I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I absolutely love the 11th pick in drafts this year! Seriously, when I look at all my team builds from the back end of the first round, I am incredibly fired up. There is just something magical about grabbing two elite studs at the turn and letting the rest of the league scramble while you build an absolute powerhouse.

We wrote a version of this article just last month, but if you’ve been paying attention to training camp reports, roster cuts, and shifting average draft positions (ADP), you know the board looks completely different today. The fantasy football landscape is constantly evolving, and draft strategies that worked four weeks ago simply won't cut it right now.

Take the wild situation in Green Bay, for instance. With Josh Jacobs being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, fantasy managers are scrambling. Even without an official suspension handed down yet, Jacobs' ADP is plummeting, while rookie MarShawn Lloyd has leapfrogged into the seventh and eighth rounds. But let's not forget the other guys in that backfield—most notably Chris Brooks and newly acquired Kaleb Johnson—who are suddenly in line for meaningful touches.

This chaos is precisely why we run mock drafts. With the all-new Fantasy Alarm Mock Draft Simulator, it’s remarkably easy to test out every fantasy football pick 11 draft strategy under the sun before you're on the clock for real. But if you want to know how Howard Bender drafts from the 11th spot, this is the exact blueprint you need for your ultimate fantasy football pick 11 draft strategy.

The "perfect draft" might be a myth in reality, but inside Howard Bender's war room—and backed by the Fantasy Alarm Ultimate Cheat Sheet—it’s fully attainable. While our draft grid blueprint gives you a clear path, remember to stay flexible. If a player from an earlier round falls past their ADP, you must jump on that value regardless of positional need. A smart fantasy football draft position strategy dictates that if your league mates leave second-round talent sitting there in the fifth round, you scoop them up and balance your roster later. Furthermore, whether you're building a high-volume fantasy football PPR strategy or a standard build, remember that drafting is only step one; continuous waiver wire hustle and smart weekly management carry you to the championship.

Here is your round-by-round guide to mastering your fantasy football pick 11 draft strategy.

Round 1, Pick 11: Draft a Running Back

Why: If you have a bell-cow running back staring you in the face at Pick 11, you take him. As we've seen over the past few seasons, securing top-talent at the running back position puts you in a fantastic spot to win your league. That's not to say a Zero-RB strategy can't win, but we find it easier to do so while leaning on a strong backfield.

Top Target: James Cook, RB Buffalo Bills

Cook is the ultimate cornerstone for your roster at the No. 11 spot after a dominant 2025 season where he led the entire NFL with 1,621 rushing yards. He proved he can handle a true bell-cow workload with 309 carries, averaging an elite 5.2 yards per attempt while scoring 12 times on the ground. Adding in his 33 receptions for 291 yards and two receiving touchdowns, Cook delivers both an incredibly safe floor and the massive weekly upside required of a first-round fantasy anchor.

 

 

 

Round 2, Pick 14: Draft a Running Back

Why: As we've witnessed throughout the preseason, the back-end of the first round is where fantasy owners are going RB-heavy, and we absolutely love it. There is a fantastic article written by Andrew Cooper that highlights ADP trends over the years and what draft strategies have proven successful each year. We aren't exactly back in the Golden Age of running backs, but we do live in a time where their value is peaking. If I draft at the back end and can walk away with two elite backs, I am a very happy man and future fantasy football champion.

Top Target: Chase Brown, RB Cincinnati Bengals

Selecting Chase Brown in the second round gives your roster a rare, dual-threat workhorse with an elite fantasy ceiling. In 2025, Brown commanded a featured role in Cincinnati's high-powered offense, logging career highs with 1,019 rushing yards, 69 receptions, 437 receiving yards, and 11 total touchdowns. His heavy involvement in the passing game, ranking top-five among running backs in receptions and receiving yards, gives him a massive PPR safety net. When paired with a healthy Joe Burrow, Brown averaged over 20 PPR points per game, proving that his ~300-touch volume translates directly into league-winning RB1 production.

Round 3, Pick 35: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: You're well-anchored at running back, so it's time to tackle the next big position, and that's your receivers. Plenty of time for quarterbacks and tight ends, and if you read that ADP trend article I pointed out above, then you know receivers are the next move.

