Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Guide to building a dominant roster if you're picking late in Round 1
- - Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Guide to building a dominant roster if you're picking late in Round 1
Justin BooneAugust 21, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Yahoo Sports’ Justin Boone goes over the best approaches to take in this year’s drafts, depending on which spot you’re selecting from in fantasy football.
Draft Position -
Top of the round
Middle of the round
End of the round
Here’s how I’m attacking the draft with one of the final four picks in a 12-team half-PPR scoring league. Average draft position (ADP) can vary from site-to-site, but consider this a guide to help you build a dominant roster in 2025.
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Round 1
Picks: 1.09-1.12
At the end of the first round, there are far more high-end receiver options than running backs, unless Christian McCaffrey happens to fall (which is rare at this point). Collins is the safest of this bunch and was featured in my players who can help lead you to a title article. Before injuries derailed his season, Collins was leading the league in receiving yards through the first five weeks, while posting the fourth-most fantasy points among wideouts. There’s no reason to think he can’t do that over the course of a full campaign.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
Others to consider: Malik Nabers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brian Thomas Jr., Ashton Jeanty
Round 2
Picks: 2.01-2.04
With Ashton Jeanty often going off the board in the late first and De’Von Achane dealing with a calf injury at the moment, I find myself leaning receiver again in the early second round. My excitement over London’s fantasy outlook has been well documented, but he finished as the WR5 overall last year and has a better setup this season with Michael Penix Jr. under center and very little target competition. London has a path to lead the league in targets and is one of my most rostered players for 2025.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
Others to consider: Brian Thomas Jr., Ashton Jeanty, De’Von Achane, Puka Nacua
Round 3
Picks: 3.09-3.12
As much as I like Tucker Kraft as a value tight end pick later in drafts, it’s hard to pass on the advantage you get from an elite fantasy TE like Brock Bowers, Trey McBride or George Kittle. The 49ers receiving corps is decimated at the moment with Brandon Aiyuk likely out until midseason and Jauan Jennings nursing a calf injury. That positions Kittle — who led all tight ends in fantasy points per game last year — for another monster campaign.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Others to consider: Omarion Hampton, Jayden Daniels, Kenneth Walker III, Tee Higgins, Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Round 4
Picks: 4.01-4.04
By the time our fifth-round pick arrives, the running back position will have dropped off another tier and I prefer to secure my RB1 before that happens. Kenneth Walker III has had durability concerns in the past and sat out some of training camp with a foot injury this month, but he’s back at practice now. Despite missing time last year, Walker was still the RB12 in fppg and remains the lead back in a rushing attack that has looked very strong under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. If Walker can stay healthy, there’s a fantasy ceiling that hasn’t been unlocked yet.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Others to consider: James Cook, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, Marvin Harrison Jr.
Round 5
Picks: 5.09-5.12
Rashee Rice will be one of the most pivotal picks in fantasy drafts this season due to the uncertainty surrounding his looming suspension. We still don’t know how many games he will be forced to miss or even when the suspension will take place. The latest reports make me lean towards a five- or six-game ban. Though it’s not ideal to be missing one of your first five picks for that long, Rice has top-12 upside at his position whenever he’s on the field. I’m willing to find replacements for the games he is sidelined in order to tap into that high-end ceiling when he’s available.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Others to consider: RJ Harvey, Travis Hunter, Rome Odunze, Isiah Pacheco
Round 6
Picks: 6.01-6.04
We’ve reached the end of another running back tier and the timing is perfect since we can fill out the RB2 spot before getting into some of the more risky options at the position. Isiah Pacheco is one year removed from being the RB15 in fppg, but most fantasy managers just remember the guy who struggled while coming back from injury in 2024. Now healthy, Pacheco is back to being the unquestioned lead back in Kansas City with double-digit touchdowns in sight.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Others to consider: Rome Odunze, Rashee Rice, Jameson Williams, Calvin Ridley
Round 7
Picks: 7.09-7.12
We’re playing a risky game by taking a second player on this roster who is facing a suspension this season. At least with Jordan Addison, we know he’ll be missing the first three games when there are fewer injuries to contend with and no bye weeks. If Rashee Rice doesn’t reach an agreement with the league and instead waits until after his late September disciplinary hearing to get suspended, the timing would work out well with Addison returning to the lineup. Addison was the WR21 in fppg last year, so this suspension discount is creating a lot of value.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Jordan Addison
7th
Others to consider: Matthew Golden, Jakobi Meyers, Jordan Mason
Round 8
Picks: 8.01-8.04
We don’t have a quarterback yet, but there are so many passers with intriguing fantasy outlooks remaining that I feel comfortable waiting a little longer at the position. Instead, I’ll grab one of my favorite picks this year in Jordan Mason, who the Vikings coaching staff has identified as a major contributor in their backfield. Mason is expected to form a tandem with veteran Aaron Jones (turning 31 in December) and could handle goal-line work in a dangerous Minnesota offense that’s about to hit a new level with J.J. McCarthy under center and some upgrades on the offensive line. Mason is a fantasy RB3 next to Jones, while also offering RB1 upside if the veteran gets hurt.
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Jordan Addison
7th
Bench
Jordan Mason
8th
Others to consider: Jakobi Meyers, J.K. Dobbins, Mark Andrews
Round 9
Picks: 9.09-9.12
If you’re worried about Kenneth Walker III’s injury history, I have good news: You can just draft Zach Charbonnet in the ninth round and complete the Seahawks’ backfield package. Charbonnet has proven himself as a fantasy RB1 when Walker has been sidelined in the past. With how good this rushing attack has looked in its early stages under Klint Kubiak, why not make sure you have Seattle’s starter and backup?
Roster
Player
Round
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Jordan Addison
7th
Bench
Jordan Mason
8th
Bench
Zach Charbonnet
9th
Others to consider: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Brock Purdy, Trey Benson
Round 10
Picks: 10.01-10.04
The range of fantasy quarterbacks from QB6 to QB16 is up for debate this year. So, if you miss out on the elite options, you can wait to select from whoever falls in this group. Purdy is a name to focus on since he’s posted back-to-back top-12 fantasy campaigns and has the fourth-easiest fantasy schedule at the position. It’s also a bonus that we get to pair him with Kittle.
Roster
Player
Round
QB1
Brock Purdy
10th
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Jordan Mason
8th
Bench
Jordan Addison
7th
Bench
Zach Charbonnet
9th
Others to consider: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Trey Benson, Bhayshul Tuten, Travis Etienne Jr., Keon Coleman
Late rounds
Once you’re outside the first 10 rounds, you can stop paying close attention to ADP and simply focus on loading your bench up with as many high-upside stashes as possible — with one-injury-away running backs offering the quickest path to value.
You should also consider passing on a defense or kicker and instead using those final two bench spots on more running backs and receivers who could see their value rise before the season. When we get closer to Week 1, you can drop whichever stashes don’t increase their stock or make trades to free up a roster spot.
Roster
Player
Round
QB1
Brock Purdy
10th
WR1
Nico Collins
1st
WR2
Drake London
2nd
WR3
Rashee Rice
5th
RB1
Kenneth Walker II
4th
RB2
Isiah Pacheco
6th
TE1
George Kittle
3rd
Jordan Mason
8th
Bench
Jordan Addison
7th
Bench
Zach Charbonnet
9th
Bench
Rashid Shaheed
11th
Bench
Nick Chubb
12th
Draft Position -
Top of the round
Middle of the round
End of the round
Source: “AOL AOL Sports”
