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Yahoo
11 minutes ago
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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
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jefferson, Watt among 'most unlosable' NFL players
The Dan Patrick Show crew discuss which teams can't afford to lose certain players to an injury this year, highlighting Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt.
NBC Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jefferson, Watt among 'most unlosable' NFL players
The Dan Patrick Show crew discuss which teams can't afford to lose certain players to an injury this year, highlighting Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt.
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Fantasy football rankings: Bijan Robinson, Ja'Marr Chase lead the top 100
The Big Board takes into consideration past returns, current situation/performance and expected future gains in determining who should be included among the Top 100 fantasy football players. Essentially, the Big Board is a cheat sheet designed for a GM who is planning to participate in a draft today. Half-point PPR scoring for a 1QB league format is used as the baseline for the Big Board. * Player notes provided for the Top 50 players At age 23, he's the perfect vintage NFL RB — a do-it-all back, who was No. 1 in Touch% inside the 10-yard line, No. 2 in touches, No. 4 in RB targets, No. 5 in EPA per rush. A chain-moving target hog, Chase led the NFL in targets, first downs and catches of 10+ yards in 2024. Among WRs, only Odell Beckham Jr. and Justin Jefferson have scored more PPR points through the first 62 games of an NFL career than Chase. He gives away a few more touches than Robinson does in ATL, but he checks all the same boxes as a young (age 23), elite, dual-threat RB — 8 TDs of 10+ yards, 11 TDs inside the 5-yard line, 9.9 yards/rec (second-most among RBs with 30+ receptions). His offense is a Rolls Royce, and he's earned this spot (if not higher) after an epic 2024 campaign. But beware history hasn't been kind to RBs the season following a 400-carry campaign (inc. playoffs), and he's unlikely to again offset losing goal-line carries by scoring another 9 rushing TDs of 10+ yards. (That would be unprecedented.) Despite seven DNPs in 2023, Jefferson still ranks No.1 in receiving yards and PPR PTS in NFL history among WRs through the first five seasons of a career. He's also No. 3 in receptions. Jefferson's 28 catches of 20+ yards in 2024 was seven more than the second-place finisher (Darnell Mooney, 21). The past four RBs to be drafted with a top-six pick (Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Ezekiel Elliott, Trent Richardson) have finished no worse than eighth in PPR PPG in their rookie season, with Barkley (RB1) and Elliott finishing in the top 3. Jeanty has a clear runway to finish among the top five RBs in carries and targets. One of 14 RBs in NFL history to average 17.3 PPR PPG in each of their first two seasons (min. 10 games each season) — Achane won the RB receiving triple crown: most catches (78, 10 more than any other RB), receiving yards (592) and TD receptions (6). He led NFL in target share (30.7%) and averaged 7.3 catches per game as a rookie, and the NYG QB ceiling has been raised for his second year in the league. Lamb was the fantasy WR1 in 2023, and was top-5 in FPPG at WR from Weeks 1-9 while Dak Prescott was healthy. At just 26 years old, with Dak back and George Pickens in tow to help keeps defenses honest, Lamb should be back among the cream of the WR crop. He's one of three players in NFL history with 115 catches, 1,250 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. He's also one of three with 400+ catches in his first four NFL seasons, and St. Brown leads the NFL in first-down receptions over the past three seasons. There are no tush push concerns in Baltimore, as Henry easily led the NFL in Touch% inside the 2-yard line (80%) — he posted the fourth-most PPR points in NFL history by a RB in his 30s. Like a shot of Wild Turkey 101 and a beer chaser, CMC is perhaps best taken at the turn, where you can immediately follow the pick with something to soothe the "burn" of selecting a 29-year-old who has played seven games or less in three of the past five seasons. That said, he was a league winner in those other campaigns. Do you feel lucky? PFF's highest graded WR of 2024, Nacua has the second-most catches (184, behind only Odell Beckham's 191) through a player's first 28 NFL regular-season games. (He had 7+ catches in 14 of those contests). TD upside is the issue, as he is outside the top 50 in target share inside the 10-yard line for the past two years, and new teammate Davante Adams is first in that span. He's tops on the "My Guys" list for 2025. London easily led WRs in target share inside the 5- and 10-yard lines, was third in overall target share and was an all caps ALPHA in three games with QB Michael Penix (led the NFL with 352 receiving yards and was fourth with 22 receptions from Weeks 16-18). Thomas was top-8 in target share (top-6 in target share inside the 5-yard line) and averaged 22.9 PPR PPG over his final six games of 2024. Only Ja'Marr Chase was better at WR in that span. Among the elite talents at WR, Collins has some fantasy headwinds to overcome in terms of target share (outisde the top 30 at WR the past two years) and red zone targets (outside the top 25 over the past two years combined). Only Jahmyr Gibbs posted more fantasy points at RB over the final three weeks of 2024 than Taylor, who averaged 21.6 carries per game, but the rub is a three-year average of 5.3 DNPs and 21.2 receptions. His 9 TDs from inside the 2-yard line led all RBs, and he closed 2024 season with a TD in nine straight games (inc. playoffs). But as the only RB to have at least 260 touches in each of the past six seasons, mileage concerns have to be in the back of your mind. Williams was the top bell cow of 2024, as he led RBs in Touch% (78.8%). He's topped 13 PPR PTS 22 times (in 28 total games) over the past two seasons, trailing only Derrick Henry (25) and Bijan Robinson (23) among RBs. Brown has netted a PPR PPG mark of 16.5 or better each of the past three seasons -- Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb and Amon-Ra St. Brown are the only WRs who have matched that. He was the No. 8 WR in PPR PPG in Weeks 8-18, outpacing fellow standout rookies Brian Thomas and Malik Nabers in that 10-game span. McConkey flashed chain-mover talents with the fifth-most catches of 10+ yards (49). He gets a significant QB upgrade in Year 2 (Geno Smith) after setting rookie TE records for targets (153), receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,194) despite catching passes from a Minshew/O'Connell/Ridder QB trifecta (or, if you will, "tri-inefecta"). His 5.4 YPC is the third-highest mark among rookie RBs (min. 200 carries) in NFL history, and he had fourth-lowest percentage of carries of zero or negative yards (14%). He's earned a 300-touch leading role, but can he hold up to it? Jackson finished as the No. 1 fantasy QB for the second time in his career, and it followed a top-4 finish in 2023. Among QBs, he ranks first in rushing yards (1,736), third in passing TDs (65) and fourth in rushing TDs (9) over the past two seasons. Once Cincy finally leaned into him as their bell cow, Chase was RB6 in those 13 games from Weeks 4-17 — the 18.3 PPR PPG mark during that span would have placed him top-5 among RBs for full 2024 season. McBride led all TEs in target share and was fourth overall behind WRs Nabers, Jefferson and London. His three 12-catch games in 2024 set a TE single-season NFL record, and he was the only player at any position in 2024 with more than one such game. Only a season removed from being the No. 2 fantasy WR, and despite playing with a wrist injury all season (surgically repaired in February), he still put up mid-level WR2 production in games Tua Tagovailoa started. Allen become Mr. Reliable with just one DNP over the past six seasons and averages of 31 passing TDs, 4,060 passing yards and 9.5 rushing TDs in that span. He finished in the QB top-3 in each of the past five season seasons. Buffalo's desire to keep QB Allen out of harm's way resulted in a TD spike for Cook (18, double his first two seasons combined) as he handled 13 carries inside the 5-yard line (the most by a RB in the Allen Era). He has averaged 4.9 YPC and 9.1 YPR over his first three NFL seasons. The past four NFL RBs to average at least those thresholds through the first three seasons (min. 300 carries, 45 receptions) were Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Larry Johnson and Barry Sanders. In his 10 games played from Weeks 4-17, only teammate Ja'Marr Chase averaged more PPR PPG than Higgins' 20.6 mark. Only 26 years old, he's one of just 16 WRs in NFL history to average at least 11.4 PPR PPG (min. 12 games per