2024 Round by Round Targets and Avoids

The differences between fantasy football platforms are like the differences between car brands – regardless of which car brand you buy (or fantasy platform you play on), you’re still going to get from point A to point B (or be able to set up and play in your fantasy leagues). However, each fantasy platform has its differences; in the way the websites and apps are set up, in the number of ways you can customize your league settings, and most importantly, in the ADPs of specific players.

While many of the top fantasy players have consistent ADPs across the most popular platforms (those being ESPN, Sleeper, Yahoo!, and Underdog), it’s not always the case for every single one of them. Herein lies the opportunity to capitalize on those ADP discrepancies, especially if a player you’re used to seeing come off the board early on one platform is still available most of the time later on another. For example, let’s say you’re intent on drafting 49ers WR Deebo Samuel Sr. for your fantasy team this season. He’s currently coming off the board as the WR11 (16.0 overall) on Underdog, which is nearly twice as high as his WR17 (32.7 overall) price on the Sleeper app. If you’re used to drafting Deebo at his WR11 ADP on Underdog and you enter a draft on Sleeper, one of two things can happen: you either A) recognize this drastic difference and are able to use your first and second round picks on other premium talent while still being able to get Deebo Samuel in the third round, or B) fail to realize this difference and end up using your second round pick on Deebo when he likely would have been there on the way back around with your third.

Without a working knowledge of these ADP differences, it’s an unfortunate possibility that you could end up drafting a player well before they normally come off the board, resulting in a reach. The ADP differences exist up and down the board across all platforms, and to varying degrees of magnitude. To help you avoid falling victim to one of these discrepancies, here’s a list of the most notable price differences across platforms by player that you can take advantage of in your drafts in 2024.

Table of Contents:

Sleeper Targets/Avoids

ESPN Targets/Avoids

QB Strategy

TE Strategy

My targets that are listed below are players I like grabbing at their respective prices, but the bolded players are the ones I'm actively targeting a ton in that round.

If you're in a 10-team, you can estimate that I'd target a player a round after they're being selected in a 12-team, especially the more further down in the draft you go. The opposite for a 14-teamer.

Sleeper 12-Team

Round 1 Targets: Everyone. Early 1st: CMC/Tyreek | Mid 1st: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson | Late 1st: AJ Brown, Garrett Wilson

Round 1 Avoids: None, but I'd avoid drafting Justin Jefferson with a Top-8 pick.

Round 2 Targets: Kyren Williams, Travis Etienne, Derrick Henry

Round 2 Avoids: Marvin Harrison Jr, Sam LaPorta, Josh Allen, Travis Kelce

Round 3 Targets: De'Von Achane, Isiah Pacheco, Nico Collins

Round 3 Avoids: Josh Jacobs, Patrick Mahomes, DJ Moore

Round 4 Targets: Cooper Kupp, DK Metcalf, Trey McBride, Mark Andrews, DeVonta Smith, Joe Mixon

Round 4 Avoids: CJ Stroud, Michael Pittman

Round 5 Targets: Alvin Kamara, Kenneth Walker, Tank Dell (volatile, weekly ceiling), Kyle Pitts, Anthony Richardson, Amari Cooper (consistency), Tee Higgins (volatile, weekly ceiling if Tank is off board).

Round 5 Avoids: Zay Flowers, George Pickens, George Kittle, Aaron Jones

Round 6 Targets: James Conner, Terry McLaurin, Rashee Rice, Rome Odunze

Round 6 Avoids: Joe Burrow, D'Andre Swift, Rhamondre Stevenson

Round 7 Targets: Chris Godwin, Xavier Worthy, Brock Bowers, Kyler Murray, Calvin Ridley, Raheem Mostert

Round 7 Avoids: Jordan Addison, Zamir White

Round 8 Targets: David Njoku, Jake Ferguson, Hollywood Brown, Ladd McConkey, Javonte Williams, Diontae Johnson

Round 8 Avoids: Nick Chubb, DeAndre Hopkins, Keon Coleman, Austin Ekeler

Round 9 Targets: Jonathan Brooks, Jaylen Warren, Christian Watson, Tyjae Spears

Round 9 Avoids: Dallas Goedert, Dalton Schultz

Round 10 Targets: Brian Robinson Jr, Gus Edwards, Jayden Daniels, Curtis Samuel, Blake Corum (handcuff)

Round 10 Avoids: Ezekiel Elliott, Romeo Doubs

Round 11 Targets: Chase Brown, Jerome Ford

Round 11 Avoids: Cole Kmet, Justin Herbert

Round 12 Targets: Khalil Shakir, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer

Round 12 Avoids: Jerry Jeudy, Xavier Legette, Zach Charbonnet,

Round 13 Targets: Jaylen Wright, Rashid Shaheed, Rico Dowdle

Round 13 Avoids: JK Dobbins, Gabe Davis

Round 14 Targets: Josh Downs, Ja'Lynn Polk, Kendre Miller, Dontayvion Wicks

Round 14 Avoids: Brandin Cooks, Cade Otton, Troy Franklin

Round 15 Targets: Marshawn Lloyd, Jahan Dotson, Kimani Vidal, DeMario Douglas, Tyrone Tracy, Ray Davis, Jermaine Burton

Round 15 Avoids: Antonio Gibson, Quentin Johnston

ESPN 12-Team

Round 1 Targets: Everyone. Early 1st: CMC/Tyreek | Mid 1st: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Breece Hall, Bijan Robinson | Late 1st: AJ Brown, Garrett Wilson

Round 1 Avoids: None, but I'd avoid drafting Justin Jefferson with a Top-8 pick.

Round 2 Targets: Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, Derrick Henry, Isiah Pacheco, Travis Etienne

Round 2 Avoids: Travis Kelce, Michael Pittman

Round 3 Targets: De'Von Achane, Nico Collins (if Achane isn't on the board)

Round 3 Avoids: Sam LaPorta, James Cook

Round 4 Targets: Alvin Kamara, Josh Jacobs, Mark Andrews, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Sauel, DeVonta Smith, Cooper Kupp, Kenneth Walker, Anthony Richardson. Good luck.

Round 4 Avoids: CJ Stroud, DJ Moore

Round 5 Targets: Trey McBride, Jaylen Waddle, Malik Nabers, Tank Dell, Kyle Pitts

Round 5 Avoids: George Kittle, Joe Burrow, Evan Engram, Rhamondre Stevenson

Round 6 Targets: Tee Higgins, Calvin Ridley, Amari Cooper, James Conner

Round 6 Avoids: D'Andre Swift, George Pickens, Zamir White, Jordan Love

Round 7 Targets: David Njoku, Chris Godwin, Kyler Murray, Jonathan Brooks, Terry McLaurin, Rashee Rice

Round 7 Avoids: Brian Robinson Jr

Round 8 Targets: Christian Kirk, Jake Ferguson, Jayden Reed, Diontae Johnson, Raheem Mostert, Javonte Williams, Christian Watson

Round 8 Avoids:

Round 9 Targets: Tyjae Spears, Brock Bowers, Xavier Worthy

Round 9 Avoids: Austin Ekeler, Nick Chubb, Ezekiel Elliott, DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Addison

Round 10 Targets: Hollywood Brown, Jayden Daniels, Rome Odunze, Ladd McConkey

Round 10 Avoids: Keon Coleman, Dallas Goedert,

Round 11 Targets: Jerome Ford, Gus Edwards, Chase Brown

Round 11 Avoids:

Round 12 Targets: Brian Thomas Jr, Mike Williams, Curtis Samuel

Round 12 Avoids:

Round 13 Targets: Jared Goff, Rashid Shaheed

Round 13 Avoids: Cole Kmet

Round 14 Targets: Khalil Shakir, Marshawn Lloyd, Romeo Doubs

Round 14 Avoids: Xavier Legette, Antonio Gibson

Round 15 Targets: DeMario Douglas, Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Wright, Dontayvion Wicks, Josh Downs, Josh Palmer, Noah Fant

Round 15 Avoids: Gabe Davis, Brandin Cooks

My Strategy

My QB Strategy for 2024 revolves around a QB taken before the 10th round. I typically am going late round QB, but Anthony Richardson in the 5th round, Kyler Murray in the 8th round, and Joe Burrow if he falls is usually where I lean if I go QB early. The next QB I'm going after is Jayden Daniels in the 10th round, followed by Caleb Williams; he sometimes goes after Daniels in drafts depending on platform, but it's Daniels first for me with Williams as my consolation prize. The next QB up for me is Jared Goff in the 10/11th, followed by Kirk Cousins if I'm really punting QB. Will Levis and Geno Smith are the last round options because they are both in pass-first systems, but Levis has more upside while Geno is the safer option.

My TE Strategy for 2024 revolves around Trey McBride in the 4th/5th round, with Mark Andrews as the consolation prize right around the same ADP. Kyle Pitts is my next target in the 5th round if those two are off the board, and I've warmed up to David Njoku in the 7th (ESPN) or 8th (Sleeper) as he as Top-5 upside. Once those guys are off the board, Jake Ferguson becomes my next pick in the 8th round as the 2nd target in Dallas. Brock Bowers is a steal on ESPN in the 9th round, but I'm not sure I love him in the 7th on Sleeper. Once these guys are off the board, I'm officially in desperation mode. I'll be punting for a few more rounds and grabbing Pat Freiermuth in the 12th, or wait until my last pick to grab Tyler Conklin, Taysom Hill, Zach Ertz (favorite 1a), Noah Fant (favorite 1b), or Jonnu Smith.