2025 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Latest Projections Amid Preseason Week 1

It’s on like Donkey Kong.

The calendar has turned to August. The first full weekend of preseason games have begun. And in less than a month, the Dallas Cowboys will travel to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2025 regular season opener.

Ladies and gentlemen, fantasy football draft season is here.

As the biggest day on the fantasy calendar draws near, managers are busily preparing to assemble their teams. And one way to get ready for draft day is to either participate in or examine mock drafts. To see how other managers are approaching a draft in an effort to identify players who could be had in a position of value.

Value wins championships.

Of course, The B/R Mock That Ain't Charity Challenge 2025 v2.0 isn't really a mock. The analysts (including our own Kristopher Knox and Maurice Moton), fantasy veterans and even a mystery novelist who participated in this draft will be playing it out.

So, with this writer drafting from the No. 3 hole, here's a round-by-round look at how the draft (held on August 3) played out—including who got smashed by a barrel and who saved Pauline.

Round 1

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

Justin Jefferson

1.01: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, CIN

1.02: Bijan Robinson, RB, ATL

1.03: Justin Jefferson, WR, MIN

1.04: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, DET

1.05: Ashton Jeanty, RB, LV

1.06: CeeDee Lamb, WR, DAL

1.07: Saquon Barkley, RB, PHI

1.08: Malik Nabers, WR, NYG

1.09: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, JAX

1.10: Derrick Henry, RB, BAL

1.11: Puka Nacua, WR. LAR

1.12: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, DET

Chase-ing a Championship

There isn’t really a consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts this year. But in terms of average draft position at least, the top pick is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.

Last year, the 25-year-old had a historic season—Chase led the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Chase outscored the No. 2 wide receiver in fantasy (Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson) by over 85 PPR points.

Some measure of regression after that sort of gaudy season is essentially inevitable. But Chase has averaged just under 100 receptions, over 1,300 yards and 11.5 touchdowns per season. In addition to a sky-high fantasy ceiling, Chase also has a high floor that should appeal to fantasy managers—especially if they are somewhat risk-averse.

My Pick

Speaking of high fantasy floors, over his five seasons in the National Football League, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has averaged 99 catches, over 1,400 yards and eight touchdowns a season. Jefferson has also posted 96.5 receiving yards a game. No wideout in NFL history has averaged more.

Jefferson has done that while playing with a group of quarterbacks who are—well, let’s just say they aren’t Joe Burrow. If second-year pro J.J. McCarthy is marginally competent under center, Jefferson should have another big year.

Round 2

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Chase Brown

2:01: Tyreek Hill, WR, MIA

2.02: De’Von Achane, RB, MIA

2.03: Christian McCaffrey, RB, SF

2.04: Kyren Williams, RB, LAR

2.05: Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND

2.06: Nico Collins, WR, HOU

2.07: Drake London, WR, ATL

2.08: Omarion Hampton, RB, LAC

2.09: Ladd McConkey, WR, LAC

2.10: Chase Brown, RB, CIN

2.11: Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ

2.12: A.J. Brown, WR, PHI

Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen

Last season, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was the first overall pick in fantasy drafts on average. This year, the 29-year-old is falling into the second round of some drafts—like this one.

The reason why isn’t hard to figure out. McCaffrey played in just four games in 2024. It marked the third time that McCaffrey has missed double-digit games. When he busts, McCaffrey blows up seasons.

However, when McCaffrey hits, he’s capable not just of being the No. 1 fantasy running back, but of dominating the position. As recently as 2023, McCaffrey topped 2,000 total yards, scored a whopping 21 touchdowns and was fantasy’s top RB by over 100 PPR points.

My Pick

Fantasy managers picking in the front half of Round 1 who choose to make a wide receiver their first selection should look to target Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown in Round 2—because the third-year pro possesses legitimate top-five fantasy upside at the position.

