Fantasy Football: How to Draft From the 12th Pick

While having the last pick in fantasy football drafts means missing out on the best of the best, there can be some appeal in securing your building blocks with back-to-back picks.

Navigating the drafting waters at the turn can be tricky, though, as having so many picks in between your pairings makes it more difficult to react to runs at specific positions or predicting who might be available by the time you're back on the clock.

With all that in mind, let's dive into how to attack the first six rounds in 12-team formats.

Fantasy Football 12th Pick Strategy

Round 1 and Round 2

Going by FantasyPros' consensus average draft position (ADP) data in half-PPR leagues, five players have an ADP bunched between the 11th and 13th overall pick: Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, Puka Nacua, and Garrett Wilson. There's also the outside shot someone like A.J. Brown (9.3 ADP) drops in your lap, and this is your one shot at dynamic rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. if you think he balls out in Year 1.

As that sampling of names suggests, picking at the turn means you can decide right of the gate how you want to attack your draft, whether it's going WR-WR for a potential "Zero-RB" build, stocking up on two high-upside RBs, or striking a balanced approach with one of each.

Recent injuries to Gibbs (hamstring) and Nacua (knee) add risk to their prospects as early selections, which is something to monitor. While Nacua appears on track for Week 1, Gibbs' timeline is more murky after suffering his injury just a day ago (August 12th).

Assuming the top-three RBs are long gone, Barkley, Gibbs, and Taylor form a solid second tier at the position, and FanDuel Research's fantasy football projections -- which assumes playing all 17 games -- reflect that with the trio ranking RB4-RB6 at similar point totals.

If we get positive reports on the hamstring, I still like betting on Gibbs' youth and talent, but if there's too much uncertainty by the time you draft, it's easy to bank on the volume we're expecting from the other two backs.

Likewise, A.J. Brown, Nacua and Wilson project as WR6-WR8 with the first six wideouts presumably off the board. In the unlikely event Brown is still there at 12, he's an easy pick as a borderline first-tier wideout, but you should be more than happy to snag Nacua and/or Wilson when going WR.

I'm particularly intrigued by Wilson entering the season, who's posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in spite of poor QB play and will now finally get to play with Aaron Rodgers. The NFL receiving props on FanDuel Sportsbook have Wilson showing the seventh-shortest odds to lead the league in receiving yards (+1600), which comes in well ahead of Nacua (+2800).

Round 3 and Round 4

Sitting at the turn, it's a long wait until we're back on the clock again at picks 36 and 37, but the first thing to consider is whether you want to snag a signal-caller here.

While Josh Allen has a second-round ADP, every draft room is different, and there will surely be some drafts where everyone waits on QB, and he's still available. But even if Allen if off the board, one or more of Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson should still be available. Everyone in this Big Four has the potential to finish as the QB1, and this is the appropriate time to pounce if you don't want to play the waiting game at the position.

Particularly if you went RB early, the potential WR selection here is pretty appealing between names like Jaylen Waddle, Michael Pittman Jr., Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, D.K. Metcalf, and D.J. Moore.

Diggs' dip in play down the stretch last year combined with a talented group of wideouts on the Houston Texans makes him a riskier pick in this range, but overall, no one would be surprised by top-20 finishes from these guys.

On the other hand, if you're looking to bolster your RB group, Rachaad White, James Cook, Joe Mixon, Kenneth Walker III, and Alvin Kamara are some of the guys likely to be available. White and Mixon in particular have clear paths to voluminous roles.

If top tight ends Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce drop to these picks, it's worth taking the value -- but chances are they'll be off the board.

Overall, this feels like a great spot to draft an elite QB and then your favorite WR or RB left.

Round 5 and Round 6

At picks 60 and 61, your first four picks will likely dictate where you go from here.

If you passed on quarterback earlier, Anthony Richardson or Joe Burrow are enticing options if they're undrafted. Otherwise, it might not be a bad move to just wait out the position and hope Kyler Murray is around on the next turn or take a swing on someone like Jayden Daniels even later.

This could also be the ideal time to target a tight end with Dalton Kincaid, George Kittle, and Kyle Pitts going outside the top 50 picks. I would be more than happy with any of these three as my TE, and the upside at the position arguably starts to taper off after this group.

Depending on your leaguemates and specific format, the remaining RBs could vary wildly, but James Conner, Rhamondre Stevenson, and David Montgomery are a trio of backs going around pick 60. Montgomery's touchdown potential is easy to like here, and Gibbs' hamstring issue could open the door for an even bigger role early on.

Tee Higgins, Zay Flowers, George Pickens, and Tank Dell are wideouts who could still be on the board. At their respective ADPs, there's the possibility of pairing Burrow and Higgins together with back-to-back picks. Dell is being drafted the latest of the three Houston wideouts, making him a possible value in a high-flying offense.

Takeaways

There might be times where you have to reach to get your guy at the turn, or your queue can get annihilated between picks, but drafting with the 12th pick certainly isn't all bad.

• Getting two straight picks to begin your draft gives you more flexibility to build your core the way you see fit with strong second-tier options available at both RB and WR.
• Rounds 3 and 4 line up well with taking one of the top-four QBs, and there should be plenty of quality wide receivers available if you began your draft RB-RB.
• Picks 61/62 could be the sweet spot for grabbing one of the last high-upside tight ends.
• Overall, your opening picks can help dictate how you want to attack the rest of the draft, but be prepared to pivot when necessary, as position runs can dramatically alter the draft board later on.

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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.