- Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson are the ideal early choices: The gap between the top two running backs is so large that anyone with a top-two pick is at an advantage.
- Prioritize a top-eight tight end: Tucker Kraft is currently falling in drafts further than he could, and ideally, you can build your draft strategy around that value.
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This perfect draft strategy for 10-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR fantasy football leagues is built on a consensus of current average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo. It's your round-by-round guide to building a winning roster.
Last updated: Tuesday, Aug. 25
Round 1, Pick 2: Draft a running back
In an ideal world, the person with the first pick selects Bijan Robinson or Ja'Marr Chase, allowing you to take Jahmyr Gibbs second overall. If Gibbs goes first, though, Robinson is an easy pivot. It will be easy enough to balance the roster in the ensuing rounds regardless of whether you start with a running back or wide receiver, so the best approach is to take the top fantasy player available.
Top Target: Bijan Robinson
Robinson has finished among the top-three fantasy running backs in each of the last two seasons, combining over 1,400 rushing yards and at least 60 receptions per year. Replacing Tyler Allgeier with Brian Robinson Jr. at backup is a lateral move at worst for his goal-line outlook. Kevin Stefanski's history of featuring a lead back heavily when the personnel warrants it is encouraging, as is his track record of prioritizing the running back position dating back to his time with Dalvin Cook in Minnesota. The Atlanta offensive line is the primary concern, with Jake Matthews posting a career-low PFF run-blocking grade and Kaleb McGary‘s retirement forcing Atlanta to sign Jawaan Taylor, who profiles more as a pass protector than a run blocker. Robinson is competing with Jahmyr Gibbs for the top running back spot, with Gibbs holding a slight edge due to Detroit's offensive track record and fewer questions up front.
Possible Targets: Christian McCaffrey, De'Von Achane, Jonathan Taylor, James Cook III, Chase Brown
Round 2, Pick 19: Draft a running back
A running back is the right call in most second-round situations, regardless of who you took in the first round. A few teams have shown a firm commitment to a single running back in a strong offense, leading to significant consistency among the top running backs over the past two seasons.
In addition, some teams have recently made major investments in a running back, either a first-round pick or a highly paid free agent. This creates a notable tier gap between the top 15 running backs and everyone else, and most of them will come off the board within the first two rounds or the early third round. That means roughly 12 or 13 of the first 22 or so picks will be running backs.
Ideally, you'll be one of the teams with two of these backs on your roster, or even three if you're comfortable relying on several mid-round wide receivers.
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