So, you got yourself the sixth pick in your draft, and now you’re looking for fantasy football Pick 6 draft strategy and a suggestion as to who to take, huh? We’ve been down this road before, but with the draft landscape, the player pool, and player ADP continuously changing every day, we need to examine the draft blueprint once again. What worked a month ago in drafts isn’t going to work this time around. For example, Saints rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is out for two months with a hamstring injury. Not only has his ADP plummeted, but we’ve seen teammate Chris Olave rise up a few spots, and tight end Juwan Johnson is starting to emerge as a late-round candidate once again.

This is why we do mock drafts, and the Fantasy Alarm Mock Draft Simulator makes it incredibly easy to try out a few different strategies. But if you’re looking for the way Howard Bender drafts at the sixth overall pick, this is the article you need to read before heading into your own war room.

The perfect draft may not exist in the real world, but it certainly does in Howard Bender’s. With the help of the Fantasy Alarm Ultimate Cheat Sheet, you can see what your draft could and should look like at this pick. Of course, you can deviate from the cheat sheet blueprint if you really want to, but be careful not to overlook strong value, especially at positions you feel you already have covered. Keep in mind: the draft is just the first step in a long season, and your waiver wire work and lineup choices need to be on point. But if you execute this fantasy football pick 6 draft strategy, you will be way ahead of your competition.

Bender’s Golden Rule: If there is a player available from an earlier round who plays running back or wide receiver, consider that player first regardless of position! You can balance out your roster further into the draft. If your league hands you a player with second-round value in the seventh round, take them!

Here is how to master your fantasy football draft position strategy and build a champion with a rock-solid fantasy football PPR strategy.

Round 1, Pick 6: Draft a Running Back

Over the past two months, fantasy managers drafting in the middle have complained about missing out on bell-cow backs, so do yourself a favor and secure one right here. You have plenty of elite options available right now who won't be there in the second round, so lock in an anchor running back to build your entire roster around.

Top Target: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Why: Taylor is the ideal anchor at the sixth pick because he offers rare workhorse volume and dominant goal-line usage. In 2025, Taylor turned in an elite fantasy campaign by racking up 1,585 rushing yards and leading the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns across 17 games, while adding 46 receptions for 378 yards and two receiving scores. His massive touch share and bankable double-digit touchdown ceiling give your roster a high-floor, league-winning RB1 that eliminates early-draft risk at the position. 

 

 

 

Round 2, Pick 19: Draft a Wide Receiver

If a true bell-cow back falls to you here, jump on him and build your receiving corps later. But if not, that means your league went RB-heavy, leaving elite receiving talent on the board. Grab a top-tier wideout to anchor your pass-catchers and set yourself up for Round 3.

Top Target: A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots

Why: Brown is the perfect target at Pick 19 because he offers proven WR1 production and elite alpha-receiver volume. In 2025, Brown hauled in 78 receptions on 121 targets for 1,003 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns over 15 games, commanding a massive 26.1% team target share and 33.7% air yards share. Stepping in as the focal point of the Patriots' passing game, his high target floor and big-play upside deliver immediate elite wide receiver value to anchor your receiving corps in the second round.

Round 3, Pick 30: Draft a Wide Receiver

Most, if not all, of the true bell-cow backs are off the board by now, so we’ll find our RB2 further down the road. Build an elite receiving corps by snapping up one of the remaining WR1s sitting at the top of your cheat sheet.

Top Target: DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Why: With A.J. Brown out of the picture in Philadelphia, Smith steps into an undisputed WR1 role as the undisputed focal point of the Eagles' passing attack. In 2025, Smith caught 77 of 113 targets for 1,008 receiving yards and four touchdowns across 17 games, proving his reliability as an elite route runner. Now set to absorb the vacated target share, his production ceiling projects to explode, making him a steal at Pick 30 with true top-10 wide receiver upside.

Round 4, Pick 43: Draft a Tight End

Only if Colston Loveland is available to you do you make this move. If he's gone, take another wide receiver, as the RBs going in this range (like Jeremiyah Love or Travis Etienne) shouldn't enamor you in redraft formats. Grab an elite TE option on a prolific offense and lock down the position.

Top Target: Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

Why: Loveland is the ultimate fourth-round target because he gives you elite, position-winning volume without requiring a top-30 pick. In his 2025 rookie campaign with the Bears, Loveland hauled in 58 receptions for 713 receiving yards and six touchdowns across 16 games. He surged over the second half of the season, catching 47 passes over his final 10 games and operating as a primary target for Caleb Williams in Chicago's rising passing offense. Locking him in at Pick 43 secures a high-ceiling TE1 so you can set-and-forget the position and focus on loading up your depth elsewhere.

 

 

 

Round 5, Pick 54: Draft a Running Back

This is a great spot to secure your RB2 given the depth sitting on the board. Most of the top available guys command the lion's share of carries in their respective backfields and will provide strong, safe production to supplement your running back corps.

Top Target: Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants

Why: Last season, he proved he can produce as a high-volume workhorse and touchdown machine. Before an injury cut his 2025 rookie campaign short, Skattebo led all NFL rookies in yards from scrimmage and touchdowns through Week 8, totaling 101 carries for 410 rushing yards and catching 24 passes for 207 receiving yards with 7 total scores across just eight games. Averaging nearly 16 touches and almost a touchdown per game in the Giants' backfield, his physical, dual-threat skill set gives you bankable RB2 production and double-digit touchdown upside at Pick 54.

