In this year’s draft landscape, landing a top-3 pick is ideal. In my eyes, there is a clear upper echelon of fantasy assets that (in most leagues) will be unavailable after the 3rd pick. Christian McCaffrey, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill make up that tier.
Landing one of those difference-makers will certainly set your team up for success this season. I was able to draft one of these players with pick 2 in the RSJ draft. Let’s examine how my roster turned out while reviewing the draft strategy and thought process behind each pick.
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The Roto Street Journal staff league has the following format: Half-PPR scoring (Start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 K, 1 DEF; 6 Bench Slots; 1 IR slot)
READ MORE: “How to draft” from the… 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 pick
Check out our full 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Breakdown!
2024 RSJ Fantasy Football Draft Results
PRE-DRAFT PLAN: DID YOU HAVE A DRAFT STRATEGY FOR PICK 2?
In these early rounds, my overarching goal is to grab a few wide receivers that I like, an anchor RB, and an elite onesie (QB or TE). The focus on receiver is driven by the need to start three, and potentially four each week. Lacking in the receiver department is less than ideal in a league with this format.
Regarding the elite onesie, having a positional advantage and a candidate to finish as the top scorer at their respective position is always nice. Regarding the anchor running back, I am comfortable with the swings I can take in the middle and late rounds to find an impactful RB2. Locking down an RB1 in the early rounds who will provide steady production makes it easier to take these swings.
In the middle rounds, I want to ensure the players I take fit in with my roster while balancing upside and floor. Drafting a team is like painting a picture; I want this thing to be a Van Gogh, not the stuff I brought home to my mom in elementary school.
In the late rounds, my degree of risk tolerance continues to grow. In this draft range, I am almost explicitly looking for players who can ascend into the tier of “starter worthy” or league winner.
HOW TO DRAFT FROM PICK 2 IN 2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL
Early Round Draft Strategy for Pick 2
This draft began with Tyreek Hill as my WR1. I will not fault anyone for drafting CeeDee Lamb in this spot, but Hill is my choice. His ability to win a matchup on a single play is intoxicating as a manager. There is nothing quite like Hill’s unique skill set within Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
Hill’s fantasy playoff stretch was thrown off by an ankle sprain he suffered in Week 14. Had it not been for this injury, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have finished as the WR1 last season. Through 13 weeks, he was utterly dominant.
Prior to injury, Hill was pacing for 383 half-PPR points. For context, Lamb finished with 335. In his game-breaking 2021 season, Cooper Kupp finished with 367 points. When healthy, the upside of Tyreek Hill is unmatched.
I followed this pick with another target hog in Davante Adams. Few players in the NFL can command a 30 percent target share, but Adams is one of them. Even in a “down year,” Adams was an 1100-yard receiver who saw 170 targets. He provided WR15 production per-game despite the least efficient season of his career. I largely attribute this poor efficiency to poor quarterback play, not a decline in Adams’ talent. Even if quarterback play does not improve at all, WR2 production seems to be Adams’ floor, which I am comfortable with.
My 3rd round pick was none other than Josh Allen. This pick is also pretty straightforward in my eyes. He has been the best fantasy quarterback of the decade.
The depleted arsenal of weapons is mildly concerning, but his contributions as a rusher insulate his fantasy value. If anything, Allen’s rushing production could even increase given the lack of weaponry in Buffalo. We did see him dominate in a run-heavy offense with a struggling Stefon Diggs down the stretch last year.
Josh Jacobs stretches the definition of Hero/Anchor RB, but there is certainly an outcome where he thrives in a dominant Packers’ offense en route to a top-6 season. I am not particularly bullish on this outcome, or Jacobs’ fantasy outlook in general, but everything becomes acceptable at a specific price. At the end of Round 4 on a roster desperately looking for a player capable of RB1 production, Jacobs was a good fit.
The early rounds were rounded out by Tank Dell, who I was thrilled to see on the board at the 5.02. Dell was electric as a rookie and competed right alongside Nico Collins.
Stefon Diggs enters the fray this year, but Dell should maintain his role as Houston’s field stretcher and big play threat. He has the potential to deliver massive weeks in a potent Texans offense. I am more than comfortable with him as my WR3.
Mid-Round Draft Strategy for Pick 2
The middle rounds were the place to address my RB2 slot and add some complementary pieces to the roster. This starts with two consecutive stabs at running back: Aaron Jones in the 6th and Najee Harris in the 7th.
Jones’ inability to stay healthy is concerning, but when he’s on the field, he’s shown that he still “has it”. He is still that explosive playmaker who can rip off chunks of yardage, particularly as a receiver. If he can stay healthy and the Minnesota offense doesn’t significantly regress, he has top-15 upside.
Harris, on the other hand, is your typical high-volume plodder type. He is not the sexiest pick, but he presents a rather safe floor inexpensively. Harris has been a 1000-yard rusher, seen 250 touches, and finished as a top-20 back in every season of his career. In an Arthur Smith offense that will flow through the running backs, Harris should be an RB2 once again in 2023. But instead of being devastated by an RB20 finish after spending a Round 3 on Harris, I can scoop him up in Round 7 where an RB20 finish would work just fine.
