Projecting the First Round of 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts | The Top 12 NFL Players to Target

[@fantasypros]

Go beyond the first round as Fitz offers his early projections for the first FIVE rounds of 2025 fantasy football drafts. www.fantasypros.com/2025/01/2025-fantasy-football-mock-draft-fitzs-early-picks-predictions/

[@perczakp]

Great as always gents! Really appreciate the fact you guys had Jake!

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

Agree! Jake is awesome.

[@indiesludge]

You guys are the best! Thanks for all you do!

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

Appreciate you, Indie!

[@indiesludge]

@ Thanks Fitzy!

[@billierenfro705]

I like Bijan over Barkley. The insane usage for Barkley, who already has a ton of mileage means he is a prime candidate for regression.

[@stizzle8174]

You sound like content creators lol any rb that hit 2000 regressed the next year that’s an obvious stat but that don’t mean they won’t be a top rb,a Peterson and Chris Johnson did it but was still good

[@billierenfro705]

@@stizzle8174oh I agree with that and definitely think Barkley will be a very good RB but it’s just the “decline” could hit at any time, it’s hard to keep going at this insane rate

[@stizzle8174]

@@billierenfro705 your right I just feel Barkley decline will still be worth the 1st rb off the board it’s like if cmc did those numbers everyone will say cmc 1st overall lol

[@thomaswilburn6217]

The season Chase just had was like his rookie year. Point is he can have seasons like this and it wasn't a career year he couldn't repeat. Barkly will not have a season like this year again. Chase is the clear #1

[@Gamerkid14436]

As long as burrows his qb I agree

[@baperrin256]

I had pick 9/12 this year and went with Barkley at that time over Taylor and others. Turned out to be a great pick. I think with the 1 or 2, you have to take Bijan or Chase. I love Saquon, but I do think he is going to be prime for regression after this crazy season.

[@stizzle8174]

I’m drafting Barkley over bijan,even his regression will be a top rb in that offense let ppl sleep on Barkley again,all I heard was he older,won a championship with him

[@jp27whodey31]

Depends on how much playoff pounding he takes for me, but I lean Bijan too

[@wickedauslander]

In my keeper league, I kept Breece Hall over Saquon last year. Needless to say, I regretted that all season. Still had a great season, going 12-2, but lost my first playoff game after playing the team with Conner, Bijan AND Taylor, who were all dominant (especially Taylor) in week 16. I don't think even Saquon would've helped me there. Lol

[@mackzee272]

@@stizzle8174agreed. Even if he regresses a little I don’t see him finishing worse than the rb6. The ceilings too high, I’ll take him as the first rb off the board

[@mackzee272]

Bowers in the first is insanely ballsy imo. He could easily win u a league, but if I can wait an extra couple of rounds to get a guy like McBride or Kittle I would much rather do that instead

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

I hear ya. But consider that Bowers put up crazy numbers playing most of the season at age 21, with bad QBs. Dude is just scratching the surface.

[@jeffbizie]

Will they have other weapons though that will take away from him or will they still run the offense through him?

[@CameronBeever-rm6uj]

Such a competitive early first round is coming!

[@TimMiddlekauff]

Fantasy Pros helped me win my league this year, thanks! I do think that I am hearing too much based on fantasy points per game. I would rather stay with overall points. PPG excuses people for missing games and is one of the biggest misleading stats for smaller sample sizes. I would really appreciate you guys using total points more.

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

Congrats on the title, Tim!

[@mikeseef1]

can you guys start including caveats when addressing tight ends. many leagues i'm in are te premium leagues. thanks.

[@markst3id]

I’ll have Nico at 8 chase brown at 9 and Brock bowers at 12. Hell of a year for keepers for me

[@jeffbizie]

You'll draft chase brown at pick 9 next year?

[@TheAjsears56]

After hating myself for an entire month after sitting Baker and starting Bo Nix week 15, and losing by 7 when I should’ve won and having to watch as that team went on to win a championship by scoring less than my team every single week after it’s good to hear about 2025… May 2024 never be spoken of again

[@victorvegas777]

sounds like you still haven't recovered...lol

[@jp27whodey31]

2024😂😂😂

[@joshtracy4441]

One thing I’ve learned over the years is to not have multiple options at QB. I swear I end up second guessing it every week and picking wrong too often. I’ve been targeting top 5 QBs and using my space for more flex options.

