The No. 2 overall pick could turn out great for the owner who favors running back over quarterback. If Aaron Rodgers is drafted at No. 1 overall, then you are sitting pretty with Arian Foster with the second selection.
Most likely, Foster will go with the first pick, which should leave you with the choice of Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy or Rodgers. We'll assume this league, like most, will look at running back first, and Rice is our selection here.
This is a 12-part series outlining a strategy for you to use with each pick. Dave Richard and I are looking at all 12 picks individually in a 14-round draft and giving you an idea of what positions to target in each round. You can see what we did at No. 1 overall here.
We'll highlight some players who should be available with each pick, and hopefully this is a guide you can use on Draft Day in standard and PPR formats with a lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, FLEX (RB/WR/TE), K, DST and five reserve spots.
Editor's note: The percentages listed are what position you should target based on that round for each pick.
| Round 1 |
| Standard | QB | 20% | RB | 80% | WR | 0% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 20% | RB | 70% | WR | 10% | TE | 0% |
As we said with the No. 1 overall pick, there is a chance Rodgers could come off the board with this selection after Foster, or Foster could be sitting there if Rodgers is taken first. But this pick should come down to Rice vs. McCoy, and we'll take Rice even now that he got a huge payday heading into training camp. We expect him to have another big season, and he has slightly more upside than McCoy. While McCoy was the better Fantasy option last year, Rice wasn't exactly shabby with 2,000 total yards and 15 touchdowns. He also was the better receiver with 76 catches compared to 48 for McCoy, which gives him a significant edge in PPR formats.
Players you can get here: Arian Foster, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy, Aaron Rodgers My selection at No. 2 standard: Ray Rice My selection at No. 2 PPR: Ray Rice | Round 2 |
| Standard | QB | 20% | RB | 30% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% |
| PPR | QB | 20% | RB | 30% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% |
I prefer to wait on a quarterback and tight end as long as possible, but sometimes it's difficult to pass up value when it's staring you in the face. And Average Draft Position here suggests you might have the chance at
Rob Gronkowski in a standard league (he will be long gone in PPR formats, as will
Jimmy Graham). He's the No. 1 tight end on most draft boards, and he should provide tremendous production with this selection. In PPR formats, you should pull the trigger on
Fred Jackson if he's available or
Wes Welker if he falls. We'll go with Jackson here since Welker will likely go in Round 2, and the same goes for
Darren Sproles, who would be a steal at this selection if he's somehow still available. You should still have the chance at a solid receiver in
Brandon Marshall or A.J. Green in Round 3.
Players you can get here: Fred Jackson, Jamaal Charles, Darren Sproles, Ahmad Bradshaw, Wes Welker, A.J. Green. Brandon Marshall, Julio Jones My selection at No. 23 standard: Rob Gronkowski My selection at No. 23 PPR: Fred Jackson | Round 3 |
| Standard | QB | 20% | RB | 20% | WR | 50% | TE | 10% |
| PPR | QB | 20% | RB | 20% | WR | 50% | TE | 10% |
For owners in both leagues, it's time to consider your No. 1 receiver, and the criteria should be simple. You want someone who is heavily involved, especially in the red zone, with the chance of a high volume of catches in PPR leagues. We're going with Green here in both formats. Green excelled as a rookie with 65 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns, but he has the potential for 80-plus catches, 1,200 yards and double digits in scores. He also could lead the NFL in targets (he had 116 last year) with the Bengals lacking a strong running game and a true No. 2 receiver.
Players you can get here: Fred Jackson, Jamaal Charles, Ahmad Bradshaw, Wes Welker, A.J. Green. Brandon Marshall, Julio Jones My selection at No. 26 standard: A.J. Green My selection at No. 26 PPR: A.J. Green | Round 4 |
| Standard | QB | 30% | RB | 20% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% |
| PPR | QB | 20% | RB | 20% | WR | 40% | TE | 20% |
When you draft a quarterback or tight end in the first two rounds, you are likely going to find slim pickings at running back at this spot when it comes to starting options. With the choices not exactly sexy here based on ADP, we'll take a player with more value in
Dez Bryant as our No. 2 receiver. We should be able to get one of the running backs listed below coming back around, and a good tip when you draft next to swing picks (No. 1 and No. 12) is to see what the other owner needs. If they are set at running back then you can safely take a receiver here. In the PPR league, we have two solid running backs and can lock up a standout receiver or even a tight end depending on who is there. In this scenario, we should have a shot at
Aaron Hernandez. Even with the Patriots loaded in their receiving corps, there are some predicting 80-plus catches for Hernandez this year, which would make him a steal in this round.
