Fantasy Football Draft Strategy From the 1.12: Finding Value At The Turn

Every so often, I’ll see someone posting a thread of their rewatch of The Infinity Saga. It’s been a while since I’ve done the same. But I understand why. It’s not about the individual movies themselves. The weaving storylines and culmination of 11 years of blockbuster flicks have an unforgettable payoff. They’re worth a rewatch just to catch the nuggets indicating a buildup to something greater.

Admittedly, my last name isn’t Russo, nor have I pieced together a spectacle of a draft series. I mean, I have fun doing this, and the research sections have put my mind back into redraft mode. In either case, coincidentally, we have 11 pieces of strategy and analysis, ultimately bringing us to the 1.12. So, let’s pull everything together one last time and draft a league-winning roster.

Draft Strategy From the 1.12 in 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts

You’re On the Clock With the 1.12!

The fellas over at RotoWorld invited me into a mock draft with some of the best in the business.

Spoiler alert: your boy fumbled badly.

Those sharks sniped me on back-to-back picks, leaving me scrambling to find a Plan C. Anyway, because we used Yahoo settings, I set up our Draft Champion tool for a shot at redemption.

12 teams
PPR
1QB, 2RBs, 3WRs, 1TE, 1FLEX, 1K, 1DST

I just dove into how to approach the 1.11 earlier this week. The 1.12 only adds to the daunting nature of the slot. Look who our leaguemates take from us.

Clearly, they read my breakdown of what to look for at the 1.01. Although, the Falcons’ offensive debut has me concerned about Bijan Robinson. Let’s hope we get more optimistic preseason news next week. Still, that’s two elite RBs down. Then the WRs fell.

Again, more confirmation that I’m on the right track. Of course, you know who I’m going to pick if I have the 1.03. But each has the makeup to be the overall WR1. After the high-end WR trio, you could talk me into any selection.

The order of the names will change for your draft. Shoot, there may even be a surprise player or two pulled into the first round. But we should have the same expectation regarding the talent pool awaiting us at the 12 spot. Plus, there’s another consideration some gamers don’t clock until it’s almost their turn.

We’ve got consecutive roster spots to fill! Coupled with a long wait (22 clicks!), these two decisions are about more than a couple of players. Every choice should influence the next. And with the early rounds being our best chance to find top-end scorers, the need to walk away with a strong duo couldn’t be greater. Accordingly, what positions you target does make a difference.

I built a quick simulator that anchored the draft from the 1.12, used fantasy football ADP from 2021-2025 to assign players drafted, and cycled through the usual opening combinations (WR-WR, WR-RB, etc.). The results shown are averages isolating the impact of the 1-2 turn selections.

No surprise, but if you need to start three receivers, a WR-WR open has the greatest viability. Regardless, in a full-PPR format, either leaning into the reception bonus or applying a balanced approach is the optimal start. Are you thinking of grabbing a TE (WR-TE or RB-TE)? Pump the brakes. Both combinations fall short, independent of how many starter slots you need (1,270 and 1,202 average points in 3WR+FLEX formats). However, things shift when you change the scoring.

As we lessen the impact of catching the ball, RBs with the talent and situation to function as a rusher and receiver should rise in our draft priorities. It’s why an RB-RB start, while being a disaster in full PPR leagues, closes the gap on the other compositions with the bonus cut in half. So, let’s look at a receiver or rusher worthy of the 1.12 and 2.01.

Fortunately, the wonderful bots in the sim left me Jonathan Taylor. The Draft Assistant has him as the top pick. Our rankers agree. He’ll be the 1.12. And based on our research, eyeing Ashton Jeanty or De'Von Achane as a means to load our RB starters isn’t the best move. We’d be in an even worse spot if we wanted to snag Brock Bowers. So, that leaves us with one option.

Drake London off the head top!pic.twitter.com/xkzeC5u0jX
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 19, 2026

Now, I realize what I just said about Atlanta’s QB situation. The best thing we’ve gotten out of it so far is a generational meme. But Drake London has made the most out of poor situations before.

(2025) Target Rate: 30%, 7th (among all WRs – min. 300 routes)
Air-Yard Share: 40%, 7th
End-Zone Target Rate: 56%, 2nd

London had to deal with Kirko Chainz and Michael Penix before yet another knee injury. But the Falcons’ WR1 stayed ahead of most of his peers in the usage we care most about for fantasy purposes. And without an established WR2, London has a chance to “volume” his way through yet another bad situation in 2026.

The Rest of the Early Rounds From the 1.12

Honestly, I thought I had gotten the hang of drafting from this position. Through five rounds, the squad was looking solid.

To be honest, I wasn’t looking for a Buccaneers’ mini stack. You could swap out Emeka Egbuka with Luther Burden if need be. Anyway, I got stuck at the 6.01.

I already took a “onesie” detour to pick up Colston Loveland. You already know I’ll be rooting for Joe Burrow on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays, but I need to fill out my core spots. In addition, from our “What It Takes to Be the Overall RB1” study, a rusher’s ecosystem plays a role. With hit rates for receivers picking up in the middle rounds, I could focus on my RB stable one last time. However, look at the ADPs of the guys available.

TreVeyon Henderson: 59.8 (ADP), 60th (Consensus RB Rank)
Rhamondre Stevenson: 82.2, 64th
Jadarian Price: 65.7, 65th

Normally, I’d grab Stevenson and not think twice. His touch share down the stretch and into the playoffs, along with him continuing to lead the backfield during camp, has me questioning Henderson’s value. But a multi-round reach diminishes my season-long outlook. And as the pick predictor notes, it’s a coin flip if I’ll have a shot at Stevenson in the seventh round. So, to keep my roster intact, Jadarian Price graded out as the best option, given his ADP and path to touches.

Mid-Round Pitfalls From the 1.12

I got into the middle rounds and stopped to assess the team. Despite an encouraging start, a few gaps stood out as I waited for the seventh round to close out.

Need QB1
Need a WR3
Want depth at WR and RB

The PPR setting made the job of finding practical solutions a bit easier. And with our fantasy football projections in hand, I knocked out the second bullet point and started in on the third with three clicks.

Jayden Reed and Michael Pittman sit inside the top 40 in fantasy football projections. I also happened to catch the news of Rachaad White dealing with a hamstring strain, nudging Jacory Croskey-Merritt up my ranks. And yet, I was still without a QB. Let’s revisit what matters for signal-callers at this point in the draft.

Passing efficiency mixed with positive surroundings is a recipe for success. Rushing becomes more of a “nice to have.” However, I found the best of both worlds.

(2023-2025) EPA per Dropback: 0.21, 1st (among all starters)
Passing Success Rate: 52.5%, 1st
Rushing Rate: 8.9%, 14th

Brock Purdy’s been a top contender across multiple efficiency metrics since he became the 49ers’ QB1. Even though his rushing is primarily reactive (i.e., more scrambles than designed attempts), his 3.0 PPG as a runner gives him the bump you’d want to go with the productive passing. And by covering three seasons, you can see how the offense has weathered injuries, making Purdy an easy add to the squad.

Late-Round Lessons From the 1.12

Toward the back end of the draft, we’re digging deep for value. As I mentioned in the middle rounds, I want depth. But not just players that happen to have an RB or WR designation next to their names. Guys with some weekly value and a chance for more work should a tectonic shift rock their respective backfield. And the late rounds are where we can find those archetypes.

Take my 12th- and 13th-round selections, for example: Tyjae Spears and Tank Bigsby. Bigsby profiles as the classic backup to capitalize on a change in situation. It’s been a few years, but the former Jaguar did take on the RB1 role when Travis Etienne missed time. Bigsby’s snaps jumped to 66% over the two-game stretch, with 17.2 PPR PPG to show for his added touches. Spears’ limited usage as the third-down, two-minute specialist would keep me away. But the preseason has me changing my mind.

Tyjae Spears not going down 💪 pic.twitter.com/zu0BPCAal4
— SleeperTitans (@SleeperTitanUp) August 14, 2026

Tony Pollard and Spears split first-team reps, with Spears leading as the receiving option. The offense is, to put it nicely, a work in progress. But the usage indicates an expanded role, putting him in RB5/6 contention.

Building a Championship Fantasy Football Roster When Drafting From the 1.12

Well, it’s time to wrap up. We did everything. Investigated the first (and second) round. Navigated through R3-6 to compensate for our opening. We identified our gaps in the middle rounds. And then filled in the missing pieces with upside to cap the squad.

Note: The sim evaluator had me at the back of the rankings when drafting from the 1.11.

Let’s see how we fared playing from a (perceived) worse position.

We went out with a bang.

The starting roster has high-end options across the board. And our backups have the potential to sub in at a moment's notice.

(Bench) RBs: Tyjae Spears, Tank Bigsby
WRs: Michael Pittman, De'Zhaun Stribling, Denzel Boston, Keenan Allen

KAllen signing with the Colts was worth a last-round pick-up. I’m more worried about Boston having to play with whomever the Browns decide to start at QB. Regardless, as I’ve continued to preach, our focus should be on the profiles of the players we select. Because as we’re constructing our rosters, their ability to earn touches relative to the draft cost is what will guide us to a contending team.