Fantasy Football: How to Draft From the 10th Pick

Having a later pick in fantasy football drafts has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on who you ask. If you're someone who prefers to have one of the latter choices but not the 12th pick, the 10th overall pick could be an ideal spot to receive when the draft order is decided in your league.

Selecting early in the first round can allow you to dictate how the draft begins. However, picking out of the No. 10 spot will force you to have multiple plans in place in case your targeted players are off of the board before you are on the clock.

Even though some may groan at the though of getting the 10th overall pick, there are avenues to fielding a league-winning roster in this spot. By using FantasyPros' consensus average draft position (ADP) and mock drafts, let's take a look at how we should approach the 10th pick in fantasy football drafts.

Fantasy Football 10th Pick Strategy

Round 1 and Round 2

Determining who to select at No. 10 is dependent on how the draft shakes out in the first nine picks. Are all of Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and A.J. Brown -- who all have ADPs ranging from 5.7 to 9.3 -- gone before you can click their name to draft?

If that's the case, Jonathan Taylor or Saquon Barkley are two running backs who stand out despite being in offenses with dual-threat quarterbacks. While Taylor missed seven games in 2023, he had the eighth-most fantasy points per game at the position, and he no longer has Zack Moss stealing touches.

On the other hand, Barkley is playing behind the best offensive line he's ever had upon signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. While Jalen Hurts scoring plenty of one-yard touchdowns off the "tush push" could hurt Barkley's upside, our fantasy football projections have Saquon finishing as the overall RB4 with 1,238 rushing yards, 8.7 rushing touchdowns, 56 receptions, 347 receiving yards, and 2.8 receiving touchdowns.

Jahmyr Gibbs and Puka Nacua are interesting players to consider as both of them are currently dealing with injuries they suffered in training camp. If you aren't comfortable taking either Gibbs or Nacua in the first round still, having pick 2.03 could give you the opportunity to buy the dip for both players in leagues with people who allow them to slip into the second round now.

In the scenario where you were able to land one of the elite wideouts at pick No. 10, then running backs like Kyren Williams, Travis Etienne, and Derrick Henry become more enticing. Of that trio, Etienne and Henry are in store for workhorse roles while Williams could see rookie Blake Corum carve out an immediate role with the Los Angeles Rams.

For those deploying a 'Zero RB' strategy or prefer to attack receiver with their first two picks, the options could be thin early in the second round unless you reach for someone. Marvin Harrison Jr. seems to be the most realistic receiver to still be available at the 15th pick while Davante Adams is a much less enticing option this season barring a trade.

Attempting to stack MHJ with Kyler Murray later in the draft could be a fantastic ploy to try and execute. Doubling up on running backs early at pick No. 10 and taking your first receiver in the third round isn't the worst idea, either.

Round 3 and Round 4

Instead of waiting to take someone like Kyler, you could have a choice of a couple of elite fantasy football quarterbacks with Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson all possessing ADPs from 32.3 to 38.0. Mahomes and Jackson notably have multiple pass-catchers available later in the draft, so they are fairly easy to stack with if you want to go that route.

Once making a decision on your plan at quarterback, you'll need to determine how you are approaching the Brandon Aiyuk saga. With the uncertainty surrounding Aiyuk's future on the San Francisco 49ers, there can be value in getting him at pick No. 34 if you believe he can be a WR1 elsewhere or put together another efficient season in the Bay Area despite being away from the team.

The other wideouts who could find themselves in your queue in the third round are Michael Pittman Jr., Jaylen Waddle, Cooper Kupp, and Stefon Diggs. Waddle and Kupp interest me the most among this group, and they are both fine options if you went with two running backs to begin the draft.

There's a chance Kupp or Diggs fall to the 39th overall pick in the fourth round, so keep tabs of how your leaguemates are building their rosters before you are on the clock. Scooping up value at this part of the draft could be crucial as a quarterback run could lead to other players sliding past their ADP.

The other four players I'd be interested in at 4.03 are D.J. Moore, D.K. Metcalf, Joe Mixon, or C.J. Stroud. Mixon allows us to get access to the loaded Houston Texans offense without needing to guess on who the No. 1 receiver will be while Stroud is much more enticing if you managed to snag either Nico Collins or Stefon Diggs.

Round 5 and Round 6

Before making a selection in the fifth round, you'll need to take a look at your current roster construction. Having a need at wide receiver could lead to Tee Higgins or George Pickens being high on your board.

At the 58th overall pick, there could be a multitude of running backs to choose from. Aaron Jones, James Conner, Rhamondre Stevenson, and David Montgomery are the standouts in this range for those conducting a 'Zero RB' build or looking for an RB2 or flex option.

As for the tight end position, there are reasons to be high on both George Kittle and Kyle Pitts entering the 2024 campaign. Kittle hasn't finished any worse than TE5 in fantasy points per game since 2018, and his ADP will undoubtedly increase if Aiyuk is traded.

Meanwhile, Pitts now has Kirk Cousins at quarterback, and he is well over a year removed from a knee injury that was still bothering him last season. While everyone has differing opinions on Pitts, there is reason to believe he's primed for his best year yet in 2024.

If you took either Harrison or managed to get Trey McBride at some point, the sixth round could be the perfect place to get Kyler Murray. I don't mind reaching a few picks for either Kyler or Dak Prescott while Joe Burrow becomes an interesting quarterback to consider if he slips a little beyond his ADP.

Running back becomes a bit thin at this portion of the draft as some combination of D'Andre Swift, Zamir White, and Najee Harris can still be available at 6.03. While all three of them are far from safe picks, Najee may be the best selection as he'll likely garner a healthy workload in a run-centric Arthur Smith offense while he's achieved 1,200-plus scrimmage yards and 8-plus touchdowns in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.

Takeaways

• The 10th overall pick could come with plenty of different choices. Prioritize trying to get value on one of the elite receivers before taking one of Taylor, Barkley, or Gibbs.
• There should be plenty of chances to scoop up value throughout the draft from the 10th spot as people navigate the "risky" players who are either injured or have uncertain futures with their current team. Keep an open mind to players who are falling way past their ADP that still have a chance to perform well despite various factors.
• Stacking shouldn't be an issue from this draft position as some of the elite quarterbacks have pass-catchers available in the later rounds. Additionally, some of the top-tier pass-catchers have quarterbacks who aren't selected until the later rounds.
• Having the 10th overall pick allows for endless roster builds as your leaguemates will determine how you construct your team. Don't reach too far for players or force a specific strategy just because a run happens at a specific position.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.