From Week 8 on last season, Brown had double-digit PPR points in every game in which he played. Over that stretch, Brown ranked sixth at his position in fantasy points. And after the release of veteran Zack Moss, Brown has a clear path to a true every-down role for the Bengals in 2025.

Round 3

AP Photo/John Munson

Alvin Kamara

3.01: Josh Jacobs, RB, GB

3.02: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, SEA

3.03: Alvin Kamara, RB, NO

3.04: Bucky Irving, RB, TB

3.05: Brock Bowers, TE, LV

3.06: Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA

3.07: Davante Adams, WR, LAR

3.08: Josh Allen, QB, BUF

3.09: Breece Hall, RB, NYJ

3.10: Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, WAS

3.11: Tee Higgins, WR, CIN

3.12: Trey McBride, TE, ARI

Keeping it Tight

The days of Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs being the No. 1 fantasy tight end by a massive margin and a legitimate first-round pick are over. For the second time in as many of these mock drafts, the tight ends started coming off the board in Round 3.

The first was Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders, who set a rookie record for receptions last year with 111 and a rookie record for receiving yards for a first-year tight end with 1,194. Getting fantasy’s top tight end from a year ago 10-plus spots past his ADP is excellent value.

Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals was the highest-scoring tight end in the NFC, hauling in 111 passes and over 1,100 yards in his own right. If McBride can increase his touchdown totals in his third season, he could give Bowers a run for his money as the top fantasy option at his position in 2025.

My Pick

Given his ADP of 44, taking New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara early in Round 3 might be considered a reach by some. But Kamara wasn’t going to make it back to my team in Round 4, and Kamara (in this analyst’s opinion) is significantly undervalued in 2025.

Yes, the Saints are probably going to be a bad team in 2025. But they weren’t exactly the 1985 Bears last season, and Kamara was a top-10 fantasy back in PPR points last season and top-five in fantasy points per game.

Round 4

AP Foto/Rusty Jones

Chuba Hubbard

4.01: R.J. Harvey, RB, DEN

4.02: James Cook, RB, BUF

4.03: George Kittle, TE, SF

4.04: Mike Evans, WR, TB

4.05: D.K. Metcalf, WR, PIT

4.06: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, ARI

4.07: James Conner, RB, ARI

4.08: Terry McLaurin, WR, WAS

4.09: Jerry Jeudy, WR, CLE

4.10: Chuba Hubbard, RB, CAR

4.11: Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL

4.12: Joe Burrow, QB, CIN

Three-Wide Set

There was a trio of wide receivers taken in succession in the front half of Round 4. All three bring something to the table—but whether they were values or not is a matter of some debate.

It’s hard to argue with the selection of Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, who was the 18th wide receiver drafted. Evans has topped 1,000 receiving yards in all 11 of his professional seasons, topped 10 touchdown catches four times in the last five years and posted an equal number of top-12 PPR finishes over that stretch.

The selections of D.K. Metcalf of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals are a bit riskier. Metcalf should see a robust target share in the Steel City, but a new team and new quarterback adds some uncertainty to his fantasy prospects. Harrison, on the other hand, is attempting to rebound from a disappointing rookie season where he had a catch percentage of just 53.4.

My Pick

As you may have noticed if you have read many of these mock drafts over the past several years, this writer tends to favor an old-school draft approach. I’m more comfortable building a strong corps of running backs and fleshing out my wideouts in the middle rounds.

By the end of Round 4, the three-down running backs are already drying up quickly. Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers might not be a sexy pick, but he eclipsed 1,300 total yards last year, scored 11 touchdowns and finished the 2024 campaign as a top-15 fantasy running back.

