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Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 18-team guillotine league — here are the results
Yahoo Fantasy staff members took part in an 18-team, 14-round guillotine mock draft to help give an idea of how to approach building a roster in this format. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] The scoring for this mock is half PPR (point per reception) with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, IR. A big thank you goes out to everyone who participated: Ben Zweiman (Editorial team) Jonathan Bassey (Podcast team) Aaron Tan (Social team) Matt Harmon (Fantasy analyst) Trevor Brigham (Customer care team) Mo Castillo (Editorial team) Jason Klabacha (Editorial team) Brett Rader (Podcast team) Scott Pianowski (Fantasy analyst) Justin Boone (Fantasy analyst) Collin Brennan (Podcast team) Dan Harris (Podcast team) Dan Titus (Fantasy analyst) Jason Jung (Podcast team) John Adams (Customer care team) Mike Graben (Product team) Adam Hellwig (Customer care team) Brett Kundtz (Business intelligence team) Round 1 Pick Player Team 1 Ja'Marr Chase Ben Zweiman 2 Bijan Robinson Jonathan Bassey 3 Saquon Barkley Aaron Tan 4 Jahmyr Gibbs Matt Harmon 5 CeeDee Lamb Trevor Brigham 6 Justin Jefferson Mo Castillo 7 Puka Nacua Jason Klabacha 8 Christian McCaffrey Brett Rader 9 Derrick Henry Scott Pianowski 10 Nico Collins Justin Boone 11 Amon-Ra St. Brown Collin Brennan 12 Ashton Jeanty Dan Harris 13 Brian Thomas Jr. Dan Titus 14 Malik Nabers Jason Jung 15 Jonathan Taylor John Adams 16 Drake London Mike Graben 17 Josh Jacobs Adam Hellwig 18 De'Von Achane Brett Kundtz In an 18-team league, the first round might be the only round that feels fairly normal, since you haven't strayed that far from traditional league drafts. However, the deeper you get into the opening frame, you start to realize how quickly the talent level is falling off and how long you'll be waiting in between picks. Keep that in mind for later, so you don't end up on the wrong side of a position run. My Pick: Collins was the WR8 in fantasy points per game (17.6) last year, despite missing five weeks with a hamstring injury. Prior to getting hurt, he was the fourth-highest-scoring wideout, averaging 21.3 fppg. While having a bye in Week 6 does feel a little early in the season to be without my first-round pick, Collins' talent (and potential path to a top-five finish) was too tough to pass up. Round 2 Pick Player Team 19 Bucky Irving Brett Kundtz 20 Josh Allen Adam Hellwig 21 Ladd McConkey Mike Graben 22 A.J. Brown John Adams 23 Lamar Jackson Jason Jung 24 Chase Brown Dan Titus 25 Jayden Daniels Dan Harris 26 Brock Bowers Collin Brennan 27 Omarion Hampton Justin Boone 28 Kyren Williams Scott Pianowski 29 Trey McBride Brett Rader 30 Mike Evans Jason Klabacha 31 James Cook Mo Castillo 32 Breece Hall Trevor Brigham 33 Tee Higgins Matt Harmon 34 Jaxon Smith-Njigba Aaron Tan 35 Garrett Wilson Jonathan Bassey 36 Chuba Hubbard Ben Zweiman Three elite quarterbacks and two elite tight ends go off the board already, as managers try to find players who will give them an immediate edge. They'll have to hope it's enough of an advantage to overcome the potential holes it could cause in their lineups at other important positions like running back and receiver. My Pick: Some guillotine players shy away from rookies, since they could take longer to get comfortable in the pros, and if they start slow it could result in an early exit for that manager. Any concerns about Omarion Hampton's early-season role are quickly disappearing with each day that Najee Harris sits out due to his eye injury. The first-round rookie is impressing coaches and distancing himself on the depth chart from his veteran teammate Harris. Get ready for Hampton to make noise early and often this season as a borderline fantasy RB1. Round 3 Pick Player Team 37 George Kittle Ben Zweiman 38 Jalen Hurts Jonathan Bassey 39 Tyreek Hill Aaron Tan 40 Kenneth Walker III Matt Harmon 41 Marvin Harrison Jr. Trevor Brigham 42 Joe Burrow Mo Castillo 43 James Conner Jason Klabacha 44 DJ Moore Brett Rader 45 Terry McLaurin Scott Pianowski 46 Alvin Kamara Justin Boone 47 David Montgomery Collin Brennan 48 DK Metcalf Dan Harris 49 Courtland Sutton Dan Titus 50 RJ Harvey Jason Jung 51 Davante Adams John Adams 52 Xavier Worthy Mike Graben 53 Sam LaPorta Adam Hellwig 54 Rashee Rice Brett Kundtz While I'm a big fan of Rashee Rice in redraft leagues, taking him this early in a guillotine format is very dangerous due to a potential suspension that might be handed out before the season. In redraft, you could find replacements and risk losing a game or two while you wait for his return, but in guillotine you might not be around by the time he gets back. Team Kundtz will have to hope Rice avoids a suspension or gets a very short ban. My Pick: Taking Kamara in the third round feels odd, but drafting him as the 19th running back selected feels like a gift. Though he turned 30 years old this summer, the veteran is coming off back-to-back top-five fantasy RB seasons and has finished top-eight in seven of his eight NFL campaigns. Round 4 Pick Player Team 55 Patrick Mahomes