3 Fantasy Football Draft Values: ESPN Picks to Target (2025)

With the NFL Preseason underway, season-long fantasy football season is on the horizon. That means it’s time to start formulating our 2025 fantasy football draft plan. It may be early for some, but it’s never too early for the FantasyPros team. We’re already kicking things into high gear, looking for any edge we can gain against our opponents.

With player values swinging wildly from platform to platform, it’s essential to identify the outliers and mispriced players wherever you play. It could be the difference between winning and losing your favorite league. Here are our top fantasy football draft values to target in ESPN leagues at their current average draft position (ADP).

Best Fantasy Football Draft Values: ESPN Leagues

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA) | ECR: 19/ADP: 34

After playing third-fiddle to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett during his rookie campaign, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba ascended to No. 1 WR status last season. He led the Seahawks with 100 receptions, 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions.

Smith-Njigba averaged 14.9 points per game last season, finishing as the WR9 in PPR formats. Despite that breakout season, he is being drafted as the WR15 on ESPN.

That may be due to Seattle replacing quarterback Geno Smith with Sam Darnold, but Smith-Njigba could be in line for even more volume after the departures of Metcalf and Lockett this offseason.

The Seahawks did sign former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp to a three-year, $45 million contract this offseason, but Smith-Njigba should remain the alpha in Seattle’s wide receiver room. Some risk is involved, but the potential downgrade in quarterback doesn’t justify a 15-spot difference between Smith-Njigba’s FantasyPros expert consensus ranking (ECR) and his ADP.

Other values at wide receiver include Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr., Drake London and Ladd McConkey. However, Smith-Njigba might be the most mispriced of them all.

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Evan Engram (TE – DEN) | ECR: 79/ADP: 86

Before the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos were linked to some of the draft’s top wide receivers and tight ends. They had the opportunity to draft Matthew Golden in the first round, but they waited until round three to select former Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant.

That could lead to more opportunities for free agent signing Evan Engram. After three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the former New York Giants first-round draft pick signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Broncos this offseason.

Engam is coming off the least-productive season of his NFL career, but there’s reason to believe he can regain his form in Denver. He gets a quarterback upgrade in the ascending Bo Nix and has little target competition outside of wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

On ESPN, Engram’s ADP has jumped 13 spots over the last month, but he’s still being drafted seven spots lower than his FantasyPros ECR. He’s being drafted as the TE9 in early fantasy football mock drafts, while the current consensus has him as the TE7. Other value tight ends include T.J. Hockenson and Tucker Kraft.

Josh Downs (WR – IND) | ECR: 93/ADP: 109

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has exceeded expectations during his NFL career, but it’s gone unnoticed by those at ESPN. Despite finishing as the WR43 and WR34 in his first two seasons, Downs was recently being drafted as the WR62 on ESPN.

Just last month, Downs was the 147th overall player in their PPR rankings, going in the same range as New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman and Los Angeles Rams backup running back Blake Corum.

Downs’ ADP has surged over the past month, with Downs now being ranked as the 109th overall player on ESPN’s platform. That’s an improvement on their part, but that’s still 16 spots lower than his FantasyPros ECR. You may not get the same return on investment as you could a month ago, but the Colts’ wide receiver is still a value at his current ranking.