- Bijan Robinson is the ideal first-round pick: It’s possible to land an elite wide receiver in the second round and harder to find an elite running back option in that round, making Robinson the best option in the first round for 10-team leagues.
- Trey McBride has been incredibly consistent: McBride finished as a top-six fantasy tight end for over 50% of his games last season.
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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 second 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: Wednesday, August 20
Round 1, Pick 2: Draft a running back
Ja’Marr Chase has the highest ADP at ESPN, Sleeper, and Yahoo!, which means he is the only player likely to be off the board at this point. There is some level of risk to every other wide receiver on the board, as Justin Jefferson is playing with a new quarterback and CeeDee Lamb is coming back from injury with a quarterback who is also coming back from injury and wasn’t playing well last season before the injury. This means that picking the top running back is the best option, and Bijan Robinson is the top available running back. If a running back is selected first overall, it’s fine to pivot to Chase and then switch from wide receiver to running back with a different early pick.
Top Target: Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson was a rare top-10 NFL draft pick at running back, leading to hefty expectations. He began meeting those expectations over the second half of 2024, consistently playing over 70% of the Falcons’ offensive snaps and running at least 17 times in all but one game. This led to 22.4 fantasy points per game over the last nine weeks. He didn’t see as many 15-plus-yard carries as other great running backs, even though he’s got the talent and speed to have those runs. It’s possible some positive regression could greatly help his fantasy production this season. He lost Drew Dalman at center and still has an elite backup in Tyler Allgeier, so there is also some room to lose fantasy value.

Possible Targets: Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Ashton Jeanty, Bucky Irving
Round 2, Pick 19: Draft a wide receiver
As the year has gone on, more running backs have been taken in the top-20 range, leading to players like Drake London seeing their ADP fall. This means you can add London at a steal at this pick. It can be advantageous to add both a quarterback and a tight end early in 10-team leagues. If you would prefer to pick both a quarterback and a tight end early, you can follow the draft strategy for the third pick in 10-team leagues.
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: Tee Higgins, Garrett Wilson, Ladd McConkey, Marvin Harrison Jr., Terry McLaurin
Round 3, Pick 22: Draft a tight end
Throughout the offseason, I generally advocated for a quarterback or a tight end early. However, the ADP for the best sleeper options has gotten earlier, while that hasn’t been the case for the best sleeper quarterbacks. It is also easier to predict which week a quarterback might play well based on the opponent compared to a tight end, making it easier to have two quarterbacks compared to tight end. That means tight end is the better option to target earlier.
Top Target: Trey McBride
McBride became the Cardinals’ primary tight end in the middle of the 2023 season, and he’s been an elite fantasy option at the position ever since. He averaged at least 15 PPR points in both seasons once he became the starter. McBride led the league in both receptions per game (6.9) and receptions per route (0.21) last season. His yards per game (71.6) and targets per game (8.7) were both second-best. The Cardinals kept the coaching staff and players on the offense essentially the same as last season, making it easier to expect more of the same from McBride. If anything, we can expect a few more touchdowns after his low touchdown total from last season.
Possible Targets: George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta, David Njoku, Tucker Kraft
Round 4, Pick 39: Draft a wide receiver
Generally, it’s helpful to have one running back after the first four rounds. After picking a running back and a tight end last round, that leaves quarterback or wide receiver. Every quarterback available here should be available in the next round, leaving wide receiver as the best option.
Top Target: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison’s first season was full of big expectations, which he didn’t fully live up to. He was the fourth overall pick in the draft, making him the earliest a wide receiver was selected in a decade, but he only exceeded 65 receiving yards in three games. Luckily, his target rate was high, and his target competition remains limited. He received the 19th-most targets, and the top of the Cardinals’ running back, wide receiver and tight end depth chart are identical to last season. He should finish among the top-20 wide receivers in targets again, and he needs to improve his chemistry with Kyler Murray so his fantasy value can also be among the top-20 wide receivers. His 45 uncatchable targets last season led the league, and some regression to the mean should lead to more completions for more fantasy points.