Round 5

AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan

Courtland Sutton

5.01: D.J. Moore, WR, CHI

5.02: Xavier Worthy, WR, KC

5.03: Courtland Sutton, WR, DEN

5.04: Jameson Williams, WR, DET

5.05: D’Andre Swift, RB, CHI

5.06: Sam LaPorta, TE, DET

5.07: Travis Hunter, WR, JAX

5.08: Tony Pollard, RB, TEN

5.09: Jayden Daniels, QB, WAS

5.10: Cooper Kupp, WR, SEA

5.11: Zay Flowers, WR, BAL

5.12: Calvin Ridley, WR, TEN

The “RB Dead Zone”

For those unfamiliar with the term, the “RB Dead Zone” is the portion of fantasy drafts where the gap in bust rates is its widest. And given that a whopping eight receivers came off the board in Round 5 as opposed to just two running backs, it would appear that we have reached it in the draft.

However, the two backs selected in Round 5 do have some appeal for fantasy managers—and both could actually be sneaky values.

Fantasy managers have seemingly been searching for a reason not to draft D’Andre Swift of the Chicago Bears all summer long. But Swift is going to be the lead back in a Ben Johnson offense—and that has produced more than a few fantasy-relevant RB in the past.

Tony Pollard isn’t a “sizzle” pick by any means, but Pollard has topped 1,000 rushing yards two years running, was RB22 in terms of PPR points last year and doesn’t face a ton of competition for touches with the Tennessee Titans.

My Pick

After rostering three running backs in the first four rounds, there was little question which position needed to be addressed in Round 5—my team badly needed a second wide receiver.

Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos came off the board here very close to where he is being drafted on average—his ADP is 49 and WR23. Last year, Sutton caught 81 passes, topped 1,000 yards and was a top-15 PPR option at his position.

Given the current state of the Denver offense, there’s no real reason Sutton can’t back those numbers up in 2025—and be a solid second starter for fantasy teams.

Round 6

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Chris Olave

6.01: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, CAR

6.02: Jalen Hurts, QB, PHI

6.03: Baker Mayfield, QB, TB

6.04: DeVonta Smith, WR, PHI

6.05: TreVeyon Henderson, RB, NE

6.06: Aaron Jones, RB, MIN

6.07: David Montgomery, RB, DET

6.08: Emeka Egbuka, WR, TB

6.09: Jauan Jennings, WR, SF

6.10: Chris Olave, WR, NO

6.11: Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC

6.12: Jakobi Meyers, WR, LV

Questions Abound

Round 6 of this draft was choked with players who could be significant values. But by no means are they a sure bet.

At running back, TreVeyon Henderson of the Patriots is a talented but untested rookie. Aaron Jones of the Vikings is coming off a solid season but the wrong side of 30. David Montgomery of the Lions and Isiah Pacheco of the Chiefs both missed substantial time in 2024 with injury.

Can rookie wideouts Tetairoa McMillan of the Panthers and Emeka Egbuka of the Buccaneers be the forces in the NFL they were in college. Can DeVonta Smith of the Eagles recapture past form after a down 2024? Can Jauan Jennings of the 49ers build on last season’s career year?

It’s a big fat maybeburger—but the players who answer their questions affirmatively from this group could go a long way toward creating separation in this league.

My Pick

Two Saints in the first two rounds. No way that could go wrong. No sir.

In each of his first two NFL seasons, Chris Olave topped 1,000 receiving yards. He was WR17 in PPR points two years ago. But Olave suffered two concussions last year (his third and fourth) and that coupled with the overall sad state of the New Orleans offense has made Olave a “pass” for many drafters.

But Olave is the no-doubt No. 1 receiver in the Big Easy, he’s a first-round talent and Kellen Moore’s offense has made fantasy stars of a number of similarly talented players.

As a WR3? Those dice are worth rolling.

Round 7

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Jaylen Waddle

7.01: Stefon Diggs, WR, NE

7.02: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, WAS

7.03: Jaylen Waddle. WR, MIA

7.04: Dalton Schultz, TE, HOU

7.05: Rome Odunze, WR, CHI

7.06: Kyler Murray, QB, ARI

7.07: Mark Andrews, TE, BAL

7.08: Travis Kelce. TE, KC

7.09: Rashee Rice, WR, KC

7.10: Jayden Reed, WR, GB

7.11: Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, NYG

7.12: Jaylen Warren, RB, PIT

Cloudy Backfields

The latter stages of Round 7 featured a pair of backs in unsettled backfields—a situation that isn’t exactly rare this season.

