The preparation for your perfect 2025 fantasy football draft begins now.
Have a battle plan when you show up for your in-person draft or fire up the laptop for your online draft. But don’t make it a rigid plan.
Fantasy drafts are unpredictable. Average draft position goes out the window. Your competitors will make unexpected picks. You’ll occasionally get snaked on a player you wanted.
Be flexible. Be nimble. Be prepared.
And get those reps in before draft season arrives! Test your draft strategies by mock-drafting with the FantasyPros Draft Simulator.
Here’s an overview of the battle plan our analysts will be using for their 2025 fantasy football drafts. And you can find each of their perfect draft plans below.
- Fitz’s Perfect Draft Strategy
- DBro’s Perfect Draft Strategy
- Erickson’s Perfect Draft Strategy
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
Perfect Fantasy Football Draft: Strategy, Advice & Targets
Erickson’s Approach to Round 1
Last season, I faded Christian McCaffrey and ranked Ja’Marr Chase at WR1.
I know what you’re thinking. Erickson, why are you still writing fantasy football articles and not sitting pretty, sipping Mai Tais on your private island from all your winnings? Well, informed reader, I got spooked by the Chase contract holdout late into draft season. As a result, I moved Breece Hall to RB1 and first overall… Yikes.
I won’t make the mistake again.
I’ve toyed with the idea of Bijan Robinson (RB1) over Ja’Marr Chase (I just recalled that the Falcons did throw out “Bijan Robinson in the Christian McCaffrey role” last offseason), but I just don’t feel the need to do it. Even with the amount of parity atop the standings every year in fantasy football, Chase is “chasing” Antonio Brown (for the right reasons) as he attempts to be the first back-to-back WR1 fantasy finisher since 2015. And with Joe Burrow as his quarterback, he seems as primed as ever to repeat.
After Chase, it’s Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson to round out my top-five overall players.
That is correct. No Saquon Barkley. For more on that, be sure to read my “players to avoid” piece.
Also, I’m much lower on Amon-Ra St. Brown as a first-round pick. But besides those two players, I’ve got no qualms about the rest of the first round crop. It’s extremely deep this year, which is why I often prefer picking toward the end.
A common theme with fantasy football positional tiers is to stay out of the middle, and I think you can make the same application here within round one.
I love the idea of going McCaffrey and then the best available wide receiver in round two (oftentimes Drake London). The same approach works with a top-three selection with either Robinson or Gibbs.
I’m not even opposed to double-tapping receivers at the round one/round two turn, although I probably would only do so in full PPR formats.
All things considered, I do prefer going with a running back more than a wide receiver in round one. And that’s because it’s very likely I’ll go the wide receiver route in the second round.
A first-round back sets you up greatly for a Hero RB build, which is the strategy I typically abide by before entering any draft.
You’ve got one spot dialed in, and the other spot can be filled by the rotating carousel of remaining running backs on your roster.
I believe the golden standard approach of selecting a running back with your first- or second-round pick has not changed. Yes, I understand how hip it is to draft wide receivers and go Zero RB in recent years.
But running backs who see work as both receivers/rushers score the most points. Running backs are still the drivers behind fantasy-winning teams, so get your talented studs early because the backs who score the most points are drafted accordingly, based on average draft position (ADP) data. The longer you wait, the odds of landing a true Hero RB diminish.
And there’s no better time to get back in on running backs. We have a strong crop of diverse, hungry and young running backs in the player pool.
I bet last season that we would return to the glory days when the top running backs would reign supreme as they had done the two previous seasons. It wasn’t exactly how I thought it would play out, but backs were more productive (and healthy). It was a bit of an outlier season by health standards.
But even so, draft running backs in the early rounds that you think can be league-winners and true difference-makers. You’re not looking for floor or value this early on. Shoot for the moon or punt running back down the road. You’d be surprised how easy it is to fill your fantasy RB2 slot.