[@davidj2687]

At some point in the discussion, do you say what format? My old league folded in 2020, just joined a new league. I get the impression that 1/2 ppr has become the norm, but is that your default? 3WR seems to be used in best ball and DFS, has it become the norm in redraft? I love your vids, but I wish you'd say what your rankings are based on up front in this kind of episode. During the season, Pat , DBro, etal would mention while discussing individual players so it didn't matter. I suspect that if I keep listening, it will come up with individual players in this discussion, but until then I'm wondering how these rankings will apply to my league. BTW, I don't obsess during the off season, but from the end of the fantasy season until the Super Bowl, it's good to make mental notes & think about how they might apply to the following season.

[@pat2sick]

PPR 2 Wr is the norm

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

The base for us is half-point PPR, David. We'll occasionally mention that certain players are more or less valuable in full PPR or standard. But our references to ECR are generally for half-point PPR. Good question on 3WR vs. 2WR. Feels like it's close to a 50/50 split, or maybe 60/40 in favor of 2WR in home leagues. The number of WRs you have to start is a MAJOR factor in draft strategy, so we'll try to underscore how it affects RB and WR value in our offseason shows. Thanks for weighing in my man.

[@StinkMangioni]

I will take Gelato with the 12 pick

[@Jessegarseeya]

I was able to acquire Jamar Chase for Dak Prescott in a trade, when my season started, I had Jamar , jefferson, and ceedee lamb , and James cook as my big 4 , ended up acquiring Bo nix , and I won my season , had no qb , at the beginning, started the right guys and won.

[@patwalsh1045]

zero rb still the best strategy, bucky irving, chase brown, jordan mason then issac guerendo, kareem hunt, tyrone tracy, david montgomery, james conner, aaron jones, alvin kamara, jk dobbins, chuba hubbard, rico dowdle, tank bigsby, tyjae spears, jerome ford, you could have not taken a rb in your first 5-6 rounds and been totally fine at rb. i hope people start reaching for derrick henry, josh jacobs, saquon barkley joe mixon next year thinking that rb heavy is the way to go just cause they hit in 24. i didnt have any of these guys but i was in on guys like achane, gibbs, bijan breece those are the rbs worth taking in the first 2 rounds

[@matthewboechler0505]

Went zero RB this year and it won me my chip. If you draft stud WR’s, you can always trade some to get a stud rb later in the season if needed.

[@Manchupacabra]

You went zero RB, but were still in on Bijan, Breece, Gibbs, and Achane?

[@wickedauslander]

That strategy worked for me in my keeper league, thanks to Hubbard. Had ARSB, Nabers, BTJ and Nico. Unfortunately, I ran into the team with Conner, Bijan and Taylor at RB in week 16. In that game the stud RBs well outperformed the stud WRs. Lol 12-2 regular season though.

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

The nice thing is that it'll be easier to execute that strategy after a season in which RBs mostly stayed healthy and top WRs lost a lot of games to injury.

[@indyrckstar]

I have #1 overall pick next year (no keeper). Can make argument for Jamarr Chase, Saquon Barkley, and even Derek Henry. Think people are making the same mistake on Henry already with draft projections.

[@kolr2873]

I think Chase is a tier above Saquon and honestly I'd still value CMC in that #1 overall tier with Chase. Something like (in no particular order within their tiers): Chase, CMC > Bijan, Gibbs, Saquon, CD, JJ, Puka, Nico, ARSB, Tyreek > the next tier of guys

[@eltomoloco9958]

I've got pick 5 next year, I'm all in on Gibbs, unless Chase, Barkley or Jefferson are about. Maybe Bijan.

[@darkking9836]

Pick 5 is the perfect time for ceedee

[@Dustin-iv4el]

I would rather have Gibbs than CeeDee. Cowboys suck.

[@darkking9836]

@ doesn’t matter how bad the cowboys are. They could go 3-14 and Ceedee would still have #1 WR upside

[@Dustin-iv4el]

@@darkking9836no it matters how good teams are. Tyreek Hill had an amazing season last year, but his team sucked this year and now he’s not even top 50 overall. I want my 1st rounder on a good team, and the cowboys suck.