In New York, despite the fact that Tyrone Tracy Jr. racked up over 1,100 total yards and finished the season just outside the top-25 in PPR points among running backs, many believed that rookie Cam Skattebo would unseat him as the Giants’ lead back. But Skattebo is nicked up in camp, Tracy is running with the starters and there could be value to be had there.

It’s a similar story in Pittsburgh, where some fantasy managers may have been too quick to write off Jaylen Warren after the arrival of rookie Kaleb Johnson. Warren has spent most of his career in the Steel City functioning as a passing-down back, and with Johnson reportedly struggling in pass-protection drills. Warren could once again lock down that role for the Steelers in 2025—at least.

My Pick

Wide receivers fly off draft boards in 2025, so while this analyst went hard at running backs early, it made sense to go ahead and add a fourth wideout before worrying about looking acquire depth in the backfield.

Like most of the players for the Miami Dolphins last year, Jaylen Waddle was a fantasy disappointment a year ago—58 catches for 744 yards and just two touchdowns. But in each of Waddle’s first three seasons resulted in over 1,000 receiving yards, and as recently as two years ago the 26-year-old was a top-25 fantasy option among receivers in terms of fantasy points per game.

Round 8

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Kaleb Johnson

8.01: J.K. Dobbins, RB, DEN

8.02 : Rachaad White, RB, TB

8.03: Justin Herbert, QB, LAC

8.04: Travis Etienne Jr., RB, JAX

8.05: Joe Mixon, RB, HOU

8.06: George Pickens, WR, DAL

8.07: Jordan Addison, WR, MIN

8.08: Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC

8.09: David Njoku, TE, CLE

8.10: Kaleb Johnson, RB, PIT

8.11: Ricky Pearsall, WR, SF

8.12: Evan Engram, TE, DEN

Tight End Values

There are a pair of veteran tight ends who came off the board in the back half of Round 8 who have the potential to sail past this relatively modest price tag.

Last season, David Njoku of the Cleveland Browns was sixth among all fantasy tight ends in PPR points per game. Yes, the quarterback situation in Cleveland is a mess—so much so that the team just signed veteran Tyler Huntley as a camp arm. But it’s not like Cleveland’s quarterback situation was any good a year ago, either.

Evan Engram’s 2024 wasn’t as good—injuries cost the 30-year-old half of his last season in Jacksonville. But two years ago, Engram caught a whopping 114 passes, and the Broncos are paying Engram quite a bit of cash to fill the “Joker” role in Sean Payton’s offense that made Jimmy Graham a star in New Orleans.

My Pick

Kaleb Johnson’s first training camp with the Steelers has been bumpy, with the aforementioned issues in pass protection a genuine concern. Get Aaron Rodgers’ block knocked off, it’s off to the bench forever.

But Johnson appears to be improving in that regard, he’s a more explosive runner than the departed Najee Harris and he appears a better fit for Arthur Smith’s outside-zone running scheme.

It may take some patience with Johnson, but there’s a real chance Johnson’s is Pittsburgh’s lead back at some point this season.

Round 9

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

T.J. Hockenson

9.01: Matthew Golden, WR, GB

9.02: Kyle Pitts, TE, ATL

9.03: T.J. Hockenson, TE, MIN

9.04: Javone Williams, RB, DAL

9.05: Tre Harris, WR, LAC

9.06: Najee Harris, RB, LAC

9.07: Dak Precott, QB, DAL

9.08: Chris Godwin, WR, TB

9.09: Tyler Warren, TE, IND

9.10: Austin Ekeler, RB, WAS

9.11: Josh Downs, WR, IND

9.12: Roschon Johnson, RB, CHI

Sleeper Alert

There are a couple of wide receivers taken in Round 9 outside the top-45 players at his position who has genuine “sleeper” appeal for fantasy managers in 2025.

