he’s one of only 18 players in history (and just three wide receivers) to reach the 400-point plateau, underscoring his similar — if not equal — potential to that of Hill. Hill, Lamb and Hall represent an effective “Tier 2” in the overall rankings.
Players unlocked: None
Round 2 (Pick 18): Elite wide receivers should remain on the board come this team’s third-round pick — Marvin Harrison Jr., Pittman Jr., and Mike Evans are commonly selected near the No. 23 pick — so there’s no push to diversify the roster here. Whether you go running back or wide receiver in Round 1, taking the “best available” is the smart play here, with Adams, Pacheco and Chris Olave shaping up as ideal picks.
Players unlocked: Travis Kelce, Drake London
Tristan’s picks: Breece Hall, Chris Olave
Draft slot 4
Round 1 (Pick 4): This is a good place to be this season, as you’re assured of getting Hill, Lamb or Hall, with a minuscule chance at McCaffrey — hey, McCaffrey lasting to No. 4 overall has apparently happened in an NFFC (National Fantasy Football Championship) league! The drawback, however, is that the position you will acquire gets decided for you in that event. RB-oriented drafters might consider Bijan Robinson with this pick and, if managers grow increasingly concerned about Lamb’s status, the next tier of wide receivers, including Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown, can come into play here.
Players unlocked: Robinson, Chase, Jefferson, St. Brown
Round 2 (Pick 17): Draft slots three, four and five are in a similar boat in the second round this year, with a wealth of solid picks available and no need to force positions. This is a spot at which one of the round’s earlier typical selections could last — for example, Puka Nacua, whose preseason knee issues might cause fantasy managers to fade him in drafts. He shouldn’t be allowed to slip past this point in the draft.
Players unlocked: Evans
Tristan’s picks: CeeDee Lamb, Isiah Pacheco
Draft slot 5
Round 1 (Pick 5): “Do I open with running back or wide receiver?” That will be the conundrum that, generally speaking, managers slotted third through seventh will face this season — especially with Hall and Robinson lingering around those draft positions alongside those aforementioned excellent wide receivers. So why is Robinson, who finished only ninth in RB fantasy points, my recommended pick? Simple: Atlanta’s coaching switch, going from Arthur Smith to Raheem Morris, should dramatically change the team’s offensive game plan. This is perhaps best illustrated by Robinson having seen a mere three opportunities (carries plus targets) at the goal line and only 16 on goal-to-go plays last season. Those were shockingly low numbers.
Players unlocked: None
Round 2 (Pick 16): As with the previous two draft slots, don’t let your first-round pick drive the position you select here. Anyone getting a top-five overall talent in the first round is off to a fantastic start and you should have a decent crop of both running backs and wide receivers from which to draw in Round 3. Should a Jahmyr Gibbs or Kyren Williams last this long, consider it a huge win, despite the RB-RB start.
Players unlocked: Pittman Jr.
Tristan’s picks: Bijan Robinson, Davante Adams
Draft slot 6
Round 1 (Pick 6): This is the latest either Hall or Lamb should last and, in the vast majority of drafts, this slot will grant its manager the choice of wide receivers Chase, Jefferson and St. Brown. You can’t go wrong with any of the three, but what stands out with Chase is that, in his three-year NFL career, he has averaged 18.0 points per game, sixth best at the position. Meanwhile, the offseason departure of Tyler Boyd only strengthens Chase’s status as the Cincinnati Bengals’ top target-getter.
Players unlocked: A.J. Brown
Round 2 (Pick 15): Running back typically populates the middle portion of the second round in standard drafts, with a good crop of them to consider (Williams, Pacheco, Etienne, Henry). That said, should a Nacua or Wilson linger, neither should be allowed to slip past this pick. For those who love to seek high-upside prospects, this is the earliest position from which to start thinking about Arizona Cardinals rookie Harrison Jr.
Players unlocked: Harrison Jr.
