• Expect a second-year breakout from Marvin Harrison Jr.: The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver had a high target rate last season and now just needs more chemistry with Kyler Murray.
• Nico Collins is among the league’s top wide receivers: Collins has posted a 93.2 receiving grade over the last two seasons combined, which ranks first among all wide receivers.
• Data, tools and expert insights: Use code earlybird to save $20 on your PFF+ annual subscription.

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

This perfect draft strategy for 12-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 12th 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: Friday, August 15

Round 1, Pick 12: Draft a wide receiver

Anyone picking from the middle of the first round to the end is either picking their top available wide receiver or a running back likeChristian McCaffrey, Ashton Jeanty or Derrick Henry. There are six wide receivers ranked third to eighth, where seemingly no two analysts have the receivers in the same order. All of them could end up as the top overall wide receiver if everything goes well, but all of them are going through some changes with some combination of new play callers, new quarterbacks and new competition for targets. The risk for them is still lower than the risk for the running backs, so it’s best to go with the top available wide receiver.

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: Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Drake London, A.J. Brown, Tee Higgins

Round 2, Pick 13: Draft a tight end

It is generally helpful to select a tight end early or a quarterback early. This allows you only to pick one player at those positions and place them in your lineup each week. That gives you more roster flexibility to add additional high upside options at running back and wide receiver, increasing your odds of selecting this year’s breakout star. We can be more confident in the late-round quarterbacks this season relative to the tight ends, and it can also be easier to select which quarterback to start each week based on matchups. All three of the top tight ends are expected to be off the board by Round 3, so the only way to ensure you have an elite tight end is to pick one now.

Top Target: Brock Bowers

Bowers joined the Raiders and immediately became the league’s top fantasy tight end. He led all tight ends in receptions and receiving yards as a rookie, resulting in the most fantasy points. Both Trey McBride and George Kittle missed games, and both finished slightly ahead of him in fantasy points per game. His 88.4 receiving grade also finished third among tight ends, behind Kittle and McBride. Bowers is expected to leap over the two tight ends with general improvements to the Raiders’ offense, leading to more accurate passes thrown his way and more touchdowns. However, the coaching staff has a history of tight end committees, and the Raiders have better run-blocking tight ends on the roster, which could lead to Bowers getting used on fewer snaps this season than last.

Possible Targets: Trey McBride, George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta, David Njoku

Round 3, Pick 36: Draft a wide receiver

After drafting a tight end in Round 2, this team needs to stock up on running backs and wide receivers. It’s fine to stay balanced with a running back with one of these picks and a wide receiver with the other, as there will be values at both positions in the fourth and fifth rounds as well. 

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, Davante Adams, Rashee Rice, Travis Hunter, Mike Evans

Round 4, Pick 37: Draft a running back

As mentioned above, this is the time to first pick a running back, as there will be values at both running back and wide receiver in the next pair of picks to achieve a well-rounded starting lineup.

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, RJ Harvey, Alvin Kamara, D’Andre Swift, James Conner

Round 5, Pick 60: Draft a wide receiver

This has become the Travis Hunter round. In the first week of the preseason, he played all but one snap with the starters and took half of his snaps from the slot, which has led to excellent fantasy value in Liam Coen’s offenses. Chris Godwin and Cooper Kupp were both among the top wide receivers in fantasy points per game when lined up out of the slot. This has been an excellent range for wide receivers all summer, as the top-20 running backs are gone, and now there are only backs who are part of committees or fighting for a job. Even if Hunter is no longer available, wide receiver is the right pick.

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.

Round 6, Pick 61: Draft a running back

Part of the reason we could pick three wide receivers in the first five rounds is that RJ Harvey is typically falling to the middle of the sixth round. Harvey took all but one snap with the starters on first and second downs in their first preseason game. While his usage in the regular season is unlikely to be as good, his quality of play, mixed with playing half the snaps, and his likely high receptions total make him a worthy option for your weekly fantasy lineup.

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., Jordan Mason, TreVeyon Henderson, Jaylen Warren

Round 7, Pick 84: Draft a quarterback

While I’m typically waiting another few rounds for a quarterback if I didn’t pick one in the first three rounds, I’m fine making an exception for Brock Purdy right at his ADP. If you draft Purdy here, it will still make sense to pick a second quarterback later and start whichever quarterback has the best matchup each week. The wide receiver situation in San Francisco has been driving Purdy’s ADP down a little bit, but he played just fine when wide receivers were hurting last season, and ideally, all of the problems will be resolved by midseason, with an offense at full strength.

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 8, Pick 85: Draft a wide receiver

The best running backs available here will also be available in the next round, making wide receiver the best selection here.