The Los Angeles Chargers made Tre Harris their second-round pick in April’s draft, and in theory the 6’2”, 209-pounder has all the tools necessary to thrive on the boundary in the pros. Ladd McConkey is the unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver for the Bolts, but first-round disappointment Quentin Johnston is the only thing standing between Harris and becoming Justin Herbert’s No. 2 wide receiver.

Josh Downs is apparently tumbling down draft boards because of the unsettled (to put it mildly) quarterback situation with the Indianapolis Colts. But last season, Downs turned a 72/803/5 stat line into a WR35 PPR finish, and that was catching passes from Anthony “47 Percent” Richardson and Joe Flacco’s corpse.

My Pick

Honesty time—I screwed up here. I badly wanted Evan Engram here, but I passed on him in Round 8 hoping he’d make it back to me on the turn.

He did not.

T.J. Hockenson’s 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings was a major disappointment as he worked his way back from an ACL tear suffered last in the 2023 campaign. Hockenson has been dinged up in camp, but he’s expected to be OK and was second in PPR points per game among tight ends in 2023.

Round 10

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Bo Nix

10.01: Quinson Judkins, RB, CLE

10.02: Khalil Shakir, WR, BUF

10.03: Zach Charbonnet, RB, SEA

10.04: Jordan Mason, RB, MIN

10.05: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, IND

10.06: Tyjae Spears, RB, TEN

10.07: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE

10.08: Tank Bigsby, RB, JAX

10.09: Trey Benson, RB, ARI

10.10: Bo Nix, QB, DEN

10.11: Jerome Ford, RB, CLE

10.12: Ray Davis, RB, BUF

Running Back Dart Throws

The 10th Round was dominated by running backs—nine of the 12 picks of the round were ball-carriers.

And not one of them has a clear path to significant touches.

One of Jerome Ford or Quinshon Judkins could be the lead back for the Cleveland Browns—but Judkins is facing a suspension after an offseason arrest and Ford is an average talent. Trey Benson of the Arizona Cardinals had a marginal role behind James Conner last year. Jordan Mason of the Minnesota Vikings has flashed in the past, but Aaron Jones is being paid like a featured back.

Rhamondre Stevenson of the New England Patriots and Tank Bigsby of the Jacksonville Jaguars are early-down grinders with minimal passing-down roles. Tyjae Spears of the Tennessee Titans is the opposite—a pass-catcher unlikely to see much early-down work. Zach Charbonnet of the Seattle Seahawks may have three-down potential, but he’s stuck behind Kenneth Walker in Seattle.

Many of these backs could be one injury away from being a winning fantasy lottery ticket. None are sure bets to pay off.

My Pick

This is the second time in as many of these drafts that I waited until Round 10 to select a quarterback. And the second time in as many of these drafts that I was happy with who I wound up with.

Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos got off to a rough start as a rookie in 2024, but after a shaky first month or so, Nix turned in a solid season. From Week 6 on, Nix was eighth among all quarterbacks in fantasy points. He also offers a decent amount of rushing upside—his 430 rushing yards was also eighth at the position.

Rounds 11-13

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Dalton Kincaid

11.01: Cam Skattebo, RB, NYG

11.02: Luther Burden III, WR, CHI

11.03: Nick Chubb, RB, HOU

11.04: Jared Goff, QB, DET

11.05: Jake Ferguson, TE, DAL

11.06: Jordan Love, QB, GB

11.07: Will Shipley, RB, PHI

11.08: Christian Kirk, WR, HOU

11.09: Colston Loveland, TE, CHI

11.10: Jalen McMillan, WR, TB

11.11: Tucker Kraft, TE, GB

11.12: Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL

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12.01: Keon Coleman, WR, BUF

12.02: Dallas Goedert, TE, PHI

12.03: Jalen Nailor, WR, MIN

12.04: Caleb Williams, QB, CHI

12.05: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, SF

12.06: Anthony Richardson, QB, IND

12.07: Philadelphia Eagles Defense

12.08: Jayden Higgins, WR, HOU

12.09: Rashid Shaheed, WR, NO

12.10: Dalton Kincaid, TE, BUF

12.11: Justin Fields, QB, NYJ

12.12: Demario Douglas, WR, NE

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13.01: Drake Maye, QB, NE

13.02: Braelon Allen, RB, NYJ

13.03: Kyle Williams, WR, NE

13.04: Rico Dowdle, RB, DAL

13.05: Trevor Lawrence, QB, JAX

13.06: Cameron Dicker, PK, LAC

13.07: Isaac Guerendo, RB, SF

13.08: Jaydon Blue, RB, DAL

13.09: Tyler Allgeier, RB, ATL

13.10: Kareem Hunt, RB, KC

13.11: C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU

13.12: Michael Penix Jr., QB, ATL

Value Alert

There were several potential values that came off the board in this area of the draft. But a couple stand out.

Green Bay Packers tight end led all players at his position in yards after the catch last year, scored seven touchdowns and finished 10th in PPR points among tight ends. He’s an excellent target for fantasy managers who fade tight ends until late.

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was a trendy upside pick earlier this summer, but his struggles in training camp appear to have cooled that hype. However, in six starts for the Steelers last year, Fields was sixth in fantasy points among quarterbacks. Just saying.

Don’t Be That Guy

Time for the piece of advice I offer every year—that many continue to ignore.

In this draft, the first defense was selected in Round 12. The first kicker came off the board the following round. Both are wasted picks—defenses and kickers are wildly unpredictable, and the difference in scoring between top options and lower-end starters is minimal.

Draft a defense with a solid Week 1 matchup in the penultimate round and then stream matchup plays off the waiver wire. Don’t ever draft a kicker before the final round—ever.

My Picks

Joe Mixon has been nursing an ankle injury for most of the summer. Nick Chubb hasn’t exactly impressed in camp, but there’s still a chance he opens the regular season as the lead back in Houston.

In hindsight, I wish I had drafted Justin Fields in Round 12—said hindsight is always 20/20. But with T.J. Hockenson banged up, getting some quality depth at tight end was a priority. Dalton Kincaid of the Buffalo Bills offers that depth.

The New England Patriots drafted Kyle Williams out of Washington State in the second round of April’s draft. Williams has consistently impressed in training camp—so much so that he has a real chance to open his inaugural season as a starter.

Rounds 14-16

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File

Brock Purdy

14.01: Bryce Young, QB, CAR

14.02: Marvin Mims Jr., WR, DEN

14.03: Jonnu Smith, TE, PIT

14.04: Bhayshul Tuten, RB, JAX

14.05: Brandon Aubrey, PK, DAL

14.06: Jaylen Wright, RB, MIA

14.07 Jack Bech, WR, LV

14.08: Baltimore Ravens Defense

14.09: J.J. McCarthy, QB, MIN

14.10: Brock Purdy, QB, SF

14.11: Josh Palmer, WR, BUF

14.12: Miles Sanders, RB, DAL

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15.01: Dylan Sampson, RB, CLE

15.02: Brenton Strange, TE, JAX

15.03: Denver Broncos Defense

15.04: Houston Texans Defense

15.05: Pittsburgh Steelers Defense

15.06: Hunter Henry, TE, NE

15.07: San Francisco 49ers Defense

15.08: Los Angeles Chargers Defense

15.09: Minnesota Vikings Defense

15.10: Seattle Seahawks Defense

15.11: Detroit Lions Defense

15.12: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, WAS

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16.01: Los Angeles Rams Defense

16.02: Jake Bates, PK, DET

16.03: Chris Boswell, PK, PIT

16.04: Chase McLaughlin, PK, TB

16.05: Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR

16.06: Wil Lutz, PK, DEN

16.07: Quentin Johnson, WR, LAC

16.08: Harrison Butker, PK, KC

16.09: Jake Elliott, PK, PHI

16.10: Tyler Bass, PK, BUF

16.11: Kansas City Chiefs Defense

16.12: Buffalo Bills Defense

Sleeper Alert, Part 2

There’s nothing better in fantasy than finding a late-round gem who becomes a viable weekly starter. Those players win championships. And there were some players taken in the last three rounds here who could be just that kind of bargain.

