Fantasy Football Zero-RB Mock Draft: 12-Team, Half-PPR (2024)

An old fantasy football adage goes, “You cannot win your league in the first few rounds of the draft, but you can certainly lose it.”

Sure, having Christian McCaffrey to build around makes a path to the playoffs infinitely easier, as is evident by his 72.8% ownership on playoff teams in 2023, according to ESPN.

As the fantasy playoffs dawn, McCaffrey finds himself on a league-leading 72.8% of playoff teams in ESPN leagues, making him the ultimate peak-return-on-your-first-round-investment this season.

But it's the mid-to-late-round picks that make all the difference in simply earning a playoff shot and winning the league championship.

Plus, only one out of your 12 league mates will have the honor of selecting McCaffrey, meaning you shouldn't put all your eggs in the CMC basket when preparing.

Instead, let's approach a 12-team, half-PPR mock draft with the fifth overall selection — out of range for a cheat code like McCaffrey but still with an opportunity to land a centerpiece in round one.

For this exercise, I am employing a Zero-RB strategy and waiting to take my ball carriers until the middle portion of the draft. Another note: We are using Sleeper's mock draft feature.

1 Round 1 (Pick 5) — Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

FantasyPros Average Draft Position: 8

Whether or not you choose the Zero-RB draft strategy, it would be hard to pass on one of the top-tier pass catchers at No. 5 overall, assuming McCaffrey is unavailable.

In this exercise, Amon-Ra St. Brown becomes the leader of the roster, as the Detroit Lions star is coming off a dominant WR3 finish in 2023.

St. Brown, who missed one game and dealt with lingering injuries throughout the season, was as steady as they come in the fantasy football world, averaging over seven catches per game.

Now, the former USC standout enters the new NFL season with a clean bill of health and an even better roster surrounding him.

But make no mistake: St. Brown, along with Sam LaPorta, will continue to see unprecedented target shares in the passing attack led by quarterback Jared Goff.

The third-year wideout scored double-digits in all but one game he suited up for last season, and it’s fair to expect that trend to continue.

Detroit expects to be among the most high-powered offenses in the NFL. Draft St. Brown confidently, lock him into the WR1 role, and never look back.

2 Round 2 (Pick 20) — Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers

ADP: 27

Brandon Aiyuk has been in the headlines all offseason while trying to negotiate a new contract with the San Francisco 49ers.

Aiyuk, the team’s 2020 first-round pick, is set to play out the final year of his rookie deal in 2024, but to this point, the two sides remain far apart monetarily.

That led to the rising star officially requesting a trade from the Niners, although team officials have reiterated that the 26-year-old is unavailable.

The 49ers do not want to and do not intend to trade Brandon Aiyuk despite the fact that he has asked the team officially to move on from him.

If Aiyuk gets traded before the regular season, the landing spot will determine how far up or down the draft board he goes.

But for now, we will take San Francisco at its word: Aiyuk will be donning the red and gold of the 49ers for at least one more season.

Following his WR14 performance last year, the Arizona State alum is poised to improve upon those numbers, especially if quarterback Brock Purdy takes another leap in his development.

Aiyuk effortlessly creates separation on the field and stretches the defense, leading to an awe-inspiring highlight reel for the rising star.

He has a knack for getting behind the last level of safeties or catching the ball near the line of scrimmage and blowing by defenders with his impressive top gear.

Simply put, Aiyuk can do almost anything on the gridiron. And that will result in a WR1 finish in 2024.

Pairing Aiyuk with St. Brown makes for a fearsome two-headed attack and a strong base for the wide receiver position on your fantasy football squad.

3 Round 3 (Pick 29) — Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs

ADP: 34

Travis Kelce witnessed a down year by his standards in 2024, and yet, the Kansas City Chiefs legend still finished as the TE3 in fantasy football — and that’s with two games missed.

He was only .4 points behind Evan Engram for TE2 and 23.4 away from Sam LaPorta. Even at the worst we’ve seen him, Kelce is still one of the best.

Getting the future Hall of Famer in round three opens the door for wide receiver production from the tight end position, along with the two WR1s already rostered.

Patrick Mahomes is just now entering his prime, and although Kelce will turn 35 this season, selecting Mahomes’ No. 1 target is both a safe and a high-upside play.

