Updated September 2, 2025

At the risk of sounding haughty, I’ve been pretty dang good at fantasy football for a long time. I’ve been asked, “Kenny, what’s your secret?”

My secret? Well, honestly, it’s really simple. I go into every draft with a very clear plan. I try my best to know which players are likely to be on the board when it’s my turn to select and I seek to enter the draft with a good handle on which players are likely to be the best values at each section of the draft.

This is my second straight season posting my draft plan on this site. If you look at my 2024 draft plan, you’ll see I hit on a lot of players.

Overall, my mantra has always been: Fantasy football is all about value. The plan for each potential pick ought to be informed by a commitment to maximize value at each selection.

SIDE NOTE: This fantasy draft plan assumes a 12-team league with typical fantasy scoring/settings. This plan should work well for both PPR and non-PPR leagues. Also, with some slight modifications, you could also potentially use this draft plan in a 14-team league too.

 

Preamble: Running Backs Are Still the Bees Knees

I’m going to give you advice that seems very different than what most mainstream fantasy experts are giving: Running backs are still (typically) more valuable than wide receivers.

Since the advent of fantasy football in the late 1980s and early 1990s, running backs dominated fantasy drafts. However, over the last five years, something has happened. There’s been a shift towards wide receivers.

There’s lots of reasons for this shift, but here’s the deal: The math doesn’t support this.

Whether you use Joe Bryant’s classic VBD formula or PFF’s WAR formula, it doesn’t matter, elite RBs are still more valuable than elite WRs. And both positions get injured at the same rate in most NFL seasons.

Furthermore, the running back position is still the hardest position to replace or bolster midseason. If I screw up my running position in the draft, the probability that I’ll be able to fix it will be very low.

But if my wide receivers are a trainwreck, I’m confident that I can potentially fix that during the season.

Conclusion: RBs still deserve premium attention in your draft!

 

Round 1: Don’t Overthink It

When it comes to my first pick, it’s simple… just take the clear best player available.

Too many fantasy owners overthink things. Don’t do that. As my friend and podcast co-host Walter Cherepinsky often says, “You can’t win your league in the first round, but you can certainly lose it in the first round.”

In 2025, the best player available in the first round will most likely be an RB (even in a league that starts more WRs than RBs, the RB is the better option).

TARGETS: Here’s my overall top 16 players for 2025 (after these top 16, there’s a noticeable drop-off):

1. RB- Saquon Barkley
2. RB- Bijan Robinson
3. RB- Derrick Henry
4. RB- Jahmyr Gibbs
5. WR- Ja’Marr Chase
6. RB- Josh Jacobs
7. RB- Jonathan Taylor
8. WR- Justin Jefferson
9. RB- Kyren Williams
10. WR- CeeDee Lamb
11. WR- Puca Nacua
12. RB- Chase Brown
13. WR- A.J. Brown
14. WR- Malik Nabers
15. WR- Brian Thomas
16. WR- Nico Collins

 

Play the “Value Game”

Okay, remember my mantra: Fantasy football is all about value. We want to draft players lower than where we have them ranked. So there’s a little bit of a game that needs to be played here. This is not an exact science.

There are certain players that I have ranked higher than the market. So there will be moments where it makes sense to draft a lower ranked player because you think the higher ranked player will still be on the board at a later spot in the draft.

For example, this week I was in a draft where I had the 6th pick. My 6th and 7th best players are Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Taylor, respectively.

I think Jacobs and Taylor are both worthy 1st round picks. However, Jacob’s average draft position (ADP) is early to mid second round and Taylor’s ADP has been mid-to-late second round. I don’t need to draft them in the 1st.

On the other hand, Justin Jefferson is my 8th best player and his ADP is early to mid first round. I think Jacobs and Taylor could make it back to in me in round two, but there’s no chance Jefferson was going to make it back to me in the second round (19th pick overall). So I took Jefferson.

Jacobs went 18th overall in that draft, one pick before me. But Taylor was still in the board, so I quickly snatched him up. With my first two picks I was able to draft my 7th best player (Taylor) and my 8th best player (Jefferson). This was a stellar start.

So when you’re drafting, you’ll have to consider which players might drop a round or two, and occasionally roll the dice. But be sure you have a good reason. Make sure you know that the player will indeed drop. Don’t get too cute. If you roll the dice too many times or without good reason, this could burn you.

UPDATE: I’ve now written an entire article about the “value game” where I highlight my favorite 33 players to target for 2025.

 

Rounds 2 & 3: Building Your Core

Okay, I’ve already given you 16 names. That’ll get you through round one and the turn. If any of these players are still available when you draft in round two (or round three), pounce without hesitation, regardless of position.

After these initial 16 guys are gone, my next pick(s) would evolve based on my first round pick.

If I chose a running back in round one, then I’d want to make sure that I get at least one wide receiver with one of my next two picks. However, if you started with a wide receiver in round one, then it’s imperative you get a running back in round two.

ALERT: Avoid taking three players from the same position, unless extreme value presents itself. Ideally through the first three rounds you’ll have one of these roster constructions:

• 2RBs+1WR
• 1RB+2WRs

TARGETS: If the top 16 players are all gone, here’s the plan…

…if you want/need a wideout, the next set of names that I’d be most likely considering are:

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• Drake London
• Amon-Ra St. Brown
• Tyreek Hill
• Ladd McConkey
• Tee Higgins
• Davonte Adams

…but if you’re now looking at running backs, then I’d be looking at:

• Christian McCaffrey
• Ashton Jeanty
• Bucky Irving
• James Cook
• Breece Hall
• De’Von Achane
• Alvin Kamara
• Chubba Hubbard
• Omarion Hampton
• James Connor

NOTE: If you don’t love my ordering of these players, that’s fine. I see these guys as being in a tier. So, for example, if you like Hampton more than Kamara, than go with Hampton. I won’t freak out.

VALUE ALERT: The player in this section of the draft most likely to outperform his draft position is Jaxson Smith-Njigba. He is a fantastic talent and will now likely be the focal point of the Seattle passing game.

VALUE ALERT: Alvin Kamara is a guy you could play the “value” game with. He’s being drafted in the 4th round (and sometimes even 5th round). That’s criminal. Kamara was awesome last year before he got injured. He showed no sign of slowing down. The Saints will suck in 2025, sure. But they’ve been mostly bad and inconsistent for most of the last few seasons, and Kamara has still been awesome.

LEAGUE-WINNER ALERT: Tyreek Hill is worth the gamble. Everything went wrong in in Miami last year and he was still the 23rd best wide receiver in typical standard scoring leagues. If everything goes wrong again, he’s still worth a 4th round pick. But what if things go right in Miami in 2025? If so, Hill will be far better than just the 23rd best WR—he’ll be a league winner.

 

Keep Stacking Value

As you continue through draft, just keep drafting from this pool of aforementioned players until they’re all gone.

However, if you’re selecting at the bottom of the third round and it just so happens that my top previously mentioned players are all gone by the time you need to select, then this is when I might consider a quarterback. Let’s tackle that next.

 

Early QB Consideration

Since the early 2000s, I’ve been advocating the late round quarterback strategy (even before it was cool). As the years have gone on, I’ve gone later and later into drafts before drafting a QB. And in all likelihood, that is still the strategy that I will employ in 2025.

However, if things don’t go my way, the late third round is where I might (at least) think about QB.

If any of the aforementioned players are still available, then draft one of those guys. But there’s a pretty big drop off after all these guys, so if they’re all gone then I think drafting a QB might make sense.

In the (highly) unlikely event that all of the aforementioned names are gone, then I’d go with one of these QBs:

• Lamar Jackson
• Josh Allen

These are my top two QBs. I can make a case for either one being #1, so take whichever one you prefer.

SIDE NOTE: If you select an elite QB early, there’s no need to select a second QB at all in your draft; you can always get a backup off the waiver wire if needed (unless your league has some weirdly unique settings that would provoke you to draft an additional QB).

QB–TE NOTE: Ideally, I do not want to draft both a QB and TE in the first eight rounds. The two positions are (somewhat) correlated. The earlier that I take a QB, then the more likely I am to wait on TE; and the earlier that I take a TE, the more likely I am to wait on QB.

 

Rounds 4 & 5: Keep Building Your Core

Okay, if any of the top players or one of the top 2 QBs are available to you when you select in round four, pounce without hesitation.

TARGETS: If all the aforementioned players are gone when you are drafting in rounds four and five, then look at these players:

• RB- Kenneth Walker
• WR- Zay Flowers
• WR- Courtland Sutton
• WR- DeVonta Smith
• RB- David Montgomery
• TE- Brock Bowers
• WR- Marvin Harrison, Jr.
• WR- Jameson Williams
• RB- Aaron Jones
• RB- D’Andre Swift
• WR- Ricky Pearsall
• WR- Terry McLaurin
• WR- D.K. Metcalf
• WR- D.J. Moore
• WR- Jauan Jennings
• WR- Garrett Wilson
• RB- Tony Pollard
• RB- Isiah Pacheco
• WR- George Pickens
• WR- Jaylen Waddle
• WR- Mike Evans

Okay, thus far in this article, I’ve given you 56 total names. That’ll take you into round five.

And it’s likely that a few of these players will be available for you to select into round six (and maybe even round seven).

VALUE ALERT: The player in this section of the draft most likely to dramatically outperform his draft status is Ricky Pearsall. He’s a fantastic athlete and fits the 49ers scheme perfectly. I expect him to eventually be the number one receiving option in the 49ers offense.

TE-QB PIVOT: If you happen to get to the bottom of round five and it just so happens that my top 57 players are all gone by the time you need to select (or if you feel uncomfortable with any of the above-mentioned players), then this would be the moment to pivot back toward tight end (in this order):

• Trey McBride
• George Kittle

However, if those two TEs are gone, then look at QBs (in this order):

• Joe Burrow
• Jayden Daniels
• Jalen Hurts
• Patrick Mahomes

But again, I’d only pivot towards TE or QB in the event that all of the previously listed RBs and WRs were already taken.

Okay, that’s 62 names total to get you through your first five rounds.

 

Round 6: Assess Your RBs

If any of those aforementioned top 62 players are still available when it’s your time to draft in round six, then that’s who you ought to target (with the exception of avoiding both a QB and TE in the first eight rounds). Based on the consensus rankings across the fantasy industry, I think it’s very likely that a few of them will fall into your lap.

However, if all those guys are gone, then your next selections depend on roster construction.

Ideally, I want you to come out of the first six rounds of your draft with at least three running backs. So, if you only have one or two, then you really need to focus on that position in rounds 6 and 7 (and maybe round 8, depending on who falls to you).

But if you already have 3 RBs going into round six, then you’ve got great flexibility to draft whichever player in this tier you think is the best player available.

TARGETS: If you need a RB, the primary guys that I’d be looking at here are:

• TreVeyon Henderson
• Tyrone Tracy
• Jaylen Warren
• Kaleb Johnson

If you already have three RBs and you do not have a TE, then I’d consider one of these TEs:

• Mark Andrews
• T.J. Hockenson

If you’re set at RB or TE, then consider one of these WRs:

• Jordan Addison
• Chris Olave
• Rome Odunze
• Rashee Rice
• Tetairoa McMillan
• Calvin Ridley
• Deebo Samuel

When you exit round six, you ought to ideally have one of these roster constructions (in order of my preference):

• 3RB+3WR
• 4RB+2WR
• 3RB+2WR+1QB
• 3RB+2WR+1TE

Any other roster construction means your team will likely have terrible depth where (and when) it matters most.

 

Round 7: Best Player Available

I’ve given you 75 names thus far. If any of those aforementioned players are still available when you select in rounds 7 or 8, that’s who you ought to target.

TARGETS: If those guys are all gone by the time it’s your turn to draft, then here’s the group I’m looking at (in this order):

• WR- Travis Hunter
• WR- Khalil Shakir
• TE- Sam LaPorta
• WR- Xavier Worthy
• WR- Emeka Egbuka
• WR- Jakobi Meyers
• TE- Travis Kelce

That’s 82 players total.

Several of the players that I’ve listed as targets in rounds 5 thru 7 have higher ADPs. In all likelihood, those players will be over-drafted, which will force better players down the board for you. More value!

 

Round 8: Balance Your Roster

If any of the aforementioned players are still available when you select in round 8, then you’ll want to consider those players; however, you’ll want to make sure you’re working to balance your roster.

After round eight, you’ll ideally want to have one of these roster constructions (in order of my preference):

• 4RB+4WR
• 4RB+3WR+1QB
• 4RB+3WR+1TE
• 5RB+3WR

Consider these roster constructions when drafting at this stage of the draft.

TARGETS: The next tier of RBs and WRs goes as follows:

• RB- J.K. Dobbins
• RB- Zach Charbonnet
• RB- Tank Bigsby
• WR- Michael Pittman
• RB- R.J. Harvey
• WR- Jayden Reed
• RB- Rhamondre Stevenson
• WR- Matthew Golden
• WR- Jerry Jeudy
• RB- Rachaad White
• RB- Jerome Ford
• RB- Najee Harris
• RB- Jordan Mason
• RB- Javonte Williams

SLEEPER ALERT: J.K. Dobbins‘ ADP is late 9th ninth round or early 10th round in most formats, so you may be able to wait a round (depending on what you’re league-mates are doing). I’ve always loved Dobbin’s talent. If not for the injuries, I think he would’ve been a Hall-of-Fame running back. He was having a great year last year with the Chargers until the injury bug bit him again. I like the Denver’s offensive situation. I expect them to take a step forward. Rookie R.J. Harvey is being grossly overdrafted. The scouts I trust don’t think he’s a great prospect. I expect Dobbins to get significant workload. Of course, he’s always an injury concern.

SLEEPER ALERT: Tank Bixby is one of my favorite players. I think he’s the best RB in Jacksonville. I like Jacksonville’s situation and I expect them to take a step forward, and I expect Bixby to be their primary running back. He’s currently being drafted in late 10th round or early 11th round, so you probably don’t need to draft him in round 8, you can probably wait until round 9. Of course, having the new rookie there could hurt the situation, but I’m willing to take a chance on Bixby.

 

Rounds 9 & 10: Now It’s Time to Look at QB or TE

If you’re feeling shaky about your RB or WR at this stage, then you’ll want to bolster those positions.

However, hopefully you’re feeling good about the selections you’ve made at RB and WR thus far through the draft, in which case you’ll want to consider a quarterback (assuming you don’t already have one).

QB TARGETS: My favorite QBs at this stage of the draft (in this order):

• Justin Herbert
• Baker Mayfield
• Brock Purdy
• C.J. Stroud
• Jared Goff
• Jordan Love

These guys are all being drafted in the 9th and 10th rounds (although Mayfield occasionally goes earlier). I’d be fine rolling with any of these guys, but Herbert is (by far) my favorite. I think he’s a lock to be a top 8 QB and he has the potential to take the next step into the elite fantasy category.

TE TARGETS: If you don’t have a TE and there’s no QBs you like in this spot (and if there’s no sleeper RBs/WRs available that you like), then it could be time to look at the TE position.

My favorite guys here in the 10th round are all high-upside guys:

• Colston Loveland
• Tyler Warren
• Tucker Kraft
• Dalton Kincaid

Drafting a known commodity veteran TE at this point of the draft is silly because those guys exist later in the draft.

RB/WR TARGETS: If there’s no great QB or TE options, then don’t reach. Just keep bolstering your roster depth at RB and WR.

If you have decent starters, then take some fliers on high upside guys. If you have some riskier players, then select some potentially safer players.

If any of the previously mentioned players remain on the board, draft one of those guys. If not, then the next tier of RBs and WRs that I might consider are (in order of preference):

• WR- Luther Burden
• RB- Jacory Croskey-Merritt
• RB- Brian Robinson, Jr.
• RB- Tyler Allgeier
• RB- Ray Davis
• WR- Keenan Allen
• WR- Dont’e Thornton Jr.
• RB- Travis Etienne
• WR- Darnell Mooney
• RB- Jaydon Blue
• RB- Austin Ekeler
• WR- Josh Downs
• WR- Cedric Tillman
• WR- Jayden Higgins
• WR- Demario Douglas
• WR- Rashid Shaheed
• RB- Trey Benson
• WR- Chris Godwin
• WR- Christian Kirk
• WR- Stefon Diggs

VALUE ALERT: Demario Douglas is underrated. He does not have great upside, but I think he’s a decent safe depth option.

After round 10, you’ll (ideally) have one of these roster constructions (in order of my preference):

• 4RB+4WR+1QB+1TE
• 4RB+5WR+1QB
• 5RB+4WR+1QB
• 4RB+5WR+1TE
• 5RB+4WR+1TE

But do not reach for players just to get to a specific construction. There will still be value in the later rounds.

 

Round 11 & Beyond: Rounding It Out

As I approach the later rounds, it’s all about filling out your roster with the best players available and then taking some shots on late-round sleepers.

As stated multiple times in this article, if any of the aforementioned players are still available when you select in the later rounds, then that’s who you ought to target. Except, of course, if you’ve already taken a QB or TE, do not take a second QB or second TE.

QB TARGETS: If you’ve not yet taken a quarterback, that’s fine. There are several decent guys on the board I’d be willing to roll with:

• Drake Maye
• Caleb Williams
• Trevor Lawrence
• Dak Prescott
• Kyler Murray
• Justin Fields
• Tua Tagovailoa
• Michael Penix Jr.
• Bo Nix
• J.J. McCarthy

All these guys are being drafted in rounds 11 thru 13. Drake Maye is my favorite of the bunch. I love his upside and expect the Patriots to be better this year.

TE TARGETS: If you still don’t have a TE when you select in the 11th, then seriously consider one of these guys:

• Dallas Goedert
• Evan Engram
• David Njoku
• Zach Ertz
• Cade Otton
• Jonnu Smith

If you miss out on all those guys, then just wait until the 13th round and take one of these guys:

• Kyles Pitts
• Isaiah Likely
• Mike Gesicki
• Mason Taylor
• Jake Ferguson
• Dalton Schultz
• Brenton Strange
• Chig Okonkwo
• Juwan Johnson
• Darren Waller

FLIER TARGETS: Here’s a list of late round “dart-throw” types that I think have great upside if the players ahead of them on the depth chart falter or get injured:

• RB- Joe Mixon**
• RB- Jaylen Wright
• RB- Braelon Allen
• RB- Isaac Guerendo
• RB- Bhayshul Tuten
• WR- Rashod Bateman
• RB- Brashard Smith
• RB- Tyjae Spears
• RB- Blake Corum
• RB- Will Shipley
• RB- Keaton Mitchell

LAST TARGETS: Here’s the final 40+ players that I’d consider after round 12:

• WR- Adam Thielen
• WR- Keon Coleman
• RB- Nick Chubb
• WR- KeAndre Lambert-Smith
• RB- Roschon Johnson
• RB- Quinshon Judkins
• WR- Quentin Johnston
• WR- Jahan Dotson
• WR- Tre Harris
• WR- Cooper Kupp
• WR- Josh Palmer
• QB- Cam Ward
• WR- Roman Wilson
• WR- Andrei Iosivas
• WR- Ray-Ray McCloud III
• QB- Geno Smith
• QB- Sam Darnold
• WR- Michael Wilson
• WR- Alec Pierce
• WR- Romeo Doubs
• WR- Dontayvion Wicks
• WR- Jack Bech
• WR- Wan’Dale Robinson
• WR- Xavier Legette
• WR- Marvin Mims
• RB- Raheem Mostert
• WR- Jaylin Noel
• WR- Jalen Royals
• WR- Jalen Coker
• RB- D.J. Giddens
• RB- Cam Skattebo
• RB- Dylan Sampson
• RB- Rico Dowdle
• RB- Miles Sanders
• WR- Jalen McMillan
• RB- Kendre Miller
• RB- Jaleel McLaughlin
• WR- Adonai Mitchell
• WR- Brandon Aiyuk
• WR- Marquise Brown
• WR- Tory Horton
• WR- Marquez Valdes-Scantling
• WR- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
• WR- Tutu Atwell
• WR- Amari Cooper
• WR- Elic Ayomanor
• WR- Konata Mumpfield

**NOTE: As of the writing of this article, Joe Mixon is dealing with a foot injury and the updates have been ambiguous. If he was healthy I would have him graded as a late 3rd or early 4th round pick. He’s now going in the 8th or 9th round. Crazy! Drafting him is risky; the injury could cause him to miss multiple games. But I’m inclined to take the risk.

 

Kickers and Defenses

Don’t get cute. These two positions should be your last two picks. The rest of your roster should be fully done before taking a Defense or Kicker.

However, if you insist that you want better value and want to jump ahead of the runs on the positions, fine, then take Defense with your third-to-last pick and then Kicker with your second-to-last pick, and then use your actual last pick on a sleeper/flier pick. I don’t love that approach, but I understand it.