Who Should I Draft With the 12th Pick in Fantasy Football

Landing the 12th pick in a 12-team league makes for an interesting build. The top running backs and wide receivers are already off the board, but it also means that you’ve landed the first pick in the second round. Let’s examine the 12th pick in the draft and highlight which players to target based on league format. We’ll also highlight some late-round targets to consider.

Our Perfect Draft series covers multiple draft spots in various scoring formats and league sizes using Draft Hero software. Find your perfect draft today!

Here are the current Perfect Drafts from the 12th spot:

• Perfect Draft: 12th in a 12-Team ESPN PPR League

Standard League: Kyren Williams, RB (LAR)

Before we discuss which player to select here, let’s talk strategy. With back-to-back picks throughout the draft, you might need to select a player earlier than their ADP if you want to have them on your squad. If you have conviction in a player, don’t be afraid to take him 10 to 15 spots higher than where their ADP indicates he will go. That player likely wouldn’t come back to you by the time you would be on the clock for your next pair of selections.

Our Multi-Site ADP tool has Williams with an ADP of 16, so he will likely be on the board in many leagues when the 12th pick rolls around. This scoring format boosts his value over players with a higher ADP including Garrett Wilson (ADP 11), Puka Nacua (ADP 13), and Jahmyr Gibbs (ADP 14). Williams had 15 total touchdowns over 12 games last season. Wilson, Nacua, and Gibbs combined for 20 total touchdowns.

Another possibility on the board here would be Saquon Barkley, who has an ADP of 12. I made the case for selecting him a spot earlier in my Who Should I Draft With the 11th Pick in Fantasy Football article. Another great option here is Derrick Henry, who should receive loads of touchdown opportunities with the Ravens. Gus Edwards, who isn’t nearly the caliber of player that Henry is, scored 13 rushing touchdowns for the Ravens last season.

An interesting strategy here is to come away with some combination of Williams, Barkley, and Henry with the 12th and 13th picks. That might be risky in PPR formats, given how long it will be until you are on the clock again. However, in standard scoring leagues, loading up on two stud running backs early could help bring home a title.

Best Alternative Pick: Derrick Henry, RB (BAL)

PPR Scoring: Kyren Williams, RB (LAR)

Williams is still a good option for the 12th pick in PPR scoring. He was targeted 48 times across his 12 games last season, which would have put him on pace for around 70 targets had he played the entire season. He averaged 6.4 yards per reception and had two catches of at least 20 yards, so the potential for 70 targets leaves him with plenty of upside. Rookie Blake Corum is in the fold now, but he shouldn’t take a significant amount of work away from Williams. Also, Corum combined for just 30 targets over the last two years in college, so Williams is likely to have a much larger role in the passing game than he will.

Back to the strategy of having back-to-back picks, I don’t like going with two running backs out of the gate in this scoring format. One of the two picks needs to be a wide receiver. If Wilson falls, take him and pair him with a running back. Another preferred target of mine would be Harrison, who immediately becomes the top wide receiver for the Cardinals. He should blow past 100 targets, and with Kyler Murray healthy again, that kind of workload should enable him to be very valuable.

Best Alternative Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR (ARI)

Half-PPR Scoring: Kyren Williams, RB (LAR)

In standard scoring, I have no hesitation in starting out with two running backs. In PPR scoring, it’s important to take at least one wide receiver at 12 or 13. I’m ok with either strategy in half-PPR. Players who are usually still on the board by the time you are on the clock again could include Josh Jacobs (ADP 36), DeVonta Smith (ADP 37), DK Metcalf (ADP 38), and James Cook (ADP 39). If you were to start out Williams and Harrison in the first two rounds, you could then pair them with Smith and Cook, forming a dynamic duo at both positions. If you load up at running back early, then doubling up at wide receiver with some combination of Smith, Metcalf, and D.J. Moore (ADP 42) would be wise.

The problem with having back-to-back picks comes when considering what to do at quarterback and tight end. Josh Allen (ADP 25), Patrick Mahomes (ADP 31), and Jalen Hurts (ADP 33) could all be off the board by the time you are on the clock again in the third round. If one of them doesn’t fall to you, then you’d likely need to take either Lamar Jackson (ADP 41), C.J. Stroud (ADP 51), or Anthony Richardson (ADP 53) in the third or fourth round if you wanted to grab a player within that next tier of options.

With regards to tight end, both Travis Kelce (ADP 24) and Sam LaPorta (ADP 28) will likely be long gone by the time your selection in the third round comes up. Trey McBride (ADP 43) and Mark Andrews (44) would likely need to be selected at that three-four turn if you wanted one of the more reliable tight end options.

Best Alternative Pick: Derrick Henry, RB (BAL)

Superflex: Kyler Murray, QB (ARI)

Murray finally has some dangerous weapons with Harrison and McBride in the fold. Even wide receiver Michael Wilson comes with upside. Despite being limited to eight games last season, Murray still ran for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He has never rushed for fewer than 418 yards and three touchdowns in each season that he has played in at least 11 games, so he can also help fantasy managers with his legs.

Earlier this offseason, I made a case for Joe Burrow being a top-10 fantasy option now that he is healthy again. Weapons are not a problem for him with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the fold. Prior to his injury-plagued 2023 campaign, he had posted back-to-back seasons with at least 4,475 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns. If Murray is already off the board, Burrow would be an excellent consolation prize.

In a superflex league, quarterbacks are going to fly off the board early and often. All 12 teams will likely take at least one quarterback with one of their first three draft picks if not two of them. With that in mind, I’d take quarterbacks with both the 12th and 13th picks. The likely options on the board by the time the last pick in the third round rolls around could leave a lot to be desired.

Best Alternative Pick: Joe Burrow, QB (CIN)

Top Late-Round Targets

I like the depth better at wide receiver than running back, so I’m usually targeting wide receivers in the late rounds. In my Fantasy Football Sleepers to Target After Pick 150 article, four of my five targets were wide receivers. Another wide receiver that I like who is going a little bit earlier is rookie Brian Thomas Jr. (ADP 112). The Jaguars have a big hole to fill at wide receiver with Calvin Ridley now a member of the Titans. Christian Kirk was limited to 12 games because of injuries last season and is already dealing with a calf problem during the preseason. The Jaguars also brought in Gabe Davis, but while he is a great deep threat, he has never posted more than 48 receptions in a season during his career. There is a path to Thomas receiving around 100 targets this season, and with his skill set, that makes him a potential value who is going in the 10th round.

In terms of overall strategy in a 12-team league, take your defense/special teams and kicker in the last two rounds. Don’t draft a backup at either position. I also usually tend to draft just one tight end. The preference is to take just one quarterback, especially if you select one of the options in the first couple of tiers at the position. However, if you decide to wait until outside of the top 100 to select a quarterback, it’s ok to take two of them and stream them based on who has the best matchup each week.

Here is a realistic 16-round draft with the 12th overall pick in a 12-team half-PPR league. Each player is listed with the corresponding round that they would be selected in.