Bank on Kelce’s return to form now that Kansas City has added more to its wide receiver room. Expect another TE1 finish as long as the 12th-year veteran remains healthy.

4 Round 4 (Pick 44) — Amari Cooper, WR, Browns

ADP: 45

With two bonafide WR1s and arguably the best tight end in fantasy football, let’s continue with the Zero-RB approach and add another potential WR1.

Amari Cooper was on pace to finish as the WR10 overall last season — albeit in a very boom-or-bust manner — before missing the final two weeks due to injury.

But we must remember, Cooper spent half of the season catching passes from Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the corpse of Joe Flacco.

It’s risky to bet on struggling quarterback Deshaun Watson to regain form, but even if he doesn’t, Cooper has a relatively safe floor, no matter who is passing him the ball.

At the end of round four, it’s a gamble worth taking, as a healthy Watson could be the final push Cooper needs to ascend to fantasy football gold.

5 Round 5 (Pick 53) — Anthony Richardson, QB, Colts

ADP: 53

Going with such safe picks in the first three rounds allows for an aggressive move in the fifth round as we bring Anthony Richardson into the fold.

The Indianapolis Colts took Richardson fourth overall last spring, and he burst onto the scene in year one — at least in terms of fantasy football.

Richardson posted a 21.9-point performance against Jacksonville in his debut and followed it up with 17.7 points against Houston — a game he left early due to injury.

He would miss the following week but returned in spectacular fashion vs the Rams by notching a career-high 29.6 fantasy points.

Then, tragedy struck against the Titans, as Richardson suffered a season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder. And with that, a promising rookie year went down the drain.

But managers were able to see enough of Richardson’s dual-threat abilities, so it’s less of a bet on talent than it is on the youngster staying healthy for a full slate.

Scared money doesn’t make money, as the saying goes. Richardson is currently the QB6 in fantasy football drafts, but with QB1 upside, it’s not as risky as it may seem on the surface.

6 Round 6 (Pick 68) — D'Andre Swift, RB, Bears

ADP: 77

Somehow, D’Andre Swift continues to be undervalued in fantasy football. The 25-year-old gets the label of “injury prone,” but a closer look shows that’s not a fair characterization.

Swift’s usage rate was largely inconsistent in Detroit — a product of the play-calling and talent around him, rather than Swift’s on-field ability.

After being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, Swift eventually became the bell cow of the offense — at least, as much as possible for a team like Philly.

For the first time in his career, Swift eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground, and he also added 39 receptions out of the backfield, showing his prowess in PPR and half-PPR scoring.

He’s since moved on to the Chicago Bears and profiles as the best running back on the roster.

Look for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to lean on Swift early and often, which is music to the ears of fantasy football managers.

7 Round 7 (Pick 77) — Tony Pollard, RB, Titans

ADP: 90

Like Swift, Pollard is a 1,000-yard rusher who changed teams this offseason, moving north from Dallas to Nashville.

With the Titans, Pollard, a Memphis product, will be the top option out of the backfield, both as a runner and in the passing game.

The former Cowboy is deadly in space, and joining an offense with elite pass catchers like DeAndre Hopkins and Calvin Ridley should free up Pollard to outperform his current fantasy football ADP.

8 Round 8 (Pick 92) — Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers

ADP: 86

The Chargers traded away long-time staple Keenan Allen in the offseason while releasing the oft-injured Mike Williams.

Those departures created a void on the depth chart at wide receiver for Justin Herbert and the Bolts.

That is until the 2024 NFL Draft came around. In it, Los Angeles selected Ladd McConkey on day two, and the former Georgia star is a powder keg waiting to explode.

McConkey is a superb athlete but an even better route runner. He consistently creates separation and gives his quarterback an open target downfield.

For Herbert, McConkey will step into the Allen role from 2023, leading to enough volume for fantasy managers to trust him in lineups immediately.

9 Round 9 (Pick 101) — Devin Singletary, RB, Giants

ADP: 98

Singletary becomes the third ball carrier in the last four picks after beginning the mock draft with six straight non-running backs.

While utilizing the Zero-RB draft strategy, it’s hard to imagine a better target in the mid-to-late portion of the draft than Singletary.

