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USATSI

The era of starting your draft with one wide receiver and one running back has arrived.

In our most recent 12-team PPR #AskFFT Fan Mock Draft, 10 managers opted to begin their builds with one RB and one WR. As anticipated back when we were mocking months ago, this is going to be the most preferred way to start drafts.

Does it mean it's the right way?

Two teams went in a different direction by opting for WR-WR starts. Both had top-three selections and took CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill, neither of which was surprising. But then the team that took Hill also took Jaylen Waddle, which is kind of a no-no since both play for the same team. The other team paired Lamb with Adams, then took Mike Evans in Round 3 to triple-down on receivers.

One of the drawbacks to going with two players at the same position to start your draft is the eventual pressure you'll feel to draft for need. That leads to reach picks, and it's what ultimately happened to the manager who started with Lamb, Adams, and Evans because he chose Zamir White in Round 4 and Rhamondre Stevenson in Round 5, both of whom went at least a round earlier than CBS ADP suggests they should.

The other manager followed up his dynamic Dolphins duo with James Cook, Jalen Hurts, and Trey McBride. He opted to stick with a combination of trusting ADP and drafting the best player available. There wasn't a worry about filling his second RB spot -- he took Tyjae Spears in Round 8. Honestly, his biggest mistake was taking Hill and Waddle -- they've combined for eight games where both have scored at least 15 PPR points in the past two seasons with Tua Tagovailoa. That's not enough bang for his buck.

You can plan for any draft strategy you want, but keeping yourself cool and in position to not reach is always going to work out well for you. If you're worried about that very scenario causing havoc on Draft Day, be like the other 10 managers and aim to start with one RB and one WR, knowing your options are open for at least the next couple of rounds.

Every manager in our mock fielded a team that must start a QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, a TE, and a FLEX (RB/WR/TE) along with seven reserve spots. Our scoring includes six points for all touchdowns along with one point per reception, one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving, one point for every 25 yards passing, and minus-two points for every turnover.

The results are listed below -- please take the time to review each team, and don't be afraid to ask your questions or share your critiques with me on X (@daverichard).

