Who should I draft!? Fantasy football draft season is here, and having a solid plan is essential. While you can’t predict every pick, you can prepare by knowing the optimal time to target players based on their ADP.
Every draft is unique, but by grouping players into tiers and identifying potential targets for each round, you can be ready for any surprise. This guide provides a detailed plan of who to target in the first and second half of each round, focusing on players with great value, dependable floors, or high ceilings for a strong return on investment.
ADPs taken from multiple sources including ESPN, Yahoo, FantasyPros and Football Guys.
Let’s get into it!
Round 1
Early Round 1: Obviously, if you draw the first or second pick, you need to target Ja’Marr Chase or Bijan Robinson. That’s your WR1 and RB1, respectively. But in the event you’re further past that, look to target Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – Detroit Lions) or Saquon Barkley (RB – Philadelphia Eagles) early in Round 1. I like to go Robust RB, or at least Hero RB, and getting a workhorse like Gibbs or Barkley at the top of Round 1 sends you well on your way.
Late Round 1: If you unfortunately get a bad draw, you still have an option to get yourself a workhorse running back. Father Time still hasn’t beaten Derrick Henry (RB – Baltimore Ravens) and he could anchor your backfield in 2025. If Henry is gone, or if you want to pivot in a different direction, I would target Malik Nabers (WR – New York Giants). There is literally nobody else worth throwing to in that Giants offense and Nabers could have a ridiculous target share. Only nagging injuries can slow him down.
Round 2
Early Round 2: Although I have reservations about him being able to handle a full workload for an entire season, De’Von Achane (RB – Miami Dolphins) offers good value at the front half of the second round. Pray for good health, because if he can play a full season, he has the explosion to be a Top 5 back. If you want to go the receiver route, I think Drake London (WR – Atlanta Falcons) offers incredible upside. Like Nabers, he will command a ton of targets and will be a red zone presence giving you both a high floor and high ceiling.
Late Round 2: I love the value offered by Kyren Williams (RB – Los Angeles Rams) late in the second round. To me, he’s an easy, early second-rounder. The Rams just extended him this offseason, fully committing to him as their workhorse and he has the capability to put up explosive weeks. If you want to go the Hero RB route and have taken a running back in Round 1, a solid choice for your WR1 at this point is A.J. Brown (WR – Philadelphia Eagles). He’s another volume hog and when he’s healthy, he’s a beast in the stat book. If Brown goes earlier (I’ve seen his ADP in the mid-second round) some other good options here for consistent production are Jonathan Taylor (RB – Indianapolis Colts), Josh Jacobs (RB – Green Bay Packers), and Bucky Irving (RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers). The former two are focal points of their offenses, the latter hasn’t had a full season as a workhorse yet but has tremendous upside.
Round 3
Early Round 3: Another player who offers great value in Round 3 — if he lasts that long — is Chase Brown (RB – Cincinnati Bengals). His ADP hovers right around the 2-3 turn. So, if you hold the second-to-last pick in Round 2, it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to nab him there to prevent Team 1 from taking him with one of those back-to-back picks. Chase is the featured back on one of the most explosive offenses in the league. If you get sniped and he doesn’t make it to your third-round pick, consider Trey McBride (TE – Arizona Cardinals). Brock Bowers is typically taken in Round 2, but McBride — who is just as dangerous — is typically a 2-3 turn pick. Getting a stud tight end to give you a weekly advantage there is big. If both of those fringe second-rounders are gone by your third-round pick, consider snagging one of the elite quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson (QB – Baltimore Ravens), Josh Allen (QB – Buffalo Bills), or Jayden Daniels (QB – Washington Commanders), the former two of whom are typically gone by mid-round three.
Late Round 3: Because I like to go Robust RB, sometimes this pick will be my WR1. Hence, it needs to be a player with a massive target share and the ability to put up big weeks. A couple of players who fit the bill and would make good targets in this range are Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) and Garrett Wilson (New York Jets). JSN is the last man standing after veterans DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett left the team this offseason. JSN is smooth and explosive and would make a good WR1 for a fantasy team that is running back heavy. Wilson has always been heavily targeted in New York but hasn’t lived up to his tremendous talent. With former college running mate, Justin Fields, now in town, Wilson has a shot at his best season yet.
Round 4
Early Round 4: If you didn’t get McBride (or Bowers) earlier, the only other tight end I’d reach for this early in the draft is George Kittle (TE – San Francisco 49ers). With the Niners’ receiving corps in a state of flux, Kittle provides the passing game a safety valve and will command a heavy target share. If you haven’t secured a second running back yet, you might want to get one now before a big run happens before your next pick some 20 picks later. Two good options are Ken Walker (RB – Seattle Seahawks) and Alvin Kamara (RB – New Orleans Saints). Walker misses some action every season and Kamara is getting up there in age and playing for a bad team. But both are featured backs on their teams and will provide great value for RB2s.
Late Round 4: If you have a late fourth-round pick, consider it a Godsend if rookie Omarion Hampton (RB – Los Angeles Chargers) falls to you in this range. His stock has steadily been rising and he could fall into the early Round 4 territory before the season starts. He will be a workhorse back, still getting a ton of work if and when Najee Harris ever does return from his eye injury. ADP is fluctuating from site to site, but another blessing would be if Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – Arizona Cardinals) fell to this range. He’s anywhere from 35-44 from what I’ve seen, so there’s a chance, but I wouldn’t count on it. If both Hampton and Harrison are gone, some other targets I like in this range are James Conner (RB – Arizona Cardinals), if you need another featured back, or D.J. Moore (WR – Chicago Bears) or Terry McLaurin (WR – Washington Commanders) if you want a receiver who is going to command a lot of touches in his respective offense. The risk with McLaurin, of course, is his holdout. But I remain confident the two sides will get a deal done and he’ll return to the explosive Commanders’ offense.
Round 5
Early Round 5: We’re getting into those fun middle rounds now. One of my favorite picks in this range is rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson (RB – New England Patriots). Henderson’s ADP is in the 50s, but rising. He’s not getting back to you in the sixth round, so take him now. He packs explosive potential and will be actively worked into the weekly game plan. If you need a receiver, two target hogs on their respective teams are DK Metcalf (WR – Pittsburgh Steelers) and Courtland Sutton (WR – Denver Broncos). Both are big targets who are the go-to guys in their offenses and have high touchdown upside.
Late Round 5: If you have a late slot in this round and Henderson is still on the board at this pick, he’s your guy. Otherwise, another good rookie to target is RJ Harvey (RB – Denver Broncos). Harvey has been going in the 60s, so he might not get back to you on the turn to your sixth-round pick. I would play it safe and nab him here. I wouldn’t worry about JK Dobbins. He’ll have a role in the offense, but Harvey will be the featured guy by season’s end. If you’re set at running back and want to go in a different direction, there are a few avenues. There aren’t any good quarterbacks or tight ends to reach for at this point. Jackson, Allen, Daniels, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes should all be gone by now — if not, snag one. And Baker Mayfield, Bo Nix, etc. are not worth picking here. I’d wait on tight end too. Your best bet for non-RBs here are Zay Flowers (WR – Baltimore Ravens), DeVonta Smith (WR – Philadelphia Eagles), or Tetairoa McMillan (WR – Carolina Panthers). Flowers and McMillan are the No. 1s on their teams and Smith is a solid 2 on an explosive offense.
Round 6
Early Round 6: I still wouldn’t do it, but if you’re insistent on taking a quarterback here, then Baker Mayfield (QB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers) would be your guy. He seems to have resurrected his career with back-to-back solid fantasy campaigns. The Bucs should continue to have a strong offense. Bo Nix (QB – Denver Broncos) would be the other consideration as he likely won’t make it back to your Round 7 pick. But it’s a bit early for him. Instead of QB, though, I’d continue to hit the FLEX position. Calvin Ridley (WR – Tennessee Titans) is one of my favorite values here and you might even consider him with your late fifth if you’re concerned about securing him. Other receiver options include the ones I suggested at the end of Round 5. Want to take a chance on another potential featured back? Go get Kaleb Johnson (RB – Pittsburgh Steelers) here. Jaylen Warren will have a role presuming he’s healthy, but he’s not a workhorse and the Steelers know that.
Late Round 6: If McMillan or Johnson are still available at this point in Round 6, it’s a quick smash for me. Also, I should note, that anybody else I’ve mentioned up to this point should be selected by you here if they’ve fallen this far. If you need fresh blood, consider Isiah Pacheco (RB – Kansas City Chiefs) here. Fantasy owners are concerned about his injury and the other bodies in the backfield, but I think he’s healthy and if so, he’s the clear guy there in a powerful offense. A couple of other intriguing options here are Jerry Jeudy (WR – Cleveland Browns), who is the clear No. 1 in his offense and has explosive playmaking ability, and Rome Odunze (WR – Chicago Bears), the likely X receiver in Ben Johnson’s offense who has a special bond with quarterback Caleb Williams.
Round 7
Early Round 7: By now, you should have at least five combined running backs and wide receivers. Maybe you’ve drafted an elite quarterback or tight end earlier. But if not, now is a good time to snag one. If Mayfield or Nix are available, now would be a good value for them. If not, and if any of the following tight ends are available here, I’d be good with drafting them: T.J. Hockenson (TE – Minnesota Vikings), Mark Andrews (TE – Baltimore Ravens), Evan Engram (TE – Denver Broncos), or David Njoku (TE – Cleveland Browns). None of them are without their faults, hence why they’re available in the mid rounds. But all four of these guys will have defined roles in their respective offenses.
Late Round 7: I’m done with quarterbacks at this point. I don’t think there’s one worth drafting for a while. Same goes with tight ends, if none of the ones I just mentioned are available here. Pivoting back to wide receiver, I’d look at the talented, but flawed, Jordan Addison (WR – Minnesota Vikings), Chris Olave (WR – New Orleans Saints), and Stefon Diggs (WR – New England Patriots). The former has a three-game suspension while the latter two are high on their respective depth charts but are battling back from injuries. At running back, Tony Pollard (RB – Tennessee Titans), Aaron Jones (RB – Minnesota Vikings), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – New York Giants), and Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – Washington Commanders) are all starters and solid, but unspectacular options.
Round 8
Early Round 8: Starting in round 8, I still don’t like any of the quarterback or tight end values here. Aside from the running backs and receivers mentioned in the previous round, some new options I like in this range include Jakobi Meyers (WR – Las Vegas Raiders) and Jaylen Warren (RB – Pittsburgh Steelers). Meyers is still the No. 1 receiver in Vegas — even though Bowers is the go-to guy — and Warren will play a heavy passing down role that will be valuable in PPR leagues.
Late Round 8: If any of the aforementioned players are still available, target them first. Otherwise, some new faces to add to the conversation in late Round 8 include rookies Matthew Golden (WR – Green Bay Packers) and Emeka Egbuka (WR – Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Both players will eventually play big roles for their teams at some point this season. You just might have to wait. A potential sleeper is Ricky Pearsall (WR – San Francisco 49ers), who could be ready to step up as the No. 1 in San Fran.
Round 9
Early Round 9: Here we go. We’re back in the range where I feel comfortable drafting some quarterbacks and tight ends. At QB, if any of these players are available and you do not have a starter yet, these guys are worth drafting here: Justin Fields (QB – New York Jets), Dak Prescott (QB – Dallas Cowboys), or Justin Herbert (QB – Los Angeles Chargers). The latter two play for what could be very good offenses this year. Fields, meanwhile, is a cheat code with his rushing upside. If you don’t want or need a quarterback here, go get you Tyler Warren (TE – Indianapolis Colts) if he’s still there. He could be the top receiving option for the Colts. Tucker Kraft (TE – Green Bay Packers) is another intriguing option. A very talented pass catcher, although mired in an offense with a lot of weapons. If you’d rather go in a different direction, this is where I would snag Jordan Mason (RB – Minnesota Vikings), if still available. His ADP is in the 100 range, but rising. He could be a sleeper who gets the bulk of the work in the Vikings backfield by season’s end, but the goal line work at the very least.
Late Round 9: As we’re getting to the end of Round 9, we’re in the 100s now. Quarterbacks in this range who I find intriguing at this ADP include Caleb Williams (QB – Chicago Bears), Jordan Love (QB – Green Bay Packers), C.J. Stroud (QB – Houston Texans), and Drake Maye (QB – New England Patriots). Any one of them could have QB1 upside and all have the potential for big weeks at the very least. Some other players to consider in this range include Khalil Shakir (WR – Buffalo Bills) and Jauan Jennings (WR – San Francisco 49ers), two contributors to potent offenses.
Round 10
Early Round 10: In Round 10, you should have a quarterback and tight end by now, otherwise it makes sense to wait even longer as you venture into streaming territory anyway. Guys I like in this range include some potential top options on their respective teams. Keon Coleman (WR – Buffalo Bills) is hoping for a second year breakout and possesses great size and contested catch ability. Michael Pittman (WR – Indianapolis Colts) is still the team’s top receiver even though there are more mouths to feed.
Late Round 10: At this point in the draft, I start to look at who’s still available from the Jaguars backfield and take the best value. It’s anyone’s guess right now on who leads that backfield. Darnell Mooney (WR – Atlanta Falcons) could have a sneaky good year as nobody else is catching footballs opposite London and Kyle Pitts. Jayden Reed (WR – Green Bay Packers) and Josh Downs (WR – Indianapolis Colts) are decent slot options who could have spike weeks.
Round 11
Early Round 11: There are a few tight ends in this range who could offer tremendous upside. Dalton Kincaid (TE – Buffalo Bills) and Jake Ferguson (TE – Dallas Cowboys), both former TE1s, are looking for bounce back seasons and I think they’re headed for it. If you’ve already got the tight end locked up, there are some intriguing sleepers in this range. Rookies Jaydon Blue (RB – Dallas Cowboys) and Jayden Higgins (WR – Houston Texans) offer appealing upside.Â
Late Round 11: I would continue to mine the rookie fields at the end of Round 11. Tre Harris (WR – Los Angeles Chargers), Luther Burden (WR – Chicago Bears), and Bhayshul Tuten (RB – Jacksonville Jaguars) have the potential to be big contributors but need to work their way into meaningful roles first. They’re not bad flyers in this range.
Round 12
Early Round 12: If you’re looking for a backup quarterback, J.J. McCarthy (QB – Minnesota Vikings) is an attractive option here. If you need a tight end, remember Kyle Pitts (TE – Atlanta Falcons)? Yeah, just hearing his name brings up PTSD for some fantasy owners. But you’re not drafting him to be a Top 5 tight end anymore. He’s your backup with high upside. Some committee running backs worth taking a shot on include Tank Bigsby (RB – Jacksonville Jaguars), Trey Benson (RB – Arizona Cardinals), Ray Davis (RB – Buffalo Bills), and Braelon Allen (RB – New York Jets).
Late Round 12: As we near the end of Round 12, and moving forward, I’m not liking a lot of the options at their ADP — and I’m certainly not taking a kicker or defense until the final two rounds of the draft. So, I’m reaching for those high-upside sleepers. First, look to target any of the rookies previously mentioned. Sometimes they slide in drafts because they’re unknown by the general draft populace. But some other players with ADPs beyond this range include Dylan Sampson (RB – Cleveland Browns) — who could have a significant role in light of Quinshon Judkins (RB – Cleveland Browns)’s legal troubles — or you could take a flyer on Judkins himself. Although it’s probably a little early to reach on a guy who might not play for a long time, if at all, this year.
Round 13
Early Round 13: Due to the injury to Joe Mixon and the struggles of the aging Nick Chubb to return healthy from a serious injury, Woody Marks (RB – Houston Texans) has a rising ADP and is worth a late-round flyer. If he hasn’t been taken yet, Isaiah Likely (TE – Baltimore Ravens) is a good sleeper pick. His ADP has been skyrocketing this offseason due to past performance and head coach John Harbaugh’s glowing reviews. However, he fractured his foot and still has to contend with Mark Andrews, so that ADP should be leveling itself off. DeMario Douglas (WR – New England Patriots) has a ridiculously low ADP right now and would make a great value pick here. He’ll be the starting slot guy in New England and offer a safety blanket to developing quarterback Drake Maye.
Late Round 13: If you’re looking for a backup quarterback or tight end — unnecessary in a standard redraft league, but maybe you like options — Trevor Lawrence (QB – Jacksonville Jaguars), Tua Tagovailoa (QB – Miami Dolphins), and Anthony Richardson (QB – Indianapolis Colts) are QB2s with QB1 upside. Meanwhile, Brenton Strange (TE – Jacksonville Jaguars) and Elijah Arroyo (TE – Seattle Seahawks) pack some serious sleeper value.
To infinity and beyond…
Depending on your league size, and whether it has rules that you must draft a kicker and defense, we’re entering the final rounds of most standard drafts where it’s a good time to take those positions. (Side note: if you’re not required to draft those positions, don’t. Take a shot on more sleepers and then pick up a kicker and defense off the waiver wire before the season starts.)
Therefore, for the rest of this draft guide, I’m just going to list sleepers you need to target until you fill out your roster. ADP doesn’t matter at this point; just get your favorites.
Dont’e Thornton (WR – Las Vegas Raiders): Thornton is one of my favorite sleeper picks due to his incredible height-weight-speed measurables.
Kyle Williams (WR – New England Patriots): Williams’ deep-threat ability and connection with his quarterback make him an intriguing rookie to watch.
Josh Palmer (WR – Buffalo Bills): Palmer’s reliable hands and experience could make him a valuable target in a Bills’ offense that needs new weapons.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB – Washington Commanders): Croskey-Merritt’s opportunity to compete for a role in a backfield with an unclear leader makes him an interesting deep sleeper.
Isaac TeSlaa (WR – Detroit Lions): TeSlaa’s strong hands and impressive college production could earn him a role in a high-powered Lions’ offense. The team traded up to land him earlier than most predicted he’d go in the draft.
Kendre Miller (RB – New Orleans Saints): Playing behind an aging veteran, Miller’s power and vision make him a valuable handcuff and a potential goal-line back.
Shedeur Sanders (QB – Cleveland Browns): Sanders’ accuracy and athleticism make him an interesting developmental quarterback with the potential to be a fantasy asset down the line. He looked good in his first preseason action.
Kyle Monangai (RB – Chicago Bears): Monangai’s powerful running style could earn him a short-yardage role in a new-look Bears’ offense. Ben Johnson will utilize multiple backs like he did in Detroit. The question is whether it’ll be Monangai or Roschon Johnson.
Tory Horton (WR – Seattle Seahawks): Horton’s speed and playmaking ability could make him an explosive deep threat in a retooling Seahawks’ offense.
Terrance Ferguson (TE – Los Angeles Rams): Ferguson’s high draft capital as a second-round pick suggests the Rams have big plans for him in their potent offense. He could become a valuable fantasy option.
Theo Johnson (TE – New York Giants): Johnson showed flashes of potential in his rookie season and is now entering a year with a more stable quarterback situation, which could lead to a significant increase in targets and a more consistent fantasy role.