Top Target: Zay Flowers, WR Baltimore Ravens

Selecting Zay Flowers in the third round gives your fantasy team an elite, top-tier target commander with a rock-solid floor. In 2025, Flowers truly broke out as Baltimore's undisputed WR1, setting career highs across the board with 86 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards, and 6 total touchdowns (5 receiving, 1 rushing). He maintained a massive 28% target share, ranking 5th among all NFL wide receivers, and consistently generated explosive plays with 473 yards after the catch. Securing a wideout coming off a 240+ PPR point season as your WR1 or WR2 in Round 3 offers incredible efficiency and high-end WR1 upside without the first-round price tag.

Round 4, Pick 38: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: Do it again! Double-tap the position. Give yourself two top-10 running backs and two top-20 wide receivers. It's a spectacular base. You can always take the option of a Robust-RB strategy and get a third back, but I truly believe the value of the available receivers exceeds that of the available running backs.

Top Target: Jaylen Waddle, WR Denver Broncos

Despite dealing with volatile quarterback play and playing second fiddle in Miami in 2025, Waddle still delivered an efficient 64 receptions on 100 targets for 910 receiving yards, six touchdowns, and an impressive 14.2 yards per catch. Stepping into Sean Payton’s system as a true focal point, he steps away from Tyreek Hill's shadow into a primary target role where his elite efficiency should yield a significant bump in volume. Securing a wideout coming off nearly 1,000 yards in a down year, who now steps into a refreshed WR1 capacity, offers unmatched mid-round upside and a sky-high ceiling for your fantasy roster.

 

 

 

Round 5, Pick 59: Draft a Running Back

Why: I'm going back to the running backs to give myself some strong depth and a great flex option. There are plenty of receivers on the board still, and the running back position is going to dry up fast once you've made this move. Start the run and let them react to what you're doing, not the other way around.

Top Target: D'Andre Swift, RB Chicago Bears

Drafting Swift in the fifth round gives you a proven RB2 with a rock-solid workhorse role and RB1 upside as your third running back. Lock that down! As Chicago's primary back in 2025, Swift delivered an efficient 1,087 rushing yards on 223 carries (4.9 yards per carry) and nine rushing touchdowns, adding 34 receptions for 299 yards and another score out of the backfield. His 1,386 total scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns translated to a sturdy 14.4 PPR points per game, proving he can deliver high-end production in a developing offense. Landing a reliable lead tailback coming off a 250+ touch season in Round 5 provides unbeatable security for your roster before the position's talent cliff hits.

Round 6, Pick 62: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: With most leagues requiring three starting receivers, it's good to get a real-life WR1 or 2 as your third option. If you only start two, then you have strong depth for bye weeks and/or another flex option.

Top Target: Marvin Harrison, WR Arizona Cardinals

Despite missing five games and being limited in others due to an appendectomy and a heel issue, Harrison still posted 41 receptions for 608 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an impressive 14.8 yards per catch in 12 games. When healthy during the first half of 2025, he maintained a dominant 21.9% target share and averaged 13.4 PPR points per game—production that would have comfortably placed him as a top-20 fantasy wideout. Snagging a former top-five pick with proven big-play ability and built-in target priority in Round 6 offers league-winning upside for your FLEX or WR3 slot.

Round 7, Pick 83: Draft a Quarterback

Why: You've probably seen the top-five quarterbacks all come off the board and, depending on how your league values quarterbacks, you may see some guys disappearing from this tier as well. Make the move, solidify your starting QB and enjoy this starting roster you've put together.

Top Target: Justin Herbert, QB Los Angeles Chargers

In 2025, Herbert threw for 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns across 16 games while adding a career-high 498 rushing yards and 2 scores on the ground. That added rushing baseline elevated his fantasy floor and lifted him to a top-10 QB finish. Snagging an elite, dual-threat quarterback with proven 3,700+ yard passing upside in Round 7 lets you load up on premium position players early without sacrificing high-end production at QB. Think about it this way: Mike McDaniel made Tua Tagovailoa look like a viable fantasy QB. Imagine what he does for Herbert.

 

 

 

Round 8, Pick 86: Draft a Running Back

Why: We can afford to play some TE chicken with whomever because there are still very solid names on the board. I also like a lot of wide receivers who can serve as your bye-week replacements a little further down, and this will give you your fourth strong running back to allow you to spend the rest of your draft on other positions.

Top Target: Kenny Gainwell, RB Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Gainwell broke through in 2025 by accumulating 1,023 total scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns, driven heavily by his elite involvement in the passing game. He ranked among the top five running backs league-wide with 73 receptions on 85 targets for 486 receiving yards, while adding another 537 rushing yards on 4.7 yards per carry. Landing a dual-threat back coming off a 1,000-yard, 70+ catch season in Round 8 provides exceptional PPR scoring depth for your RB3 or FLEX slot.

Round 9, Pick 107: Draft a Tight End

Why: You're now at the tail-end of the tier of tight ends I approve of for my own drafts. I want a guy who I know will see significant targets on his team. Not just targets in general, but quality targets both in and out of the red zone.

Top Target: Isaiah Likely, TE New York Giants

Drafting Likely in the ninth round provides incredible late-round tight end upside for fantasy managers willing to capitalize on a clear bounce-back candidate. Though a preseason foot injury bogged down his 2025 campaign—limiting him to 27 receptions for 307 yards and a touchdown—Likely still flashed elite efficiency when called upon, highlighted by a 5-catch, 95-yard performance against Cincinnati. Now fully healthy and moving into a prominent role in the New York Giants' passing offense, he steps away from Baltimore's crowded tight end room into a target hierarchy with very little proven depth behind Malik Nabers. Securing a dynamic, pass-catching tight end coming off an injury-discounted season in Round 9 gives you legitimate TE1 ceiling without having to pay a premium draft pick.

Round 10, Pick 110: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: Now you take your fourth wide receiver because the value of having a player at this tier to be your top bye-week fill-in is great. The foundation of your team is rock-solid, and now you can decorate with some high-upside plays or hidden gems people might overlook.

Top Target: Matthew Golden, WR Green Bay Packers

Golden in the 10th round provides a massive upside stash as a former first-round pick poised for a second-year breakout. During his 2025 rookie season with Green Bay, Golden posted 29 receptions for 361 yards in 14 games while operating as a part-time receiver, yet showcased elite creation traits by ranking 16th among all qualifying wideouts in separation rate. He further displayed his dynamic post-season potential when given an expanded role, hauling in 4 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown in the Packers' playoff game. Landing a gifted wide receiver who already possesses first-round draft capital and high-level separation ability in Round 10 gives your bench league-winning flexibility at minimal risk.

 

 

 

Round 11, Pick 131: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: Because you want to build out that receiver room in case more than one of yours has the same bye week. You can go high-floor, you can go high-ceiling; take your pick. For me, I like to find someone who I believe will have both.

Top Target: Kayshon Boutte, WR Houston Texans

Drafting Kayshon Boutte in the 11th round offers an exceptional late-round lottery ticket for fantasy managers targeting big-play efficiency and TD upside. Operating as a downfield threat in 2025, Boutte hauled in 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns across 14 games, averaging a staggering 16.7 yards per catch. Now traded to the Houston Texans, he lands in C.J. Stroud's high-octane passing attack with a fresh opportunity to stake a claim on valuable targets. Securing a former top-tier recruit coming off a career-high six-touchdown campaign in Round 11 gives your bench incredible WR4/FLEX upside with minimal risk.

Round 12, Pick 134: Draft a Wide Receiver

Why: Now we throw some darts -- take a few upside shots. Executing a crisp fantasy football pick 11 draft strategy through eleven rounds allows you to jump into kicker and defense selection later while locking up pure upside here.

Top Target: Denzel Boston, WR Cleveland Browns

In his 2025 final collegiate season at Washington, Boston established himself as a dominant boundary playmaker, racking up 62 receptions for 881 receiving yards (14.2 yards per catch) and 11 touchdowns. Measuring at 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, his elite red-zone frame translated directly to production, tying for the sixth-most receiving touchdowns in a single season in Huskies history. Stashing a big-bodied rookie who generated 20 receiving scores over his last two college seasons in the 12th round provides incredible WR4/WR5 upside for your roster before the late-round draft board thins out.

Round 13–18: Fill Depth

Use any additional picks to draft a kicker and team defense if required; otherwise, stock up on running backs and wide receivers unless you waited on tight end. If you did, then a second TE never hurts. It's all about the Yin-Yang draft philosophy and our Dynamic Tiers.