Players you can get here: Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Shonn Greene, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Isaac Redman, Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin, Aaron Hernandez, Antonio Gates My selection at No. 47 standard: Dez Bryant My selection at No. 47 PPR: Aaron Hernandez | Round 5 |
| Standard | QB | 30% | RB | 40% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 30% | RB | 30% | WR | 40% | TE | 0% |
Running back is now somewhat of a priority for owners in standard leagues, and
Shonn Greene should be there at No. 50 overall. He loses some value with the addition of
Tim Tebow, who could take away goal-line touches, but he doesn't have to worry about sharing carries much in what should be the most run-oriented offense in the NFL. The standard owner should continue to focus on running back going forward. In PPR leagues, there isn't a great running back that jumps off the board, so getting a standout receiver at flex is a good move. We like Brandon Lloyd's potential in New England in staying with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and catching passes from
Tom Brady.
Players you can get here: Tony Romo, Reggie Bush, Shonn Greene, Isaac Redman, Brandon Lloyd, Antonio Gates My selection at No. 50 standard: Shonn Greene My selection at No. 50 PPR: Brandon Lloyd | Round 6 |
| Standard | QB | 30% | RB | 40% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 30% | RB | 40% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
The standard owner needs to stick to finding the best available running back, and
Peyton Hillis has tremendous sleeper value this year. He will share playing time with
Jamaal Charles, but Charles could be limited coming off last year's knee injury. Hillis will be looking to rebound from last year's disappointing campaign, and he's reunited with his former offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who helped him shine in 2010. In the PPR league, we'll go against need at quarterback and take another standout option at receiver in
Eric Decker. He should be a tremendous third-year breakout.
Players you can get here: Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Jahvid Best, James Starks, Peyton Hillis, Eric Decker, Robert Meachem, Reggie Wayne, Fred Davis My selection at No. 71 standard: Peyton Hillis My selection at No. 71 PPR: Eric Decker | Round 7 |
| Standard | QB | 30% | RB | 30% | WR | 40% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 30% | RB | 30% | WR | 40% | TE | 0% |
Your running back corps is starting to take shape in the standard league with Rice, Greene and Hillis, so you can take a look at your No. 3 receiver or tight end here.
Reggie Wayne loses value without
Peytong Manning, but he should still remain heavily involved with rookie quarterback
Andrew Luck. And since the Colts will likely be trailing a lot, he should see plenty of targets. In the PPR league, you might want to lock up your quarterback here, especially after the owner at No. 1 overall just selected
Philip Rivers. Now is a good time to pull the trigger on Manning, who is the last Top 10 quarterback on the board.There is obvious risk with Manning based on his neck problems, but all offseason reports have been glowing, which should make him a steal at this selection.
Players you can get here: Peyton Manning, Stevan Ridley, C.J. Spiller, Jonathan Stewart, Ben Tate, Robert Meachem, Reggie Wayne, Fred Davis My selection at No. 74 standard: Reggie Wayne My selection at No. 74 PPR: Peyton Manning | Round 8 |
| Standard | QB | 40% | RB | 30% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 10% | RB | 40% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% |
Quarterback has become a priority, but we can wait until the next round to take our starter from the group listed below. We'll go with the best player available here, which in this case is
Toby Gerhart in both formats.
Adrian Peterson is the better running back, and we hope he's ready for Week 1. But there's a good chance he will be limited in his comeback from last year's knee injury, opening the door for Gerhart to get plenty of touches early in the season. He's a great No. 4 running back in any format.
Players you can get here: Matt Scbaub, Jay Cutler, Robert Griffin III, Toby Gerhart, David Wilson, LeGarrette Blount, Ronnie Hillman, Pierre Garcon, Malcom Floyd, Randy Moss My selection at No. 95 standard: Toby Gerhart My selection at No. 95 PPR: Toby Gerhart | Round 9 |
| Standard | QB | 60% | RB | 20% | WR | 20% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 10% | RB | 40% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% |
It's all about the quarterback here in the standard league, and this is the risk you run when you wait. All the Top 12 quarterbacks on most people's draft boards are gone, so now you're stuck with someone from
Matt Schaub,
Jay Cutler or
Robert Griffin III. Schaub was averaging more than 18 Fantasy points a game before his foot injury, and he should be close to the Top 12 again.The Texans might be a running offense, but Schaub will remain productive with
Andre Johnson back as his main target. In the PPR league, we'll take a running back with upside in
David Wilson. He will be the No. 2 rusher behind
Ahmad Bradshaw, but he should get plenty of looks running and catching the ball.