season) in each of first five NFL campaigns. Slot machine (NFL leader in slot snaps) enjoyed a 2024 breakout, posting the sixth-best PPR PTS at WR from Weeks 2-16. He reached 100 catches for the first time and had a Rec% of 75.2, third-best among WRs with 100+ targets. Daniels had the second-most fantasy points by a rookie QB (behind 2011 Cam Newton). His 891 rushing yards were the most by a rookie QB in NFL history. The secret sauce was staying on the field (NFL-high 66 plays per game), thanks to the sixth-highest Comp% and league-high 73 scrambles. He finished as TE1 for first time in 2024 and is again likely to be heavily leaned on with Deebo Samuel gone and Brandon Aiyuk recovering (ACL/MCL). His fantasy finishes at TE in PPR PPG for the past seven seasons looks like this: 1, 6, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3. Strong TD (8) and reception (46) tallies helped keep his name in the RB1 mix, but his efficiency was down and he missed six games. There's optimism for a rebound in his rushing metrics, though, as new OC Klint Kubiak has been talking up Walker's fit as Seattle moves to a run-heavy outside zone blocking scheme. He has 13 DNPS over the past four seasons and is in his age-30 season, but he finished fifth in PPR PPG at RB in 2024 and is clearly positioned to once again be the focal point of the NOLA offense. Despite persistent injury and team environment headwinds, Hall has managed to average more than 16 PPR PPG through his first three seasons. His next battle might be a backfield timeshare with Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. Coming off his first top-10 finish among WRs in PPR PTS, Wilson joins elite company (Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Michael Thomas, Odell Beckham Jr.) as one of just five WRs in NFL history with 80+ catches, 1,000+ receiving yards in each of first three NFL seasons. There's plenty left in the tank as he proved after acclimating to the Jets after a midseason trade (WR4 over the final 10 weeks). Adams leads the NFL in target share inside the 10-yard line over the past two seasons. A contract dispute threatens to dampen spirits for McLaurin, who is coming off his first WR top-10 fantasy finish (No. 7 in PPR PTS), which included leading the league in contested catches (24) and receptions of 50+ yards (5), plus four games with 2 TDs. Hampton joined Ashton Jeanty as only RBs picked in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft. Opportunities should be plentiful with an LAC team that ranked top-10 in percentage of rush plays and dealing with uncertainty around an eye injury to vet FA signing Najee Harris. Conner posted a career-high in games played (16) and total yards (1,508) and was a metrics darling, be they advanced or otherwise. He's averaged at least 15.4 PPR PPG in each of the past four seasons, something that only Joe Mixon can match at the RB position. The "tush push/brotherly shove" stay of execution keeps Hurts' elite fantasy QB status intact. He has 35 rush TDs in past four seasons, nine more than second place (Josh Jacobs, 23), and his three seasons with 13+ rush TDs is sixth-most in NFL history. He has 1,000+ receiving yards in each of his 11 NFL seasons, second-most to Jerry Rice (14), and only Rice (13), Randy Moss (9) and Terrell Owens (9) have more seasons of 1,000+ receiving yards and 8+ TDs than Evans (8). Burrow was second in Comp% above expected in 2024 and had 71 pass attempts inside the 10-yard line in 2024, 22 more than second-place Patrick Mahomes. When healthy, he's a bankable top-5 fantasy QB, with averages in the three seasons he's played 16+ games of 4,668 passing yards, 37 passing TDs, 3 rushing TDs. Metcalf was just WR31 in half-PPR PPG in 2024, but was among the top 23 in three of the previous four seasons, and Aaron Rodgers sustained two WRs (Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams) at that level for NYJ last season. Sutton finished top-15 in PPR PTS at WR for first time in his career. He's thrived in the red zone under Sean Payton, as only Mark Andrews (17) has more TD grabs than Sutton (14) from inside the 20 during the past two seasons. In the past six seasons, Moore has finished between WR6 to WR25 in PPR PTS despite never playing for a team that ranked above average in points or yards. New HC Ben Johnson offers his best hope yet in terms of offensive upside. Hubbard was RB9 in a 14-game span from Weeks 2-16 and should maintain lead role, but you have to