Round By Round
Round 1
Pos Team Player
1 TEAM 10
2 TEAM 5
3 TEAM 7
4 TEAM 2
5 TEAM 8
6 TEAM 3
7 TEAM 11
8 TEAM 1
9 TEAM 4
10 TEAM 12
11 TEAM 9
12 TEAM 6
Round 2
Pos Team Player
13 TEAM 6
14 TEAM 9
15 TEAM 12
16 TEAM 4
17 TEAM 1
18 TEAM 11
19 TEAM 3
20 TEAM 8
21 TEAM 2
22 TEAM 7
23 TEAM 5
24 TEAM 10
Round 3
Pos Team Player
25 TEAM 10
26 TEAM 5
27 TEAM 7
28 TEAM 2
29 TEAM 8
30 TEAM 3
31 TEAM 11
32 TEAM 1
33 TEAM 4
34 TEAM 12
35 TEAM 9
36 TEAM 6
Round 4
Pos Team Player
37 TEAM 6
38 TEAM 9
39 TEAM 12
40 TEAM 4
41 TEAM 1
42 TEAM 11
43 TEAM 3
44 TEAM 8
45 TEAM 2
46 TEAM 7
47 TEAM 5
48 TEAM 10
Round 5
Pos Team Player
49 TEAM 10
50 TEAM 5
51 TEAM 7
52 TEAM 2
53 TEAM 8
54 TEAM 3
55 TEAM 11
56 TEAM 1
57 TEAM 4
58 TEAM 12
59 TEAM 9
60 TEAM 6
Round 6
Pos Team Player
61 TEAM 6
62 TEAM 9
63 TEAM 12
64 TEAM 4
65 TEAM 1
66 TEAM 11
67 TEAM 3
68 TEAM 8
69 TEAM 2
70 TEAM 7
71 TEAM 5
72 TEAM 10
Round 7
Pos Team Player
73 TEAM 10
74 TEAM 5
75 TEAM 7
76 TEAM 2
77 TEAM 8
78 TEAM 3
79 TEAM 11
80 TEAM 1
81 TEAM 4
82 TEAM 12
83 TEAM 9
84 TEAM 6
Round 8
Pos Team Player
85 TEAM 6
86 TEAM 9
87 TEAM 12
88 TEAM 4
89 TEAM 1
90 TEAM 11
91 TEAM 3
92 TEAM 8
93 TEAM 2
94 TEAM 7
95 TEAM 5
96 TEAM 10
Round 9
Pos Team Player
97 TEAM 10
98 TEAM 5
99 TEAM 7
100 TEAM 2
101 TEAM 8
102 TEAM 3
103 TEAM 11
104 TEAM 1
105 TEAM 4
106 TEAM 12
107 TEAM 9
108 TEAM 6
Round 10
Pos Team Player
109 TEAM 6
110 TEAM 9
111 TEAM 12
112 TEAM 4
113 TEAM 1
114 TEAM 11
115 TEAM 3
116 TEAM 8
117 TEAM 2
118 TEAM 7
119 TEAM 5
120 TEAM 10
Round 11
Pos Team Player
121 TEAM 10
122 TEAM 5
123 TEAM 7
124 TEAM 2
125 TEAM 8
126 TEAM 3
127 TEAM 11
128 TEAM 1
129 TEAM 4
130 TEAM 12
131 TEAM 9
132 TEAM 6
Round 12
Pos Team Player
133 TEAM 6
134 TEAM 9
135 TEAM 12
136 TEAM 4
137 TEAM 1
138 TEAM 11
139 TEAM 3
140 TEAM 8
141 TEAM 2
142 TEAM 7
143 TEAM 5
144 TEAM 10
Round 13
Pos Team Player
145 TEAM 10
146 TEAM 5
147 TEAM 7
148 TEAM 2
149 TEAM 8
150 TEAM 3
151 TEAM 11
152 TEAM 1
153 TEAM 4
154 TEAM 12
155 TEAM 9
156 TEAM 6
Round 14
Pos Team Player
157 TEAM 6
158 TEAM 9
159 TEAM 12
160 TEAM 4
161 TEAM 1
162 TEAM 11
163 TEAM 3
164 TEAM 8
165 TEAM 2
166 TEAM 7
167 TEAM 5
168 TEAM 10
Team by Team
TEAM 10
Rd Pk Player
1 1
2 24
3 25
4 48
5 49
6 72
7 73
8 96
9 97
10 120
11 121
12 144
13 145
14 168
TEAM 5
Rd Pk Player
1 2
2 23
3 26
4 47
5 50
6 71
7 74
8 95
9 98
10 119
11 122
12 143
13 146
14 167
TEAM 7
Rd Pk Player
1 3
2 22
3 27
4 46
5 51
6 70
7 75
8 94
9 99
10 118
11 123
12 142
13 147
14 166
TEAM 2
Rd Pk Player
1 4
2 21
3 28
4 45
5 52
6 69
7 76
8 93
9 100
10 117
11 124
12 141
13 148
14 165
TEAM 8
Rd Pk Player
1 5
2 20
3 29
4 44
5 53
6 68
7 77
8 92
9 101
10 116
11 125
12 140
13 149
14 164
TEAM 3
Rd Pk Player
1 6
2 19
3 30
4 43
5 54
6 67
7 78
8 91
9 102
10 115
11 126
12 139
13 150
14 163
TEAM 11
Rd Pk Player
1 7
2 18
3 31
4 42
5 55
6 66
7 79
8 90
9 103
10 114
11 127
12 138
13 151
14 162
TEAM 1
Rd Pk Player
1 8
2 17
3 32
4 41
5 56
6 65
7 80
8 89
9 104
10 113
11 128
12 137
13 152
14 161
TEAM 4
Rd Pk Player
1 9
2 16
3 33
4 40
5 57
6 64
7 81
8 88
9 105
10 112
11 129
12 136
13 153
14 160
TEAM 12
Rd Pk Player
1 10
2 15
3 34
4 39
5 58
6 63
7 82
8 87
9 106
10 111
11 130
12 135
13 154
14 159
TEAM 9
Rd Pk Player
1 11
2 14
3 35
4 38
5 59
6 62
7 83
8 86
9 107
10 110
11 131
12 134
13 155
14 158
TEAM 6
Rd Pk Player
1 12
2 13
3 36
4 37
5 60
6 61
7 84
8 85
9 108
10 109
11 132
12 133
13 156
14 157