Possible Targets: Terry McLaurin, Travis Hunter, D.J. Moore, Jameson Williams, Tetairoa McMillan
Round 5, Pick 42: Draft a running back
The options at this point of the draft are a running back or a wide receiver, and there are a few remaining clear-cut lead running backs, while there will be plenty of solid wide receiver options available at Round 6. Nearly all of the best running back options available now will be gone by Round 6, so running back is the best option here.
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, R.J. Harvey, D’Andre Swift, James Conner, Chuba Hubbard
Round 6, Pick 59: Draft a running back
R.J. Harvey and Travis Hunter were two of the biggest winners of the NFL draft for fantasy purposes, and their ADP was always a little low relative to their potential. The first week of the preseason showed their teams have big plans for these two players, and they remain two of the biggest steals of the draft. The goal with these next two picks is to pick those two players.
Harvey’s ADP is earlier on Yahoo! and Sleeper, while Hunter’s ADP is earlier on ESPN, which should play into your decision. There are also other excellent wide receiver options to pivot to, like Jameson Williams and Tetairoa McMillan, while there is a larger gap between Harvey and the other running backs. This leads to Harvey being the first pick here, but it’s worth considering Hunter first, particularly on ESPN.
Running back isn’t necessarily a need for this team, but Harvey is too good a value to pass up.
Top Target: R.J. 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, Jordan Mason, Jaylen Warren, Isiah Pacheco, TreVeyon Henderson
Round 7, Pick 62: Draft a wide receiver
As mentioned above, this is the time to take either a high-upside young wide receiver option or R.J. Harvey.
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, Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle, Rome Odunze
Round 8, Pick 79: Draft a wide receiver
The strength of this point of the draft is at wide receiver, as all of the clear-cut top running backs are no longer on the board, and every other running back is either fighting for the starting job, in a committee, or there is some uncertainty around their usage. On the other hand, the wide receivers available in this range are obvious starters, with either experience of being a fantasy starter or risky starters who haven’t proven themselves in the NFL yet, but have the upside to be top-10 players.
Top Target: Rome Odunze
Odunze was the ninth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft but didn’t perform from a fantasy perspective like other recent top-10 wide receivers in their rookie season. He showed sparks in a few games but more often than not failed to finish among the top-48 fantasy wide receivers of the week. The Chicago Bears gave him more competition for targets with tight end Colston Loveland in the first round and wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second. In most cases, a new regime bringing in two new receivers would be devastating to an incumbent receiver who wasn’t fantasy-relevant. However, the Bears’ new head coach is Ben Johnson, who led an offense where nearly all of the skill players who played significant snaps were fantasy starters. Odunze could emerge as the top receiver in the offense, but he could also fall to the fourth option on passing plays.
Possible Targets: Ricky Pearsall, Deebo Samuel, Jakobi Meyers, Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs
Round 9, Pick 82: Draft a quarterback
After passing at quarterback earlier, this is the first time to consider one. There are multiple players in the top eight of my rankings who are still available at this pick. It will be good to pick a second quarterback at some point as well, but that can wait for a few rounds.
Top Target: Brock Purdy
Brock Purdy went from the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers‘ starter. In 2023, he was a top-10 fantasy quarterback, but Kyle Shanahan’s scheme and all of the 49ers’ skill players got a lot of the credit. In 2024, the 49ers were losing, Purdy dealt with injuries, and all of the 49ers’ best offensive players missed significant time. Purdy’s fantasy points per game only dropped by 0.4. Purdy ran more often to help make up for the decreased passing value, which ultimately made him more consistent from a fantasy perspective. Purdy doesn’t have the elite rushing or passing value to make him a top-five fantasy quarterback, but he’s a relatively safe bet to finish as a top-10 quarterback again.

Possible Targets: Justin Fields, J.J. McCarthy, Trevor Lawrence, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams
Round 10, Pick 99: Draft a wide receiver
As mentioned in Round 8, the strength of these rounds of the draft is at wide receiver. The top running backs available here should also be available in the next round, but the depth at wide receiver quickly disappears not long after this pick.
Top Target: Ricky Pearsall
Ricky Pearsall was a first-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2024. After missing the first six weeks of the season, Pearsall became the team’s slot receiver over the rest of the season. He showed some sparks in his first few games, finishing with three to four receptions in his first three games. He was a non-factor in his next five games but ended the season strong with 14 receptions for 210 yards and two touchdowns in his final two games. The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel but have Brandon Aiyuk coming back from injury. The 49ers should have one of the best offenses in the league, but it will be crucial for Pearsall to surpass either Aiyuk or Jauan Jennings on the depth chart to have enough volume to be fantasy relevant. He is a fine late-round lottery ticket given the 49ers’ offense and Pearsall’s talent.
Possible Targets: Emeka Egbuka, Darnell Mooney, Josh Downs, Marvin Mims Jr., Michael Pittman Jr.
Round 11, Pick 102: Draft a running back
After focusing on wide receiver and quarterback in multiple 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: 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: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rhamondre Stevenson, Javonte Williams, Tank Bigsby, Braelon Allen
Round 12, Pick 119: Draft a quarterback
After waiting so long for a first quarterback, it makes sense to add a second quarterback. While you might be okay waiting even longer than this, depending on how many rounds your draft goes for, for this article, we’re picking one here as a reminder to choose a second one. This way, you can start whichever quarterback has the best matchup that week.
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, Jordan Love, C.J. Stroud, Michael Penix Jr., Drake Maye
Round 13, Pick 122: Draft a running back
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the top player with this pick. His ADP is currently much later than this on most sites, but he is also potentially getting drafted earlier than this in a lot of drafts, just depending on how up-to-date your leaguemates are with NFL news. Even if Croskey-Merritt isn’t available, it would be good to add another running back.
Top Target: Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Jacory Croskey-Merritt has consistently improved as a running back from his time at Alabama State to New Mexico, where he significantly improved in both the run and passing game, averaging a first down on 37.2% of his runs and breaking long runs at a ridiculously high rate. After a brief stint at Arizona, he impressed at the Shrine Bowl with 97 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. He further cemented his potential at the combine, finishing in the 80th percentile or better in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump. Selected by the Washington Commanders, he quickly moved up the depth chart in the preseason, even playing ahead of Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr., suggesting he could be the primary early-down back, especially with trade rumors swirling around Brian Robinson Jr. While his role is likely to be primarily as an early-down runner in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, his talent makes him worthy of being one of the top 32 running backs drafted, though you may not have to draft him that high.
Possible Targets: Tank Bigsby, Braelon Allen, Jaydon Blue, Nick Chubb, Tyjae Spears
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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