I’m sharing with you my selection for each round in Yahoo fantasy football for the current season. I’m constructing a complete team during this process, so you will have a diverse set of picks rather than just one position being covered. I am referencing Yahoo ADP data from the past week (ending August 18) to get the most current draft rankings for these players. It’s been a challenge for me, but should be helpful for you.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
We’ll consider selections for all 13 rounds.
Round 1 – Bijan Robinson (2nd overall ADP)
To draft Bijan Robinson, you’ll need to be in the top two picks, but considering that this is about my favored pick in each round, I’m thrilled to be able to secure the star player. Robinson has been a highly productive player to this point in his career, and this season could mark the culmination of his potential. The Falcons were way ahead in zone rushing rate (71%), according to Fantasy Points Data, but were at the top in success rate on gap runs. Since gap runs often result in more impactful plays, the lack of substantial gains has been a point of discussion surrounding Robinson.
Since new offensive coordinators frequently add more creative elements in their second season, it’s possible that Zac Robinson will diversify the run game in 2025. Bijan should also be Michael Penix Jr.’s primary checkdown target. Penix Jr. is good at reading defenses and knows when to check down, making him likely to connect on these passes instead of attempting to scramble.
Round 2 – Drake London (17th overall ADP)
I have Drake London at 10th overall this year and he goes at pick 17, which is an improvement from his 20th overall ADP for the majority of the summer. I’m puzzled as to why London isn’t ranked universally within the first two rounds. In Penix’s three starts, London had a 38.9% target share that was extremely high and, while it won’t remain exactly that high into 2025, he has been Penix’s main target during training camp.
London has the potential to exceed 30% because he is a legitimate No. 1 receiver who can make plays at all three levels of the field and from various positions. Given that Darnell Mooney is out for an unknown duration, London is poised to keep dominating the targets; it is even possible that he will lead the league in this category this year. His skill is comparable to players like Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., who are selected ahead of him in Yahoo ADP, and he is paired with a quarterback who has the skills to unlock his potential on deep out routes.
This is going to be a big year for the Falcons’ two best offensive players, on a team that will need to maximize their offense to compensate for a defense that gives up a lot of points.
Round 3 – Jayden Daniels (29th overall ADP)
The third round can be difficult in fantasy drafts this year. The wide receiver options are uncertain, with projections similar to those in the following rounds, and while Kyren Williams and Omarion Hampton aren’t clear selections at ADP, they are the running backs I prefer within this range. As a result, I find myself selecting one of the top quarterbacks in this spot. Jayden Daniels is the final quarterback in that tier, so he’s usually my selection.
Daniels is a remarkable runner and the main factor behind the broad expectation that Washington’s offense will be as strong as it was in 2024. This is confirmed by the fact that, regardless of Daniels’ significant ADP, just one other Commanders’ player — WR1 Terry McLaurin — is selected in the top-90.
Round 4 – Kenneth Walker III (40th overall ADP)
The Seahawks have communicated clearly, from their dismissal of Ryan Grubb to a notable 48-carry, 268-yard rushing performance in Week 2 of the preseason, their aim is to control the game on the ground, combining their run and pass strategies effectively. This strategy is a key component of the Shanahan offense, which Klint Kubiak will use this season.
Kenneth Walker III is a great match as an impactful outside zone runner. Assuming he stays healthy, he will rank as one of the top 12 players at his position. He should also see an increase in checkdown opportunities, following a season that saw a career-high in receiving. Indeed, Walker has had injury issues in the past, so Zach Charbonnet is among my favorite late-round running back picks. Nevertheless, be realistic regarding the players you’re evaluating in Round 4; they all come with a level of uncertainty. As a result, it is important to aim high and select a player who, when healthy, will definitely be a top scorer behind a better offensive line.
Round 5 – George Pickens (56th overall ADP)
I won’t repeat myself too much here about George Pickens, as I previously noted him as “the one player I won’t leave a draft without” in my Draft Day Blueprint piece earlier this month. Pickens progressed considerably as a player last year according to Reception Perception, was a top-12 receiver in yards per route run when facing man coverage, and now plays in the most favorable offensive environment of his career. This is a summary.
It’s worth noting that we have seen Pickens move into a more reasonable ADP range, after it had been apparent for some months that he was the most underrated player in fantasy. However, I still rank him higher than his current ADP of 56th overall and think his potential ceiling is equal to that of certain wide receivers who are drafted a round or two earlier.
Round 6 – TreVeyon Henderson (61st overall ADP)
If you’re able to get TreVeyon Henderson as your RB3, you should go for it. Henderson is an explosive runner experienced in executing outside gap runs, which should be a key element of Josh McDaniels’ offense. He is also a receiving threat, which is valuable for a team needing some spark in their passing game. We want backs with big-play potential and receiving ability when playing fantasy, and Henderson fits both.
To be clear, I’m not sure how much longer we can even get Henderson in this range. After a great showing in the preseason, his ADP is rising quickly. If he goes higher than the sixth round, Jaylen Waddle (62nd overall ADP) is my top alternate choice, as he has the potential to lead Miami in receiving given Tyreek Hill’s current situation. You can also pick any of the wide receivers I mention in the next section ahead of their ADP.