Brett Kundtz 56 Jameson Williams Adam Hellwig 57 Baker Mayfield Mike Graben 58 Zay Flowers John Adams 59 George Pickens Jason Jung 60 D'Andre Swift Dan Titus 61 Tony Pollard Dan Harris 62 Khalil Shakir Collin Brennan 63 Tetairoa McMillan Justin Boone 64 DeVonta Smith Scott Pianowski 65 TreVeyon Henderson Brett Rader 66 Kaleb Johnson Jason Klabacha 67 Isiah Pacheco Mo Castillo 68 Calvin Ridley Trevor Brigham 69 Aaron Jones Sr. Matt Harmon 70 Brian Robinson Jr. Aaron Tan 71 Chris Olave Jonathan Bassey 72 Rome Odunze Ben Zweiman Odunze stands out as a very intriguing value at the end of this round. His situation in Chicago has improved greatly since an up-and-down rookie season. New head coach Ben Johnson has continuously praised his sophomore wideout and some people covering the team believe Odunze might emerge as the Bears' No. 1 receiver this year. He also faces the Vikings, Lions and Cowboys in the opening three weeks — all of which finished among the top six in fantasy points allowed to WRs in 2024. That's a great addition in this range by Team Zweiman. My Pick: I'm living on the edge, selecting a second rookie within the first four rounds. But McMillan got early first-round capital in April's draft and landed with a team in desperate need of a true top option in the passing game. He's also on the verge of getting as many targets as he can handle in Carolina. Bryce Young settled in during the second half of the season under Dave Canales' tutelage and now appears poised to break out with McMillan as his premier weapon. He even has the benefit of friendly matchups with the Jaguars and Falcons in two of the first three weeks. Round 5 Pick Player Team 73 Jordan Mason Ben Zweiman 74 T.J. Hockenson Jonathan Bassey 75 Travis Kelce Aaron Tan 76 Jaylen Waddle Matt Harmon 77 Jaylen Warren Trevor Brigham 78 Josh Downs Mo Castillo 79 Justin Fields Jason Klabacha 80 Kyler Murray Brett Rader 81 Mark Andrews Scott Pianowski 82 Travis Hunter Justin Boone 83 Tyrone Tracy Jr. Collin Brennan 84 David Njoku Dan Harris 85 Bo Nix Dan Titus 86 Jauan Jennings Jason Jung 87 Evan Engram John Adams 88 Quinshon Judkins Mike Graben 89 Jordan Addison Adam Hellwig 90 Jerry Jeudy Brett Kundtz Addison is in a similar situation as Rice, with a possible suspension looming before the season. There are still a lot of comparable receivers available in this range, so it seems like an unnecessary risk for a fantasy starter at Addison's level. My Pick: Hunter is one of the most exciting rookies to enter the league, maybe ever. Unfortunately, we won't score points for his defensive snaps in this format. The good news is that he's apparently excelling on both sides of the ball at Jaguars' practices. He's even shone as the hardest Jags' receiver to cover in one-on-one drills, according to beat writer John Shipley. Make no mistake, Hunter is not a safe pick due to the uncertainty around how he'll be used on offense and defense, but I'm confident in him as a flex option. Round 6 Pick Player Team 91 Tucker Kraft Brett Kundtz 92 Travis Etienne Jr. Adam Hellwig 93 Jayden Reed Mike Graben 94 Joe Mixon John Adams 95 Dallas Goedert Jason Jung 96 Najee Harris Dan Titus 97 Ricky Pearsall Dan Harris 98 Emeka Egbuka Collin Brennan 99 Brock Purdy Justin Boone 100 Stefon Diggs Scott Pianowski 101 Jakobi Meyers Brett Rader 102 Javonte Williams Jason Klabacha 103 Jake Ferguson Mo Castillo 104 Dak Prescott Trevor Brigham 105 Deebo Samuel Matt Harmon 106 Cooper Kupp Aaron Tan 107 Zach Charbonnet Jonathan Bassey 108 Caleb Williams Ben Zweiman Team Brennan took one of my favorite values in this year's drafts in Egbuka. With Chris Godwin's recovery timeline unknown and his status for Week 1 unclear, the first-round rookie could play a very big part in the Buccaneers offense right out of the gate. It helps that everyone around the Bucs, including Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, have been highlighting Egbuka as a player who will make his mark this season. My Pick: When drafting in a typical redraft league, I'm more than willing to wait on the one-off positions like quarterback, but the goal of a guillotine league is to survive — so filling out your starting lineup is a priority. Purdy is a steady performer who finished as the QB8 in fppg in 2023 and the QB12 last season. He also has the fourth-easiest fantasy strength of schedule in my matrix. Round 7 Pick Player Team 109 Matthew Golden Ben Zweiman 110 Michael Pittman Jr. Jonathan Bassey 111 Geno Smith Aaron Tan 112 Drake Maye Matt Harmon 113 Tyler Warren Trevor Brigham 114 Rhamondre Stevenson Mo Castillo 115 Dalton Kincaid Jason Klabacha 116 J.K. Dobbins Brett Rader 117 Jared Goff Scott Pianowski 118 Colston Loveland Justin Boone 119 Trevor Lawrence Collin Brennan 120 Cam Skattebo Dan Harris 121 Kyle Pitts Dan Titus 122 Bhayshul Tuten Jason Jung 123 Justin Herbert John Adams 124 Rashid Shaheed Mike Graben 125 Rachaad White Adam Hellwig 126 Tank Bigsby Brett Kundtz By the end of the seventh round, all 18 teams had found a quarterback. That's important to note, since all of the passers chosen so far have low-end QB1 fantasy finishes within their range of outcomes. While some teams are selecting RBs in split backfields at this point, you could be the manager locking down your starting QB or TE. It's something to consider when deciding on your build and where you want to invest draft capital. My Pick: I went with a tight end here in an effort to complete my starting lineup as soon as possible and maximize its Week 1 potential. When I miss out on the elite TEs, I tend to target the tier of Kraft, Kincaid, Warren and Loveland. When three of those guys went off the board in the last round and a half, I knew it was time to scoop up the final player in that tier. The Bears clearly envisioned a big role for Loveland when they chose him 10th overall and he's already starting to flash in camp. After the immediate success we've seen from rookie tight ends in recent years, it won't be surprising if Loveland is a top-12 fantasy TE this season. Round 8 Pick Player Team 127 Keon Coleman Brett Kundtz 128 Luther Burden III Adam Hellwig 129 Hunter Henry Mike Graben 130 Tyjae Spears John Adams 131 Chris Godwin Jason Jung 132 Darnell Mooney Dan Titus 133 Rashod Bateman Dan Harris 134 Dylan Sampson Collin Brennan 135 Ray Davis Justin Boone 136 Jordan Love Scott Pianowski 137 Marvin Mims Jr. Brett Rader 138 Trey Benson Jason Klabacha 139 Isaac Guerendo Mo Castillo 140 Nick Chubb Trevor Brigham 141 Braelon Allen Matt Harmon 142 Roschon Johnson Aaron Tan 143 Jayden Higgins Jonathan Bassey 144 Tyler Allgeier Ben Zweiman Keeping injury and off-field situations in mind is always smart in guillotine drafts. Godwin and Mooney have injuries that could impact their Week 1 availability, which might turn them into stashes more than potential starting options early in the season. Meanwhile, Sampson and Chubb could get increased volume in the opening weeks if their projected starters (Quinshon Judkins, Joe Mixon) are still not suiting up. My Pick: With my starting lineup filled out, I decided to take a luxury pick in this spot. Davis is the backup to James Cook, who's in the final year of his deal with the Bills and doesn't appear to be close to a contract extension. You always wonder how that will impact a player's desire to play through injuries that may occur during the season. That gives added value to Davis, who proved he can step up when called upon. As a rookie, Davis finished as the RB13 and RB14 in the only two contests where he played over 50% of the snaps last year. Round 9 Pick Player Team 145 Hollywood Brown Ben Zweiman 146 Kareem Hunt Jonathan Bassey 147 Jaydon Blue Aaron Tan 148 Cedric Tillman Matt Harmon 149 C.J. Stroud Trevor Brigham 150 Tre' Harris Mo Castillo 151 Rico Dowdle Jason Klabacha 152 Christian Kirk Brett Rader 153 Adam Thielen Scott Pianowski 154 DeMario Douglas Justin Boone 155 Kyle Williams Collin Brennan 156 Jaylen Wright Dan Harris 157 Jerome Ford Dan Titus 158 Austin Ekeler Jason Jung 159 Jonnu Smith John Adams 160 MarShawn Lloyd Mike Graben 161 Jalen McMillan Adam Hellwig 162 Quentin Johnston Brett Kundtz Ford is another example of a player who has added value in the guillotine format. With so much uncertainty around the team's second-round pick, Judkins, it seems like the Browns' backfield will feature Ford and Sampson at the beginning of the season. That makes them flex-worthy options. My Pick: This was a very guillotine-specific selection for me. Douglas has been generating a lot of buzz as the busiest pass-catcher in Josh McDaniels' offense during camp and we know the history of featuring slot receivers in this system. Though the ceiling for Douglas isn't that enticing, he can be a reliable fill-in if any of my starters get hurt early in the season. It also helps that the Patriots have a Week 14 bye, which means Douglas will be on-call for the first 13 weeks. Round 10 Pick Player Team 163 Joshua Palmer Brett Kundtz 164 Blake Corum Adam Hellwig 165 Brandon Aiyuk Mike Graben 166 Michael Penix Jr. John Adams 167 Jack Bech Jason Jung 168 Wan'Dale Robinson Dan Titus 169 Dyami Brown Dan Harris 170 Miles Sanders Collin Brennan 171 Pat Bryant Justin Boone 172 Isaiah Likely Scott Pianowski 173 Zach Ertz Brett Rader 174 Jalen Coker Jason Klabacha 175 DeAndre Hopkins Mo Castillo 176 Xavier Legette Trevor Brigham 177 Brenton Strange Matt Harmon 178 Jordan James Aaron Tan 179 Kendre Miller Jonathan Bassey 180 Bryce Young Ben Zweiman Aiyuk is an interesting guillotine pick at this stage, mostly because of the injured reserve spot that's available. As he works his way back from an ACL tear, the 27-year-old might end up sitting out early in the season. We know Aiyuk can be a fantasy difference-maker when healthy — the only question is, how soon will he get back to form? Stashing him on IR and hoping he can contribute later is a worthwhile play at this point in the draft. My Pick: Bryant is yet another rookie added to my roster, but based on the comments coming out of Broncos' practices, the third-round pick should carve out a role in Sean Payton's ascending offense. While Denver's No. 1 target, Courtland Sutton, just signed a new deal, the pecking order behind him in the receiver room is up in the air. Beating out part-time players like Marvin Mims Jr. and Devaughn Vele doesn't seem like an insurmountable obstacle. It also