Fantasy football is basically a year-round sickness. We haven’t even cleared the Super Bowl parade confetti from the streets of New Orleans, and yet, here I am, staring at a 2025 mock fantasy draft board like it’s the Rosetta Stone.
It’s early. Some might say too early. But if you aren’t thinking about how the 2024 rookie breakouts shift the tectonic plates of next year's first round, you’re already behind.
Look, the landscape has shifted. Gone are the days when you could just blindly click "CMC" at 1.01 and go get a sandwich. Christian McCaffrey’s Achilles issues in 2024 sent shockwaves through the community. Now, when we look at a 2025 mock fantasy draft, we aren't just drafting players; we’re drafting injury histories and workload projections for guys who are suddenly entering their late 20s. It’s scary. Honestly, it’s terrifying.
The 1.01 Dilemma: Is Saquon Really the King?
If you had told me two years ago that Saquon Barkley would be the consensus 1.01 in most early 2025 mock fantasy draft scenarios, I would’ve asked what you were smoking. But life comes at you fast. Behind that Philadelphia Eagles offensive line, Saquon looked like a different human being in 2024.
He’s efficient. He’s explosive. Most importantly, he’s in an offense that doesn’t let defenses stack the box because they’re terrified of A.J. Brown.
But wait. There’s a catch. There is always a catch.
Breece Hall and Bijan Robinson are lurking. In every 2025 mock fantasy draft I’ve run this week, there is a legitimate fistfight between the "Safety of Saquon" camp and the "Ceiling of Breece" camp. Breece Hall is a volume monster. Even when the Jets looked like a dumpster fire fueled by old gym socks, Hall was producing. If that offense gets even 10% more competent in 2025, he’s the RB1. No doubt.
Then you have Justin Jefferson. Some people are allergic to drafting a WR at 1.01. I get it. You want the "bell cow." But Jefferson with a full year of a settled QB situation? That’s 1,800 yards waiting to happen. He’s the only player in the league who feels "bust-proof."
The QB Dead Zone is Real
Quarterback is weird now. In a typical 2025 mock fantasy draft, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts are still going in the late second or early third round.
Is it worth it?
Maybe.
But look at Jayden Daniels. The kid changed the math in 2024. His rushing floor is so high it’s basically a ceiling for most other players. If you can get that kind of production in the 5th round, why are you reaching for Patrick Mahomes in the 3rd? Mahomes is a better real-life QB—obviously—but fantasy is a different beast. It’s about points, not rings.
I’ve seen Lamar Jackson fall to the late 3rd in some 12-man mocks. That’s insane value. If he’s there, you take him. You don't think. You just click the button.
Wide Receiver Volatility: The 2025 Mock Fantasy Draft Reality
The middle rounds are where championships are won, or more likely, where we all ruin our Sundays.
Puka Nacua. Marvin Harrison Jr. Malik Nabers.
These guys are the "New Guard." In a 2025 mock fantasy draft, Nabers is going in the early second round. It feels high. It feels risky. But have you seen the target share? The Giants (or whoever is throwing him the ball in 2025) have no choice but to pepper him with 12 targets a game.
On the flip side, we have the veterans. Tyreek Hill is getting older. Mike Evans is still Mike Evans, which means he’ll probably get 1,000 yards even if he’s playing on a walker. But the cliff is coming for some of these guys. Cooper Kupp’s ADP is all over the place. In some mocks, he’s a 4th rounder. In others, people are scared of the injuries and he slips to the 6th.
I’d gamble on the youth. Always.
Tight Ends: A Return to Sanity?
For a few years, it was Travis Kelce or "Good Luck, Buddy."
That’s over.
Brock Bowers changed everything. If you’re doing a 2025 mock fantasy draft and you don’t have Bowers as a top-3 TE, you’re just not watching the games. He’s a wide receiver in a tight end’s body. He’s the centerpiece of that Raiders offense.
