The NFL season is right around the corner, and fans are doing their fantasy football research. Anyone can turn on auto-pick, but what’s the unpopular opinion that catapults a team to victory? These are the answers to the top 12 picks in a PPR redraft league. Fantasy and player stats provided by Sleeper.
Chase and quarterback Joe Burrow lit up the offensive side of the stat sheet last year, resulting in the best fantasy receiver in the NFL. They were on the field so much, in large part to their inept defense, which, on paper, looks to be on track for more shame. Cincinnati threw the second-most attempts per game, and has elite talent that will frequently need to come from behind.
Nabers is worth grabbing this early. In his rookie year, he was sixth in receivers, and that was under a run-down quarterback carousel of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVita. While no longer among the elite, their new QB raises the floor and ceiling of this team. Russell Wilson is, at worst, a steady veteran at this point in his career, something the Giants could not provide previously. Through all of that, he was especially beneficial in PPR, finishing with 109 catches and seven touchdowns. Those numbers should inflate this time around.
Robinson finished ninth overall with an offense that struggled early under quarterback Kirk Cousins. This is also a great dual threat for PPR, last year with 1,456 rushing yards, but also 61 receptions. The offense should be improved, which only adds value to his fantasy output.
The Lions were one of three teams in the NFL to average more than 250 passing yards per game last season, and St. Brown was a huge part of that. He has finished third in position rank the last two years, with a career-high 12 touchdowns in 2024. Detroit is on a mission to make up for the disappointment of a winless postseason, and he’s the head of the spear.
Finishing second in full PPR at the position, Barkley cracked 2,000 rushing yards and produced 15 total touchdowns. While a small regression statistically is probable, a steep drop off is near impossible. The Eagles are back to defend their Super Bowl championship with a similar game plan. Drafting a running back early is always risky, but there is a significant drop in production from the elite to the spot-fillers.
Despite being put through the wringer, Lamb still finished eighth at the position. Considering he was without quarterback Dak Prescott for the season after a Week Nine injury. The team also sat him out for the final two weeks of the year. There’s only one thing Dallas does well, and that’s chuck the ball down the field. With more health and games played, increased production is expected.
While the ceiling is difficult to predict with all of the quarterback turnover in Minnesota, Jefferson has maintained a steady floor with a new quarterback each year, finishing top six at the position in four of his five years in the NFL so far. Their head coach has proven to be a quarterback whisperer, so it’s safe to assume him a top-ten WR.
Gibbs was the best at the position last season and looks to have a steady workload ahead. The carries may have been inflated due to team injuries, but he proved to be an elite and reliable back.
London finished in fifth positionally, which included the horrific tales of zombie quarterback Kirk Cousins. This is especially beneficial in PPR, as he is a volume receiver expected to see increased volume. The sample size may be too small to forecast, but he looked to have instant chemistry with rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the final few games.
In his rookie campaign, Thomas managed to rank fourth at the position while playing with last year’s 25th-ranked offense. Jacksonville is destined for failure this season, but that also gives Thomas a steady diet of targets. The team may be incrementally better with improvements on the O-line, so his 133 targets and ten touchdowns should see an increase along with it.
If unlucky enough to draw eleventh in a redraft league, take the best fantasy player at the position last season. While he finished first in full and half PPR, his volume makes this even more beneficial. It’s a black hole at the position once Bowers and Trent McBride are taken. The team signed journeyman quarterback Geno Smith in the offseason, which should set a steady floor for his second year in the NFL.
Bursting onto the scene in his rookie season, McConkey finished 13th last year. While not the offensive powerhouse of other teams on this list, he is the clear first option on a safe and efficient squad. The team made additions to raise the offensive floor incrementally, which should do the same for the receivers production.
End Of My NFL Rant
Using the draft simulator on Sleeper, they recommend four substitutions for these top twelve picks. Wide receiver Puka Nacua was a fantasy disappointment last season, and with the addition of Davante Adams, it’s hard to predict the division of workload. Running back Derrick Henry is a great addition to a team, but don’t reach for an RB under a running quarterback. Wide receiver Nico Collins hasn’t played a full season in his four-year career, only cracking 100 targets once. Their final suggestion, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, is too much of a guessing game to trust in a redraft league.
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