Draft Plan: The 2025 Fantasy Football Lists of Lists 1.0

The 2025 Fantasy Football Draft List of Lists. What Is It?

I've done the legwork elsewhere. It's time for answers.

I wish I could inject all the context and knowledge of my football research into your veins. We're not there (yet), so let's hope the 2025 Fantasy List of Lists proves a worthwhile consolation for your fantasy football fix.

As the title promises, this plan is a cohesive series of lists that will help you navigate your fantasy drafts. It's formatted in order of pre-draft planning to post-draft free agent considerations.

If you want to see more detailed explanations about football, fantasy football, and scouting that are the foundation for this specific topic, I recommend my Footballguys rankings commentary, the RSP publication, and the RSP Dynasty Rankings and Projections service.

The 2025 Fantasy Football Draft List of Lists 1.0

This is List 1.0. I'll create version 2.0 around the third week of August. This is for 12-team PPR formats. I'm including considerations for 1-QB and Superflex lineups.

The Draft Strategy I'm Favoring This Year

My favorite draft strategy is the most timeless: The best values at your draft position.

You'll see below that my approaches have ranged the gamut:

• A first-round QB.
• Back-to-back RBs in the opening rounds.
• Hero RB.
• Three consecutive RBs to begin a Superflex.
• One receiver in the first five rounds of a Superflex.
• Balanced positional picks in 1-QB and Superflex.

Strategies are an offshoot of picking the best values.

Thoughts About Draft Strategies in General

Strategies are useful regardless of experience and expertise. For the less experienced, it may be best to stick close to the strategy. For the more experienced, strategies work best as guidelines that afford you flexibility.

Strategies focused on when to take a position have value if you're drafting against people who follow a predictable pattern when selecting specific positions. There can be value to zigging where your league is zagging.

A strategy doesn't have to be about when to take specific positions. Adam Harstad and Bob Harris also follow a draft principle predicated on value: They lean into players who fall below their Average Draft Position (ADP).

Do I Have A "Do Not Draft List?"

Yes and No.

• Yes, there are players I won't draft within 1-2 rounds of their Average Draft Position (ADP).
• No, I don't take these players completely off the list.

If they fall at least two rounds below their ADP, I will consider them worthwhile values.

Keep this in mind when you get to the lists of players I'm avoiding in specific rounds.

Strategy and Player Targets for Rounds 1-4

Favorite Opening Combinations of Players in Rounds 1-4

1-QB League Formats

• Early Turn: Ja'Marr Chase, Lamar Jackson, Kyren Williams, and Xavier Worthy.   
• Middle: Christian McCaffrey,  Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, and Courtland Sutton.
• Late Turn: Derrick Henry, Nico Collins, Davante Adams, and Courtland Sutton.

Superflex Formats

• Early Turn Superflex): Lamar Jackson, Kyren Williams, Tyreek Hill, and Alvin Kamara.
• Middle (Superflex): Joe Burrow, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, and Tyreek Hill.
• Late Turn (Superflex): Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, James Cook, and Caleb Williams.

The Themes for Fave 1-4 Combinations

1-QB League Formats

• Ja'Marr Chase is the best WR in football and may not have reached his statistical upside.
• Christian McCaffrey is undervalued due to age and injury.
• Value at WR in Rounds 3 and 4. 

Superflex Formats

• Lamar Jackson is the best fantasy QB, period.
• Derrick Henry (still) has an offensive line!
• Christian McCaffrey (still) has an offensive line!
• Josh Jacobs (still) has an offensive line!
• Kyren Williams (still) has an offensive line and an extension!
• Bet against the imaginary cliff Tyreek Hill fell off last year.  
• Get at least one QB in the first four rounds.

The Options I'm Most Excited About in Rounds 1-4

All League Formats

• Value Alert: Christian McCaffrey is healthy. When he has stayed healthy, he has been awesome. 
• Ride Derrick Henry again with that good line and great threat at QB. He's getting a great career send-off.
• Davante Adams joins a legit offense that will return him to glory -- even if Matthew Stafford falters.
• I'll give Tyreek Hill one more shot to prove the cliff hasn't come too early.
• Xavier Worthy emerges this year as a big-time fantasy weapon.

The Rookie I Want This Early

• No one. I love Ashton Jeanty, and I think he has the tools to become a top-three fantasy RB multiple times during his career. I'm not convinced he'll get the volume this year. If I were going to bet against myself with one rookie, Jeanty is the one.

The Players in Rounds 1-4 I'm Avoiding*

*I'm avoiding them unless they drop at least two rounds below their Average Draft Position (ADP). Apply this to every heading as the qualification for avoiding a player.

All Drafts

• Trey McBride - If Kyler Murray makes Marvin Harrison Jr. a star, history says it will hurt McBride.
• Breece Hall - Love his talent, dislike the organization, and the committee.
• Jayden Daniels - Defenses had the offseason to adjust, and second-year QBs get more challenges. Terry McLaurin's holdout could be an even greater challenge.
• Omarion Hampton - Najee Harris will earn a bigger split than the Hampton supporters want to believe.

Avoiding No Matter What: Rounds 1-4

Rashee Rice: Despite the glowing reports, my podcast partner, Brandon Angelo, has noted that Rice's injury was more than just an LCL. Rice also had significant damage to his hamstring.

Angelo trains pros. He understands the rehab process. His concern, as it was with Tony Pollard and Kirk Cousins in recent years, is that Rice may look good now, but rarely does a player in Rice's situation sustain their athletic ability after 3-5 weeks of physical punishment.

There's often a significant decline in athletic ability. Since the level of hitting we're talking about doesn't happen until the regular season, the odds are more against Rice due to the combination of the LCL and hamstring than people may realize.

Alternates: Rounds 1-4

These alternative selections are for each pick if the specific player is gone. You could probably build a team with these alternate picks, but that is not the intent. It's about picking the best players.

If you decide to build with the alternate list, be mindful of position needs and where the projected scarcity of value begins for each.

When you see *ADP 1-12 as the alternative
Based on your draft position at the end of the turn, if my initial choices are taken before you're up, you'll have your choice of any player with a top-12 Average Draft Position (ADP). As always, give strong consideration to any players who dropped below their ADP. 

Early Turn Pick in 1-QB Leagues

Middle Pick in 1-QB Leagues

Late Turn Pick in 1-QB Leagues

*ADP 1-2: Based on your draft position at the end of the turn, you'll have your choice of any player with a top-12 ADP if Taylor and/or Barkley are taken before you're up.

Early Turn Pick in Superflex Leagues

Middle Pick in Superflex Leagues

Late Turn Pick in Superflex Leagues

Strategy and Player Targets for Rounds 5-8