doesn't hurt that Payton has compared Bryant to former Saints' star, Michael Thomas. Round 11 Pick Player Team 181 Will Shipley Ben Zweiman 182 Cameron Ward Jonathan Bassey 183 Jarquez Hunter Aaron Tan 184 Jacory Croskey-Merritt Matt Harmon 185 Michael Wilson Trevor Brigham 186 Chig Okonkwo Mo Castillo 187 J.J. McCarthy Jason Klabacha 188 Justice Hill Brett Rader 189 Cade Otton Scott Pianowski 190 Woody Marks Justin Boone 191 Brashard Smith Collin Brennan 192 Alec Pierce Dan Harris 193 Romeo Doubs Dan Titus 194 Mike Gesicki Jason Jung 195 Xavier Restrepo John Adams 196 Matthew Stafford Mike Graben 197 Jaleel McLaughlin Adam Hellwig 198 Tua Tagovailoa Brett Kundtz The fact that McCarthy fell all the way to the 11th round as the QB24 makes me worried people at Yahoo aren't reading my articles. After all, I wrote about McCarthy as one of the biggest breakout candidates at the quarterback position this year. The former first-round pick is healthy after a lost rookie season due to injury, he has an incredible supporting cast around him and Kevin O'Connell is a QB whisperer. Since taking over as the Vikings' head coach, O'Connell has helped Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Sam Darnold all average QB14 fantasy stats or better when starting in this offense. Do we really think McCarthy is worse than all those passers? If he had lasted three more picks, he would have been my selection here. My Pick: With McCarthy gone, I took Marks, whose projection could rise dramatically if we find out Mixon is going to miss significant time. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters he doesn't even want them talking about Mixon's injury, which seems like a strange approach if it wasn't a concerning ailment. Ryans also threw some cold water on Chubb's outlook by admitting he's not the same player he once was in the NFL. If Mixon's not available and Chubb is a declining veteran, Marks might have a chance to have a serious role in this backfield. Round 12 Pick Player Team 199 Juwan Johnson Brett Kundtz 200 Elijah Moore Adam Hellwig 201 Mason Taylor Mike Graben 202 Kyle Monangai John Adams 203 Darius Slayton Jason Jung 204 Sam Darnold Dan Titus 205 Pat Freiermuth Dan Harris 206 DJ Giddens Collin Brennan 207 Elijah Arroyo Justin Boone 208 Tyler Lockett Scott Pianowski 209 Dontayvion Wicks Brett Rader 210 Keenan Allen Jason Klabacha 211 Anthony Richardson Sr. Mo Castillo 212 Darren Waller Trevor Brigham 213 Dont'e Thornton Jr. Matt Harmon 214 KeAndre Lambert-Smith Aaron Tan 215 Jaylin Noel Jonathan Bassey 216 Andrei Iosivas Ben Zweiman After pick 200, finding players who will have an impact on your guillotine season can be difficult. These tend to be the first names you drop when other rosters get eliminated and sent to the waiver wire. It's fine to plug any holes or secure some insurance with backups in this range, but we're getting into longshot territory — so don't be afraid to aim for upside. For example, Anthony Richardson Sr. is earning some positive reports in camp and might have the early edge over Daniel Jones. We've witnessed Richardson's fantasy prowess before and if he can have a better command of the Colts' offense, he offers week-winning upside as a potential QB1. My Pick: The release of veteran Noah Fant before training camp opened the door for Arroyo to possibly start as early as Week 1. The second-round rookie excels as a pass-catcher and has been a very active part of the Seahawks' passing attack in practices. Whether that translates into regular production remains to be seen, but I'll gladly take a chance on him as my backup TE. Round 13 Pick Player Team 217 Raheem Mostert Ben Zweiman 218 Diontae Johnson Jonathan Bassey 219 Terrance Ferguson Aaron Tan 220 Aaron Rodgers Matt Harmon 221 Tahj Brooks Trevor Brigham 222 Elijah Mitchell Mo Castillo 223 Jordan Whittington Jason Klabacha 224 Tyler Shough Brett Rader 225 Sean Tucker Scott Pianowski 226 Jalen Royals Justin Boone 227 Isaac TeSlaa Collin Brennan 228 Marquez Valdes-Scantling Dan Harris 229 Dalton Schultz Dan Titus 230 Devin Neal Jason Jung 231 Ty Johnson John Adams 232 Audric Estime Mike Graben 233 Ja'Tavion Sanders Adam Hellwig 234 Adonai Mitchell Brett Kundtz Running backs and receivers in the final rounds of an 18-team guillotine draft are pure Hail Mary selections and would likely require multiple things to happen in order to have fantasy relevance. Grabbing backup quarterbacks and tight ends might prove to be a better use of these draft slots, unless you can paint a picture where the RB or WR could have instant fantasy value for you. My Pick: Royals is a deep sleeper for the Chiefs. Worthy and Brown have both dealt with injuries at different points in training camp, while Rice could face a possible suspension to start the year. If any of those players miss time, the fourth-rounder Royals is the next man up. He probably won't ever crack my starting lineup, but there's at least a path to him returning value in the opening weeks. Round 14 Pick Player Team 235 Amari Cooper Brett Kundtz 236 Russell Wilson Adam Hellwig 237 Antonio Gibson Mike Graben 238 Roman Wilson John Adams 239 Tutu Atwell Jason Jung 240 Jalen Nailor Dan Titus 241 Calvin