👉 See also: What Channel is the Cleveland Browns On: The No-Nonsense Fan Guide for 2026
Sam LaPorta and Trey McBride are the other pillars. The "Big Three" has become a "Big Five" or "Big Six." This means you don't have to reach. You can wait until the 6th or 7th round and still get a guy who won’t give you a zero.
The Rookie Fever
We can’t talk about a 2025 mock fantasy draft without mentioning the incoming class. Ashton Jeanty. If this guy lands in a spot like Dallas or Cincinnati? He’s going in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts. Period.
His tape is move-the-chains, break-the-tackle, highlight-reel stuff. But rookies are "projections." We loved Bijan. We loved Jahmyr Gibbs. They worked out, mostly. But remember Clyde Edwards-Helaire? Everyone had him as a top-5 pick in mocks back in the day. We were wrong.
Navigating the Hero RB vs. Zero RB Debate
Every year, people argue about this. It’s exhausting.
In a 2025 mock fantasy draft, the "Hero RB" strategy seems most viable. You grab one of those elite guys—Barkley, Hall, Robinson—and then you hammer WRs for four rounds.
Why? Because the RB "dead zone" is wider than ever. Between rounds 4 and 8, you’re looking at guys with massive question marks. Is Kyren Williams going to keep the 90% snap share? Can De'Von Achane stay healthy if he gets more than 15 touches?
I’d rather have a stable of high-upside WRs like George Pickens or Zay Flowers than gamble on a RB who might be in a 50/50 committee by Week 3.
Realities of the 2025 Landscape
The NFL is changing. Scoring was down for a bit, then it spiked. Defenses are playing more "shell" coverage to take away the deep ball. This makes "slot" kings and pass-catching RBs more valuable than ever.
In your 2025 mock fantasy draft, pay attention to the PPR (Point Per Reception) specialists. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the poster child for this. He’s not going to catch a 70-yard bomb every game, but he’ll catch eight 7-yard passes. That’s 15 points before he even touches the end zone.
He’s a first-round lock. Don't overthink it.
Common Mistakes I'm Seeing
- Overvaluing 2024 PPG without Context: Just because a guy had three massive weeks in December doesn't mean he's a 2025 superstar. Check the injuries to his teammates during that stretch.
- Ignoring Coaching Changes: A new Offensive Coordinator can turn a "workhorse" into a "committee" back overnight.
- The "Name Value" Trap: Taking Derrick Henry or Davante Adams purely because of what they did in 2021. The wheels fall off fast in this league.
The Strategy for Your Next Mock
If you’re jumping into a 2025 mock fantasy draft tomorrow, try this:
- Pick 1-4: Take the best available RB (Barkley/Hall/Bijan/CMC if he's healthy).
- Pick 5-12: Go WR-WR. The elite tier of pass catchers is smaller than you think.
- Middle Rounds: Look for "Post-Hype Sleepers." Guys who were supposed to be great in 2024 but had bad QB play or minor injuries.
- Late Rounds: Take swings on backup RBs in high-powered offenses. If the starter goes down, you have a top-10 asset for free.
Actionable Steps for Fantasy Managers
Don't just draft and walk away. Mocks are for practice.
Watch the coaching carousel. When the head coaching jobs fill up in late January, look at the offensive philosophies. If a "run-heavy" coach goes to a team with a talented RB, that player's stock in your 2025 mock fantasy draft should skyrocket.
Track the surgeries. Use sites like Rotoworld or Sleeper to see who actually had "clean-up" procedures. A player coming off a January knee scope is very different from a player coming off an August ACL tear.
Diversify your mocks. Don't just draft from the 1.01 spot. Force yourself to draft from the 12th turn. It’s a completely different game. You have to be comfortable with the "Double Turn" and seeing 22 players go off the board before you pick again. It’s stressful, but it’s how you get better.
The 2025 mock fantasy draft season is just the beginning. It’s the foundation. By the time August rolls around, the board will look different, but the work you do now—learning the tiers and understanding the value—is what puts that trophy on your mantle.
Go draft. Make mistakes. Figure out who "your guys" are before the hype train leaves the station.