Solidifying a top back early also helps you avoid reaching for running backs in the dreaded RB Dead Zone (RB2 range), where your primary focus should be drafting wide receivers poised for significant leaps in 2025 and/or elite quarterbacks/tight ends
There’s a long tier of running backs drafted after the top options who can be true Hero RBs, where you are much better off just waiting, with such a gradual decline in projection. It’s important to identify backs that can stand out from the crowd. If you are going to take a running back early, you can’t have any reservations about their upside. If you do, you are better off waiting on running backs with similar median projections at much better prices.
Especially considering wide receivers in full PPR can score a lot of points. And the top of the position looks primed to stake its claim — I will divulge more later.
From 2018 to 2020, in PPR scoring, wide receivers had the highest percentage of top-12 finishes (55%). In 2021, seven of the top 12 overall finishers (58%) were receivers, with six finishing in the top eight. That was true in both PPR and half-PPR. However, the trend did not continue in 2022. Just six wideouts finished inside the top 12, with five backs and one tight end (Travis Kelce). Only four inside the top eight, and an even split between receivers/backs inside the top six. In half-PPR, five running backs finished inside the top eight overall, with just three wideouts.
In 2023, half-PPR scoring was evenly split between the top 12 finishers. For three straight seasons, fewer receivers have finished inside the top 12. Four running backs finished inside the top seven compared to three receivers. In the last two seasons, only three wideouts have finished inside the top eight of overall scoring. Current fantasy football ADP has five wide receivers drafted inside the top eight, compared to three running backs.
In 2024, three wide receivers finished inside the top 12 in half-PPR (four in full PPR). The veteran running back renaissance smoked the wideouts. Now, for four straight seasons, fewer wideouts have finished inside the top 12. Last year, it was 8-4 overall. Inside the top seven, it was 5-2. In the last three seasons, only five wide receivers have finished inside the top eight of overall scoring.
Current best ball ADP has four wideouts drafted inside the top eight, with the other four being running backs.
Some wide receivers are being drafted early who will be outscored by running backs selected after them. Again, to be clear, it’s less likely in PPR than in half-PPR.
But given how strong the WR1 tier is in drafts in the first two rounds this year, you’ve got to come away with at least one. Wide receivers should be healthier than they were last season, whereas running backs are more likely to get hit by the injury bug after their “health luck” in 2024.
This sets the stage for Hero RB to be the strategy to follow in 2025: One stud running back early, a plethora of receivers in the middle rounds, an elite quarterback and/or tight, followed by shot after shot on this amazingly talented rookie running back class that could be the best we’ve seen since 2017.
Check out Erickson’s complete Perfect Fantasy Football Draft Strategy
Fitz’s Approach to Rounds 3-6
In principle, I think the Zero RB approach is viable and often savvy. In practice, I’m not always comfortable with it and prefer a Hero RB approach. I’d like to come out of the first six rounds with at least one running back, quite possibly two.
Mostly, I want to hit the WR position hard in this part of the draft. Rounds 3-6 are a power alley for receivers. The quality of available WRs is likely to drop off significantly in Round 7 or Round 8. I’d like to have at least three WRs by the end of Round 6, possibly four.
I’ll consider a QB in this part of the draft, but I won’t automatically take one. Don’t draft both a QB and TE within the first six rounds. Doing so simply requires too great a sacrifice at the all-important WR and RB positions, and you’ll be left with a fragile roster that isn’t built to withstand WR or RB injuries.
I’ll consider drafting either George Kittle or Trey McBride in Round 3 if I don’t already have Brock Bowers on my roster. If I miss out on the Big Three at tight end, I won’t address the position until the seventh round or beyond.
Check out Fitz’s complete Perfect Fantasy Football Draft Strategy
DBro’s Later-Round Skill Players to Target
Evan Engram (TE – DEN)
Evan Engram could smash his ADP this year as Sean Payton’s Joker. Everyone will point to last year as a reason to have worries about Engram, who ranked 20th in Yards per route run, but his target-drawing ability was just fine, ranking fifth in targets per route run and third in target share. He was also dealing with shoulder and hamstring issues. Those were his first injuries to deal with during a season since 2021.
