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Yahoo
5 days ago
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- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Mock Draft, No. 7 Pick: Full list of picks, analysis and key takeaways
Welcome to the seventh installment of my 12-part mock draft series, where I'm drafting from every spot — 1 through 12 — in a standard 12-team Yahoo league to break down how draft strategies evolve based on pick position. As always, I used the Yahoo Fantasy Plus Instant Mock Draft tool and drafted solo. The format is half-PPR, with the following roster construction: QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, TE, FLEX, K, D/ST and six bench spots. [Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Plus and unlock Instant Mock Drafts today] This time, I drew the 1.07 spot and decided to lean into a WR-heavy build — loading up on elite pass-catchers early before addressing the running back room. Let's break it down. Full Roster QB: Dak Prescott (DAL) RB: Kenneth Walker III (SEA) RB: Tony Pollard (TEN) WR: Malik Nabers (NYG) WR: Drake London (ATL) TE: David Njoku (CLE) FLEX: Tee Higgins (CIN) K: Brandon Aubrey (DAL) D/ST: Los Angeles Rams (LAR) Bench: Jaylen Waddle (MIA) Bench: Jaylen Warren (PIT) Bench: Javonte Williams (DAL) Bench: Matthew Golden (GB) Bench: Rashid Shaheed (NO) Bench: Trey Benson (ARI) Rounds 1–3: All-in on WRs 1.07 – Malik Nabers (NYG – WR) 2.06 –Drake London (ATL – WR) 3.07 – Tee Higgins (CIN – WR) Roster assessment after Round 3 Since I was aiming for going WR-heavy, I started with Nabers, London and Higgins. I landed two top-12 options in Nabers and London, wideouts who finished second and third in targets in 2024. In selecting Higgins at 3.07, I'm buying into the Bengals' explosive offense. I would've loved Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who went two picks before Higgins, but I'll take Tee as a contingency. My expansive receiver room is stacked off the rip. The drawback? I still don't have an RB. I'll make an effort to address that before it gets too thin. Rounds 4–6: Building the RB core and reinforcing WR 4.06 – Kenneth Walker III (SEA – RB)5.07 – Tony Pollard (TEN – RB)6.06 – Jaylen Waddle (MIA – WR) Roster assessment after Round 6 Time to address RB, and Walker, whom I've targeted a lot in previous mock drafts, was there for the taking. His average ADP is 4.05, so this was the perfect time to grab him in Round 4. I went with Pollard in Round 5, which was a round early when considering his ADP, but I wanted to secure a three-down back. Waddle in the sixth was a luxury pick — but in a WR-heavy build, depth at the position is the whole point. Walker and Pollard are viable starters, and I now have four WRs capable of putting up WR1 numbers in any given week. Rounds 7–10: Depth and positional balance 7.07 – Jaylen Warren (PIT – RB)8.06 – Javonte Williams (DAL – RB)9.07 – David Njoku (CLE – TE)10.06 – Matthew Golden (GB – WR) Roster assessment after Round 10 These rounds were about reinforcing depth and filling my TE spot. Warren continues to receive a lot of praise in the preseason, especially for his blocking. He may not get all of the work, but he's still a very productive back, especially in PPR leagues. The Javonte Williams pick was a flier on the only healthy back on the Cowboys roster right now. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] I drafted David Njoku because he is an underrated TE, should you decide not to spend up in the earlier rounds at the position. The Browns are going to be horrible, but that doesn't mean he won't eat up targets in the middle of the field. Golden, a rookie WR in a rising Packers offense, is my stash-and-see pick. I feel way better about my receiving core than RBs, but at least I have contingencies in place if it goes left. Also, having four top-tier receivers opens up trade opportunities. Rounds 11–15: Taking the best available 11.07 – Rashid Shaheed (NO – WR) 12.06 – Dak Prescott (DAL – QB) 13.07 – Trey Benson (ARI – RB) 14.06 – Brandon Aubrey (DAL – K) 15.07 – Los Angeles Rams (LAR – D/ST) Roster assessment after Round 15 I'm not enamored with anyone I picked in the final rounds. Picking Rashid Shaheed was a "best available" option that felt meh. The Saints are an offense I want no part of buying into and it doesn't help that New Orleans starting center Will Clapp will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury. Sometimes the pressure of the clock gets to us all. Dak Prescott is a fine late-round QB, but I'd be open to other options like Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and Jordan Love if you don't believe in the Cowboys or Dak's ability to stay healthy. Benson was another depth pick at RB, nothing more, nothing less. Adding Brandon Aubrey, my third Cowboys player, feels gross even though he's the top-rated