Perfect 12-team, Pick 9 2025 fantasy football draft strategy, round by round

Nico Collins' impressive receiving abilities may encourage punters to bet on his consistent performance, potentially increasing his value in player prop bets.

Nico Collins is among the league’s top wide receivers: Collins has posted a 93.2 receiving grade over the last two seasons combined, which ranks first among all wide receivers.

George Kittle is a top priority in the third round: There is a massive dropoff between the top three tight ends and everyone else at the position, making Kittle a hot commodity at this point in the draft.

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This perfect draft strategy for 12-team, single-quarterback, redraft, PPR fantasy football leagues uses a consensus of current average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo! to deliver a round-by-round guide for managers picking ninth overall.

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Last updated: Friday, August 15

Round 1, Pick 9: Draft a wide receiver Anyone picking from the middle of the first round to the end is either picking their top available wide receiver or a running back like Christian McCaffrey, Ashton Jeanty or Derrick Henry.

There are six wide receivers ranked third to eighth, where seemingly no two analysts have the receivers in the same order. All of them could end up as the top overall wide receiver if everything goes well, but all of them are going through some changes with some combination of new play callers, new quarterbacks and new competition for targets. The risk for them is still lower than the risk for the running backs, so it’s best to go with the top available wide receiver.

Top Target: Nico Collins

Collins was a third-round pick who broke out in 2023. He’s posted back-to-back seasons with PFF receiving grades in the 90s. Last season, he averaged 19 fantasy points per game when removing the games he was either injured, returning from injury, or Week 18 when the Texans had already secured their playoff spot. This would have been good for third-best among wide receivers. If anything, he will have less competition for targets this season without Tank Dell or Stefon Diggs.

The major problem for Collins has been injuries, as he’s missed at least two and an average of four games per season.

Possible Targets: Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Drake London, A.J. Brown, Tee Higgins

Round 2, Pick 16: Draft a wide receiver It’s too early to draft a quarterback at this pick. The first and second tier of running backs are typically gone, so it’s unlikely there is a value at that position. That means the decision is between a top wide receiver and Brock Bowers, if he’s still available.

The gap between Bowers and George Kittle is relatively small compared to the gap between Drake London and the wide receivers available in the third round, making London the better pick.

Top Target: Drake London

Drake London was the eighth overall pick in the 2022 draft but failed to be a regular fantasy football starter in his first two years due to limited quarterback play, Arthur Smith’s run-first offense, and a rotation at wide receiver. In 2024, the Falcons were still a run-first team thanks to Bijan Robinson, but he was on the field more often, the quarterback play was much better, and he played in the slot more often.

London was playing like a top-three fantasy wide receiver in three games with Michael Penix Jr. last season, but Penix was also throwing to London at an unsustainable rate. Penix’s quality of play will determine if London can finish among the top 10 fantasy wide receivers.

Possible Targets: A.J. Brown, Tee Higgins, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Marvin Harrison Jr.

Round 3, Pick 33: Draft a tight end It is generally helpful to select a tight end early or a quarterback early. This allows you only to pick one player at those positions and place them in your lineup each week.

That gives you more roster flexibility to add additional high upside options at running back and wide receiver, increasing your odds of selecting this year’s breakout star. We can be more confident in the late-round quarterbacks this season relative to the tight ends, and it can also be easier to select which quarterback to start each week based on matchups.

While a tight end could have been an option in Round 2, the gap between those tight ends and Kittle is small, so it made sense to wait for Kittle here.

Top Target: George Kittle

George Kittle has arguably been the best tight end in the NFL during his career. His run blocking has been the best, and his numbers are better than Travis Kelce on a per-play basis. However, the 49ers' run-first philosophy mixed with Kittle’s injury history has left Kittle running fewer routes than other elite tight ends.

He’s made up for it in recent seasons with Brock Purdy, whose ability to find Kittle down the field led to more big plays from Kittle than any other tight end in recent seasons. This makes him a clear top-three fantasy tight end, but his age, mixed with a chance his average depth of target decreasing, makes him the clear third option between him, Brock Bowers and Trey McBride.