Like his former teammate Aaron Jones, Christian Watson’s greatest obstacle to fantasy success has been his health. The Packers have reportedly exhausted all of their resources to solve Watson’s recurring hamstring issues. The big question is whether or not his hamstring flares up this year.
But when Watson was on the field, his role was incredibly valuable for fantasy purposes.
When I only have to spend a Round 8 pick to bet on enormous upside, I am comfortable with the associated risk.
My following pick was another bet on a player with a rather large ceiling. Brock Bowers is one of those players who simply plays a different position than the vast majority of tight ends. His diverse skill set allows him to do a little bit of everything on the field.
According to Raiders’ beat writer Levi Edwards, Bowers been all over the formation in training camp, “Brock Bowers could be seen doing a little bit of everything… The TE lined (up) at in multiple spots in similar fashion to what he was accustomed to doing at Georgia, showcasing both his pass catching and rushing abilities.” Las Vegas was a less-than-ideal landing spot, but Bowers has the talent to overcome this lacking situation.
In an effort to “hedge my bets” on Watson, I selected a player who has a higher floor. Curtis Samuel still has a respectable ceiling, albeit not as high as Watson’s. Like Bowers, Samuel is the “do-it-all” weapon of his offense. He has been all over the field, including in the backfield. This isn’t an enormous shock, considering the last time he crossed paths with Joe Brady, Samuel saw 97 targets and 41 carries. In that season, Samuel finished at the WR24. In a strong offense with targets up for grabs, I am confident that Samuel will return flex value.
Late-Round Draft Strategy for Pick 2
The late rounds are all about swinging for the fences. This began with Rashid Shaheed, one of my favorite late-round receivers. As Mr. Hartitz so eloquently puts it, “Rashid Shaheed is good at football.”
Shaheed is now in line for a full-time role in an offense under Klint Kubiak that should take advantage of his skill set. This part of the draft should involve betting on electrifying talents. Shaheed is just that.
Rico Dowdle was my next pick. This selection embodies another core principle of late-round drafting: embracing uncertainty in quality offenses. With Dak Prescott under center, the Cowboys’ offense has been a fantasy goldmine. They have finished 6th or better in scoring offense in four consecutive years with a healthy Prescott. In those seasons, the Cowboys’ RB1 has finished no worse than the RB14. Dowdle has impressed in camp and there is certainly a path to him earning the 1a role in Dallas. If he does, I’ll have found a diamond in the rough in Round 12.
I continued to add to my running back room with Ty Chandler in Round 13. The Vikings seem to love this guy, going as far as to say that they believe their roster features two starting running backs. Chandler will mix in with Jones, providing some stand-alone value. But he is also a nice insurance policy if the oft-injured Jones goes down.
Jahan Dotson is… well, Jahan Dotson. At this stage in the draft, I felt the need to add a wide receiver. I was hoping Jalen McMillan would make it to me, but he was swiped just a few picks earlier. Dotson showed flashes in his rookie season but was rather disappointing in 2023 as a sophomore. I am bullish on what Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels can do for this offense so I am hopeful that they can reignite Dotson’s flame.
Rounds 15 and 16 are where it starts to get a bit scary. Braelon Allen is a nice pickup, as he has reportedly already won the Jets’ RB2 job. He is a pure handcuff, but will be a tremendous asset if Breece Hall faces an injury. Jermaine Burton is another not-so-appealing pick, but he offers strong contingent upside. He seems to be losing the WR3/slot job to Andrei Iosivas, but if Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins miss time, he will be thrust into a starting role in one of the league’s best offenses.
MY TEAM FROM PICK 2 IN 2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL:
- 1.02: Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
- 2.11: Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
- 3.02: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
- 4.11: Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers
- 5.02: Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans
- 6.11: Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
- 7.02: Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 8.11: Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
- 9.02: Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
- 10.11: Curtis Samuel, WR, Buffalo Bills
- 11.02: Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
- 12.11: Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys
- 13.02: Ty Chandler, RB, Minnesota Vikings
- 14.11: Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
- 15.02: Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets
- 16.11: Jermaine Burton, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
IF I COULD GO BACK AND CHANGE ONE THING
To be completely honest, I would not have made any significant changes to how I approached this draft. I would have liked a stronger tight end, but none of George Kittle, Kyle Pitts, or Evan Engram fell to me in the back of Round 6. I wasn’t going to force a pick either. I am content with Bowers in Round 9.
The only pick that doesn’t fit my overall strategy and philosophy is Dotson in Round 14. We already know he doesn’t have much of a ceiling and will likely end up as a roster clogger on my team. I should have opted for someone with more of a “mystery box” upside, like Marvin Mims.
But I can’t be mad with a Round 14 pick being my biggest regret. I’m thrilled with how this team shook out.
FINAL TEAM THOUGHTS
As you might expect from the last sentence, I am incredibly bullish about this team. I have 340 targets locked up in my WR1 and WR2, the best fantasy quarterback of the 2020s, and a running back whose ADP could very well end up in Round 2 fell to me at Pick 47.
Outside of the stars of the lineup, I believe I effectively balanced floor and upside in my depth pieces. Some of these guys have limited ceilings but should provide steady production (Harris and Samuel). For others, the sky is the limit (Shaheed, Watson, Dowdle).
If I play the waiver wire well and avoid the injury bug, this team is very capable of making a playoff run.