wonder if Rico Dowdle or rookie Trevor Etienne will take some third-down work. Hubbard averaged an NFL-low 4.0 yards per catch and 5.7 yards after catch (second-lowest at RB). He was a disappointing WR30 in his rookie season and was 77th among WRs (min. 50 targets) in Catch% and 64th in Contested Catch%, and 42nd in Catch% on passes of 20+ yards (min. 10 targets). Drafting him as a WR2 means buying into the talk of changes in physique (added 10 pounds of muscle), confidence and how he'll be used on the field. Worthy stepped up as a go-to option in the KC passing game in the second half of his rookie campaign — just 20 catches through his first nine games, but 58 receptions in his final 10 contests (inc. postseason). He also flashed versatility with a WR-high three rushing TDs. With a likely lengthy Rashee Rice suspension, Worthy should see plenty of time in KC's offensive spotlight this season. (Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; Top photos: Brooke Sutton, Jeff Dean/AP Photo)
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson Among 6 Players Joining Barkley in Madden '99 Club'
For seven NFL players, EA Sports finds you perfect the way you are. Those seven players were unveiled as members of the "99 Club" in "Madden NFL 26" on Monday, with the announcement serving as the kickoff for Madden's ratings week. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen will have a 99 overall rating when "Madden NFL 26" becomes available to play. With seven players earning a 99 overall rating in "Madden NFL 26," it's the most players that have earned a 99 overall rating at the launch of a Madden game since "Madden NFL 19." Additionally, EA Sports announced it's moving up the early access period for "Madden NFL 26" to Aug. 7. Previously, the three-day early access period allowed users to start playing the game three days before the release date on Aug. 14. Instead, there will now be a seven-day early access window for those who pre-order the deluxe version of "Madden NFL 26." Barkley was previously announced as one of the members of the "99 Club" when he was unveiled as the cover star for "Madden NFL 26." The reigning Offensive Player of the Year was the first Eagles offensive player to be named to the "99 Club," with he and Johnson becoming the third and fourth players in franchise history to earn a 99 overall rating. Johnson is also just the fifth offensive tackle to ever be included in the "99 Club," joining Jonathan Ogden, Trent Williams, Walter Jones, and Willie Roaf. Jackson and Allen's inclusions into the "99 Club" comes after they battled it out for MVP last season. Allen edged out Jackson for the award, getting 27 of the 49 first-place votes. But both are now in the "99 Club," joining Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes as the other quarterbacks to earn 99 overall ratings. Allen is the second Bills player to join the club, with Bruce Smith being the first to do it in "Madden 99." Chase is also a first-timer in the "99 Club," becoming the first player in Bengals history to be included. Prior to Chase's inclusion, Cincinnati was the last team not to have a player in the "99 Club." Jefferson and Garrett are the only multi-time "99 Club" members at the launch of "Madden NFL 26." Jefferson earned the 99 overall rating at launch for "Madden NFL 24." He re-entered the club in "Madden NFL 25" following a mid-season ratings update. This is Garrett's second time being featured in the "99 Club" at the launch of the game, with the first occasion coming in "Madden NFL 23." He was also a 99 overall in "Madden NFL 22" following a mid-season ratings update. EA Sports determines which NFL players are worthy of making the "99 Club" by utilizing a team of experts who analyze player performance, statistics and skill sets throughout the season. Allen and Jackson have accounted for the NFL's last three MVP winners, while Barkley rushed for 2,000 yards when he won Offensive Player of the Year last season. Garrett won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and followed that up by recording 14 sacks last year. Johnson and Chase are the only two players of the group who haven't won MVP, Offensive Player of the Year or Defensive Player of the Year. However, Johnson has been named All-Pro in five of the last eight seasons and Chase was named first-team All-Pro in 2024 after winning the receiving Triple Crown for leading the league in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