Round 7 – Travis Hunter (77th overall ADP)
To be honest, there are many wide receiver selections that I like in the late sixth to seventh round in the current ADP range (picks 69 to 82). This is a very valuable section of the draft, as I pointed out in my wide receiver preview, where you can see the depth of the group. Players such as Tetarioa McMillan, Calvin Ridley, Chris Olave, and Rome Odunze are in this range, and I’m definitely planning to draft them. But, the most exciting player to draft in this range is Travis Hunter. I was very optimistic about his wide receiver potential pre-draft, seeing him as an exceptional football player with similar upside to Odell Beckham Jr. Hunter’s placement in Liam Coen’s offense is a perfect fit, which has been evident during the preseason.
Hunter will be targeted frequently from the slot and when in motion. He is a good fit for screens and cross routes that were a primary component of this offense in 2024. It’s been known for months that Hunter will be primarily a receiver with occasional defensive plays in Jacksonville, and will be almost a full-time offensive player on passing downs. He has a high floor because of his usage and a lot of potential if the offense performs well under Coen in Year 1.
Round 8 – Tucker Kraft (92nd overall ADP)
We want tight ends who are on the field often, in strong offensive situations that provide opportunities for touchdowns, and (ideally) have the potential to be one of the top two targets on their team, if we are discussing potential breakout tight ends. Tucker Kraft meets each of these criteria. In 2024, just four tight ends ran a route on over 80% of their team’s dropbacks: Trey McBride (87.1%), Brock Bowers (84.5%), Travis Kelce (83.9%), and Tucker Kraft (83.5%).
The Packers are expected to have a strong offense again this season, and Kraft is a proven touchdown threat with a 10% touchdown rate. He was third among tight ends with 50 or more targets. While we’re all interested in the Packers’ wide receivers and trying to predict their rotation, it’s also possible that Kraft’s improvement in his third year will secure him one of the top two or three spots for targets.
Round 9 – Ricky Pearsall (98th overall ADP)
Ricky Pearsall is one of my favorite breakout picks at wide receiver this season, if not my absolute favorite. While it was understandable that he started his rookie season slowly after recovering from a gunshot wound, he excelled against man coverage in the final month of his rookie season.
This is nothing new. As a prospect, he had an 87th percentile success rate versus man coverage in Reception Perception. He’s going to have a unique role in the 49ers’ wide receiver room as a Z and slot receiver who can run vertical routes and master whip, option, and return routes. The 49ers have not had this type of player previously, and it’s important that they have him now as they shift to more of a dropback offense. The fantasy community hasn’t fully realized how much potential this player has, and he’s going to be playing with an efficient passer and play-caller known for generating production.
Round 10 – Matthew Golden (113th overall ADP)
The fantasy industry is overemphasizing how run-heavy and unpredictable the Green Bay Packers’ receiver room was last year.
This has created significant value for their passing-game players later in the draft. The Packers are widely expected to be a top 10-12 offense this year, yet Josh Jacobs is the only offensive player being drafted in the top 90 overall picks. This industry-wide skepticism even extends to Matthew Golden, a Round 1 rookie. While Golden isn’t as strong a prospect as some of the rookies who excelled in the NFL last year, he’s still a solid player. He was third among all the prospects I charted last year in success rate against zone coverage, behind only Emeka Egbuka (another great wide receiver pick after the top 90) and Travis Hunter. Golden excels at the deep in-breaking routes that Jordan Love prefers, making significant gains downfield. He really shouldn’t be going this late.
Round 11 – Bhayshul Tuten (126th overall ADP)
You should probably just be targeting Jaguars running backs. The backfield is uncertain and will be coached by a play-calling head coach who previously developed one of the league’s best rushing games. We shouldn’t expect to replicate those results directly with the Jaguars. Nonetheless, we should anticipate the Jaguars’ overall offense to improve, with the run game also receiving a boost. While Bhayshul Tuten is running as the RB3 in preseason, he has plenty of time to move up the depth chart once the season begins. He’s the Jaguars’ best perimeter runner for outside zone plays and provides big-play capability. Given that he is the last of these backs to be drafted, prioritizing him is easiest.
Round 12 – Rashid Shaheed (130th overall ADP)
I often hesitate to invest in offenses that are likely to finish in the bottom five overall. New Orleans appears to be heading in that direction. However, this group could be an exception because the production should be concentrated among the top three players, and Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed are all being drafted late given their talent. This is particularly true for Shaheed, who is still viewed mainly as a deep threat.
Shaheed is capable of running routes at all three levels of the field and making plays with the ball in his hands. Kellen Moore is known for creating open releases and space for his players with slot work. Shaheed played almost 40% of his snaps inside during preseason Week 2. With his ADP in the deep 100s, he stands out as a player who should easily push for 110 targets.
Round 13 – Theo Johnson (Undrafted ADP)
Theo Johnson is intriguing to me, as he could become the second target for Russell Wilson in New York and is currently undrafted in Yahoo leagues. He is an incredibly athletic player. Johnson, who is 6-foot-6 and weighs 259 pounds, had a 91st percentile 40-yard dash, a 96th percentile vertical jump, and a 93rd percentile broad jump at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Selecting athletes based solely on their physical abilities has been a successful strategy at this position in the past. Johnson also played 84% of the snaps and drew 43 targets as a rookie from Weeks 1-13 prior to being placed on IR.