Tristan’s picks: Ja’Marr Chase, Kyren Williams
Draft slot 7
Round 1 (Pick 7): Those who recall last year’s “best picks” will remember Jefferson occupying the No. 1 spot. Despite his Minnesota Vikings’ shift from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold at quarterback — yes, rookie J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending injury was devastating, when examining the positional change — as well as the presence of Jordan Addison, I find it difficult to fathom Jefferson’s production declining much more than this. Jefferson missed seven games and parts of two others last year due to injury, marking the first time he had been sidelined in four NFL seasons, yet he still scored the fifth-most WR points per game. At a draft slot that almost assuredly will be a wide receiver in most drafts, Jefferson is my personal preference ahead of St. Brown, Brown and Garrett Wilson at this juncture.
Players unlocked: Wilson
Round 2 (Pick 14): A “Zero RB” drafter working out of this spot has a pretty good chance at getting off to a strong start with a Nacua, Adams or Olave here. Even if WR-WR wasn’t your goal in the first two rounds, there’s no reason to force a running back, since having the No. 27 pick usually means that someone like Joe Mixon, James Cook or Achane will be there. I consider this the ideal draft slot from which to load up on receivers early.
Players unlocked: Henry
Tristan’s picks: Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua
Draft slot 8
Round 1 (Pick 8): Another draft slot that will almost assuredly wind up being a wide receiver for most, Jefferson or St. Brown will most commonly be the clear “class of the position” remaining. Here’s a fun St. Brown fact: Since he burst onto the scene in Week 13 of 2021, his 19.7 points per game are third best among wide receivers. This isn’t to say a running back cannot be selected, as this is the first slot from which either Jonathan Taylor or Saquon Barkley should be a candidate, but the production of either of those wide receivers (or even Brown) is tough to overlook.
Players unlocked: Taylor, Barkley
Round 2 (Pick 13): “Zero RB” drafters, just as with the No. 7 slot, can go heavily on wide receivers here, getting an earlier crack at the names listed at No. 6. For those seeking to balance running back and wide receiver with their first two picks, there’s a good crop of the former available from this slot. Gibbs, Williams and Pacheco all warrant consideration here. Have no fear if you wind up picking back-to-back Detroit Lions. As teammates in 2023, St. Brown finished fourth in WR points per game, with Gibbs ending up sixth among running backs.
Players unlocked: Pacheco, Etienne
Tristan’s picks: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs
Draft slot 9
Round 1 (Pick 9): It’s challenging to draw the No. 9 slot this season, being that all of the top five wide receivers, as well as the clear top three running backs, will probably already be off the board, leaving just Brown and the running backs with extensive injury histories. Taylor, after all, has missed 13 games over the past two seasons, while Barkley has missed 25 over the past five years combined. If you’re a “Zero RB” drafter, as I have been frequently thus far in drafts, Brown will probably be your man. Taylor would be my pick if you’re going with the more balanced approach.
Players unlocked: None
Round 2 (Pick 12): As there’s a bit of a talent drop-off after the top 12 players this season, the team drafting from the No. 9 slot should at least be pleased with its second-round return. Wilson is an ideal selection if he lasts this far, having scored 215.7 and 213.2 points in the past two seasons. And now, with some luck in the injury department, he will finally play with a healthy Aaron Rodgers.
Players unlocked: Olave, Adams
Tristan’s picks: Jonathan Taylor, Garrett Wilson
Draft slot 10
Round 1-2 (Picks 10-11): If the No. 9 slot is the tough one, this one is positively brutal. Should Brown go ninth, with the ADP sticking for the first eight picks, this slot faces a decision between taking both injury-risk running backs (Taylor and Barkley) or selecting one alongside a wide receiver such as Wilson or Nacua or going entirely off the board with a personal-preference player. The former arrangement flies in the face of the “Zero RB” strategy, while the latter is risky when considering that the talent pool thins by the time this draft slot’s Rounds 3-4 picks return, with both top tight ends Kelce and Sam LaPorta commonly being the best players on the board in the mock drafts I’ve done from this slot. That further ties your hands from a roster-construction perspective. The middle strategy is my preferred one, meaning a Taylor-Brown, Taylor-Wilson, Brown-Barkley or Barkley-Wilson combination should be your hope.
Players unlocked: Gibbs, Nacua, Williams
Tristan’s picks: A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley
