Footballguys Staff Flag Plants, the Middle Rounds

Our staff members take their mid-draft stands for the 2025 season.

Footballguys Staff's Footballguys Staff Flag Plants, the Middle Rounds Footballguys Staff Published 08/22/2025

© Robert Goddin-Imagn Images flag plants

The 2025 season is almost upon us, so it's time to make some stands.

RELATED: See all Flag Plants: Early Rounds | Middle Rounds | Late Rounds

We asked the Footballguys staff to give their targets in the middle rounds of drafts. Here's what they said.

TE Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers

Ben Cummins: Kraft is an amazing athlete for a 254-pound tight end. His Relative Athletic Score (RAS) ranked 36th best out of 1,104 tight ends from 1987-2023. He's also very good at football. He's a good blocker, which allows him to play in line and then destroy linebackers in the play-action game with dynamic yards after the catch (YAC) ability. He's tough, physical, and has great hands. He's on the verge of a massive breakout should Jordan Love stay healthy and the Packers throw more than they did last season. Kraft has been ranked as my tight end six for months.

Jeff Blaylock: He's currently being drafted as a low-end TE1 after the 10th round, but he's a key part of the Packers' offense. He ranked second on the Packers with 707 receiving yards and 50 receptions, and he led the team with seven receiving touchdowns while playing more snaps than any other Packers skill-position player. Kraft averaged 9.4 yards after the catch and 3.8 yards after contact per reception, leading all tight ends who ran at least 100 routes. His 10.9 yards per target last season was second only to George Kittle among tight ends with at least 20 targets. While your league mates spend premium picks on tight ends, you can confidently add elite receivers or running backs and take Kraft as your TE1 half a dozen or more rounds later.

RB Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks

Craig Lakins: We know that new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak wants to run the ball early and often. His outside zone scheme is going to be a focal point of how they run their offense. We also know that home run threat Ken Walker III has frustrated coaches at times with his inefficient running style - often neglecting to take the yardage available to him. His yards per carry have gone from 4.6 as a rookie to 4.1 in 2023 and 3.7 last season. 

In contrast, Charbonnet is more of a one-cut bruiser that doesn't shy away from contact. He's reportedly been impressive throughout training camp and has pushed Walker III for a more prominent role. They currently have a six-round discrepancy in their ADPs, but the actual workload will likely be far more balanced. I'm targeting Charbonnet as a potential flex starter who could develop into more as the season progresses. 

RB J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos

Gary Davenport: I'm going to need someone to explain to me why Dobbins is going three-plus rounds later than RJ Harvey in fantasy drafts. Explain it to me like I'm five. Because it makes zero sense. Yes, Dobbins has an injury history—to put it mildly. Maybe he's a step slower than the kid who ran for 2,000 yards at Ohio State. But that slower Dobbins just averaged 4.6 yards a carry, topped 1,000 total yards, scored nine times, and was RB18 in PPR points per game for the Chargers in 2024—after recovering from tearing his Achilles and his ACL (separately). All the TreVeyon Henderson stans (O-H!) should go back and watch Dobbins—because he was that explosive, too. 

Dobbins is going to out-point Harvey in 2025—and it ain't gonna be close. 

What? I said it. 

RB D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

Hutchinson Brown: Swift will be a Top-15 running back in fantasy football this season.

Swift has been a productive fantasy football asset, finishing as a top-24 PPR running back every year of his career, including one top-12 season. 

Depending on a Caleb Williams step forward, the 2025 Bears could be the best offense Swift has ever played with, besides the Eagles. He was an RB1 in the first half of the 2023 season with Philadelphia, but their team fell apart in the second half, and as a result, so did Swift. If he did that with Philadelphia, why can't he do similar things in a breakout offense in Chicago with the workhorse role sitting right in front of him?

The Bears could have replaced him multiple times throughout the offseason but didn't. They clearly have confidence in his abilities and are ready to give him a big workload in what should be a strong offense in 2025. At his RB26 cost, he is a steal. 

WR Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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