How to Draft From the 1.01 in a 10-Team PPR League

8/18/20254 min read

Introduction

Drafting first overall is both a blessing and a curse. You get your pick of the litter, but then you sit around for 19 more picks. Success here isn’t just about “best available player,” but about planning your roster two rounds ahead.

When picking at the ends, it's important to realize that sometimes, you have to reach for your guy, because they simply won't be there 20 picks later.

Round 1 (Pick 1.01)

Pick: Ja’Marr Chase
This is simple. Chase is on a high-powered offense, and with the Bengals defense projected to be bottom tier, expect plenty of shootouts. He’s safe, he’s elite, and he’s your cornerstone.

Why not RB?
Even if you like Gibbs, Saquon, or Bijan better, resist the urge. Here’s why:

The WR drop-off before pick 20 is steep (top 10 WRs are gone). The dropoff from AJ Brown to Tee Higgins is large. You don't want your WR1 to be Tee Higgins or Ladd McConkey in PPR.
Plenty of strong RB options will be available at 20/21.

Bottom line: Lock in Chase. Don’t overthink it.

Rounds 2 & 3 (Picks 20 & 21)

Here’s the decision tree:

If Brock Bowers is available → take him. Elite TE is rare, and RB/WR depth later is strong. Then take an RB.
If Drake London (or another top-10 WR) somehow falls → take him. That’s free money in PPR.
Otherwise → grab at least one RB. Our top choices (in order):
- Bucky Irving
- Jonathan Taylor
- Kyren Williams

For your second pick here:

One RB + one WR works well. Top WR targets: Ladd McConkey, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams (assuming a top-10 doesn't fall)
Case for double RB. WR depth later is excellent, but there's likely some good RB options for your next two picks as well.
Do NOT take a QB yet. Hurts projects similarly to Allen/Lamar but is going mid-3rd. Too early here to grab one.

Our preferred route:

Brock Bowers (if there) + RB (Irving/Taylor/Kyren).
RB (Irving/Taylor/Kyren) + WR (McConkey/Tyreek/Adams).
Double RB works too, but be prepared to not take another for several rounds.
Double WR (Or Bowers + WR)? Well, that would be risky assuming you took Ja'Marr #1, but risky is sometimes good. We don't recommend it because the WR value later in the draft is better than the RB value, but if somehow two of the top 10 WRs fall (or Bowers + 1), it's worth considering, especially in PPR.

What about Garrett Wilson, JSN, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown?

Wilson is projected to be WR 25 - yes 25 - according to Vegas. One of the worst possible early round picks.
JSN - not as terrible of a pick as Garrett Wilson, but we believe the other options listed above will do better.
Tee Higgins and Chase Brown are great players, but having two of your top three picks be Bengals is risky.

Rounds 4 & 5 (Picks 40 & 41)

Now it depends heavily on what you already have.

If you couldn't get Bowers and Hurts falls → TAKE HIM. Vegas projects third in QB points, massive rushing TD upside.
If you already have Bowers → pass on Hurts. Don’t double up on “onesie” positions (QB/TE) this early.

Other key decisions:

If you don’t have Bowers and George Kittle is here (or somehow McBride) → TAKE HIM.
- 49ers offense = top 10 projection.
- WR group riddled with injuries.
- Kittle is one of the safest bets on the board.
If you’re passing on QB/TE (most common scenario!)
- If you have 2 RBs already → grab 2 WRs.
  - Marvin Harrison Jr.
  - Mike Evans
  - Terry McLaurin
  - DJ Moore
- If you have <2 RBs → grab Kamara or James Conner + a WR. Both are undervalued workhorses.
- If you shot the moon and have 0 RB → take Kamara + Conner (if possible).

What about Joe Burow?: Normally, we’d say no (low rushing upside). But if you drafted Chase, the stack is tempting. Up to you, but value is still better at RB/WR here.

Rounds 6 & 7 (60 & 61)

At this stage, it’s less about branching logic and more about grabbing best value. If you're really heavy on WR over RB or vice-versa, now's the time to even it out.

TE/QB? No. Past the top tier, there’s no point reaching. Wait for later steals like Njoku in the next round.
WR targets: Jaylen Waddle, Calvin Ridley, George Pickens, Jameson Williams
RB targets: David Montgomery, Aaron Jones, Tony Pollard, RJ Harvey

Rounds 8 & 9 (Picks 80 & 81)

Here’s where you can start filling the gaps.

TE: David Njoku: projected TE5 by Vegas. Don’t worry if others think it’s a reach. It’s not.
WRs we like: Jakobi Meyers, Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp
RBs we like: Jaylen Warren, Brian Robinson, Kaleb Johnson
QB decision:
- If Kyler Murray is still there → take him. He’s the last QB with elite upside.
- Otherwise, you’ll be choosing between Goff, Dak, Herbert, and maybe Purdy next round. Don't reach.

Rounds 10 & 11 (Picks 100 & 101)

If you still don’t have a QB or TE, now’s the time.

QB options: Purdy (if he falls), Dak, Herbert, or very riskily punt one more round and chase Caleb Williams.
TE option: Tyler Warren is a great late pick.

If you already filled both positions, keep stacking WR/RB depth.

Rounds 12+

Keon Coleman: Circle him. Vegas projects him way above ADP (WR39 vs WR50). He’s a must-target sleeper.
After that, focus on upside stashes, rookies, unclear backfields, and high-ceiling WRs.

Conclusion

Starting from the 1.01 gives you Ja’Marr Chase, but what really matters is how you structure the rest of your roster. The key is balance and foresight: don’t panic if you miss one position early, and don’t feel forced into following the crowd.

Lock in Chase and let WR depth later in the draft work for you.
Stay disciplined on QB/TE. Take Bowers, Kittle, or Hurts only if they fall to the right spot, otherwise, wait and grab value later.
Build your RB core in rounds 2–5. There’s plenty of depth, but if you pass too long, you’ll be scrambling.
Stay flexible. Sometimes you’ll need to reach for a player because you won’t see the board again for 19 picks, that’s okay.

If you follow this approach, you’ll leave the draft with an elite WR1, a balanced RB group, a reliable TE or QB at value, and plenty of upside WRs to round things out. Drafting at the turn is about planning ahead, and if you do that, your roster will feel stacked all the way through.