kicker in fantasy. The Rams D/ST faces Houston at home in Week 1. I don't know how I feel about that. Positional runs and key takeaways WRs dominated the first four rounds with 22 wideouts being drafted. The past mocks have been more RB-centric at the top portion of the draft. Four QBs going off the board in Round 3 was a surprise and meant I would have to pivot to targeting a QB until later in the draft. Also, you can safely ignore four defenses going in the eighth round — because that would never happen. Drafting from the 1.07 spot, I did well while executing a WR-heavy approach. I hammered WRs early, using four of my first six picks on wideouts. My RB room won't scare anyone on paper and it's a huge risk in going so deep into a WR-heavy build, but as I said before, my depth at WR can be used to upgrade another position as the season wears on.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The biggest surprise from Titans' first unofficial depth chart of 2025 NFL season
The post The biggest surprise from Titans' first unofficial depth chart of 2025 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Tennessee Titans released their initial 2025 unofficial depth chart one week ahead of their first preseason game. While most of the listings were expected, the Titans' raised some eyebrows with their placement of running backs Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears and Kalel Mullings. The backfield did not change much over the offseason, with Mullings joining the group in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Pollard, who led the team with 1,079 rushing yards in 2024, unsurprisingly returned as the starter, with Spears expected to be a 1B to his 1A. The two began the 2024 season as co-starters on the depth chart, but Pollard separated himself in his first year with the team. Despite Pollard's emergence, head coach Brian Callahan teased the same idea he composed in 2024. Callahan said that he views Pollard and Spears on a similar plane, suggesting the two would be listed as co-starters on the depth chart again. The overall numbers might suggest that those are simply empty words, but there was some credence to that claim late in the year. Pollard dominated the backfield for most of the season, but Spears closed the gap down the stretch. Once Spears returned from a hamstring injury in Week 9, the backfield became a near-even split for the rest of the season. Spears played over 40 percent of the offensive snaps in five of his final seven games, including two games — Weeks 14 and 15 — during which he spent more time on the field than Pollard. Everything about Tennessee's running back room suggested that Spears caught up to Pollard, and Callahan finally had the two-headed backfield that he has been proposing for over a year. Yet, that is not what the Titans' first unofficial 2025 depth chart depicted. Titans surprisingly list Tyjae Spears on par with Kalel Mullings The Titans listing Tony Pollard as their starting running back on their first 2025 depth chart shocked no one. However, whether fans expected to see Tyjae Spears as a co-RB1 or not, nobody predicted that he would be listed on even ground as rookie Kalel Mullings. Spears and Mullings were both listed as second-stringers, with Julius Chestnut, Jordan Mims and Jermar Jefferson all on the third team. Entering the draft off a fantastic end to his college career at Michigan, Mullings was an excellent value pick for Tennessee. His bulky frame as a former linebacker immediately made him the frontrunner to be the Titans' short-yardage back in 2025, a role they did not have filled in 2024. Most fans still expected Mullings to begin his career competing with Chestnut for the third-string role, and not on par with either Pollard or Spears. The Titans' 2024 backfield was very much a two-man crew. Pollard accounted for 58 percent of the team's total rushing production, but Spears' strong end to the season set the table for what should be an intriguing tandem in 2025. Pollard and Spears were supposed to be on a tier of their own to begin the year, with either Chestnut or Mullings as a distant third-stringer. Mullings certainly provides an element that neither Pollard nor Spears can match. He comes from an esteemed running back-centric offense at Michigan, where he accrued 948 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry in 2024. He did not have the vision, speed or acceleration to become an elite prospect, but many predict that he will carve out a respectable career in the NFL. Few just saw it happening so quickly, particularly on a team like the Titans, who already seemed to have their backfield set in stone. Kalel Mullings continues to impress Titans' coaching staff As good of an offseason as he is having, Kalel Mullings is still presumably a step behind Tyjae Spears. The two are listed together on the Titans' 2025 unofficial depth chart, but the latter is much closer to Pollard than the rookie is. Regardless, Mullings continues to impress Tennessee from the moment he joined the team in April. Running backs coach Randy Jordan gushes over the potential he sees in Mullings, stemming from his maturity and mindset. 