The first pick of Round 14 was Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, who showed significant improvement as his second professional season wore on in 2024. From Week 12 on last year, Young was quietly ninth among quarterbacks last year, and he has the best passing game weapons of his career in 2025.

Josh Palmer has impressed in his first training camp with the Buffalo Bills, drawing praise from MVP quarterback Josh Allen. With Khalil Shakir banged up Palmer has an opportunity to show what he can do, and the fifth-year wide receiver could be headed for a career season.

Dallas Cowboys running back Miles Sanders was atrocious the last two years in Carolina, and the 28-year-old has been sidelined in camp recently by a knee injury. But that injury isn’t believed to be serious, and Sanders was leading the battle to be the new lead back in Dallas before he went down.

Dylan Sampson of the Browns was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 after rushing for almost 1,500 yards at Tennessee. With Quinshon Judkins still unsigned and Jerome Ford “just a guy,” Sampson has an opportunity over the next few weeks to stake a claim as the No. 1 running back in Cleveland.

My Picks

Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers isn’t a fantasy pick that inspires a ton of enthusiasm. But Purdy was 11th in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks last year and sixth in points in 2023. As a fantasy backup, you could do a lot worse.

The Denver Broncos were fantasy football’s top defense in 2024. That’s unlikely to happen two years in a row, but Denver has no shortage of talent on that side of the ball and draws an excellent Week 1 matchup at home against the Tennessee Titans.

Tyler Bass of the Buffalo Bills was fantasy’s ninth-ranked kicker last year. He’s an entrenched veteran on one of the NFL’s most potent offenses. Enough said.

My Team

AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt

Justin Jefferson

Quarterbacks: Bo Nix, DEN (10.10), Brock Purdy, SF (14.10)

Running Backs: Chase Brown, CIN (2.10); Alvin Kamara, NO (3.03); Chuba Hubbard, CAR (4.10); Kaleb Johnson, PIT (8.10); Nick Chubb, HOU (11.03)

Wide Receiver: Justin Jefferson, MIN (1.03); Courtland Sutton, DEN (5.03); Chris Olave, NO (6.10); Jaylen Waddle, MIA (7.03); Kyle Williams, NE (15.03)

Tight End: T.J. Hockenson, MIN (9.03), Dalton Kincaid, BUF (12.10)

Defense: Denver Broncos (15.03)

Kicker: Tyler Bass, BUF (16.10)

The draft recap doohickey at My Fantasy League isn’t crazy about this draft—it projected my team to finish ninth out of 12 teams.

Ouch.

As was already stated, there were at least a couple of occasions where I gambled on a player making in back to me on the short turn and whiffed. There were at least a couple of others where a player I was targeting was sniped just before my pick.

So it goes—in every fantasy draft.

But the “reach” for Kamara wasn’t—he’s inside my top-10 PPR backs and wouldn’t have made it back to 4.10. Jefferson and Sutton are a solid foundation at wide receiver—especially if Olave and Waddle can recapture their pre-2024 form. The tight ends on this time aren’t sure bets, but if Hockenson is healthy, he’s a bargain as the 11th tight end drafted.

Are there teams in this league that had better drafts on paper? Yes. But this isn’t a bad start to a season. Championships aren’t won on draft day—there’s a whole season of claims, trades and lineups to come.

Not every draft is a home-run.

But this team can do some damage.

Grade: C+

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.