The Roto Street Journal crew did a mock draft this week to map out how we would draft from each slot, and I drew the short straw with pick 12… or did I? It’s been said more times than I can count, but you do not win the league at the draft, but you can lose it.
There’s an inherent risk in drafting at the end of the round. Knowing how to leverage positional value and when and when not to reach are pivotal to dominating your draft from any draft slot. It’s never more important than the end of the round, though.
I planned to blend high floor with upside at both the wide receiver and running back positions while leveraging value. I rarely enter a draft targeting a specific player.
Read more: “How to draft” from the… 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 spot
So, let’s take a deep dive into the harrowing recesses of my brain and walk through what I deem to be the perfect 2023 fantasy football draft from the 12 spot in a Half-PPR league (QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, and FLEX)
Rounds 1-4: Building the foundation
At pick 1.12, I took a bit of a power pick and tried to find a true alpha wide receiver to anchor my squad. Obviously, the likes of Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill, and Cooper Kupp will not make it to me, so I didn’t hesitate to grab CeeDee Lamb when he fell to pick 12. After all, Stefon Diggs and A.J. Brown went at picks 9 and 10, and I could see a fall-off in wide-receiver production right before me.
In 2022, Lamb delivered on all the hype following the Cowboys unceremoniously shoved Amari Cooper out the door. After a bit of a slow start, aided by the injury to Dak Prescott, Lamb was pacing for 259 fantasy points and finished as a WR1 almost 55% of the time once Dak returned.
With Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Bijan Robinson, and Saquon Barkley all going off the board, I knew getting quality running back production was nearly impossible at the 2.01. I decided to add Nick Chubb and his guaranteed volume to the team. As of this writing, Chubb has almost no competition for touches and has even gotten pass-catching hype this offseason!
As with most drafts, there are always those who will not hesitate to snipe you at every turn. Right before me at the third-round turn, my breakout pick, Travis Etienne, was snatched. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it forced me to stay water. Being flexible and adaptable to any situation is the most important thing any skilled drafter can do. Dalvin Cook be darned, I know what my eyes saw, and I know how special Breece Hall was before his injury. So, to wrap up the foundation of my team, I took a potential league-winning running back and added Lamar Jackson as well.
Rounds 5 through 9: Upside, upside, upside
As I said before… sometimes there are just those in drafts that love nothing more than to push your buttons. Pick 11 took Chris Godwin right from out under my nose, and I had to think on my feet.
I decided to round out my flex spot with a good combination of opportunity and upside. Cam Akers and Brandon Aiyuk were easy picks after missing out on the high-target floor of Godwin.
I still had one starting wide receiver slot to fill, and fortune favored me at this turn. Two trendy wide receivers fell to me, and I suddenly had a plethora of riches. Jaxon-Smith Njigba and Jahan Dotson rounded out my receiver core nicely.
With a tight end missing from my starting lineup and eight taken off the board, the only option was to swing for the fences. Round nine came to a close, with Dalton Kincaid joining what was quickly becoming a star-studded roster.
Rounds 10-14: Rounding out the roster
Floor and ceiling. When drafting at the turn of the draft, I preach the philosophy of balancing floor and ceiling.
- Lamar Jackson (4.1)
- Nick Chubb (2.1)
- Breece Hall (3.12)
- Cam Akers (5.12)
- CeeDee Lamb (1.12)
- Brandon Aiyuk (6.1)
- JSN (7.12)
- Jahan Dotson (8.1)
- Dalton Kincaid (9.12)
Due to my core of players, I did not need to look to the quarterback or tight end position.
Aside from the upper echelon of difference makers, the running back position is replaceable. I was fortunate enough in round 10 to add another decent floor running back in AJ Dillon (10.1). Then, I paired that with a guy who actually won leagues last year in Jerick McKinnon (11.12).
My depth was sound, and I played the value game the rest of the way. I added Romeo Doubs (12.1), Zay Jones (13.12), and Deuce Vaughn (14.1) to complete the squad. The wide receivers each had produced in the past when their number was called on, and Vaughn was just that lightning-in-a-bottle dart throw that can be put on waivers after Week 1.
Final thoughts
The 12 spot is one of the most challenging spots to draft from. When picking at the turn, I often look around 20 players down the ADP board and see what positions look to be the strongest. If wide receivers still look deep down the line, I am more likely to target a running back and vice versa.
You can find the link to the draft board here.
