Pat Fitzmaurice reveals his must-draft fantasy football targets for the 2025 season! From early-round staples like Chase Brown (RB – Bengals) and George Kittle (TE – 49ers), to mid-round breakout candidates like Tetairoa McMillan (WR – Panthers) and Jerry Jeudy (WR – Browns), and late-round steals like Drake Maye (QB – Patriots) and Darnell Mooney (WR – Falcons)—this episode has it all.
Don’t miss Fitz’s expert takes on sleepers, values, and why these players should be on every draft board.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
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- Fantasy Football ADP
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6 Early-Round Must-Draft Players (2025 Fantasy Football)
As fantasy football draft season ramps up, identifying early-round targets is key to building a championship roster. On a recent episode of the FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast, Pat Fitzmaurice joined Chris Welsh to reveal his must-have fantasy football players across all draft tiers — early rounds, mid-rounds, and late-round sleepers. Whether you’re playing in a half-PPR league or a standard scoring format, these players offer massive upside at their current ADPs.
Let’s dive into Pat Fitzmaurice’s six top fantasy football draft targets for 2025.
???? Early-Round Targets (Top 50 Overall)
Chase Brown – RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown enters 2025 as one of the most intriguing early-round fantasy football picks. After taking over as the Bengals’ lead back in Week 9 of 2024, he delivered RB5 numbers in half-PPR formats the rest of the season — averaging:
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18.9 carries
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4.8 catches
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116.3 scrimmage yards per game
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6 total TDs across eight games
With Zack Moss, Samaje Perine, and rookie Tajh Brooks as his only competition, Brown is poised for a feature-back role in a high-powered offense. Pat recommends grabbing him as early as the 2/3 turn in drafts.
George Kittle – TE, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle remains a model of consistency and efficiency:
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12.2 half-PPR points/game over his last 7 seasons
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7.8 TDs per season over the last 4 years
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10.1 yards per target career average
Compared to other tight ends like Brock Bowers or Trey McBride, Kittle’s floor and scoring potential make him a reliable top-3 option at the position. He fits perfectly if you start your draft with WRs and need a stable anchor at tight end in the fourth round.
⚖️ Mid-Round Targets (ECR 51–100)
Tetairoa McMillan – WR, Carolina Panthers
The rookie out of Arizona has elite traits:
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Back-to-back 1,300+ yard seasons in college
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Great size (6’5″) and route-running
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Opportunity for immediate volume in Carolina’s weak WR room
Despite concerns around Bryce Young’s development, new head coach Dave Canales could elevate the offense. With a chance to finish top 10 in targets, McMillan is a high-upside WR sleeper in the 7th–9th rounds.
Jerry Jeudy – WR, Cleveland Browns
Jeudy finally delivered in 2024:
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90 receptions
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1,229 yards
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4 TDs
Most of that production came without Deshaun Watson. With Joe Flacco likely under center to start 2025 — who’s averaged 291.7 yards and 2.1 TDs per game over his last 11 starts — Jeudy could thrive. He’s an affordable WR2/WR3 with a solid floor and a strong after-the-catch profile.
???? Late-Round Targets (Pick 100+)
Drake Maye – QB, New England Patriots
Maye is Pat’s favorite late-round quarterback sleeper and could be this year’s version of Jalen Hurts or Jaden Daniels:
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Projected 650–900 rushing yards
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16 rushing TDs in two college seasons
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Improved weapons (Stefon Diggs, rookie Kyle Williams)
With a retooled offensive line and mobile upside, Maye offers top-12 fantasy QB potential at a fraction of the cost.
Darnell Mooney – WR, Atlanta Falcons
Mooney is overlooked despite nearly reaching 1,000 yards in 2024:
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992 yards, 7 games with 80+ yards
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Career-best 9.4 yards/target, 1.88 yards/route run
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92.9% snap share last season
He’s entrenched as Atlanta’s WR2 and has chemistry brewing with strong-armed sophomore QB Michael Penix Jr. Mooney makes for a sneaky bench stash who could outperform WRs going 4–5 rounds earlier.
Early-Round Must-Draft Players Timestamps:
- Introduction – 0:00:00
- Chase Brown – 0:00:47
- George Kittle – 0:02:22
- Tetairoa McMillan – 0:04:59
- Jerry Jeudy – 0:06:52
- Drake Maye – 0:09:27
- Darnell Mooney – 0:11:26
- Closing – 0:12:35
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