The NFL season is creeping closer, and that means fantasy football drafts are mere weeks away. There are endless rankings, sleepers, and hot takes from every media outlet. It can be hard to know who to target and when to draft them. That is where the article comes in. I have run a few mock drafts with some friends, evaluated average draft positions, and come up with my favorite player in each round of your fantasy draft. These are guys I am putting in my draft queue and hammering the draft button if they fall to me. Let’s dive in, round by round, into players I believe are the best picks in each round and will help you walk away from your draft feeling like a genius.
Round 1: CeeDee Lamb:
I went back and forth on my favorite pick in round 1. If you have a top three pick, I am not saying go ahead and pick Lamb. However, he might be your safest pick in the entire draft. Last time we saw a healthy Dak and Lamb in 2023, Lamb was the WR1. Some folks are a bit anxious with the addition of George Pickens this offseason. If anything, that should open things up more for Lamb. Last season Lamb had 1,194 yards on 101 catches and 6 touchdowns. That was with Dak only playing 8 games, and Lamb played in 15 last year. The Cowboys should be back to a high-powered passing offense, scoring points in bunches. CeeDee is your safest pick, and we could see him be the WR1 again in 2025.
Round 2: De’Von Achane
An early second round pick in most mocks these days is Miami back De’Von Achane. At his best (which seems to be tied to Tua’s health) he averaged 20 fantasy points per week last year. He has the most receiving upside of any running back in fantasy football. I think the loss on Jonnu Smith creates even more target opportunities for the Dolphins running back. Smith set tight end records last year. Those short screens, and quick routes can now flow through Achane. He is the goal line back, and a threat to score on every play. I like the idea of pairing Achane with a teams number 1 wideout with my first two draft picks. If he falls to the middle of the 2nd round in your drafts, that is the easiest pick you will have all draft. True RB1 upside, there is just some risk with this pick. I just can’t ignore his ceiling and what I think he can do this season as a pass catcher. He had 78 catches last year, I think we could see him creep towards 90 if Tua stays healthy.
Round 3: Tee Higgins
Higgins might be the highest graded WR2 in the history of fantasy football. He will almost certainly outproduce other teams’ number one receivers. The Bengals have one of the highest volume passing offenses in the NFL with one of the best QBs in the league, with arguably the best receiver in Chase. All Higgins did last year was score 10 touchdowns in 12 games and was on pace for a 1300-yard season. Some might shy away from Higgins because of injury concerns. (He has missed five games in each of the last two seasons) When he was healthy last year, he averaged 76 receiving yards per game. On a PPG average, Higgins was the WR4. An offense that is capable of having two top 5 receivers in fantasy is an offense I want shares of.
Round 4: George Kittle
I am someone who typically fades the tight end position for later rounds in my drafts. Kittle in round 4 is an exception to my own made-up rule. In half-PPR, Kittle was actually TE1 last year. One of the most reliable fantasy tight end options of his generation. The 9ers lost Samuel this offseason, Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a torn ACL and figures to miss the first handful of games this year. Jauan Jennings is a popular breakout candidate, but I don’t have faith in late-bloom breakout receivers. Ricky Pearsall is coming off a pretty solid rookie season. I listed all those guys because, in my opinion, there are a lot of unknowns in that passing offense. Whether I want to admit it or not, Brock Purdy is a good QB, with a genius head coach, who will have Kittle being the top target. I have found it harder in the middle rounds this year to end up with players I really feel comfortable drafting. George Kittle is a player who ranked sixth in target share, first in yards per route run, third in yards after the catch per reception, and second in first downs per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). He was also fifth in deep targets and second in red zone targets among tight ends last year. Like Brock Pudry, Kittle is my fourth round safety blanket pick.
Round 5: RJ Harvey
The Broncos picked RJ Harvey in the second round of the draft, which has set him up to be the lead back out of the gate. Harvey is a good pass catcher, which is important because Sean Payton offenses have never ranked lower than sixth in running back targets. Bo Nix had the third-highest checkdown rate in the NFL last year, per PFF. The Broncos also bolster one of the top lines in football, and all of their starters are returning next year. In rounds four and five, you really want to hit on your picks. I am comfortable passing on some of these WR2s and a few of the bigger-name backs, like Kamara and Montgomery, for Harvey. Every year, I seem to hit on a rookie or two for my redraft leagues. Harvey is a guy I am going to make sure I get my hands on.
Round 6: Tetairoa McMillan
Speaking of rookies, round six has another rookie I am really in on drafting. The Panthers spent their first round pick on the 6-foot-5 receiver out of Arizona. He is your classic X, with a role that could be similar to what Mike Evans did under Dave Canales. Rookie wideouts can sometimes start a bit slower out of the gate, but really get rolling later into the season. People tend to let these guys slip more in drafts, especially with him being on the Panthers. I don’t know if folks are as in on the Panthers offense as me. I think what we saw from Bryce Young at the end of the season is what we should come to expect from him and this football team. He topped 1300 yards his last two years at Arizona should be the number one focal point immediately for the Panthers. Rookies can be league winners if they pan out or outperform their ADP. I think McMillan is the case here as well in round 6.
