Fantasy Football: How to Draft From the 11th Pick

Getting the second-to-last pick in your fantasy football draft prevents you from landing elite players like Ja'Marr Chase, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, CeeDee Lamb, and others. At the same time, getting pick 1.11 allows you to start off with two foundational pieces early on, and it can lead to a variety of roster builds.

Making a selection at 1.11 is entirely dependent on how the board shakes out in the first 10 picks, so there should be plenty of options available when you're on the clock. Which player should we have our sights set on with the 1.11 spot, and how should we look to form our team throughout the rest of the draft?

Note: A player's ADP data comes from FantasyPros' half-PPR data. The basis for rounds used in this piece is from 12-player leagues.

Who Do I Take With the 11th Overall Pick in Fantasy Football?

As mentioned above, your leaguemates who hold pick 1.01 to 1.10 are going to decide how the draft begins, so it's crucial to see if any players typically earlier in the first round fall to 1.11. However, if everything stays on track -- at least for the most part -- then Nico Collins (12.0 ADP) is someone to strongly consider when it's time to make a selection.

Following the 2023 campaign where Collins experienced a third-year breakout en route to concluding the year as the overall WR9 and WR6 in fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats, the big-play wideout was the overall WR7 in fantasy points per game in 2024 despite missing five contests. According to NextGenStats, across the eight games where Collins logged 71.0% or more of the offensive snaps a season ago, he paced the Houston Texans' skill players in target share (27.3%), air yards share (40.5%), red-zone target share (35.5%), and yards per route run (2.67).

Among receivers with 50-plus targets last season, Collins also earned the 14th-most yards per reception (15.1) and 2nd-most yards per route run (2.86), via PFF. Even with the Texans adding veteran Christian Kirk and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the offseason, Collins still figures to be the clear No. 1 option for C.J. Stroud in Houston's aerial attack.

Besides Collins, there are other receivers like Puka Nacua (11.0 ADP), Brian Thomas Jr. (15.0 ADP), and Malik Nabers (11.0 ADP) who are viable players to target at 1.11. And if rookie running back Ashton Jeanty (9.7 ADP) happens to be on the board when the 11th pick rolls around, then he's worth taking unless you would rather start with a high-volume receiver instead.

11th Pick Draft Strategy in Fantasy Football

There are plenty of paths to take with pick 2.02, as Thomas and Nabers are enticing second-year receivers to consider if they find themselves falling out of the first round. But if Nabers and Thomas aren't available, then De'Von Achane, Josh Jacobs, and Drake London are stellar options to pair with someone like Collins.

In the scenario where you double-up at receiver early with players like Collins and London, you can begin to mold your roster into a "Zero-RB" build. Once pick 3.11 arrives, you can either hope that Tee Higgins or Jaxon Smith-Njigba is still available, take a top-tier fantasy quarterback like Jalen Hurts or Joe Burrow, or place some confidence in selecting James Cook or rookie Omarion Hampton for high-upside at the running back position.

Similar options should be on the board at 4.02, and it's vital to have some combination of players who have volume and potential ceiling outcomes in the early rounds when sitting in the 1.11 spot. Don't be afraid to reach for players at times due to the long wait between every two selections, but don't extend too far for players, as losing too much value could lead to unwanted results during the season.

Regardless of which receiver you took between Collins, Nacua, Thomas, and Nabers in the first round -- if you took that route -- it's easy to pair them with their quarterback, with all four of their starters carrying an ADP of 128.7 or later. Lastly, with even more of an emphasis being placed on you to build out a well-rounded roster at pick 1.11, it's wise to target league-winning running backs and league-winning wide receivers in the later rounds to give yourself a chance to overcome those with earlier selections.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.