Austin III Dan Harris 242 Phil Mafah Collin Brennan 243 Daniel Jones Justin Boone 244 Keaton Mitchell Scott Pianowski 245 Tory Horton Brett Rader 246 Elic Ayomanor Jason Klabacha 247 Jermaine Burton Mo Castillo 248 Ollie Gordon II Trevor Brigham 249 Theo Johnson Matt Harmon 250 JuJu Smith-Schuster Aaron Tan 251 Tyler Higbee Jonathan Bassey 252 Cole Kmet Ben Zweiman Nailor is a very sneaky pick here and I was disappointed he didn't fall to me in the final round. Similar to the Chiefs scenario, Minnesota might be without Addison early in the season if the league issues a suspension before then. That would create an opportunity for Nailor to temporarily play the No. 2 receiver role in the Vikings offense. Nailor caught touchdowns in both games Addison missed last year. My Pick: With Richardson playing well so far in camp, Jones seems like the underdog to start for the Colts in Week 1. Even so, I didn't take a second quarterback and wasn't particularly thrilled by any of the names still available when I was on the clock at 243rd overall. So, taking a QB with a chance to win himself a starting job over the next month made sense.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
One fantasy football take for every NFC team for 2025
Fantasy football analyst Scott Pianowski takes a snapshot of every NFL team from the NFC. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] NFC South New Orleans Saints Alvin Kamara is one of several veteran running backs who outkicked expectations last year. But maybe it's time to stop putting our chip on his number. Kamara steps into an age-30 season, and he's tied to a substandard offensive line and an inexperienced quarterback room. Kamara has also had trouble scoring touchdowns (he has seldom used for the chippies) and staying healthy in recent years (he's played a full season just once since turning pro). Unless my fantasy football draft rooms offer a major discount on Kamara, I'll note the actuary curves and sit this one out. Carolina Panthers Bryce Young looked like a lost cause in his rookie season and was benched early in his sophomore campaign, but things took a positive turn down the stretch last year. Young posted a 92.3 quarterback rating and 6.9 YPA over his final seven starts, solid numbers when you consider how thin the Panthers were at receiver. Young also tacked on five rushing touchdowns, making him the QB6 for this period. Young seems to be meshing with offensive mind Dave Canales, and touted rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan has been added to the passing game. Young deserves sleeper consideration in 2025. Atlanta Falcons The longer I play fantasy football the more I want my rosters to skew younger, so I get the best part of a player's career. Bijan Robinson is an appealing pick in his age-23 season, after outscoring all the backs over the final 12 weeks last year. It took new OC Zac Robinson some time to figure out Robinson's best usage last year; he's there now. I realize Robinson is high on everyone's board, but he enters the summer as my RB1, the best of the backfield targets. I'm happy to pass on Saquon Barkley's mileage (the workload last year is especially worrisome) and take a back who's five years younger. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Buccaneers can't be that worried about Chris Godwin's return from ankle surgery — they gave him a three-year deal in March, after all. But the team also isn't guaranteeing that Godwin will be ready to play Week 1. The Yahoo draft market has kept Godwin in the top 80, which might be optimistic given the crowding in this passing game — Mike Evans is still here, Emeka Egbuka was drafted in the first round and Jalen McMillan had moments in his rookie season. It's also worth noting that Godwin has not been a dynamic touchdown scorer with Baker Mayfield, spiking a modest seven times over their 24 games together. Unless the draft price comes down, I'll be avoiding Godwin in August. NFC West Arizona Cardinals Kyler Murray's touchdown rate has been below league average for three years running, and I don't think that's a coincidence. Murray is obviously an undersized quarterback and there are some red-zone throws that he struggles to complete. And while Murray remains a dynamic runner when the mood strikes him, he's not a heavy-volume player in that regard — he averages a useful but modest 33.1 rushing yards per game over the past four seasons. There are so many interesting quarterback options on the 2025 board, I'm not going to talk myself into a player I don't completely trust. Murray is not a target for me this summer. Seattle Seahawks Early Yahoo drafters are treating Kenneth Walker as the RB16. I'm not interested at that price. The Seahawks have a substandard offensive line, and Zach Charbonnet was a more efficient runner and receiver than Walker last season. Walker has also missed multiple games due to injury in each of his three pro seasons. I'll think about Charbonnet in the later rounds, or skip this backfield altogether. San Francisco 49ers The market doesn't know what to do with Christian McCaffrey this year, and I understand. He's currently the RB4 in Yahoo ADP, typically going