Players you can get here: Matt Scbaub, Jay Cutler, Robert Griffin III, David Wilson, LeGarrette Blount, Ronnie Hillman, Pierre Garcon, Malcom Floyd, Randy Moss My selection at No. 98 standard: Matt Schaub My selection at No. 98 PPR: David Wilson | Round 10 |
| Standard | QB | 30% | RB | 30% | WR | 30% | TE | 10% |
| PPR | QB | 30% | RB | 30% | WR | 30% | TE | 10% |
Backup quarterback should start to enter your radar, but we have some time based on ADP. In this spot we're looking at best player available, with a potential eye on receiver. You can take a chance at this spot since you have three quality options in both formats, and we like the upside for
Sidney Rice in the standard league and
Brandon LaFell in the PPR format. For Rice, he should have a rebound season with the Seahawks now that he's healthy and has an upgrade at quarterback in
Matt Flynn. LaFell is entering his third year, and he should shine as a starter opposite
Steve Smith and catching passes from
Cam Newton.
Players you can get here: Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton, Daniel Thomas, Jacquizz Rodgers, Felix Jones, Tim Hightower, Brandon LaFell, Michael Crabtree, Santana Moss, Sidney Rice My selection at No. 119 standard: Sidney Rice My selection at No. 119 PPR: Brandon LaFell | Round 11 |
| Standard | QB | 40% | RB | 30% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 40% | RB | 30% | WR | 30% | TE | 0% |
We'll lock up our backup quarterback here, and the best thing to do is look at matchups for when your starter has a bye. For example, Schaub is off in Week 8, and of the quarterbacks available,
Josh Freeman has the best matchup at Minnesota. Manning is off in Week 7, and
Ryan Fitzpatrick has the best matchup that week against Tennessee at home. Both quarterbacks should serve as one-week replacements. The only concern with Fitzpatrick is if something happens to Manning long-term then you don't want him as your starter all year. That said, we'll gamble that Manning will make a full recovery this season.
Players you can get here: Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton, Josh Freeman, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Daniel Thomas, Jacquizz Rodgers, Felix Jones, Michael Crabtree, Santana Moss, Brian Quick My selection at No. 122 standard: Josh Freeman My selection at No. 122 PPR: Ryan Fitzpatrick | Round 12 |
| Standard | QB | 0% | RB | 40% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% | K | 0% | DST | 10% |
| PPR | QB | 0% | RB | 40% | WR | 40% | TE | 10% | K | 0% | DST | 10% |
This is the spot to take the best player available, and it's a good idea to take a flier on someone you think will pop off at some time during the year or just fell too far on Draft Day. In both leagues, receiver appears to be a strong point with Green, Bryant, Wayne and Rice in the standard format and Green, Lloyd, Decker and LaFell in the PPR league. We'll take another running back here, and backing up Rice is a good idea with
Bernard Pierce, who is a rookie from Temple. If you draft Rice in Round 1 it's a good idea to handcuff him with Pierce with a late-round pick. In the PPR league, we'll take a flier on rookie tight end
Coby Fleener, who should be a valuable weapon for Luck. I don't usually draft two tight ends, but Fleener could be an excellent flex option in PPR formats.
Players you can get here: Bernard Pierce, Kevin Smith, Bernard Scott, Chad Ochocinco, Alshon Jeffery, Jon Baldwin, Mario Manningham, Coby Fleener, Owen Daniels My selection at No. 143 standard: Bernard Pierce My selection at No. 143 PPR: Coby Fleener | Round 13 |
| Standard | QB | 0% | RB | 0% | WR | 0% | TE | 0% | K | 20% | DST | 80% |
| PPR | QB | 0% | RB | 0% | WR | 0% | TE | 0% | K | 20% | DST | 80% |
In any draft you are in with me, I will always take a DST and kicker with my last two picks barring any wacky scoring rules. For both of these leagues, we'll keep to that same formula and go with a DST here. Based on ADP, we're looking at the Steelers, Packers, Jets, Giants and Lions. The Steelers went to the owner at No. 1 overall, so we'll settle for the Packers.
Players you can get here: Packers DST, Giants DST, Jets DST, Lionss DST, Stephen Gostkowski, Mason Crosby, Matt Prater, Dan Bailey My selection at No. 146 standard: Packers DST My selection at No. 146 PPR: Packers DST | Round 14 |
| Standard | QB | 0% | RB | 0% | WR | 0% | TE | 0% | K | 100% | DST | 0% |
| PPR | QB | 0% | RB | 0% | WR | 0% | TE | 0% | K | 100% | DST | 0% |
Take the kicker you like best with the second-to-last pick in the draft. You will likely have your choice between
Matt Prater,
Dan Bailey,
Matt Bryant and
Neil Rackers. I'd lean toward Bryant because he plays in an explosive offense, has a great track record and kicks in a dome for at least 10 games this season (eight home games and road games at New Orleans and Detroit).
Players you can get here: Matt Bryant, Matt Prater, Dan Bailey, Neil Rackers My selection at No. 167 standard: Matt Bryant My selection at No. 167 PPR: Matt Bryant
Here is a look at what the teams look like following the draft:
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