- Ja’Marr Chase is the top option at 1.01: Chase was the clear top wide receiver last season and enough stayed the same for the Cincinnati Bengals that we can expect minimal regression.
- Trey McBride provides another safe floor: The Arizona Cardinals similarly kept their offense nearly identical to last season, making McBride the safest tight end option in the draft.
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Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
This perfect draft strategy for 12-team, single-quarterback, redraft, PPR fantasy football leagues uses a consensus of current average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo! to deliver a round-by-round guide for managers picking first overall. To find more information about any player mentioned in this article, click on the player's name to find their fantasy football player profile.
Last updated: Wednesday, August 13
Round 1, Pick 1: Draft a wide receiver
Chase is the top player on the board, so he should be the first overall pick. It’s fine to pick a wide receiver or running back and build around them in the later rounds, but Chase is both the safer option and has the most upside.
Top Target: Ja'Marr Chase
Chase led all wide receivers in fantasy points and fantasy points per game last season. He’s consistently graded as a top-10 wide receiver, with his fantasy performance elevated by his environment. The Bengals made no changes to the coaching staff impacting Chase, the quarterback room, the wide receiver room or the tight end room. This puts Chase in one of the most pass-friendly environments in the NFL, catching passes from the best passer. While we should expect regression from anyone who finishes first in fantasy points, the lack of changes in Cincinnati should help minimize the regression.
Possible Targets: Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, CeeDee Lamb, Brian Thomas Jr.
Round 2, Pick 24: Draft a tight end
It is generally helpful to select a tight end early or a quarterback early. This allows you only to pick one player at those positions and place them in your lineup each week. That gives you more roster flexibility to add additional high upside options at running back and wide receiver, increasing your odds of selecting this year’s breakout star. We can be more confident in the late-round quarterbacks this season relative to the tight ends, and it can also be easier to select which quarterback to start each week based on matchups. The best way to ensure you can get a top-three tight end at a decent value is with Trey McBride at this pick, as Brock Bowers is likely off the board, and it’s too early for George Kittle.
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