'One of the things I had to get used to is the fact that he sees it through a different lens,' Jordan said, via AtoZ Sports' JT Ruhnke. 'He played linebacker for all those years. So he can tell you, 'Hey coach, the mike linebacker ain't fitting right.' That helps in the sense of protection, knowing where the ball's supposed to fit, where the defense is going to [line up].' The depth chart is certainly interesting, but Callahan will not truly reveal his hand until Week 1. The more the Titans can get from their running backs, the easier life will be for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Perhaps Spears separates himself from Mullings over the preseason, but it was nonetheless a surprise to see the two in the same position on Tennessee's inaugural 2025 depth chart. Related: 2 Titans first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
Reuters
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Titans RB Tyjae Spears nursing high-ankle sprain
August 10 - Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears is expected to miss a few weeks with a high-ankle sprain, head coach Brian Callahan told reporters Sunday. Spears sustained the injury during Saturday's 29-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a preseason game. He had three carries for minus-1 yard on Saturday for the Titans, who likely will rely on fellow running backs Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings to provide support for starter Tony Pollard. Spears, 24, rushed for 312 yards and four touchdowns and added 30 catches for 224 yards and one score in 12 games (one start) last season for Tennessee. He has rushed for 765 yards and six touchdowns in 29 career games (two starts) since being selected by the Titans in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tulane. --Field Level Media
Yahoo
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans' Tyjae Spears has high ankle sprain
Titans running back Tyjae Spears suffered an apparent high ankle sprain during Saturday night's postseason game. Spears was carted off the field and a high ankle sprain was the initial diagnosis, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN. Titans coach Brian Callahan said after the game that it's too soon to say how much time Spears will miss. "Further evaluation. We'll see. Looks like it's probably an ankle, we'll see what the severity is as we evaluate it a little further," Callahan said. Spears is the Titans' backup running back behind Tony Pollard. If Spears isn't ready for the start of the regular season, that would open up an opportunity to rookie sixth-round draft pick Kalel Mullings, who had seven carries for 33 yards on Saturday.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football: Tyjae Spears headlines sleeper candidates at the RB position for 2025
Fantasy football managers are smarter than ever, so finding a player who's actually being slept on can be difficult. With that in mind, we're shifting our focus to late-round targets who could drastically outproduce their ADP in 2025. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Over the next week, I'll shine the spotlight on my favorite sleeper candidates at every key fantasy position. Today, we're taking a look at running backs. Justin Boone's Fantasy Sleepers Quarterbacks Running Backs Wide Receivers (Aug. 7) Tight Ends (Aug. 8) Tyjae Spears, Titans Calling the first two seasons of Spears' NFL career a mixed bag feels like I'm underselling it. As a rookie, he broke onto the scene with 838 scrimmage yards and 52 receptions, while playing alongside a legendary workhorse in Derrick Henry. The fact that Spears was able to earn that kind of role in a season where Henry was active for all 17 games is notable. Entering his sophomore campaign last year, Spears was locked in a battle for the starting job with Tony Pollard. The coaching staff consistently referred to the duo as interchangeable and a timeshare seemed inevitable. Unfortunately, Spears suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 that stole some of his effectiveness and handed the lead back role to Pollard. Hamstring and concussion issues also plagued Spears as the season went along and prevented us from seeing the real backfield tandem the Titans wanted to deploy. However, when Pollard was dealing with injuries and missed some time in the final month, Spears stepped up playing the majority of the snaps. Week Touches Scrimmage Yards TDs 15 10 92 2 16 13 66 2 17 23 103 0 The 24-year-old will begin this season behind Pollard again, but the 28-year-old has another year of wear on his tires. Meanwhile, Spears has looked explosive in practice and people around the team believe he's headed for an uptick in touches, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Head coach Brian Callahan admitted the ideal usage would involve both backs playing 'a little more evenly' moving forward. The Titans have also upgraded at quarterback with first-overall pick Cam Ward and made significant investments on the offensive line, so if Spears gets a chance — he could excel. Like most of the names on this list, it will probably require an injury to free Spears up to reach his fantasy ceiling in 2025, but he has the talent to overtake Pollard if the veteran's play drops off at all. Spears is a nice value in fantasy drafts as an RB3/flex option with the potential to erupt if Pollard misses time. Second-year backs with new opportunities Ray Davis, Bills — James Cook is in the process of holding in, as he attempts to negotiate a contract extension. If the two sides fail to get a deal done, we could see Cook make more 'business' decisions during the season. Meanwhile, in the two games where Davis played more than 50% of the Bills' snaps last year, the backup finished as a top-15 fantasy RB both weeks. Braelon Allen, Jets — Allen flashed in his limited opportunities as a rookie and continues to make noise in training camp. Breece Hall remains the lead back, but new head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand are coming from a Lions organization that successfully used two backs. Though the Jets aren't expected to be anywhere near as potent as Detroit's attack, Allen will likely take on a bigger role in Year 2, while also being one Hall injury away from stardom. Jaylen Wright, Dolphins — Wright was quiet during his rookie campaign, aside from a 13-carry, 86-yard effort in Week 5. However, he certainly has his supporters within the building — like Tyreek Hill, who believes Wright should get more chances around the goal line. De'Von Achane is the unquestioned starter in Miami, but we're just one year removed from Achane and Raheem Mostert combining for 2,184 scrimmage yards and 32 total touchdowns. If Mike McDaniel wants to, he can use Wright in a complementary role that turns him into a fantasy RB3/flex. Late-round rookies with paths to start Dylan Sampson, Browns — Every day that Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned as he deals with his legal situation, is a step closer to Sampson having a major role to start the season. A likely committee with Jerome Ford could prevent Sampson from hitting the highest end of his range of outcomes, but he's the most exciting option in the Browns' backfield until Judkins suits up. Jaydon Blue, Cowboys — It's not surprising to hear that Blue is impressing in practice, when his main competition for touches are underwhelming veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. As the fifth-rounder gets more comfortable, it's possible the Cowboys will come to their senses and let him take on as much work as his 5'9', 196-pound frame can handle. A committee seems likely, but there's no risk to given where Blue is going in drafts. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders — The man known simply as Bill has gone from a seventh-round rookie who people had never heard of when I brought him up, to a training camp darling and likely preseason star in the coming weeks. Brian Robinson Jr. is a reliable starter, but doesn't have the extra gear to make gamebreaking plays. Austin Ekeler is a solid change of pace back at this stage of his career, but he's on the wrong side of 30. There's a legitimate path for Croskey-Merritt to take over this backfield during the season. Woody Marks, Texans — The Texans continue to be vague about the recovery timeline for Joe Mixon, which puts his Week 1 availability in doubt. Head coach DeMeco Ryans recently gave a very honest assessment about veteran backup Nick Chubb, suggesting his best days are well behind him. That opens the door for Marks — a fourth-rounder with a three-down skillset, who could be especially useful in the passing game. Kyle Monangai, Bears — The fact the Bears didn't do more to address their backfield this offseason was puzzling. Maybe they knew something we didn't about Monangai, who they drafted in the seventh round. D'Andre Swift will open the season as the starter, but his hold on the job seems very loose. We're already seeing Monangai get first-team reps in practice and head coach Ben Johnson identified him as a player they'll 'be able to trust this fall.' Whether it's Monangai or Roschon Johnson or a veteran they sign before the season, someone else is going to factor into Chicago's run game in 2025. Justin Boone's Fantasy Sleepers Quarterbacks Running Backs Wide Receivers (Aug. 7) Tight Ends (Aug. 8)