in that 10-13 range overall. McCaffrey has missed more than half the season in three of his past five years, but in his past four healthy seasons, he's been the RB3, RB1, RB2 and RB1 in basic fantasy scoring. It's ironic that McCaffrey played just four games last year while most of the other signature backs in the league were shockingly healthy. Bottom line, McCaffrey is the biggest boom-or-bust pick in the league. Do you feel lucky? Los Angeles Rams It's important to recognize when a fantasy candidate has more or less real-life value than fantasy value; you need to mind that gap. Puka Nacua could be one of those guys, perhaps more valuable in the real world. The Rams haven't unlocked Nacua as a touchdown scorer (just 10 in 31 career games, including the playoffs), and they had little success with Nacua around the goal last year. And now Davante Adams joins the offense, a player put on the Earth to score touchdowns. Nacua also has more injury risk than the average player — he missed six games last year, and all four of his college seasons were injury-riddled. I understand the upside of Nacua — if healthy, he has a fair chance to lead the league in receptions. But he's currently commanding around a top-10 pick in Yahoo leagues, and I won't sign off on that. NFC East New York Giants Malik Nabers is currently the WR7 off the board in Yahoo drafts. The market might be missing an opportunity here. New York's quarterback room is complicated, but at least things are upgraded from last year's medley of Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito. And the Brian Daboll scheme will force the ball to its best players — Nabers was second in the NFL in targets last year despite missing two games. Normally the goal with your early picks is to target the best players on the best teams, but Nabers is likely too big to fail. If you sneak him in the second half of your first round, you've done well. Dallas Cowboys Injuries have been common with Dak Prescott in recent seasons — he's missed 25 games the past five years — and perhaps it's obscuring what's possible. Consider that he was the QB2 in 2019, QB7 in 2021 and QB3 in 2023, the year he finished second in the MVP voting. The supporting cast looks appealing; the Cowboys have an elite wideout in CeeDee Lamb and now a dynamic No. 2 in George Pickens — if Pickens is OK in that role. Jake Ferguson isn't a bad tight end. And perhaps Prescott will have to throw liberally, given a defense that was 24th in DVOA last year, and a running game that looks pedestrian on paper. Prescott is currently the No. 14 quarterback in Yahoo ADP, and has the potential to smash that ranking. Washington Commanders Deebo Samuel was a first-team All-Pro receiver back in 2021, but that feels like a lifetime ago. He's missed chunks of time in the past three seasons (he was also hurt for most of 2020) and the 49ers practically gave him away in a trade, recouping just a fifth-round pick from Washington. I still expect Terry McLaurin to be the featured target here — the contract stuff should work itself out — and I'm not betting on Samuel onboarding quickly to his new team. Although Samuel's ADP has slipped just outside the Yahoo Top 100, I still can't view him as a proactive pick. Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley's season has 'outlier' stamped all over it, with 15 touchdowns coming from an astounding average of 29.4 yards. The Eagles didn't give Barkley a single touchdown from the 1-yard line — that's Jalen Hurts' territory — and Barkley remarkably kept hitting those glorious home runs. But 5.8 YPCs are always poor bets to repeat (De'Von Achane waves hello) and Barkley might have trouble staying healthy after handling a ridiculous 482 touches last season. Pricing in some regression is the prudent play; let's not forget that Barkley missed multiple games in each of the five seasons preceding his move to Philadelphia. NFC North Chicago Bears The market has been cool to Colston Loveland so far, and I think that's the right call. Although Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers both had dynamic rookie years in the past two seasons, it's likely a mistake to apply their success to the Chicago situation. Consider that Loveland steps into a crowded situation for pass catchers (the Bears have a slew of good wideouts and even a respectable other tight end in Cole Kmet). And we still need some proof that Caleb Williams can play in this league — he had a horrible sack problem last year, and generally sack problems are mostly about the quarterback, not other things. Even if I wind up drafting two tight ends on some roster builds, Loveland is not a player I'm targeting. Green Bay Packers There is always talent in the Green Bay receiver room. But do the Packers want to lean into a featured receiver? That hasn't been the case in recent years. No Green Bay pass-catcher has gone past 100 targets since Davante Adams left town. Until I see usage changes from Matt LaFleur — a play-designer I do respect, by the way — I can't draft any of these wideouts proactively, though I don't mind the current market price on splash-play tight end Tucker Kraft. Minnesota Vikings Obviously J.J. McCarthy