Possible Targets: T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft, Dalton Kincaid

Round 4, Pick 40: Draft a running back This team avoided running back in the first three rounds, so it will make sense to pick two running backs in the next three rounds to make up for it. It will be harder to find two running backs to like later, so it makes sense to pick the first one in this round.

Top Target: Kenneth Walker III

Kenneth Walker III has graded among the best running backs in the league, including a 91.3 rushing grade last season. His 0.42 avoided tackles per attempt last season were the most in PFF’s 19 years of statistics for all running backs with at least 50 carries.

The next most with any player with at least 150 carries in a season was 0.31, which is a tie that includes 2014 Marshawn Lynch and 2020 Nick Chubb. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will have an offense that plays to Walker’s strengths with his zone scheme and will prioritize getting him the football more than last season.

However, he’s missed 10 games over the previous three seasons due to injury, and his play was negatively affected in several more while playing through injury. If he can stay healthy, he will have his best fantasy season yet, but staying healthy is a big if.

Possible Targets: Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, Alvin Kamara, D'Andre Swift, James Conner

Round 5, Pick 57: Draft a wide receiver This has become the Travis Hunter round. In the first week of the preseason, he played all but one snap with the starters and took half of his snaps from the slot, which has led to excellent fantasy value in Liam Coen’s offenses.

Chris Godwin and Cooper Kupp were both among the top wide receivers in fantasy points per game when lined up out of the slot. This has been an excellent range for wide receivers all summer, as the top-20 running backs are gone, and now there are only backs who are part of committees or fighting for a job. Even if Hunter is no longer available, wide receiver is the right pick.

Top Target: Travis Hunter

The sky is the limit for Hunter, a truly unique athlete. He is arguably the best wide receiver and best cornerback in the 2025 draft class. That uniqueness makes it difficult to project how much he can help a fantasy manager at the wide receiver position.

Fantasy-relevant wide receivers are consistently playing a minimum of 75% of offensive snaps, and there is a chance Hunter falls below that threshold. His role on offense could be restricted in a way that makes Hunter unstartable, but Hunter could also become the top wide receiver in the NFL and fantasy. He is arguably the most risky player to pick in fantasy drafts, offering both significant risk and reward.

Possible Targets: Jameson Williams, Tetairoa McMillan, DeVonta Smith, Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle

Round 6, Pick 64: Draft a running back Part of the reason we could pick three wide receivers in the first five rounds is that RJ Harvey is typically falling to the middle of the sixth round. Harvey took all but one snap with the starters on first and second downs in their first preseason game.

While his usage in the regular season is unlikely to be as good, his quality of play, mixed with playing half the snaps, and his likely high receptions total make him a worthy option for your weekly fantasy lineup.

Top Target: RJ Harvey

Harvey was arguably the biggest winner in the draft at running back because he landed on a team where his skill set could lead to fantasy stardom. Denver Broncos running backs have caught 214 passes over the past two years, which is more than any other team, and Harvey is projected to be the Broncos' primary receiving back.

A top-ten season is within the realm of possibility if he dominates the passing down role and also averages at least eight carries per game. However, the Broncos' backfield could remain volatile despite the addition of Harvey.

Possible Targets: D'Andre Swift, Aaron Jones Sr., Jordan Mason, TreVeyon Henderson, Jaylen Warren

Round 7, Pick 81: Draft a wide receiver The next several picks are about adding depth at running back and wide receiver. The top eight quarterbacks by ADP are long gone, and the only quarterback with an ADP in the seventh or eighth round worth considering is Brock Purdy.

This is too early for him to be a value, and he is unlikely to be available in the eighth round. The wait at the position will continue for a few more rounds, while you can pick the best available player.

While wide receiver is listed here, if your draft has gone particularly running back or wide receiver heavy early, it’s fine to pivot to whoever is the best value relative to their tier.

Top Target: Stefon Diggs

Stefon Diggs has a decade of experience in the NFL, and most of that time has been spent as a top-20 fantasy wide receiver. He is the New England Patriots’ new top receiver, although he missed half of last season after suffering an ACL tear, which could cost him the start of the 2025 campaign.

Even when Diggs is ready to play again, he might not be the same player. He will turn 32 years old before the end of the season, an age at which wide receivers tend to decline, even ignoring the injury.

Diggs should be able to gain some chemistry with Drake Maye, who has been very accurate on shorter passes, which pairs well with Diggs' low average depth of target in recent seasons. Diggs has top-20 fantasy potential, but he could also be a non-factor due to the injury.

Possible Targets: Deebo Samuel, Jakobi Meyers, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jordan Addison

Round 8, Pick 88: Draft a running back After focusing on wide receivers early as well as last round, it would be good to start stockpiling running backs who have a solid chance at leading their team in carries. There should be a few running backs that fit that description on the board in both this round and the next.

Top Target: Jordan Mason

Jordan Mason quickly went from undrafted rookie to the top backup running back for the 49ers, despite the team consistently spending mid-to-late round draft picks on running backs. An injury to Christian McCaffrey allowed Mason to be a starter to begin the 2024 season, and he was sixth in fantasy points per game over five weeks before he started dealing with injuries.

Mason was traded to the Minnesota Vikings, where Aaron Jones Sr. is the main running back. The two will likely be in a committee that includes Mason receiving significant work in rushing situations, while Jones gets more in passing situations.

Jones is over 30 years old and has dealt with multiple injuries over the last two seasons. While Mason might not score enough weekly to start in fantasy in normal situations, if Jones is dealing with an injury or is showing more signs of age, we could see Jones as a weekly player to start.

Possible Targets: Jaylen Warren, Rhamondre Stevenson, Javonte Williams, Cam Skattebo, Tank Bigsby

Round 9, Pick 105: Draft a running back The strength in the ninth round is at running back, as this is the last time to add a running back with a decent chance of leading their team in carries.

A lot of the running backs selected so far have been high-risk, high-reward options, so it makes sense to have multiple backups in case one of the players doesn’t end up working out.

Top Target: Rhamondre Stevenson

Rhamondre Stevenson has spent the last four seasons with the Patriots and has been an every-down lead back with a capable veteran backup most of the time. His quality of play is very dependent on the offensive line, and the line had the worst team run-blocking grade last season.

He reunites with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was his offensive coordinator in his first season. In 17 of McDaniels' 18 seasons, the running back who leads his team in rushing attempts is not the same one who leads his backfield in third-down snaps.

The Patriots spent the 38th overall pick on TreVeyon Henderson, who was arguably the best receiving back in this draft class. That means Stevenson will likely lose most of his passing-down work. He should still receive double-digit carries most weeks, and the Patriots made multiple changes to the offensive line, which should help his production.

Possible Targets: Tank Bigsby, Dylan Sampson, Jaydon Blue, Jerome Ford, Braelon Allen

Round 10, Pick 112: Draft a wide receiver This team has focused a lot on running back with recent picks, so it makes sense to turn back towards wide receiver.

All of the clear top wide receivers on teams are gone, but there are plenty of wide receivers who are expected to receive a lot of targets this season. These players might not turn into weekly fantasy starters, but they can plug into your fantasy starting lineup if the matchup is right, or if bye weeks or injuries strike your starters.

Top Target: Darnell Mooney

Darnell Mooney had a strong start to his career with the Chicago Bears for a fifth-round pick, but then Chicago moved him to the slot, which didn’t end up working out. The Atlanta Falcons signed him in free agency prior to the 2024 season, moving him back to the outside, which caused him to be a frustrating WR3 option for fantasy teams.

He had seven games with 80 or more receiving yards, and his career-high five touchdowns occurred during those seven games. However, he was held to three receptions for less than 40 yards in six of his games.

