- A wide receiver is the best pick in Round 1: The NFL is stacked with elite young wideouts, and Ja'Marr Chase enters 2025 as the favorite to repeat as fantasy’s WR1.
- Draft a quarterback or tight end early: While grabbing both early is tough to justify this year, locking in one of the elite options at either position can give your roster a significant edge.
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Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes
This Perfect Draft strategy for 12-team, single-quarterback, redraft PPR leagues is built on a consensus of average draft positions (ADPs) from ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo. It’s your round-by-round blueprint for building a championship roster.
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Last updated: Monday, July 21
Round 1, Picks 1-12: Draft a running back or wide receiver
The objective in Round 1 is to draft the best available running back or wide receiver. Ideally, that’s Ja’Marr Chase, but if he’s already off the board, pivot to an elite running back like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs or the next-best wide receivers. It’s too early to consider a quarterback or tight end at this point. Later rounds offer plenty of flexibility to adjust your approach based on what position you address here.
Top Target: Ja'Marr Chase
Chase led all wide receivers in fantasy points and fantasy points per game last season. He’s consistently graded as a top-10 wide receiver, with his fantasy performance elevated by his environment. The Bengals made no changes to the coaching staff impacting Chase, the quarterback room, the wide receiver room or the tight end room. This puts Chase in one of the most pass-friendly environments in the NFL, catching passes from the best passer. While we should expect regression from anyone who finishes first in fantasy points, the lack of changes in Cincinnati should help minimize the regression.
Possible Targets: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Thomas Jr., Puka Nacua, Nico Collins
Round 2, Picks 13-24: Draft a wide receiver, Bucky Irving or Trey McBride
The strategy in Round 2 is similar to Round 1 and depends largely on draft position. Early in the round, Brock Bowers, Nico Collins or Drake London are strong options. In the middle of the round, teams that took a wide receiver in Round 1 should consider Bucky Irving. For late picks, Trey McBride is the top target.
While the initial version of this article went with a tight end here, both Nico Collins and Trey McBride have fallen a little in ADP in the last week, making it easier to find a quarterback or tight end in Round 3, while also making it easier to find a great wide receiver in this round.
Top Target: Nico Collins
Collins was a third-round pick who broke out in 2023. He’s posted back-to-back seasons with PFF receiving grades in the 90s. Last season, he averaged 19 fantasy points per game when removing the games he was either injured, returning from injury, or Week 18 when the Texans had already secured their playoff spot. This would have been good for third-best among wide receivers. If anything, he will have less competition for targets this season without Tank Dell or Stefon Diggs. The major problem for Collins has been injuries, as he’s missed at least two and an average of four games per season.
Possible Targets: Trey McBride, Bucky Irving, Drake London, A.J. Brown, Ladd McConkey
Round 3, Picks 25-36: Draft a quarterback, tight end or wide receiver
Running back is the one position to avoid in Round 3. By this point, the top 10 backs—those with elite talent and clear workhorse roles—are typically off the board. Remaining options come with concerns such as potential committee roles, injury history or the risk of losing their starting job.
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