So you got invited to a 10-man fantasy football league, and the draft is rapidly approaching. You try to do some research, but everything is tailored to the 12-team leagues.
There's a lot to know, when to grab a QB, how many RBs should you have before the drop off, and so much more.
You begin to wonder why you agreed to this, but then, you come across this all-in-one guide. This all-inclusive breakdown answers these dreaded questions that you might have before your 10-team draft.
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How to attack each player position in 10-team fantasy drafts
Quarterbacks
If you want to select a top-tier QB, there is no issue with that.
The thought that selecting QBs early is long gone, and in redraft leagues especially, it's more beneficial than not.
This top tier includes Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, and Jalen Hurts. You should only draft Joe Burrow early if you also have Ja'Marr Chase.
If you do not land one of these four guys, it's best to wait until later-round options who have a ton of upside. Guys like Drake Maye, Brock Purdy, and Caleb Williams are some of my personal favorites. Waiting till the end of the draft gets a little dicey; you could hit on a Cam Ward-type pick, but it's best to get a QB you feel confident in.
Running backs
To put it as kindly as possible, don't do a Zero RB strategy. The numbers do not add up to show that this strategy is effective.
Sure, your WR room will be cool, but the value at RB is so much smaller than the WR. Last season, 24 RBs averaged 12 or more fantasy points per game, while 38 WRs averaged 12 or more points per game.
If you want to go WR-heavy, that's fine, but you should at least have two RBs you feel confident in before Round 5.
Zero RB, not a thing anymore
— gloom (@its_gloooom) August 26, 2025
Worked when everyone thought RB was most important position and 20 of top 30 ADP were RBs, letting you draft WR1 and WR 4 vs. RB9 and RB15
“RB dead zone” also not a thing anymore, back then RB30 was gone by round 4 now RB30 is end of round 7
Wide receivers
There are so many good options at the WR position going into 2025. You can get guys like Ricky Pearsall and Emeka Egbuka, both past Round 10 in many rooms (though maybe stretch for them).
This is not to say you should avoid the position early; a good strategy is to plan on having three WRs before round 6. However, this is to say you don't need to draft a WR in the first round, even if it is a PPR league.
You want plenty of options at receiver that are reliable; it's harder to replace injured WRs with guys who will get the same production. In a backwards way, it's actually easier the replace an injured RB because of the usual direct handcuff that will step into that production.
Get plenty of depth at the position, but know there are great options late.
Tight ends
The TE position is pretty similar to the QB.
If you want a top option such as Trey McBride, George Kittle, or Brock Bowers, then take them and be happy about it. However, if you don't get one of those three, do not waste a middle-round pick on a guy with no value.
Last season in PPR scoring, the TE7 on the year averaged just 3 points more a game than the TE20. The math simply does not add up to select one of these guys when there are other great WRs or RBs available
Defenses & kickers
There's not much to say about these positions; draft them dead last. In some cases, you can even not draft these positions and grab two extra guys you like to see if they win the starting job at their position. Then pick up the positions before Week 1.
Seriously, I don't care if it's the 1985 Bears defense. Do not draft a defense or kicker before the last two rounds.
PPR RANKINGS: Top 300 Cheat Sheet | QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | PK
Strategy for 10-team leagues by draft pick
No. 1 overall
Congratulations, you've won the first overall pick and can enjoy a stress-free first round. Take Ja'Marr Chase and don't even give it a second thought.
This is not to say Chase will repeat his triple crown season a year ago or that he'll even finish as the WR1, but he is by far the safest pick in all of round one. At worst, he's the WR3, and that's with things going horribly.
From here, you'll be picking at the turn and have flexibility with the way you want to draft. The biggest piece of advice is understanding that you have 20 picks between your selections. Take who you want, regardless of ADP, because they will not get back to you. Usually, it's best to grab two running backs at the first turn. Around here, guys like Chase Brown, Kyren Williams, and Josh Jacobs are available.
Then you get to the 4/5 turn, and if Joe Burrow is here, you take him and get the most dangerous stack in the NFL. With the second pick of your back-to-back, going either George Kittle at TE if he's there is a great option. If not, you can still grab some high upside WRs like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Garrett Wilson.
Now, from rounds 6 on, fill out your roster with balance in mind. While drafting based on value is not an awful idea, in 10-man redraft leagues, you don't need 6 wide receivers on your roster. Make sure you have depth at both receiver and RB.
MORE: Who is the No. 1 pick in 2025 fantasy football drafts?
Picks 2-6
A lot of people will tell you that picking in the middle of your draft is the worst.
While it's not as good as picking near a turn, you usually get a lot of players that will fall to you. You get to react to the trends that the managers at the turn are setting.
Managers, in turn, reach for players because they have to wait so long for the draft to get back to them. You can take advantage of this.
With your first round pick, it varies depending on who is there.
After Chase, CeeDee Lamb, or Justin Jefferson, you shouldn't be looking at the receivers until all the bell cow RBs are gone. This includes Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, and maybe you throw in CMC.
If these guys are gone, the value is the WR position. Guys like Nico Collins and Malik Nabers stand alone. Puka Nacua would be here if Matthew Stafford were fully healthy.
Then, for the rest of the draft, let it come to you. There will be players available that you had no clue would even be an option. Be patient with your selections and keep note of how the people around you are drafting.
NON-PPR RANKINGS: TOP 300 Cheat Sheet | QB | RB | WR | TE
Picks 7-10
This year in particular, the back of the first round is where you want to be. The pool of players in the first round and a half is all elite options for fantasy. Being close to the first turn of the draft practically rewards you with two first-round picks.
