Selecting at the end of the first round in fantasy football drafts can be disappointing as the elite players go off the board early. However, the ability to take the top players at the Round 1-2 turn is a good benefit to have.
You’re still going to get a good player at the end of the first round, but can get a player just as good at the top of the second. There is more risk involved, but if approached right, it can be a great spot to draft. Here is the best way to approach picks 10-12 in fantasy snake drafts.
1.10 & 2.3 – WR A.J. Brown & WR Puka Nacua
It was a tale of two seasons for A.J. Brown in 2023. In Weeks 1-9, he was the WR2 and looked to improve on his WR5 season in 2022. However, from Weeks 10-17 he was WR30. It’s much more likely that we see the first half of the season Brown than second half. The Philadelphia Eagles offense has been at its best when they feed the ball to Brown, and new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will understand that. This offense has the upside to be one of the elite units and Brown is the leader of that group. He has elite WR1 upside.
Puka Nacua took the NFL by storm as a rookie. It’s going to be difficult for him to replicate his WR5 season, but he’s still the top target in a potential elite offense. Cooper Kupp will be healthy and may eat into some of Nacua’s targets. The Rams could also lean into the run game a little bit more. Still, when Kupp returned, Nacua was the WR8. From Weeks 10-17 when the Rams did lean into their run game, Nacua was the WR9. This is still a top-10 wide receiver with upside in what could be a ‘torch-passing’ season.
1.11 & 2.2 – RB Saquon Barkley & RB Jahmyr Gibbs
The Eagles simply haven’t had a running back of the talent-level of Saquon Barkley in quite some time. When it comes to the running back position, success is heavily dependent on situation. In Philadelphia, Barkley gets a better a quarterback, a top offensive line, and a play-caller who should get him involved in the passing game. Top ball carriers in Moore’s offenses have averaged 67.2 targets per season in the passing game, which would have been around 10th among running backs in 2023. Jalen Hurts could steal some touchdowns, but Barkley will have a full workload and if he does get some goal-line work, the upside is very high.
Once he got going last season, Gibbs was hard to stop in the Detroit Lions offense. From Weeks 10-17, he finished as the RB5. Heading into his second season, he should see his overall touches go up, especially in the passing game. There is a lot of competition at the top of the running back position, but Gibbs certainly has top-5 upside. He may still lose some goal-line work to David Montgomery, but his role should expand otherwise. This Barkley-Gibbs combination is the perfect safe pick followed by a player who could win your league.
1.12 & 2.1 – RB Jonathan Taylor & RB De’Von Achane
It wasn’t that long ago that Jonathan Taylor was talked about as being the top running back in fantasy football. A lot has changed since his rookie season, but there is also a lot to like about this Indianapolis Colts team. This is an offensive line that started to find its identity towards the end of last season. Anthony Richardson will be returning at quarterback, which should open things up in the run game for Taylor. Lastly, Shane Steichen’s offense has been one of the more efficient run schemes in the NFL. Taylor may not have the upside as the top fantasy running back that he once did, but he should be considered a safe, steady pick at the end of the first round.
On the flip side of that is De’Von Achane. The Miami Dolphins running back is one of the more polarizing players in fantasy football. He’s not going to carry the ball 20 times and it’s hard to see him continue an 11.5 yards per touch clip in 2024. He’s very boom-bust, but taking a player like Taylor allows for this type of risk. Even if it isn’t running the ball, the Dolphins and Mike McDaniel are going to find ways to get Achane involved. Much like last year, Achane is a player who has the upside to win leagues, and drafting league-winners should be the goal. Depending on if he can stay healthy, Achane could break fantasy football.