In Engram’s two previous seasons, he ranked 13th and 14th in Yards per route run and second and 12th in target share, per Fantasy Points Data. Also, in 2023-2024, Engram excelled in one of the hallmark metrics that I look at when evaluating talent and upside at the tight end position: Yards per route run versus man coverage. In those seasons, Engram ranked fourth and eighth in this metric.
Engram’s best competition for targets is Courtland Sutton. Engram could lead Denver in targets this season. If that happens, he’ll likely be knocking on the door of the top-three/top-five tight ends in 2025.
Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG)
The Giants added Cam Skattebo to the backfield via the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He should be considered the early favorite to be the team’s workhorse after Tyrone Tracy‘s inconsistent rookie season and the team shelving any thought of Devin Singletary as their leading back.
Skattebo was a volume monster during his final season in college and a true three-down back. He ranked 21st in yards after contact per attempt and 11th in elusive rating while also sitting inside the top 10 in receiving grade and Yards per route run, per PFF.
It could take some time for Skattebo to wrestle 60-65% of the snaps away from the other players in this backfield, but it does feel like the eventual reality. Skattebo is a strong RB3/Flex who could easily vault into an every-week top-15 running back.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
Mark Andrews is one of the best tight end values this year, with the talent to revisit top-three/top-five fantasy tight end status. Last year, Andrews was the TE7 in fantasy points per game, but it was heavily influenced by his 11 receiving scores as he ranked only 14th in receptions and ninth in receiving yards among tight ends. His recovery from tightrope surgery impacted his early-season effectiveness and usage.
In Weeks 1-9, Andrews was the TE16 in fantasy points per game, posting an 11.3% target share, an 18% target per route run rate (TPRR), 1.77 Yards per route run rate (YPPR), 32.1 receiving yards per game, a 13.9% first-read share and 0.110 first downs per route run.
After Week 9, every discernable per-route metric that we should care about improved for Andrews as he posted an 18.1% target share, a 24% TPRR, 2.31 YPRR, 48 receiving yards per game, an 18.9% first-read share and 0.127 first downs per route run as the TE5 in fantasy points per game, per Fantasy Points Data.
Buy the dip on Andrews and enjoy another stellar year from the Baltimore stalwart.
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
Jorcan Mason moves from San Francisco to Minnesota in an offseason trade to become Aaron Jones‘ running mate/handcuff. Mason sustained a shoulder injury and an ankle injury last year. The bum ankle ultimately ended his season. In the brief six games, he played 64% or more of the snaps as the starter for the 49ers, with an average of 21.3 touches and 111.8 total yards. He was a top-24 fantasy option at the running back position in four of those six outings and an RB1 in 50% of them.
Mason finished in the top six among running backs last year in explosive run rate (second), missed tackles forced per attempt (sixth), and yards after contact per attempt (third, per Fantasy Points Data). Mason is a top-shelf handcuff again this season who could offer some stand-alone value in Minnesota’s high-scoring offense.
Jayden Higgins (WR – HOU) | Christian Kirk (WR – HOU)
We all wanted a piece of this Houston passing attack last draft season. Everyone was clamoring to plant their flag for their favorite Houston wide receiver and pay up for them in drafts. Well, what a difference a year makes. Nico Collins is the only Houston skill player that you have to pay up for in drafts, which leads me to want to draft Jayden Higgins and Christian Kirk as much as possible.
One of these guys is set to step up as C.J. Stroud‘s No. 2 WR. Kirk likely has the inside track as a productive veteran, but he has struggled to stay healthy and is no bet to do so this season. At Kirk’s cost in drafts, the injury risk is baked in, but his talent and upside in this offense aren’t.
