Perfect 10-team, Pick 5 2025 fantasy football draft strategy, round by round

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• Pick the best remaining player: There have been a clear top-five players by ADP, and ideally, Jahmyr Gibbs is the one to fall.
• Brian Thomas Jr. found his rhythm: Over the last seven weeks, Thomas consistently scored fantasy points and had the third-most points among wide receivers during that stretch.
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Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

This perfect draft strategy for 10-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 first overall. To find more information about any player mentioned in this article, click on the player’s name to find their fantasy football player profile.

Last updated: Thursday, July 17

Round 1, Pick 5: Draft a running back

Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs are the clear top five players by ADP, but there is significantly less consensus on who should be the sixth pick. Typically, Gibbs is the player among the five to fall, making him the top option. He ranks third in my rankings, ahead of Jefferson and Barkley, so picking him here would be a steal. If Gibbs is picked earlier and someone else falls, it’s fine to select the other top-five option.

Top Target: Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs was the 12th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and is one of just three running backs selected with a top-20 pick in the last seven drafts. His playing time has been limited the past two seasons as he splits time with David Montgomery. He’s managed to be an elite fantasy option with the most fantasy points per carry over the last two seasons of any running back. When Montgomery was injured late last season, he showed he could be the best running back in fantasy football if given enough opportunity. The Lions have a new offensive coordinator and new running back coach, which could lead to an increase in chances for Gibbs, pushing him closer to the top of the fantasy draft board.

Possible Targets: Ashton Jeanty, Christian McCaffrey, Bucky Irving, De’Von Achane, Derrick Henry

Round 2, Pick 16: Draft a wide receiver

Ten wide receivers have a strong case to finish among the top three at the position, speaking to the strength of the position. Given there are at least four running backs who are selected in the first round, at least one early in the second round and Brock Bowers, who is usually an early second-round pick, there should be at least one, if not more, of the top wide receivers available. It makes sense to pick the best one with this pick.,

Top Target: Brian Thomas Jr.

Brian Thomas Jr. had a strong start to his rookie season and ended it among the league’s best fantasy receivers. In his final seven games, he gained at least 13 PPR points each week and averaged 21.5 points, third behind only Ja’Marr Chase and Puka Nacua. He played at least 84% of his team’s offensive snaps in all but one of those games. The team added Travis Hunter in the draft, and he will see a decent target rate, but typically, two great wide receivers can co-exist as long as there isn’t much more competition for targets. Thomas led all wide receivers in yards per route run out of the slot with 3.12, and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen has found a lot of success with his slot receivers in the past. An increased role in the slot could lead Thomas to remain among the top wide receivers in fantasy football.

Possible Targets: Drake London, A.J. Brown, Ladd McConkey, Tee Higgins, Garrett Wilson

Round 3, Pick 25: Draft a quarterback

The main area where strategy for 10-team leagues compared to 12-team leagues deviates is the third and fourth rounds. It is much easier to find two running backs you’re comfortable starting on a weekly basis in 10-team leagues compared to 12. It is similarly easier to find depth at wide receiver. However, at quarterback and tight end, there is a clear difference between the top few players at the position and the bottom of the top 10. The top quarterbacks are typically the best at running the ball, and that is unlikely to change in a significant way. Similarly, the top tight ends are highly correlated with the most talented receiving tight ends. Because of that, it makes sense to prioritize a top-tier quarterback and tight end early on. The top four quarterbacks will likely be gone by the end of this round, so it makes sense to prioritize the quarterback position first.

Top Target: Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels averaged 23.7 fantasy points per game last season in games he both started and finished, which ranked third-best among all quarterbacks. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were the two quarterbacks ahead of him, but they both set career lows in rushing attempts per game. Those rates typically decline with age. The Commanders gave Daniels significant upgrades with Deebo Samuel Sr. at wide receiver and Laremy Tunsil at left tackle. Those moves could be enough to move Daniels to the top of the quarterback ranks by the end of the season.

Possible Targets: Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Brock Purdy

Round 4, Pick 36: Draft a tight end

As mentioned last round, it makes sense to pick George Kittle here so this team has a strength at both quarterback and tight end.