Round 6, Pick 67: Draft a Wide Receiver

Now that your starting backs, tight end, and top two wideouts are set, let's grab a WR3 who will see consistent targets. While you can chase raw upside, securing a high-floor option here rounds out a dominant starting lineup.

Top Target: Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Why: Godwin offers an exceptionally reliable target floor to solidify your starting wide receivers. Despite being limited by injuries in 2025, Godwin remained highly efficient when active, logging 33 receptions for 360 yards and two touchdowns on 51 targets across nine games. Operating out of the slot in Tampa Bay's high-volume passing offense, his elite hands and high per-game target rate provide the safe, high-floor WR3 production needed to round out your starting lineup at Pick 67.

Round 7, Pick 78: Draft a Quarterback

We are reaching the back end of the top-12 quarterbacks, so make a move to secure a high-end pocket passer or a dual-threat QB who raises his fantasy floor with rushing production.

Top Target: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

Why: Daniels is the ideal dual-threat steal at Pick 78 because his rushing output delivers an elite fantasy floor without forcing you to spend early-round capital. Despite being limited to just seven starts in an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Daniels still displayed elite dynamic playmaking by rushing 58 times for 278 yards (4.8 YPC) and two touchdowns—averaging 8.3 carries and nearly 40 rushing yards per game. Pairing that rushing volume with efficient passing upside makes him a high-end starter who can easily outperform his QB7 draft cost.

 

 

 

Round 8, Pick 91: Draft a Running Back

Time to build running back depth and flex options. We are entering the range of pass-catchers and early-down grinders, so pick the player best suited to stand out in your specific scoring format.

Top Target: Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Why: Warren is an absolute steal at Pick 91 because his dual-threat efficiency gives him standalone flex value with league-winning upside if he commands an even larger share of touches. In 2025, Warren delivered career-best production by rushing 211 times for 958 yards (4.5 YPC) and six touchdowns, while adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and two receiving scores on a dominant 88.9% catch rate. With Aaron Rodgers' tendency to quickly process pre-snap reads and dump the ball off under pressure, Warren's elite ability after the catch—ranking third among all NFL running backs in yards per route run in 2025.

Round 9, Pick 102: Draft a Running Back

Running back depth matters a ton, and having options to choose from when filling your weekly flex spot is vital. You can never have too many RBs on your bench.

Top Target: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Denver Broncos

Why: Dobbins is a premier ninth-round target because he offers proven early-down efficiency and a locked-in lead rushing role when healthy. In 2025 with the Broncos, Dobbins rushed for 772 yards and 4 touchdowns across 10 games, averaging a stellar 5.0 yards per carry (7th among qualified RBs) and 15.3 carries per game. His ability to consistently break tackle-attempt metrics, ranking top-five in rush yards over expected per attempt, makes him a dynamic, high-upside RB3 to stash on your bench at Pick 102.

Round 10, Pick 115: Draft a Wide Receiver

Exploring wide receivers here builds a solid bench foundation. Whether you want a high-ceiling upside play or a high-floor target monster, the receivers available here carry more value than remaining options at other positions.

Top Target: Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

Why: We love Golden with this pick because he offers elite 4.29 speed and massive second-year breakout upside in Green Bay's explosive offense. After a modest 2025 rookie regular season (29 receptions for 361 yards), Golden hinted at his high-ceiling potential with a four-catch, 84-yard, 1-touchdown explosion in the playoffs. Set for a significantly expanded role in year two, his big-play dynamic ability gives your bench league-winning upside at Pick 115.

 

 

 

Round 11, Pick 126: Draft a Running Back

This is one of your final opportunities to grab a running back with a guaranteed share of the workload. Anyone after this point is likely an injury away from relevance, so lock in actual production now before playing receiver roulette later.

Top Target: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB Washington Commanders

Why: Croskey-Merritt is an outstanding pick in the 11th round because he provides guaranteed workhorse volume and touchdown conversion that is almost impossible to find this late in drafts. In 2025, the rookie beat expectations by rushing 175 times for 805 yards (4.6 YPC) and scoring eight touchdowns across 17 games, while accumulating 873 total scrimmage yards. Securing a running back at Pick 126 who already has a proven share of his backfield's touches gives your bench immediate standalone value and reliable insurance before you pivot to late-round wide receiver flyers.

Round 12, Pick 139: Draft a Wide Receiver

Finish off your skill-position depth by hunting for high-floor target volume or high-ceiling potential. This range of receivers offers plenty of promise on both ends.

Top Target: Kayshon Boutte, WR, Houston Texans

Why: Kayshon Boutte is a premier 12th-round flyer at Pick 139 because his efficiency yields major flex upside in his fresh opportunity with the Houston Texans. In 2025, Boutte posted 33 receptions on 46 targets for 551 receiving yards and six touchdowns over 14 games with New England, leading all qualified NFL pass-catchers with a lethal 12.0 yards per target alongside a 16.7 yards-per-catch average. Following his August 2026 trade to Houston, where the Texans needed vertical playmaking after rookie Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending ACL injury, Boutte's field-stretching speed gives him immediate, high-ceiling weekly potential in C.J. Stroud's explosive passing attack.

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.