[@darkking9836]

@@Dustin-iv4el so by that logic you should also avoid malik nabers who lead the league in targets and BTJ who was the WR4 just because they’re on bad teams? being the dominant target is a good thing

[@youngcustodian]

Crazy I had bijan, achane, BTJ, and bowers and finished 9th this year lmaoooo this game is all luck

[@NikoPLD]

I am going to be pick 8 on a PPR league (8 team league) ... my first thoughts are to grab Puka and then on the 2-nd round maybe Brian Thomas JR or CMC (depending how he is proceeding with his injuries during the preseason).

[@tresnoddy9655]

If you draft cmc you have to get mason or whoever the backup is. Simple

[@Bulldog-qe9is]

Good content👍 redraft > dynasty 😂

[@danmelotti6270]

Don’t forget JT missed four weeks with his ankle sprain

[@Lightbrother9072]

I don't get what Chris means by "people felt the weight of fading runningbacks early" when there were so many late round RBs that exceeded expectations. FantasyPros really is beginning to become slaves to the ADP. Its a given that any mid to late round RB that is the bonafide starter heading into the season is going to be a good pick. It's when people start romanticizing players like Zamir White where "zero RB" or "hero RB" goes wrong.

[@harrygrossman4378]

Bijon over Barkley?

[@yamiwonk8829]

I think the argument is Bijan is entering is prime where Barkley has “mileage”. In my opinion, either is a win. It’s not like the Eagles are dropping off next year… Saquan will still be a beast per usual… but we may see Bijan have his best year and he is really young. It’s a win win if you get a chance to get either RB

[@OrnitorrincoSlayer]

I'm afraid of Saquon's huge workload and injury risk, like cmc 2 years ago

[@MrZeddie15]

Would you guys trade the 1.12 for CMC in dynasty? I have Achane and Bucky already

[@wickedauslander]

I wouldn't. This incoming RB class is pretty great. I'd personally rather try to hit on one of those rookies than deal with CMC. It's likely his injury issues are only going to get worse.

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

Defensible if you're stacked at every other position and trying to add an impact RB for a championship push, but under most circumstances, I wouldn't do it. Just not sure how much CMC has left between age and the accumulation of injuries.

[@therafaelybarra]

My ranks 1st and 2nd round ranks are out on KZbin. I won about $3k this year !

[@KP90647]

I dont think Chase will get fed the ball next year. At least not to the extreme he did this year.

[@jeffbizie]

Really wheres it gonna go if tee higgins leaves?

[@allmight7767]

Do I keep btj and lose a 9th 😂 or mixon and lose a 3rd 😂

[@Dmitch1408]

Barkley and Henry are both major avoids. RB high usage rate like that never works out the next year...CMC, Josh Jacobs, Johnathan Taylor, and the list goes on and on

[@yonatanfarias-chavez9599]

Falcons offense.... except for their TE and Kirk

[@MountainThunder11]

12 Team, .75 PPR, 5 Player Keeper League. Won the Chip. Keepers for next year are.. Jayden Daniels Justin Jefferson Malik Nabers Derrick Henry Brock Bowers And I traded for the 1.01 for Ashton Jeanty... 😎💪🏼

[@MichaelHunter-bq2wo]

I can tell you one thing. I am done with Cooper Kupp. He is getting nowhere near my roster ever again. I had a tremendous year. And that game he got a big fat zero ruined my perfect season. I hung on to him throughout his IR at the beginning of the year. And it was a huge mistake. I dropped Sutton for him. Dumb move

[@JP-in4zq]

way over your skis on puka

[@patfitzmaurice1575]

You don't think he's a first-rounder?

[@jamon5934]

WR at #1…and a RB #2 that will NOT be the top RB 2025…try Bijan and Gibbs…You guys are giving bad advice

[@ReigningMan-x8o]

Saquon has a better chance than Gibbs due to the existence of Montgomery. You can argue regression all you want but Saquon has been phenomenal and we’ve known that he really is phenomenal for a long time.

[@thomasdodson2644]

​@@ReigningMan-x8o We want Gibbs to have Montgomery... Lion's are run heavy and don't want to see Gibbs getting 400+ touches a year... Monty is the perfect complement to Gibbs

[@Nobody-210-Z80]

very boring

[@sethbickel3866]

Fake Giants fan... I remember being 12 and picking my team based on colors... clown..😂

[@wickedauslander]

Is that team still your favorite team?

[@darthtwerk6899]

The worry I have for Bowers is that their other tight end... Michael Mayor... started eating some of his targets the last 3 games or so

[@hudsonhassan84]

🏆🏆🏆🏆🫡🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