Round 7: Calvin Ridley
Ridley has been able to produce back-to-back 1000-yard receiving seasons since returning from his gambling suspension. Last year he did that feet with the worst quarterback play in the NFL. Now he gets to play with one of the least talked about number one overall picks ever in Cam Ward. Ward is a pretty aggressive downfield passer, and maybe the most accurate prospect in this class of rookie quarterbacks. Ridley has a WR3 price, and he has high-end WR2 upside. The undisputed number one option, who is still extremely talented, now has a high-profile rookie to throw him the rock. The value for Ridley is too good to ignore in round 7. Calvin Ridley only had four touchdowns last season. I say he doubles that total and has a real shot to finish as a top 20 WR this coming season.
Round 8: Kaleb Johnson
I know, I know. ANOTHER rookie. I swear this is not something I typically do. I have found myself in mocks, especially when I am picking in the back half, picking a lot of higher-upside players. Kaleb Johnson goes to a run-heavy OC in Arthur Smith, whose running scheme helped Tyler Allgeier run for 1,000 in his rookie year. Johnson reminds me of a Derrick Henry-style runner. Violent, sneaky, elusive, and quick. It will be really interesting to see the clash of styles on offense and how this plays out. New quarterback Aaron Rodgers prefers a pass-happy offense. The Jets ran the ball less than every team last year, while the Steelers ran it fourth most. The Steelers might not score a ton of points here. Kaleb is a good fit for an odd offense. If Pittsburgh grinds out games and Johnson is able to get near double-digit touchdowns, I would consider this pick here a success.
Round 9: Josh Downs
Downs is one of the most underrated values in Round 9. He quietly finished as the WR28 in fantasy points per game last season, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In games where Joe Flacco played at least 80% of the snaps, Downs put up 15.5 PPR points per game — WR2-level production — while seeing a 25.7% target share and ranking top-15 in yards per route run. The talent is real. He finished fifth in route win rate and has shown he can consistently get open and earn targets. The biggest question is QB play, and Downs might’ve drawn the short end of the stick there last season. But if Anthony Richardson takes a step forward or Daniel Jones takes over and stabilizes the offense, Downs has a clear path to beat his ADP. He’s a sharp route runner, plays a high-percentage role over the middle, and profiles as a steady WR3/4 with big-week upside. If the Colts offense takes even a small leap, this is the type of pick that can win you a flex spot all year.
Round 10: Brock Purdy
Purdy in Round 10 just feels like stealing. He’s finished as a top-10 QB in points per game each of the last two seasons, but draft rooms still treat him like a mid-tier QB2. That makes no sense. Purdy’s been ultra-efficient with a career 8.9 yards per attempt — better than any single-season mark Tom Brady ever hit — and now he’s adding more rushing to his game too. Even with Deebo gone and Aiyuk’s situation a little murky, Purdy is the type of quarterback who elevates what’s around him. He’s locked in as the starter and just signed a massive extension. You’re getting a rock-solid QB1 at a Round 10 discount, and if his touchdown rate bounces back, he’s got legit top-5 upside. In a year where so many QBs come with question marks, Purdy’s floor and ceiling combo is too good to pass up this late. If you are like me and do not want to spend a lot on Allen, Jackson, and Daniels, this is a great season to wait till later and jump on a guy late like Purdy.
Round 11: Roschon Johnson
Roschon Johnson is exactly the kind of dart throw I want in Round 11. He’s stepping into a brand-new Bears offense with Ben Johnson calling the plays and an offensive line that’s finally showing signs of life. Johnson profiles as a discount David Montgomery in this system — big, physical, and perfectly built for short-yardage and goal-line work. There’s no guarantee he’s the guy, but based on Ben Johnson’s track record of using committees, Roschon is going to get some run, especially in the red zone. If Swift struggles or gets banged up, Roschon could step into 12+ touches a game with scoring upside. At this point in the draft, you’re swinging for role clarity and touchdown chances — and Roschon checks both boxes. He has been one of my favorite late-round fliers all offseason. The trend continues here.
Round 12: Joshua Palmer
By the time I get to Round 12, I’m just looking for cheap upside in ambiguous situations — and Josh Palmer fits the bill… (no pun intended) His stats at face value last year weren’t exciting, but context matters. He only had 39 catches and finished as the WR71, but when you look under the hood, the per-route metrics tell a very different story. Palmer ranked 16th in separation and 12th in route win rate among 112 qualifying receivers — elite company. He was also sixth in separation and fifth in route win rate against man coverage, which would have led the Bills last year. Buffalo’s receiving room is wide open. No one on the roster cracked a 21% target share last season, and Palmer now enters with a multi-year deal and a chance to carve out a significant role. I’m not banking on him as a starter out of the gate, but if he earns consistent snaps in this offense, he could quietly become one of the better values in the double-digit rounds. Call him my Round 12 “why not” pick — the talent and opportunity are there, and if he hits, I’ll look like a genius.