is all over this preview; let me quickly add that I expect him to beat his global ADP of QB20. I'd follow Kevin O'Connell into a burning building, and Minnesota's pass-catching rooms are brimming with talent. Another value target is Jordan Mason, the new backup running back. Mason is about five years younger than Aaron Jones, and is 15 pounds heavier. It's possible Mason could become this team's short-yardage specialist, and Mason looked like a potential feature back during his time in San Francisco (5.3 YPC). The depth chart is thin after Jones and Mason — the Vikings probably envision Mason holding a notable role no matter what becomes of Jones. Mason isn't cheap (his Yahoo ADP is just outside the Top 100) but he's still a proactive pick for me. Detroit Lions The market gets nervous when someone like Ben Johnson leaves Detroit, but Jared Goff is a tenured quarterback in Detroit — he's essentially a coordinator for this offensive unit. Goff isn't going to forget what's worked with Amon-Ra St. Brown the last four years. The Sun God lost some volume last year but made it for it with a spike in his touchdown rate. But even if he regresses to the 2022 touchdown rate, we're still talking about a player with a very high floor. I have no problem paying the sticker on St. Brown, which is somewhere in the 9-12 range in most Yahoo leagues.
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Arsenal in Dream Team 2025/26: Top performers, smart selections & potential flops
ARSENAL have finished as Premier League runners-up for three consecutive seasons. Silverware may have escaped the Gunners but Mikel Arteta's troops have provided Dream Team points in vast quantities and there's no reason to expect anything different in 2025/26. 4 Since Arsenal players are generally very popular, let's analyse their top performers, smart selections and potential flops ahead of Gameweek 1. Top Performers Bukayo Saka (£6.5m) will start the campaign as the outright most expensive midfielder in the game but with good reason. Those a fraction cheaper than him all have minor caveats; Bruno Fernandes (£6m) is without European commitments, Cole Palmer (£6m) has struggled for goals since the turn of the year, and Florian Wirtz (£6m) is untested in English football. Whereas Arsenal's No7 is a proven performer, with European fixtures, whose form has barely faltered since he became an established starter at his boyhood club. He racked up 286 points via 12 goals and 17 assists last season, an astonishing return given he missed a third of the campaign through injury. Saka is almost a must-have asset when fit. 4 The Gunners have conceded the fewest goals in each of the last two Premier League campaigns, hence why there is a premium attached to their defenders. William Saliba (£5m) and Gabriel (£5m) virtually guarantee a steady stream of clean sheets and the latter's set-piece threat makes him a particularly inviting prospect. Speaking of clean sheets, David Raya (£4.5m) shared the Golden Glove with Matz Sels (£3.5m) in 2024/25 but he was unrivalled at the top of the Dream Team goalkeeper rankings, finishing with a total of 259 points. Some Dream Team bosses prefer to save budget between the sticks but the Spaniard is probably the best option for those prepared to spend a little more for a quality set-and-forget keeper. Oh, we should mention Viktor Gyokeres (£6m) here too given he scored 54 goals in all competitions for Sporting CP last season. The Swedish striker is certainly an exciting addition to the league. 4 Smart Selections Myles Lewis-Skelly (£4m) has been recategorised as a defender this season, a change that boosts his viability considerably. A midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old has been reinvented as a left-back and potentially offers an affordable route into Arsenal's parsimonious defence. Lewis-Skelly had a few disciplinary issues during his breakout season but the main headline is that he established himself as a starter in the biggest games. It's almost certainly too bold to suggest Ethan Nwaneri (£3.5m) as a selection for Gameweek 1 but he should be monitored closely. The teenager is a prodigious talent who is expected to go from strength to strength. He chipped in with a very useful nine goals last season and it wouldn't be all that surprising if, like Lewis-Skelly, he earned a run of starts at some stage. 4 Potential Flops Both Ben White (£4m) and Jurrien Timber (£5m) have the potential to be top performers but the problem is that they may have to share right-back duties, limiting their individual minutes to a certain extent. The Englishman has a good understanding with Saka and is therefore an asset going forward but the Dutchman is ultra solid in defence. It may be that a clear pecking order emerges a few Gameweeks into the campaign but backing either from the very start feels like an unnecessary risk. Lastly, it will be interesting to see how Kai Havertz (£4.5m) gets on this season. The German forward scored 15 goals before a freak hamstring injury in training sidelined him for three months. He returned more than his fair share of Dream Team points prior to that setback but what will his role be now Gyokeres has arrived at the Emirates? If Havertz is now a second-stringer who will have to be content with substitute cameos and Carabao Cup starts, that will obviously damage his Dream Team appeal. The same logic applies to Gabriel Jesus (£4m), who is still recovering from an ACL injury.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Justin Fields — while wearing a protective shoe — is running full speed at Jets practice after injury scare: 'The toe is ready to go'
