NFL training camps have already begun for some teams, and just like for the players on the field, the key to any successful season is preparation.
The same can be said for fantasy football. Whether you have the first overall pick or the last of the first round, having a sense of who will be available in each round is key.
I will be doing mock drafts throughout the summer, offering scenarios and feedback for each position, starting with the No. 1 pick. The point of these mocks is to prepare for the unexpected.
The mock drafts will assume that 12 teams are in the league with the following roster construction: quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, tight end, a flex (running back, wide receiver or tight end), defense, kicker and seven bench spots. It is a 16-round snake draft in a half-point-per-reception (half-PPR) league. We will mix in 10- and 16-team drafts at some point as well as a Superflex draft.
If you read my draft guide, you know I am not a fan of drafting kickers and defense if it’s not necessary. I would rather add a few running backs who could end up being a starter in case of an injury. However, for the sake of this exercise, I will round out each draft by doing so. Remember, do not draft either before your final two picks!
Most important of all, be creative with your mock drafts. Do not take the same players in every mock. Your favorite sleeper is probably someone else’s, too.
The draft is just the start of the season. If you are drafting early, work the waiver wire to your advantage if any major injuries arise. If you are a fantasy nerd like me, make sure to turn on notifications from your favorite NFL insider for breaking news around the league. But the draft is where you build the foundation of your roster, and the goal is to have as deep a roster as possible.
Here is my fourth mock draft of the 2025 season with more fantasy analysis to come.
(See also: No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, No. 3 pick)
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 4: Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 2, Pick 9: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Round 3, Pick 4: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Round 4, Pick 9: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Round 5, Pick 4: D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
Round 6, Pick 9: Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
Round 7, Pick 4: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
Round 8, Pick 9: Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Round 9, Pick 4: Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Round 10, Pick 9: Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets
Round 11, Pick 4: Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills
Round 12, Pick 9: Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Round 13, Pick 4: Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Denver Broncos
Round 14, Pick 9: Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
Round 15, Pick 4: New York Jets D/ST
Round 16, Pick 9: Evan McPherson, K, Cincinnati Bengals
Observations:
It was an easy decision to go with Saquon Barkley with the fourth pick. I like how my teams look with a running back with one of the top several picks. The Eagles superstar back does come with some concern after more than 450 touches last season but runs behind an elite offensive line. The historical data says you should avoid Barkley, but he is too good to pass up. Take him with confidence.
The fourth pick might be my favorite spot in the draft, regardless of format. In dynasty leagues, you are guaranteed one of the top four quarterbacks. In redraft leagues, you can get Barkley or one of the elite wide receivers and still land another high-quality running back in the second round. Jonathan Taylor is one of the few backs who gets more than 20 touches a game when healthy. His injury history is a concern, but this combination of backs gives me an advantage each week.
I chuckled after the draft because it was not my intention to draft nearly the entire 2021 Ohio State wide receiver group. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Chris Olave are not only the top receivers on their respective teams, but each has little competition for targets. They all can finish as a WR1 this season with middle-round draft capital.
D’Andre Swift is one of my favorite mid-round targets. Swift should play a role similar to Jahmyr Gibbs in Ben Johnson’s offense. Javonte Williams enters the season as the lead back for the Cowboys another year removed from a knee injury. Jerome Ford was being disrespected in the fantasy community, but his value rises with Quinshon Judkins’ off-field issues. Ray Davis is one of the elite handcuffs and could eat into James Cook’s workload more this year. I was able to draft all these running backs in addition to the two elite backs in the first two rounds.
Tight end and quarterback continue to baffle me as I draft throughout the summer. Once the elite options are off the board, everyone is waiting at both positions to the point that some players are dropping too far. I have not targeted T.J. Hockenson often in drafts, but I have him ranked at 56 and drafted him at 76. Justin Fields in the 10th round is a steal considering the numbers he has posted as a starting quarterback. Fields was QB7 in the six starts he made for the Steelers last season, and his legs make him one of my favorite late-round passers. Landing Jordan Love with one of my last picks shows just how deep the position is. I would feel confident about having Love as my starter and was able to take him in the 14th round. Pounce on your tight ends but wait for the quarterback.
This team has depth at running back because I was able to continue punting at quarterback. I could have passed on Fields and drafted another back like Austin Ekeler, Jaylen Wright or Trey Benson with that pick and still drafted Love. If I had taken Josh Allen in the third round, I would have passed on JSN. I will take the combo of Fields and JSN over Allen and Ekeler.
Four mocks into the new year and there are a couple trends I am noticing. I want a running back in the first round. I also want to stockpile backs and receivers while taking quarterback extra late. This is going to be my strategy for most drafts this summer.
What do you think of this roster? Let’s discuss on Twitter @JoeSerp.
You can do your own mock draft in seconds by clicking here.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox