3 Early-Round Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Target

One of the most common pieces of fantasy football advice on the internet is “know your league settings.” This is for good reason, as even seemingly small changes can make a huge impact in how you should approach a given league’s draft. Today, I’m focusing on one of those changes in particular: League size. The default size around the industry is 12 teams, but plenty of fantasy players play in 10- or even eight-team formats. And, although just adding two teams may not sound like much, a 14-team league is a wildly different beast. Drafting in 14-team (or larger) leagues requires a different approach. If you’re in a 14-team league for the first time this year (or even if you’re a large-league veteran), my number one recommendation is to test out a few different strategies in mock drafts. Of course, 14-team mock drafts against competent opponents can be hard to come by. That’s where the FantasyPros’ fantasy football mock draft simulator, the Draft Wizard, comes into play. Let’s dive into a few of my favorite fantasy football draft picks from a recent mock draft.

Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Target

Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)

If it weren’t for Matthew Stafford‘s newest back injury, I might have selected Puka Nacua here. But if I’m being honest with myself, my soul would have wanted McCaffrey either way. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If we could guarantee every player stayed healthy for 17 games, McCaffrey would be the consensus first overall pick.

While I’ll admit that his injury risk is certainly higher than most players, the owner of the second-best fantasy season of all time is healthy right now. Passing on him in the middle or even at the end of the first round is drafting scared, and I prefer to draft to win.

Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)

In my last mock draft, I paired Christian McCaffrey with Ashton Jeanty. With two extra teams in the mix, my best option at this pick was Tee Higgins. That’s not ideal, but I also don’t hate having Higgins as my WR1.

Despite dealing with injuries and playing second fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins finished 2024 as the WR6 in PPR points per game (PPG). I don’t necessarily expect him to repeat that level of production, but he is in the same excellent situation heading into this season. His added contingent upside if Chase were to miss time is also massive.

Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)

I find myself upgrading Omarion Hampton every single time I update my rankings. First-round running backs have historically provided excellent fantasy hit rates, and Hampton earned his 22nd-overall draft capital. He’s an elite athlete and a capable pass-catcher. With Najee Harris still in the “walking laps” stage of recovering from his eye injury, the path is clear for the rookie to dominate this backfield from Week 1.

Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.