Justin Fields appears to be just fine. He says "the toe is ready to go." The New York Jets quarterback was the subject of one of the biggest injury scares across NFL training camps when he was carted off the practice field on Thursday. The news led to knee-jerk speculation that he'd suffered some sort of devastating non-contact injury. It turns out that he instead dislocated a toe on his right foot after being stepped on by a teammate. While painful, it was a relatively minor setback that sidelined Fields for a single practice. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] He was back out there drills for in pads on Tuesday for a second straight day. He didn't appear to have any limitations as he ran at full speed on a fourth-down scramble. He also spoke with media for the first time since the injury and showed off some protective footwear. Fields' right shoe has a plastic covering over his toes that he told reporters is "almost like a steel toe." Fields also addressed how he feels since his return to practice from the injury. "I think I've been all right," Fields told reporters at a news conference. "I'm always going to say there's room to improve. "Today, the offense as a whole, we didn't start off great. I think we finished off great. But we want to start fast and finish fast and, of course, maintain that in between as well." As for his toe? He's ready to turn the page. "The toe is all good," he told reporter Kay Adams in a separate interview. "The toe is ready to go." That all adds up to good news for Fields and the Jets, who are hoping Fields can show some franchise quarterback stuff this season after joining the team on a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason. The contract amounts to a second chance for Fields as an NFL starter after the Chicago Bears team that drafted him in the first round ultimately gave up on him when they had the chance to draft Caleb Williams. Fields was a spot starter for an injured Russell Wilson in his only season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. Now he's the unquestioned starter for a Jets team that's hoping he can elevate a talented roster into playoff contention. It's a spot where Aaron Rodgers failed in 2024 as a season that started with promise fizzled into a 5-12 finish. Fields' injury scare threatened to thwart that opportunity. But as of Tuesday, it looks like
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Rankings 2025: Justin Boone's Top Quarterbacks
Justin Boone won the FantasyPros Most Accurate Expert Award in 2019 and has eight top-10 finishes in the competition. He now brings his rankings acumen to the Yahoo Fantasy audience after recently joining the team as an analyst. He will consistently be refining his draft rankings during training camps, the preseason and leading up to the season. When news breaks, rankings updates will be reflected here, so bookmark this page and get ready for your drafts! And be sure to follow the links below to see his latest redraft rankings at every position. Latest QB Updates While it's important to follow the latest news coming out of training camps, let me preach some caution about overreacting to reports about players' performances in practice. If the drum beat is consistent, it can definitely turn into a reality when the regular season comes around, but most players will have good and bad days this time of year. So when you hear about young quarterbacks like Caleb Williams or J.J. McCarthy throwing interceptions in practice, don't panic. Williams is learning a new system under Ben Johnson and this is McCarthy's first opportunity to be the No. 1 QB for the Vikings after missing last season due to injury. I'm still projecting both players to flirt with low-end QB1 fantasy numbers in 2025. Let's also not overreact to players leaving practice due to injuries. Some people seemed ready to write Justin Fields off for the season when he was carted off last week with a toe issue, but the Jets QB is already back at practice and not expected to miss any time. He remains a low-end QB1 in my projections. I'm monitoring the Matthew Stafford situation a little closer, since he's dealt with back ailments in the past and is being called week-to-week. But we've got more than a month until the season kicks off, so Stafford has plenty of time to get right. The chance of this popping back up in the season is concerning though, which keeps him down in the low-end QB2 range for fantasy. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] 2025 Fantasy Rankings (Half PPR) QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Top 300 Quarterbacks 2025 Fantasy Rankings (Half PPR) QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF | K | Top 300