Michael Penix Jr. has taken over as the Falcons' starting quarterback, and his quality of play will determine Mooney’s fantasy value. In a small sample, Penix has thrown deep at a high rate with high deep accuracy, which could lead to a huge season by Mooney, but if Penix regresses, then Mooney will be a fantasy backup.

Possible Targets: Josh Downs, Marvin Mims Jr., Michael Pittman Jr., Christian Kirk, DeMario Douglas

Round 11, Pick 129: Draft a quarterback The wait to pick a quarterback ends here. Typically, 15 quarterbacks are off the board, which is fine because there are multiple players available who have the upside to be top-10 players.

The gap between QB6 and QB22 in terms of projected fantasy value is relatively small compared to past seasons, indicating the depth at the quarterback position and the coaches who have been able to elevate quarterbacks in their offenses.

The 11th-13th rounds are typically a time for a lot of teams that waited for quarterbacks to pick their starter, so now is the time to pick the first of two players.

Top Target: J.J. McCarthy

J.J. McCarthy, after being selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is poised to be their starting quarterback for the 2025 season following a missed rookie year due to injury.

Despite the risks associated with first-year starting quarterbacks with limited rushing upside, McCarthy benefits from an excellent offensive system led by Kevin O’Connell.

The Vikings' quarterbacks have been consistent top-10 fantasy options in recent seasons, even when Kirk Cousins was injured. The Vikings also have a strong supporting cast featuring Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, all of whom put McCarthy in a prime position for fantasy success and make him a must-start in superflex leagues and a valuable backup in single-quarterback leagues.

Possible Targets: Trevor Lawrence, Michael Penix Jr., Drake Maye, Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa

Round 12, Pick 136: Draft a wide receiver After picking several high-risk running backs, it’s better to add another running back than another wide receiver at this point, as your wide receivers should be safer in comparison.

Top Target: Dylan Sampson

Sampson was well-rounded, regardless of the situation against SEC opponents. Our draft guide notes several positive aspects, including his balance, footwork, vision and explosiveness.

The big downside of Sampson is his size. At the combine, he measured 5-foot-8 and weighed 200 pounds. Dion Lewis is the only running back with over 2,000 snaps at that size in the past decade.

His cleanest path to playing time with the Cleveland Browns could be as a receiver. He had the highest receiving grade of the Browns running backs and highest yards per route run, albeit both were in college compared to numbers in the pros.

The biggest concern for all of the Browns' running backs is the offensive line.

Possible Targets: Jerome Ford, Braelon Allen, Bhayshul Tuten, Roschon Johnson, Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Round 13, Pick 153: Draft a quarterback The wait for a second quarterback ends here. This range has a wide range of options, from veterans who have finished as top-10 quarterbacks in the past, to up-and-coming quarterbacks and Trevor Lawrence, who should follow in Baker Mayfield’s career path thanks to Liam Coen and the Travis Hunter addition.

Top Target: Trevor Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence has been a somewhat inconsistent fantasy quarterback for the Jaguars over his four seasons, experiencing a peak in 2022 with 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns, but his value has fluctuated due to varying play quality and injuries.

While he boasts a high big-time throw rate, averaging 1.8 per game over the last two seasons, he also struggles with a high turnover-worthy throw rate.

Entering the 2025 season under new head coach Liam Coen, there's optimism for improvement, drawing comparisons to Baker Mayfield’s success in Coen's system, which could potentially boost Lawrence's fantasy output.

Brian Thomas Jr.’s emergence, as well as the Travis Hunter addition, adds to the reason for optimism.

Lawrence is a high-upside second option in both single quarterback and superflex leagues.

Possible Targets: Michael Penix Jr., Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Matthew Stafford

Round 14–18: Fill Depth

Use any additional picks to draft a kicker and team defense if required; otherwise, stock up on running backs and wide receivers.

This perfect draft strategy for 12-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR leagues specifically is built on a consensus of average draft positions (ADPs). It’s your round-by-round blueprint for building a championship roster.

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