It’s important to know who to target as you prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Of course we want to let value come to us in places, but sometimes you have to reach a bit to get your must-have fantasy football players in drafts. Our analysts provide players they are targeting wherever possible. Here are a few of their must-have fantasy football players for 2025 drafts.
You can find all of their must-have players here: Fitz | DBro | Erickson | Joe
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Must-Have Fantasy Football Draft Targets
Here are a few must-have fantasy football draft targets our analysts love.
Fitz’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Drake London (WR – ATL)
London turned into a monster last year, finishing third in the league in targets (158), ninth in receptions (100), and fourth in receiving yards (1,271) while scoring a career-high nine touchdowns.
The 6-4, 213-pound London really popped when rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. made three starts for Atlanta at the end of the regular season. London had 22 catches for 352 yards and two touchdowns in those three contests, on a whopping 39 targets.
London fared well with Kirk Cousins quarterbacking the Falcons for most of last season. But Penix is taking over at QB for Atlanta this season, and with his abundant arm talent, I think Penix can be a rainmaker for London.
Zach Ertz (TE – WAS)
If I don’t take a tight end early in my drafts, I’ll wait until the double-digit rounds and grab Ertz, whose ADP is TE20.
The 34-year-old Ertz had 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns last year, finishing TE7 in PPR fantasy scoring.
Ertz and rookie QB Jayden Daniels really clicked late in the season, with Ertz scoring six TDs in his last seven regular-season games. The veteran tight end wrapped up the season with 11 catches and 104 yards in a playoff loss to his old team, the Eagles.
Daniels is a star, and the Washington offense is on the rise. Ertz’s age will scare away a lot of drafters, but he showed last year that there’s still gas in the tank, and the price is right.
Check out all of Fitz’s must-have fantasy football draft targets 
DBro’s Must-Have Draft Targets
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
Yes, I know we haven’t seen J.J. McCarthy play outside of an abbreviated preseason sample last year, but I’ll be targeting him everywhere this season. This should remain a pass-happy offense after ranking eighth in neutral passing rate and third in pass rate over expectation last year, per Fantasy Points Data. The Vikings remain loaded with skill players and added to the offensive line this offseason to give their new signal-caller all the time in the world to dice up opposing pass defenses in 2025.
Sam Darnold (yes, that Sam Darnold) finished as the QB9 in fantasy points per game last year, continuing a long history of Kevin O’Connell’s quarterbacks finishing as QB1s. I believe McCarthy will keep that streak alive. He was a stellar prospect airdropped into the perfect situation. In his final collegiate season, McCarthy ranked inside the top 12 FBS quarterbacks in passing grade, adjusted completion rate, yards per attempt, adjusted completion rate with downfield throws and against pressure, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). It’s wheels up for McCarthy in 2025.
Check out all of DBro’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Erickson’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Braelon Allen (RB – NYJ)
The Jets want to run the football in 2025 with a stable of RBs. And that means we could see a lot of second-year RB, Braelon Allen. Allen earned a role as an extremely young rookie last season (20 years old), despite Breece Hall being healthy to start the season. Allen is a no-nonsense rusher and could very much be the “David Montgomery” in the Jets’ offense under new OC Tanner Engstrand (formerly of the Lions). Allen converted on 11 of his 12 carries on 3rd-1 last year, a 91.7% rate that was not only the best among all NFL backs in 2024 but the best by any back from 2021-24 (Jets.com). Expect with Justin Fields under center for Allen to take full advantage of wide-open rushing lanes.
Check out all of Erickson’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Joe’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
He gets dinged for his size, but I don’t see significant competition coming from within, so if Chase Brown stays healthy, that Bengals offense is going to make him an RB1 again this year. If you can snag him somehow as your RB2, I like him even better! He would have finished as a top 10 RB last year had he been the full-time starter out of the gate.
Check out all of Joe’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Welsh’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
What a messy year it was for Dolphins receivers. Year-over-year, Jaylen Waddle lost about a full yard per route run, which is a huge number. Part of this was the offense moving into more run plays versus how they used to stretch the field. The other culprit could have been Jonnu Smith, who is now gone.
I’m not worried about Darren Waller, nor should you, and that should lead to Waddle being a force across the middle of the field again. He’s going off as the WR33, with top-20 wideout potential if the ball gets back in the air.
Check out all of Welsh’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
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