Fantasy Football: How to Draft From the 6th Pick

Securing a pick in the middle of the draft order in fantasy football can be viewed as a gift or a curse. While there are a few marquee players to target in the first round, earning the 1.06 spot can lead to leaguemates who are ahead of you or behind you in the draft stealing players you have in your queue.

Ahead of the 2025 NFL season, there are a few standout options to choose from when being awarded the 1.06 pick. Of the players typically going in the middle of the first round of fantasy football drafts, who should we set our sights on, and how should we build out our rosters beyond the beginning rounds?

Note: A player's ADP data comes from FantasyPros' half-PPR data. The basis for rounds used in this piece is from 12-player leagues.

Who Do I Take With the Sixth Overall Pick in Fantasy Football?

In all likeliness, there will be an early run of running backs in leagues with half-PPR scoring settings, potentially taking players like Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs off our board immediately at 1.06. If you're lucky enough to see either Robinson or Gibbs somehow fall in your lap at 1.06, then there is certainly an argument to be made to prioritize either of them, but Justin Jefferson (5.0 ADP) or CeeDee Lamb (5.7 ADP) are also fantastic options.

Between the two, Lamb is someone to heavily target at pick 1.06, especially with a healthy Dak Prescott under center for the Dallas Cowboys entering the 2025 campaign. Lamb is just a year removed from finishing as the overall WR1 in fantasy football, and despite missing two games and not having Prescott throwing him the ball for his final seven contests a season ago, he still managed to be the overall WR8 (WR10 by points per game).

Even with inconsistent quarterback play down the stretch last season, the numbers under the hood were still positive for Lamb, as the talented wideout produced the 22nd-most yards after the catch per reception (5.4) and 13th-most yards per route run (2.27) among receivers with 50-plus targets, per PFF. Although the arrival of George Pickens could cause some to be concerned with Lamb's volume taking a hit, Pickens' presence may open up more opportunities for Lamb in the intermediate part of the field.

Additionally, the Cowboys' defense could take a step back -- especially if Micah Parsons' contract situation continues to cause a distraction -- and Dallas' running back room is littered with meh backs like Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, and rookie Jaydon Blue. Despite the Cowboys now having Brian Schottenheimer at head coach, they played at the fastest pace and had the 10th-highest pass rate over expected before Dak suffered a season-ending injury last season, and I don't expect them to stray too far away from that sort of usage.

Sixth Pick Draft Strategy in Fantasy Football

After landing an elite wideout in the first round, the ideal targets at pick 2.07 include double-dipping at receiver with Drake London, or selecting a premier tight end like Brock Bowers. If both of those guys are gone, then Bucky Irving and Chase Brown are worth a look in the second round due to their high-upside roles in above-average offenses.

Making a selection at pick 3.06 is going to be entirely dependent on how the draft boards shakes out and who you've added to your roster already. There's potentially a chance one of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson is still available if your leaguemates aren't prioritizing quarterback, but the most likely outcomes involve making a choice between players like Tee Higgins, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, James Cook, Omarion Hampton, and George Kittle.

Over the next couple of rounds, you may need to shift your focus to adding running backs before there's a massive drop off at the position, especially if you're deploying a "Zero RB" strategy. On the other hand, if you're comfortable with your running backs, feel free to target bounce-back options at WR like D.J. Moore, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, and D.K. Metcalf.

Regardless of whether you started the draft with Jefferson or Lamb, stacking them with their quarterback isn't hard to do, as both J.J. McCarthy and Dak Prescott hold an ADP of 101.3 or later. Earning the 1.06 spot should lead to a balanced roster, and you can round out the squad with some deep sleepers and fantasy football value picks in the later rounds.

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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.