Top Target: George Kittle

George Kittle has been arguably 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 5, Pick 45: Draft a wide receiver

The options at this point in the draft are a running back or a wide receiver. Anyone picking at the top of the fifth round should pick running back because there is a clear tier drop at running back between now and the end of the sixth round. However, there should still be one or two good options available at Pick 58, which would allow this team to pick the best player available in Rashee Rice.

Top Target: Rashee Rice

Rice slowly but surely worked his way to the top of the Chiefs’ depth chart as a rookie and was a worthy fantasy starter more often than not after the first month of the season. He was on pace to be a league-winner before, finishing with the second-most fantasy points for a wide receiver in the first three weeks of the season. A torn LCL cost him the rest of the 2024 season. He appears on pace to play at the start of the league year, but he might take a little bit before he can play at his usual level. He will also face more competition for targets from an improved Xavier Worthy and a healthy Hollywood Brown. He has the top-10 upside but could also fall behind in the target pecking order, making it harder to start him.

Possible Targets: D.J. Moore, Jameson Williams, Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, DeVonta Smith

Round 6, Pick 56: Draft a running back

As mentioned last round, after picking a wide receiver in Round 5, it’s time to pick a second running back in Round 6 to balance out the team and take advantage of the great wide receiver options in the next few rounds.

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., Quinshon Judkins, Tony Pollard, Jaylen Warren

Round 7, Pick 65: Draft a wide receiver

After drafting two running backs and two wide receivers, it’s time to add a third wide receiver. There are a few wide receivers with top-15 potential available, while it’s harder to find value at other positions. This includes running back, where there is a clear gap in tiers at running back after those selected in Round 6. This makes wide receiver the clear option for this round.

Top Target: Tetairoa McMillan

McMillan is a prototypical X receiver and one of the best X receivers coming out of college in a long time. His 89.5 receiving grade is the fifth-best among Power-Five receivers 6-foot-2 or taller in the last decade. The only receiver with more receiving yards during that time is CeeDee Lamb. He was selected eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers, and could be their top target earner as a rookie. He joins Dave Canales’ offense, who has a history of his X receivers reaching double-digit touchdowns in both his only season with Mike Evans and D.K. Metcalf twice. He is the safest rookie wide receiver option in both redraft and dynasty leagues.

Possible Targets: Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle, Jordan Addison, Deebo Samuel, Chris Godwin

Round 8, Pick 76: Draft a wide receiver

This is a similar range where wide receivers are the draft’s strength. Running backs like Tony Pollard and Tyrone Tracy Jr. are drafted in this range, but it’s clear they will be sharing their respective backfields with Tyjae Spears and Cameron Skattebo, both of whom are available a few rounds later. Because there are so many running backs fighting for a starting job or in a committee, you can find some options in later rounds while building on wide receivers who have proven NFL success but are more risky due to past injury history.

Top Target: Chris Olave

Olave has the talent to be a top-15 fantasy wide receiver. He scored the 16th-most fantasy points in 2023, and his PFF receiving grade has been at least 82.0 each season. The Saints added Kellen Moore as their head coach, and his slot receivers have been a consistent value in fantasy football. Olave is the wide receiver best suited to line up in the slot. However, Olave has five documented concussions. This makes him both more likely than the typical player to suffer another concussion and more likely to miss significant time if he suffers another one. After Derek Carr’s retirement, the Saints are stuck between three young and unproven quarterback options, which is also working against Olave.

Possible Targets: Jordan Addison, Deebo Samuel, Chris Godwin, Jakobi Meyers, Jerry Jeudy

Round 9, Pick 85: Draft a running back

After focusing on wide receivers in back-to-back rounds, it’s time to turn back to the running back position. You can ideally draft three backs who are in committees with high upside, and the first comes at this pick.

Top Target: Jaylen Warren

Jaylen Warren has been a borderline fantasy starter when healthy for the past two seasons and is projected to continue in that role for the 2025 season. His fantasy upside is increased by the possibility of maintaining a significant role over new competition, Kaleb Johnson, primarily in the passing game and potentially in the run game. However, there’s also the risk that he could lose playing time if Johnson outperforms the previous competition, Najee Harris. This leaves Warren’s fantasy value somewhat volatile and dependent on how the competition plays out.

