It’s never too early to start preparing to win your fantasy football league, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do today. Using the DraftHero mock draft simulator app on 4for4, I ran a 12-team half PPR mock draft to get a broad idea of ​​player values ​​and what types of macro-level strategies we might see emerge leading up to the NFL season.

Today we’re using Yahoo!-specific scoring settings, with a single quarterback and half a PPR score. The full 2024 fantasy football mock draft board is embedded at the end of the article, with players like Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp, and Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb helping to control the start of this 0.5 PPR draft.

We’re going to include both PK and D/ST in this mock draft to get a good idea of ​​what a full-fledged team looks like in Half PPR Mock Drafts.

Roster settings: 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 D/ST, 1K and 6 bench positions

*Check out the full Yahoo! ADP on 4for4!

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Half PPR Mock Draft: Rounds 1-4

Longest reach: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Round 1, Pick 8)

Taylor missed the first few games of the 2022 season due to an ankle injury (and subsequent surgery) and didn’t play more than 50% of the game until Week 7.

Since then, he has the third-highest scoring average (16.8) at his position, despite missing three games with a thumb injury later in the season. He has missed six games in 2022, but has played 15 and 17 games in his first two seasons. In 2021, he was the overall RB1, outscoring RB2 (Austin Ekeler) by 60 points.

Taylor should have a productive 2024, though there are a few concerns. Anthony Richardson has only targeted his running backs on 10 of his 72 pass attempts (13.9%), and in the two full games Richardson has played, he has seen three carries inside the opposing team’s five-yard line while Indy running backs have seen five carries. Obviously, it’s a small sample size and Taylor’s availability could change the equation, but Richardson’s 38% goal-line carry rate is pretty high. (For reference, Jalen Hurts had a 47% goal-line carry rate last season.) Taylor is a fantasy RB1, but may lack the receiving and touchdown upside of the backs drafted ahead of him.

Biggest Fall: Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions (Round 3, Pick 9)

Sam LaPorta finished as the fantasy TE1 as a rookie, which is an incredible feat considering the history of rookies at the position. It’s unusual for rookie tight ends to find immediate success, but LaPorta recorded 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.

That was the most catches, second-most yards (to Kyle Pitts) and most touchdowns (tied with Rob Gronkowski) among rookie tight ends since 2003. LaPorta’s position-leading 196.3 half-PPR fantasy points were just the 19th-most by a tight end since 2010. He’s a strong contender to repeat as the TE1, as he should only get better in his sophomore season, and his excellent environment in the Detroit offense has not changed.

Half PPR Mock Draft: Rounds 5-8

Takeaway meals

The quarterback position has skyrocketed compared to previous years. In Standard and Half-PPR fantasy football leagues, a majority of the top 12 picks fall in this range, and are practically finished in double digits. A huge departure from recent history. Josh Allen kicks things off in Round 3, and all 12 teams typically have all of their QBs by the time we get out of these middle rounds.

The 2024 NFL season will have to be incredibly top-heavy for any of these options to work. When we’re talking about the 1-2 fantasy points per game range that separates entire tiers of players, we might want to go to the RBs and WRs while other fantasy managers are scrambling over a QB slate.

Half PPR Mock Draft: Rounds 9-11

Longest reach: Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals (Round 9, Pick 4)

Few college running backs command a high target share, but Benson collected just 32 receptions in his two years at Florida State, while his YPC dropped nearly a full yard from ’22 to ’23.

While this should be more of a split backfield than we’ve been used to since Conner arrived in Arizona, it’s worth noting that he had the 13th highest percentage of backfield touches on his team last season. If Conner is healthy, the rookie should be limited to ~25-30% of RB touches.

Half PPR Mock Draft: Rounds 12-14

Takeaway meals

Depending on your specific league settings, you may or may not be forced to leave your draft with a kicker and a defense. I decided to enforce that rule in this draft to get a better idea of ​​what a full team in a half-PR mock draft would look like. If your league forces you to leave the draft with both, I would much rather select my D/ST and kicker in the final two rounds. Some of my favorite D/ST picks at cost so far have been the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs.

Biggest Drop: Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots (Round 13, Pick 4)

Through the first four weeks of the 2023 season, Hunter Henry had three 50-yard rushing games and two touchdowns. However, he didn’t score another touchdown until Week 9 and didn’t score another 50-yard rushing game until Week 15.

He finished as the 15th TE, catching 42 passes for 419 yards and six scores in 14 games. Re-signing with the Patriots probably wasn’t the best-case scenario for his fantasy value, though he should remain the team’s starter and could work his way into TE2 territory if the Patriots can get better quarterback play out of Drake Maye and/or Jacoby Brissett.

*View the full set of 4for4’s award-winning leaderboards, tailored specifically to your Yahoo! league, here.

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This is one of many Half PPR Mock Drafts for 2024, and we’re rolling out even more now that the preseason action is in full swing! We’ll have full-PPR mock drafts, 10-team mocks, and everything in between throughout the fantasy draft season.

Fantasy Football Half PPR Mock Draft FAQ

Half PPR stands for half a point per catch. This means that for every catch a player makes in a match, he or she gets half a point, on top of the standard scoring points.

This scoring system is becoming increasingly popular in fantasy football leagues as it provides a more balanced approach to drafting players. Mock drafts are a great way to practice draft strategy and optimize your team for the real draft. The Fantasy Football Half PPR Mock Draft FAQs provides answers to common questions to help fantasy football enthusiasts navigate their mock drafts and overall gameplay.

What is a fantasy football mock draft?

A fantasy football mock draft is a simulation of an actual fantasy football draft, allowing participants to practice mock drafts in preparation for the real draft.

What is a half PPR scoring format?

Under a Half PPR scoring system, players receive half a point per reception, in addition to their normal scoring points.

What are the most important things to consider before entering a fantasy football draft?

Before entering a fantasy football draft, it’s important to research draft rankings, understand your league’s points system and rules, and keep an eye on updates on NFL players and position players.

What is the difference between a 12-team and 14-team fantasy football mock draft?

The difference between a 12-team and 14-team fantasy football mock draft is the number of teams participating in the draft. In a 12-team draft, participants must select players from a pool of 144, while a 14-team draft consists of 168 players.

What is the player selection process like in a fantasy football draft?

In a fantasy football draft, each participant takes turns selecting players in each round. The draft order is usually determined randomly before the start of the draft, with each participant selecting their preferred position for their draft slot.

What are some tips for creating a successful fantasy football lineup?

Tips for building a successful fantasy football lineup include keeping an eye on player performance and injury updates, diversifying your lineup with a mix of players from different teams, and selecting players with favorable matchups.

What is the difference between a rookie and a seasoned football player in fantasy football?

In fantasy football, a rookie is a player who has just started in the NFL and has not played a single professional game. A veteran is an experienced player who has played multiple seasons.

How often are fantasy football rankings updated?

Fantasy football rankings are typically updated daily by fantasy staff and analysts based on player performance and changes in the NFL landscape.