Top Target: Stefon Diggs

Stefon Diggs has a decade of experience in the NFL, and most of that time has been spent as a top-20 fantasy wide receiver. He is the New England Patriots‘ new top receiver, although he missed half of last season after suffering an ACL tear, which could cost him the start of the 2025 campaign. Even when Diggs is ready to play again, he might not be the same player. He will turn 32 years old before the end of the season, an age at which wide receivers tend to decline, even ignoring the injury. Diggs should be able to gain some chemistry with Drake Maye, who has been very accurate on shorter passes, which pairs well with Diggs’ low average depth of target in recent seasons. Diggs has top-20 fantasy potential, but he could also be a non-factor due to the injury.

Possible Targets: Deebo Samuel, Jakobi Meyers, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Matthew Golden

Round 9, Pick 108: Draft a running back

The strength in the ninth round is at running back, as this is the last time to add a running back with a decent chance of leading their team in carries. A lot of the running backs selected so far have been high-risk, high-reward options, so it makes sense to have multiple backups in case one of the players doesn’t end up working out.

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: Tank Bigsby, Dylan Sampson, Jaydon Blue, Jerome Ford, Braelon Allen

Round 10, Pick 109: Draft a running back

Similar to Round 9, this is a good range for running backs, and it’s typically later than usual to add a fourth option at the position, given the risks this team has taken at the position.

Top Target: Tank Bigsby

Tank Bigsby was involved in too many turnovers as a rookie for him to get many opportunities. In his second season, he had stretches of the season where he was a borderline fantasy starter when Travis Etienne Jr. was either injured or inefficient. The Jaguars spent a fourth-round pick on Bhayshul Tuten, which further complicates the Jaguars’ backfield. Bigsby’s lack of impact in the passing game is a major detriment to his fantasy value. Ideally, he will continue to be the Jaguars’ goal-line back, and Jacksonville will play better under Liam Coen at head coach, leading to more touchdowns. He will need to see double-digit carries, and ideally average at least one reception per game in order to have fantasy value.

Possible Targets: Dylan Sampson, Jaydon Blue, Jerome Ford, Braelon Allen, Nick Chubb

Round 11, Pick 132: Draft a wide receiver

This team doubled up at running back with the previous two picks, so to balance things out, it’s time to double up at wide receiver. There will still be a few good quarterback options in the 13th round, so it’s fine to wait to pick your second one until then.

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: Christian Kirk, DeMario Douglas, Wan’Dale Robinson, Hollywood Brown, Luther Burden III

Round 12, Pick 133: Draft a wide receiver

As mentioned above, wide receiver is the right choice here.

Top Target: Christian Kirk

Christian Kirk, despite not being a fantasy starter last season, has a significant opportunity to be one in 2025 with the Houston Texans. He is projected to be the top slot receiver. The Texans spend their second- and third-round picks on wide receivers, but Kirk should begin the season with the job, and if he keeps playing well, he should keep it. Kirk benefits from playing with quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has a history of targeting slot receivers, as evidenced by Stefon Diggs ranking 18th in fantasy points per game with 15.2 last season. Nick Caley is the team’s new offensive coordinator, and the offenses that he’s been a part of have a track record of heavily featuring the slot receiver in the passing game, as shown by the Los Angeles Rams earning the second-most targets to wide receivers in the slot from 2023-2024. While he’s unlikely to be a top-15 option, Kirk’s potential for a high target rate in Houston creates a clear path to being a reliable fantasy starter.

Possible Targets: DeMario Douglas, Wan’Dale Robinson, Hollywood Brown, Luther Burden III, Romeo Doubs

Round 13, Pick 156: Draft a quarterback

The wait for a second quarterback ends here. This range has a wide range of options, from veterans who have finished as top-10 quarterbacks in the past, to up-and-coming quarterbacks and Trevor Lawrence, who should follow in Baker Mayfield’s career path thanks to Liam Coen and the Travis Hunter addition.

Top Target: Trevor Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence has been a somewhat inconsistent fantasy quarterback for the Jaguars over his four seasons, experiencing a peak in 2022 with 25 passing touchdowns and five rushing touchdowns, but his value has fluctuated due to varying play quality and injuries. While he boasts a high big-time throw rate, averaging 1.8 per game over the last two seasons, he also struggles with a high turnover-worthy throw rate. Entering the 2025 season under new head coach Liam Coen, there’s optimism for improvement, drawing comparisons to Baker Mayfield‘s success in Coen’s system, which could potentially boost Lawrence’s fantasy output. Brian Thomas Jr.’s emergence, as well as the Travis Hunter addition, adds to the reason for optimism. Lawrence is a high-upside second option in both single quarterback and superflex leagues.

Possible Targets: Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Matthew Stafford, Sam Darnold

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.