Fantasy Football: How to Draft From the 7th Pick

The seventh overall pick in fantasy football drafts figures to be one of the more intriguing slots for 2024. You can get to a potential league-winner in Round 1 while also maintaining the upside of an earlier pick in Round 2.

At seven, you're forced to accept the decisions of the fantasy managers that come before you, but we can leverage a middle pick to our advantage.

Assuming that you are playing in a 12-person league, here is how to navigate the first six rounds at the seventh slot.

Fantasy Football 7th Pick Strategy

Round 1 and Round 2

By the time you're on the board at pick seven in Round 1, it's practically a foregone conclusion that Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill will have already been swiped.

No problem. Last season's RB1, WR1, and WR2 could be dethroned this season. Past those three, there are five realistic players we can consider at the seventh spot: Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Hall and Robinson each have RB1 potential. If you can nab Hall at seven, consider that a great success, but getting to Robinson could be equally rewarding. Chase is the preferred potential wideout at this spot, but either Jefferson or St. Brown aren't bad backup options.

St. Brown is probably my least favorite of this bunch, as I'd prefer to get in on the Detroit Lions at a cheaper price. The good news? You're more or less ensured one of Hall, Robinson, Chase, or Jefferson should this be your line of thinking. Plus, past those aforementioned top-eight players, there's a fairly steep drop-off when it comes to league-winning potential, so holding the seventh pick is a fun spot to be in.

Jefferson is currently being drafted at pick number six in half-PPR leagues, according to FantasyPros' consensus ADP data. Given the uncertainties with the quarterback play in Minnesota, there's no need to shudder if he's gone by pick seven. Getting to either Hall, Robinson, or Chase is a win. The backs are the preferred options in half-PPR leagues while the wideouts (and Hall with his receiving upside) are preferable in PPR scoring.

After you've secured someone with RB1 or WR1 upside, it's time to move on to Round 2. Here, you'll be on the board at the 18th overall selection. There are a few ways to navigate this one depending on how Round 1 shakes out.

If you nabbed either Hall or Robinson in Round 1, some top wideout options in Round 2 include Puka Nacua, Drake London, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Davante Adams. You probably can't get to Nacua here, and I'm not particularly bullish on taking Adams at such a cost. London is a top target with the 18th pick.

If you instead took any of Chase, Jefferson, or St. Brown in Round 1, it's time to look for a running back. Kyren Williams, De'Von Achane, Travis Etienne, and Derrick Henry are some of the names at RB currently going around pick 18. Achane had an explosive rookie season and could become quite the fantasy asset should he take on an even bigger role with the Miami Dolphins in 2024.

In conclusion, you want to get in on any of Hall, Robinson, Chase, Jefferson, or St. Brown in Round 1, with those first three names coming as a priority. If you're able to get in on Hall or Robinson, looking to London in Round 2 is a solid move. Should you instead roster one of the top wideouts, perhaps check out Achane at pick 18.

Round 3 and Round 4

In Round 3, you'll be drafting at the 31st overall spot. Here's where you'll want to start checking in on the potential league-winning QBs and TEs.

Based on ADPs, Josh Allen will likely be the one and only QB off the board once the draft reaches the 31st selection. If you are hellbent on getting to Allen, you'd probably have to do so in Round 2.

The other potential QBs to consider in this range are Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson. It could be act now or forever hold your peace if you want to roster any of these single-callers. According to our Brandon Gdula's quarterback league-winning simulations, Allen (14.2%), Hurts (14.1%), Jackson (11.9%), and Mahomes (11.6%) have the highest likelihood to finish as QB1.

But some come into fantasy drafts with personal preferences at QB, so perhaps the signal-caller you are hoping for can be obtained later on in the draft. If this is the case, it may be time to look for a tight end. Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce would be the options to consider in Round 3.

LaPorta is currently going at pick 26 while Kelce is going at pick 27 in half-PPR leagues. The prospect of getting to one of these TEs at pick 31 isn't surefire, but the imbalance of supply and demand at the tight end position makes them top targets should they fall.

By Round 4, you'll be on the board at pick 42. If you've yet to nab a QB, here's where you can start looking at C.J. Stroud. He's currently being drafted at pick 44. If you choose to fade Stroud, it's probably best to go back to the well on your wideout or running back room. Past LaPorta and Kelce, you're best served from a value perspective to hold out for a tight end in later rounds.

Some intriguing options at pick 42 include Michael Pittman Jr., Jaylen Waddle, Cooper Kupp, D.J. Moore, and Joe Mixon. Mixon could be the best fantasy football target for the Houston Texans, a team that will come out with an explosive offense but features a crowded wideout room. It'd be nice to get in on Houston's offense, but grabbing a second running back by Round 4 is off base. This reaffirms that getting in on Mahomes, Jackson, Hurts, Stroud, or Anthony Richardson is of the essence.

If you can't get to LaPorta or Kelce in Round 3, grabbing a quarterback is pretty important. The competitive advantage with the seventh pick in Rounds 3 and 4 lies here.

Round 5 and Round 6

Round 5 presents pick 55 to managers with the 7th overall selection.

Perhaps you've already taken advantage of the slot to notch a QB. If not, it's best to hold off on the next crop of QBs -- Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, and Kyler Murray -- for Round 6.

The tight ends in this range are a headache. Kelce and LaPorta will be gone while Mark Andrews and Trey McBride will likely be hard to get to at pick 55. George Kittle and Kyle Pitts should be available, and Pitts is the preferred option. I'm not considering Kittle in this range while Pitts is currently being selected at pick 63 overall. I'm not totally opposed to reaching when it comes to Pitts. He has a solid outlook with Kirk Cousins on his side and the supply and demand issue at tight end could make him a priority. However, he is nonetheless a reach at pick 55, a practice we usually want to avoid.

If you've already drafted a tight end at this point or feel comfortable leaving that position to the wayside for now, some intriguing wideouts going in this range include Malik Nabers, Amari Cooper, Zay Flowers, and George Pickens.

In Round 6, you'll be on the board at the 66th selection. You can cross your fingers that Pitts is still around if you opted for a wideout in Round 5. Burrow, Murray, and Prescott can also be considered in this range if your QB room is still vacant.

If you've got your bases covered from a positional perspective, it might be time to get in on a player from a fantasy-relevant team, particularly a team that you have yet to roster a player from. The dream scenario here could be David Montgomery. Montgomery could be an awesome way to get in on Detroit's booming offense at a friendly price. He's currently being selected at pick 60 in half-PPR leagues, so he's a worthy target should he slip to pick 66.

If you've addressed glaring positional needs by Round 6, this is the time to roster either high-usage players and/or those who are primed for fantasy relevance by being a member of a high-scoring offense.

Takeaways

The seventh overall pick provides fantasy managers with a high-upside selection in Round 1. Here's what to keep in mind as the draft progresses.

• In half-PPR leagues, acquiring Robinson or Hall is a huge win. You're practically guaranteed to get one of them, Chase, or Jefferson. After obtaining a player with either RB1 or WR1 potential, focus on addressing the other position in Round 2.
• Tight ends are a headache. The supply and demand imbalance forces us to make some tough calls. Don't hesitate to roster a tight end if they slide, and don't feel like a bozo for reaching at the position if it can get you someone like Pitts.
• There are plenty of viable quarterbacks past Round 6. With that said, the seventh slot allows you to get to guys like Mahomes and Hurts near their ADP and at a value. Don't be afraid to use this competitive advantage.

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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.