He combined for 1,091 total yards in his lone season with the Houston Texans, and now, he prepares to fill the void left by Saquon Barkley in New York.

Don’t get it twisted; Singletary isn’t Barkley. But he’s a proven commodity with very little competition in the way of first-team reps at running back.

He’s a willing blocker, a capable pass catcher, and a supremely underrated runner between the tackles. Sheer volume alone makes Singletary a fringe RB2 or locked-in FLEX play each week.

10 Round 10 (Pick 116) — Khalil Shakir, WR, Bills

ADP: 121

The Buffalo Bills witnessed a mass exodus of talent at wide receiver this offseason by trading Stefon Diggs and allowing Gabe Davis to walk in free agency.

That leaves third-year player Khalil Shakir as the longest-tenured wideout on the roster and the most likely No. 1 option for quarterback Josh Allen.

Shakir isn’t the type to rack up touchdowns consistently, but he should average anywhere from five to seven receptions a game in 2024.

That’s as safe as it gets this late in a fantasy football draft.

11 Round 11 (Pick 125) — Chase Brown, RB, Bengals

ADP: 118

The Cincinnati Bengals moved on from Joe Mixon this offseason and brought in Zack Moss as his replacement.

While Moss is a decent player in his own right, fantasy football managers should let their league mates take Moss multiple rounds earlier.

Then, when the time is right, Chase Brown should be the choice of the Bengals backfield.

He’s one of the fastest players at the position in the NFL, shows the ability to be a difference-maker in the passing game, and his instincts between the tackles are starter-level.

12 Round 12 (Pick 140) — Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders

ADP: 141

Like Shakir, I’m surprised to see Jahan Dotson’s ADP so low, especially after the Commanders improved the quarterback position this offseason.

With reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels in tow, Dotson will have a chance to flex his separation ability and superb hands downfield.

That opens the door for more volume as a chain mover, with considerably more upside in terms of big plays and touchdown chances.

Don’t overthink it if Dotson’s ADP remains this low. He could feasibly lead Washington in all receiving categories in 2024.

13 Round 13 (Pick 149) — Darnell Mooney, WR, Falcons

ADP: 162

Mooney will open the season as the No. 2 wide receiver in Atlanta, and he’ll go from catching passes from the inaccurate Justin Fields to the precise Kirk Cousins.

The Falcons’ run game should be the offense’s focal point, and Drake London and Kyle Pitts will benefit from the addition of Cousins, but don’t sleep on Mooney.

A former fifth-round pick out of Tulane, Mooney is a burner capable of stretching the field, but he’s also an underrated route runner in the short-to-intermediate game.

There will be some games when he’s kept quiet in fantasy football, but I suspect more consistency and higher highs than Mooney’s current ADP indicates.

14 Round 14 (Pick 164) — Tyler Allgeier, RB, Falcons

ADP: 163

Let’s stick in Atlanta momentarily and add a running back that gets lost in the shuffle due to Bijan Robinson’s presence on the roster.

Allgeier went over 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2022 but saw fewer snaps last season, resulting in a step back for fantasy managers.

However, even with Robinson poised to take more touches this year, Allgeier’s red zone usage and pass-blocking will keep him on the field enough to justify FLEX usage some weeks.

He would instantly become a top running back in fantasy football in the event of an injury to Robinson, making Allgeier one of the most valuable handcuffs in the league.

15 Round 15 (Pick 173) — Malachi Corley, WR, Jets

ADP: 203

My pick for the biggest sleeper in fantasy football is currently going outside the Top 200 selections in drafts. Malachi Corley — referred to as the “YAC King” — could potentially be this year’s Puka Nacua.

That’s not to say Corley will break several rookie records like Nacua, but he could be a legitimate league winner for fantasy managers brave enough to use a roster spot on him.

The Jets have Garrett Wilson atop the depth chart, and the front office acquired Mike Williams this offseason, but Corley’s talent and skillset will force New York into giving him reps.

Corley turns into a running back with the ball in his hands, often looking like a similar player to 49ers star Deebo Samuel.

With Aaron Rodgers expected to be 100%, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him zero in on Corley as his favorite target behind Wilson.

There’s no better value in the final round of fantasy football drafts than the former Western Kentucky standout.

All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference and all fantasy information courtesy of FantasyPros unless stated otherwise.