While you can't necessarily go wrong with how you divide up these two picks, I suggest selecting one WR and one RB. A duo of Malik Nabers and De'Von Achane or Nico Collins and Ashton Jeanty or even Amon-Ra St. Brown and Derrick Henry. All of which are great options and are completely interchangeable as a duo. This gives you immense flexibility for the rest of your draft.
For the rest of the draft, you are sort of in the same boat as the first overall pick. There is a long way back to you after your two quick selections, so take who you want, no matter the ADP. And because you already have your RB1 and WR1, you can be the first to grab an elite QB at the 3/4 turn.
Similar to all the other picks, balance is key for fantasy football.
Favorite player in Rounds 1-8 of a 10-team fantasy draft
(ADP data is from FantasyPros.)
Round 1: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb is projected as the sixth pick in fantasy drafts, and he's the second-best WR in the draft. In 2023, he was the WR1 overall and had an identical season to Chase. If Dak Prescott stays healthy, Lamb will be the WR2 at worst.
Imagine NOT thinking CeeDee Lamb could be the WR1 for fantasy football this year‼️
Healthy Dak turns this offense into a well oiled machine.
17.6 FPPG - WR7 - 2024
23.7 FPPG - WR1 - 2023
17.7 FPPG - WR6 - 2021
Hasn’t had under 152 targets in 3 years
pic.twitter.com/XImTqNFL8j
— PPRFantasyTips (@PPRFantasyTips) August 21, 2025
Round 2: Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Collins is projected as a second-round pick in 12-man leagues. This is a complete steal for one of the best WRs in football. Collins finished as the WR8 last season in fantasy points per game, and he missed five games due to a hamstring injury. Collins should be a first-round pick.
WARNING: Avoid these fantasy draft busts
Round 3: Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown is the first pick in round three; chances are, he'll be taken in round two, but if he's available at any point in round three, take him regardless of what your roster looks like. Browns usage was unbelievable in 2024, and the backfield is his in 2025.
Round 4: Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
If you want a top-tier QB but don't want it to cost a top 3 pick, Hurts is the guy for you. The only stat truly needed to convince you of Hurts' greatness in fantasy is the fact that he's had four straight seasons of double-digit rushing touchdowns. Yes, even with Barkley's season last year, Hurts had 14 rushing touchdowns. Hurts goes behind Burrow, which is an atrocity.
Round 5: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Walker is labeled as this risky pick, which is understandable, but he's still a good fantasy option. Even with the struggles to stay on the field, Walker finished as the RB12 in fantasy points per game. The main selling point this season is the new coaching staff that runs a scheme Walker greatly benefits from.
2025 DRAFT SLEEPERS: QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | Deep Sleepers | 1 From Each Team
Round 6: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Do not be afraid to draft rookie WRs. Since 2015, 26 rookie WRs have averaged 10 or more fantasy points per game. 12 of them were able to put up WR2 numbers, and 6 of them had WR1 numbers. McMillan already has a great connection with Bryce Young and will see a large target share in year one.
Panthers rookie Tet McMillan showing off on this 1-on-1 rep
No. 8 pick is going to be huge for Bryce Young this year 📈📈
(via @GabeMcDonald_) pic.twitter.com/4wQkDS5SZD
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 28, 2025
Round 7: George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Both Cowboys WRs on this list, what could go wrong? Pickens' career in Pittsburgh should not and will not be the way we remember him as a player. His separation and win rate stats were all excellent.
Pickens got a large portion of the target share as well, but the play calling and QB play did not help him at all. Pickens is going to feast in this pass-heavy Cowboys offense. Getting him in round 7 is theft.
Round 8: Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Nix's ADP makes zero sense coming into 2025. Once Nix figured out Sean Payton’s offensive schemes, he was a must-start player.
From Week 8 on, Nix was the overall QB5 in fantasy. He finished the year as the QB9 overall. With a full season under his belt and new weapons, QB9 is his floor.
EXPLOIT LEAGUE APPS: Yahoo, ESPN rankings can reveal sleepers, busts
Benefits of playing in a 10-team fantasy league
Even teams
One of the nice things about a 10-team league is that every team is going to have plenty of good players. Even if you have no idea what you are doing, the chances of drafting a horrific team are slim.
At the same time, the chances of a team being exponentially better are small, but not impossible.
Less maintenance
While there is no way you should not check the waiver wire during your season, the demand to do so is smaller. Every season, there are players who no one drafts who end up being league winners.
However, your bench in a 10-man league is going to be so deep that, hypothetically, you would not even have to check waivers.
Better chance at playoffs
This statement depends on your league; it may have a different playoff format. However, in most 10-team leagues, the top 6 managers make the playoffs. With simple math, this of course means that only four teams will not make the playoffs.
In a 12-team league, you have a 50% chance of making or missing your playoffs. But in a 10-man, you have a 60% chance to make the playoffs and a 40% chance to miss.
2025 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD): Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Drawbacks of playing in a 10-team fantasy league
Makes the draft less important
While drafting a good team is still crucial to your fantasy success, if you bombed it, you can just hit waivers.
The waiver wire in a 10-man league is going to be immensely better than the waiver wire in a 12-man league.
Yes, just two more teams make that much of a difference in the available players to be added. Just think, that's 30 players that otherwise would've been distributed among the 10 teams.
Even teams, no matter what
Ever heard of the saying "blessing and a curse?" Well, that's what having even teams is in a 10-man league.
It's nice because of the reason above, but it's nearly impossible to separate yourself from the rest of the league, no matter how good you draft.
Less challenge
This one goes hand in hand with the last two; there's less challenge in 10-man leagues because of the flexibility. 12-team league, even though it's just two more, makes a massive difference in room for error.