At first glance, Kirk’s numbers last year look solid but not overwhelmingly impressive. He had an 18.7% target share, 1.84 Yards per route run, and 0.087 first downs per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. Those numbers put him in the WR3/WR4 realm, but his per-route separation data lays out the upside case for Kirk. Last year, among 128 qualifying wide receivers, Kirk ranked 14th in separation and 21st in route win rate. He’s an easy click in the later rounds of drafts, as he could have one more WR2/WR3 season left for fantasy.
If Kirk doesn’t stand up as Stroud’s clear No. 2 WR this season, I expect Higgins to take the role. HE should immediately fill in as the starting outside receiver opposite Collins. Higgins was an underrated player during the entire draft process after ranking 27th and 16th in Yards per route run and first and 18th in receiving grade during his final two collegiate seasons, per PFF.
One of these Houston wide receivers (or both) will be a value this season, along with Collins. I’m not opposed to anyone drafting both (considering their costs), holding them on their bench, and seeing how things play out the first few weeks of the season before dropping one to the waiver wire.
Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL)
Last year, Darnell Mooney posted the second WR3 finish of his career in fantasy points per game (WR34), and he could easily do it again in 2025. There’s no disputing that the Falcons’ passing attack will be led by Drake London and Mooney this season. The target tree is extremely consolidated.
Last year, Mooney had a 19.6% target share while averaging 62 receiving yards per game (29th-best), posting 2.04 Yards per route run (31st) and 0.099 first downs per route run (28th, per Fantasy Points Data). With Michael Penix looking to push the ball downfield more than Kirk Cousins did, I could see Mooney’s target share jumping above 20% and his fantasy stock increasing accordingly. Mooney is a nice late-round WR3/Flex who could offer more if Penix puts it all together in 2025.
Tre Harris (WR – LAC)
Tre Harris, the soul-snatching route savant, landed with the Bolts in the second round of the NFL Draft. He should quickly become Justin Herbert‘s trusted second option in the passing game opposite Ladd McConkey. Yes, Harris will have to hop either Mike Williams or Quentin Johnston to crack the starting lineup, but I’m not worried about his ability to do so.
We’re discussing a player who has ranked first and ninth in Yards per route run over the last two years, stacked up against arguably a former first-round bust and a veteran who looked like he was running on empty last year, per PFF. As outlined earlier in the Ladd McConkey section, the Bolts were a more pass-centric team than many realized last year. If that continues and Harris can spread his wings in this offense, he could crush his ADP in 2025.
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – JAX) | Tank Bigsby (RB – JAX)
One of these talented Jaguar backs will turn out to be a massive value this season. If you miss out on one of them, target the other in your draft. Bhayshul Tuten found a port in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Liam Coen and company hope that Tuten can pull their offense up the scoring ranks in 2025.
Tuten has the juice to make the most of his touches. During his final collegiate season, he ranked 10th in yards after contact per attempt and breakaway percentage and eighth in elusive rating, per PFF. Tuten’s upside is mouthwatering.
Tank Bigsby had an awesome sophomore season for Jacksonville, especially considering how his rookie season unfolded. He finished as the RB40 in fantasy points per game, with eight weeks as the RB36 or better in weekly fantasy scoring. Bigsby wasn’t involved in the passing game, with just 12 targets last year.
I don’t see that changing this season, so he’ll need to manufacture fantasy points on the early downs with his legs. He proved he can do that last season. Among 46 qualifying backs, he ranked 21st in explosive run rate and second-best in yards after contact per attempt, per Fantasy Points Data. Bigsby will have to fight Travis Etienne and Tuten for playing time, but he has the raw talent to carve out a fruitful role in this offense in 2025.
Joshua Palmer (WR – BUF)
Joshua Palmer is a solid and cheap bet to make on the Buffalo offense. His surface stats don’t jump off the page. In the games in which he played at least 50% of the snaps last year, he had a 13.7% target share, 1.57 Yards per route run, a 17.2% first-read share and 0.075 first downs per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. It’s when we pop open the hood and peek at his per-route metrics that things get interesting.