Possible Targets: Jordan Mason, Brian Robinson Jr., Rhamondre Stevenson, Cam Skattebo, J.K. Dobbins

Round 10, Pick 96: Draft a wide receiver

Round 10 is truly a toss-up. Every draft is different, and various runs on running backs or wide receivers could likely lead to one position being a strength over the other. For this draft, we’ll lean toward wide receiver, as there are still a few players who are expected to be the top wide receiver on their team available, which speaks to the strength of the wide receiver position.

Top Target: Jakobi Meyers

Jakobi Meyers went from an undrafted rookie to becoming the top wide receiver for the New England Patriots and then the Las Vegas Raiders. He’s been able to propel himself to a low-end WR2 these last two seasons, despite his situation not always being perfect. The Raiders made several changes to their offense this offseason. The biggest positive for Meyers is the Geno Smith addition, giving Meyers a better quarterback than he’s seen throughout his time as a starter in the NFL. This should lead to a higher touchdown total than last season. However, the team added Ashton Jeanty, which almost certainly will lead the Raiders to run more than last season, leading to Meyers running fewer routes. The Raiders also spent several draft picks on wide receivers who will contribute this season. If they have normal rookie seasons, Meyers is fine, but if someone exceeds expectations, then Meyers could fall down the target pecking order.

Possible Targets: Matthew Golden, Brandon Aiyuk, Stefon Diggs, Darnell Mooney, Josh Downs

Round 11, Pick 105: Draft a running back

As mentioned two rounds ago, it would be good to pick a second high-upside running back in a committee. Another difference between 10- and 12-team leagues is that it’s easier to find depth at the running back position. This team has drafted five wide receivers, and it’s hard to find a scenario where you would need more or be able to find one that you would start over the players you’ve already selected. On the other hand, this team has taken more risks at running back, so it can make sense to stockpile running backs at this point in the draft.

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: Rhamondre Stevenson, J.K. Dobbins, Bhayshul Tuten, Tyjae Spears, Braelon Allen

Round 12, Pick 116: Draft a running back

As mentioned above, this is the time to add as many running backs as you can who could turn into a high-end starter, if everything goes right.

Top Target: Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten was excellent at avoiding tackles in college, with 0.339 avoided tackles per attempt, ranking fourth-best among the rookie running backs. He joins a wide-open Jacksonville Jaguars backfield, where he, Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby will compete for snaps on both early downs and passing downs. Tuten should be viewed more favorably than most handcuff running backs. Like all handcuffs, there is a chance he won’t hold any fantasy value this upcoming season, but there is also a path for significant playing time if he can simply outperform the other running backs on the roster.

Possible Targets: J.K. Dobbins, Tyjae Spears, Braelon Allen, Roschon Johnson, Tank Bigsby

Round 13, Pick 125: Draft a wide receiver

After picking a running back in three of the last four rounds, it makes sense to turn back to the wide receiver position, where multiple of the top sleeper options should still be available.

Top Target: Marvin Mims Jr.

Marvin Mims Jr. enters the 2025 season as a late-round fantasy football dart throw with intriguing potential. After a quiet start to his career with the Denver Broncos, Mims showed flashes late last season, particularly during a seven-game stretch where he was 23rd in PPR points per game with 15.5. He posted an elite 89.7 receiving grade during those seven games, finishing with a target on 30.4% of his routes, which led to 4.25 yards per route run. After being a deep threat earlier in his career, his average depth of target fell to 4.2 yards. His role expanded significantly in the playoffs, highlighted by a 69% snap rate. While the Broncos’ wide receiver room has become more crowded, no one has the same size and speed as Mims in their offense. Mims’ fantasy value hinges on his early-season snap rate – if he sees the field, he could be a solid fantasy starter, but otherwise, he’s a player you can drop early.

Possible Targets: Emeka Egbuka, Luther Burden III, Michael Pittman Jr., Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins

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.

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