Who should you draft in the first round? Picks 7-12

This is the second part of the series, and to read the first article click here. {insert article here} Let's get right into it and have some fun today!

1.07- Ceedee Lamb (WR)

Is it weird to say that Ceedee Lamb has become underrated after last season? While everyone was looking at Malik Nabers and Justin Jefferson, Lamb quietly performed just as he has every year of his career. Maybe it's because the Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott got injured halfway through the season and people stopped watching Dallas, but I haven't heard anything about how good he was last season without Prescott. He still finished as the WR9 on the season, which is extremely impressive given his circumstances. People forget that in his last full season with Dak Prescott, he finished as the WR1. This show of excellence that Lamb has shown is exactly why you should draft him at the 1.07.

1.08- Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR)

One word I would use to describe Amon-Ra St. Brown's style of play is just consistent. These last two seasons, through all of the ups and downs that he has faced, he has finished as the WR3 in both of them. St. Brown is one of the safest picks in the first round this season with the Lions having one of the best offenses in the NFL and his production these past two years. One tiny concern we have with him is that it seems that the Lions are throwing him the ball less. His targets dropped nearly two a game from 2023 to 2024, but we wouldn't worry about that too much this season with how good he has been playing.

1.09- Puka Nacua (WR)

Puka Nacua is another player who got hurt last season but still put up productive stats. He only played 11 games last season, and he still finished as the WR26, very similar to Nico Collins. Where Puka is better than Nico in my opinion is just the fact that he has a higher ceiling than Collins. In his rookie season as a fifth round draft pick out of BYU and not even getting drafted in most fantasy drafts, Nucua finished as the WR4 on the season and put up a really impressive campaign. If he can stay healthy again this year, then you will be kicking your feet that you drafted him at ninth overall.

1.10- Nico Collins (WR)

Nico Collins kind of surprised everyone last season and quickly became one of the best wide receivers in the league. He did get hurt in Week 5 and ended up missing five weeks because of that injury, and yet he still finished as the WR20 on the season. He should be just entering his prime this season with him just hitting 26 years old. The Texans are also down their WR2 in Tank Dell, as he will be out all of this upcoming season with injuries. This gives Nico Collins the chance to get all of the targets from C.J. Stroud this season and potentially finish as a top ten receiver.

1.11- Brian Thomas Jr. (WR)

Brian Thomas Jr. had one of the greatest seasons by a wide receiver in the history of the sport. What he did in Jacksonville last season was just incredible, especially since his quarterback for most of the season was Mac Jones. Thomas was a deep threat for the Jaguars and could make a big play at any given moment. He finished as the WR4 on the year, and doesn't look to slow down at all. The only reason that he is this low on the list is because of his new teammate, Travis Hunter. Hunter may steal some of his targets this season, but either way Thomas is going to make a huge impact this upcoming season.

1.12- Derrick Henry (RB)

This last spot was a tough decision for me. I thought about going with the new rookie Ashton Jeanty, but his lack of experience turned me away. Another thought of mine was to go with the veteran Christian McCaffrey, but his injury history scared me. So, I decided on Derrick Henry. Everyone clowned on Baltimore before last season for signing a running back that was turning 30. Henry proved everyone wrong when he finished as the RB2 on the season, and excelled in the fantasy playoffs. In the fantasy championship especially, he dropped 22.5 fantasy points and was the RB2 on the week. If you can get Henry at this position, don't hesitate to draft him.

That concludes our first round breakdown! If you want a breakdown on rounds two or three, make sure to follow our X page @sfantasyweb and comment on our latest post. Also, if you want to see different articles, comment on what articles you would want or email me @jacksoncorona@strictly-fantasy.com.