Last year, among 112 qualifying wide receivers, Palmer was one of the best separators in the NFL, ranking 16th in separation and 12th in route win rate. Now, those numbers are eye-popping, especially when you discuss one of the best offenses in the NFL, yet only one receiving option was able to draw more than a 20% target share last year (Khalil Shakir). Palmer’s route running and separation ability could lead to consistently heavier usage in Buffalo, where they don’t have a receiver commanding a high target share. Palmer is worth a late-round flier pick to find out.
Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ)
Someone has to step up opposite Garrett Wilson as Justin Fields‘ trusted second weapon in the passing attack. Mason Taylor is a wonderful candidate to do so in 2025. New head coach Aaron Glenn witnessed how well tossing a talented rookie tight end into the fire as a trusted cog in the passing attack can go (hello, Sam LaPorta). Is Taylor the same caliber of prospect as LaPorta? No, but his athleticism is solid, with a 4.68 40-yard dash and an 83rd percentile three-cone.
Even if we project the Jets to be run-heavy, the passing volume should still be there in this offense. Even if the Jets finish with 500 passing attempts in 2025 (this would have been the fifth-fewest passing attempts in 2024) and Taylor can secure a 17% target share in an uninspiring depth chart, he would finish with 85 targets (this would have been the 11th-most last year). Taylor could easily take advantage of a weaker receiving depth chart around him and finish as a low-end TE1 in his rookie season.
MarShawn Lloyd (RB – GB)
MarShawn Lloyd lost nearly his entire rookie season to injuries. First, he dealt with a hamstring strain during training camp and the preseason. That was followed by an ankle sprain in Week 2 and surgery to treat appendicitis after that. It was an unfortunate and insane runout for the former third-round pick out of USC.
Don’t forget Lloyd is a ridiculously talented player who ranked 16th and 20th in yards after contact per attempt and fourth and 15th in elusive rating across his final two collegiate seasons, per PFF. The Packers didn’t add anyone to the backfield in the draft. Lloyd should be considered the favorite for the RB2/handcuff spot on the depth chart for Green Bay behind Josh Jacobs. We’ll see how much of a standalone role he has this season, but his handcuff value alone is solid.
Jarquez Hunter (RB – LAR)
Jarquez Hunter is arbitrage Bhayshul Tuten in fantasy football drafts. Hunter, much like Tuten, is headed to the NFL (Rams) via the fourth round of the draft. Also, like Tuten, Hunter finds himself possibly buried for 2025 behind two veterans, but he also possesses the talent and pathway to surpass one or maybe both in the running back pecking order.
Kyren Williams is a free agent after this season. The Rams thought so much of Blake Corum‘s rookie season that they addressed running back again this year. Hunter is incredibly talented. Hunter has ranked inside the top 24 in yards after contact per attempt in each of the last three seasons while also sitting in the top 22 in breakaway percentage in two of three years, per PFF.
Hunter offers the Rams an explosive element that neither Williams nor Corum has. Last year, among 46 qualifying backs, Williams ranked 44th in explosive run rate, 37th in missed tackles forced per attempt, and 40th in yards after contact per attempt, per Fantasy Points Data. Hunter could be one of the best values of the fantasy football draft season.
Brashard Smith (RB – KC)
Brashard Smith was another talented victim of this deep running back class. He dropped to the seventh round of the draft, which was surprising. The Chiefs added him to their already overstocked backfield. The Chiefs are no strangers to allowing a seventh-round running back a legit shot at starting (hi, Isiah Pacheco), so we can’t say that Smith has zero shot.
I was enamored with Smith’s receiving ability as a converted wide receiver, his lightning quickness, and his possible upside as a rusher for a player who is still getting acclimated to the position. Last year, Smith ranked 34th in breakaway percentage, second in receiving grade, and 22nd in Yards per route run, per PFF.
Smith’s skill set is different from every other back in this depth chart. He could easily carve out a standalone role as Kansas City’s new Jerick McKinnon.
Check out DBro’s complete Perfect Fantasy Football Draft Strategy