The Sports Illustrated fantasy and betting staff and friends held a 12-team, 16-round, full-point PPR draft that required each team to field a starting lineup with one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, two flex spots (RB/WR/TE), and one tight end. A kicker or a defense was not required for the purposes of this particular mock draft.
The participants included me, Isaiah De Los Santos, Brian Giuffra, Richard Louis, Iain MacMillan, Devon Platana, Christopher Schad, Jason Schandl, Joseph Summers, Lindsay Rhodes of Sumer Sports, Jen Piacenti of Shark Bets, and Bob Harris of FootballGuys.
Below are the individual strategies for each of the aforementioned 12 managers of this 16-round mock. You can find the complete results of the entire draft (all 192 picks) here. The breakdown of each manager's analysis is in order of the actual mock draft.
Enjoy!
SI 12-Team PPR Mock Draft Results
Lindsay Rhodes
Draft Strategy: The run on wide receivers in the 1st round (9 of 12 picks!!) made it possible for me to get two high-end running backs early, so I jumped at the chance to do that. I thought about going wideout in the 3rd and 4th rounds, but felt like the value was greater to grab Lamar Jackson and George Kittle (the last of the top 3 tight ends on my list). While I love my first 4 picks, they put me behind the 8-ball at wideout, so my strategy was to grab a handful of receivers who could be the top targets in their offense (plus a few others for depth.) Mark Andrews is a solid flex play, and I like the idea of grabbing rookie backs who I think have paths to opportunities in their respective backfields late as dart throws.
Favorite Pick: Bucky Irving, RB, Buccaneers -- I have Irving in my top tier of six running backs I think have a good shot at finishing as the overall RB1 next season. He averaged 23.4 ppg down the stretch last year (if you take out the game he left early with an injury.) I love the value of getting him (to pair with Saquon Barkley) at the end of the second round.
Least Favorite Pick: Marvin Mims Jr. WR. Broncos -- I’ve been a big Mims Jr. supporter for the last two years, but his usage has been sporadic, and production has been minimal. The final two games of last year were great, but I’m not sure how rookie Pat Bryant impacts his opportunities. With that said, he was a late pick and there is some upside. Aso, I needed wide receivers options since I waited so long to grab players at that position in the draft.
Bob Harris
Draft Strategy: My big-picture strategy is always the same in drafts: Volume is the key to fantasy production, and it was my focus here. After landing Ja'Marr Chase -- the No. 1 player on my rankings this year -- with the second pick overall, I secured running backs in Jonathan Taylor and Kyren Williams who benefit from heavy workloads on the two-three turn. I carried that through with all my starting positions, especially my next two wideouts (DJ Moore, Courtland Sutton). I also landed a solid veteran tight end in Evan Engram.
Favorite Pick: Adam Thielen, WR, Panthers -- I was thrilled to see Thielen fall to me in Round 13. Despite missing several games due to a hamstring injury, the veteran wideout finished last season with 48 receptions for 615 yards with five touchdowns. From Weeks 12 through 18, Thielen was WR12 as Bryce Young hit his stride under first-year coach Dave Canales. Remember, Thielen also caught 103 passes for 1,014 yards with four touchdowns to finish as fantasy’s WR18 during Young's miserable rookie season in 2023.
Least Favorite Pick: Bo Nix, QB, Broncos -- I actually love Nix and was pretty pleased to land him in Round 6, one round after I secured his top receiver, Sutton. But I knew when Jonnu Smith went two picks ahead of Nix, it left Evan Engram as the top tight end in my rankings. It's never my desire to have three pieces of the same passing attack. Bad days for Nix could nerf this squad any given week, which obviously isn’t an ideal scenario.
Michael Fabiano
Draft Strategy: The more things change, the more they stay the same! My focus remains on getting the best available players at running back and wide receiver in the first five to seven rounds and wait on a quarterback until the later rounds. One thing that did change for me in this mock, however, was the selection of Brock Bowers in Round 3. I almost never pick a tight end before the sixth round, but I liked Bowers better than anyone else on my board. It was a good test to see if I could land an elite tight end and still satisfy my needs at the other offensive skill positions. In my mind, I was still able to do that … though I did end up taking three rookie runners (Quinshon Judkins, RJ Harvey, Kaleb Johnson) and a rookie tight end in Colston Loveland. Overall, I would certainly go confidently into battle with this team.
Favorite Pick: Cedric Tillman, WR, Browns -- I was a big fan of Tillman last season, and he was putting up strong totals before getting hurt. He’ll enter camp back at 100 percent and second on the wide receiver depth chart in Cleveland behind Jerry Jeudy, and there’s a good chance the Browns will be behind often and throwing the ball a bunch. If I’m wrong on Tillman, he only cost me a 13th round pick. But if I’m right, he could be a real draft steal.
Least Favorite Pick: DK Metcalf, WR, Steelers – Metcalf is in line to potentially get a ton of targets in the Steelers offense after the team traded George Pickens to Dallas. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, at this point, Metcalf will be catching passes from Mason Rudolph. That makes Metcalf a bit of a risk as the WR2 on this roster. If Pittsburgh is able to land Aaron Rodgers, however, then I’ll be liking getting Metcalf in Round 4 a whole lot more.
Iain MacMillan
Draft Strategy: In a full point PPR league, my draft strategy is to go running back heavy in the early rounds, targeting those who are used both in the running and in the passing games to take advantage of the PPR scoring system. I feel I did that with Jahmyr Gibbs and Christian McCaffrey. Banking on McCaffrey to have a bounce back season after suffering an injury last year is risky, but I was able to draft Isaac Guerendo in a later round in case McCaffrey's injury issues persist. I was able to still get a top-talent wide receiver in round three in Mike Evans and then an elite passing quarterback in Joe Burrow in Round 4. My late-draft strategy was to target rookies and breakout candidates like Xavier Legette, Tre Harris, Jack Bech, and Michael Penix Jr. These are players who potentially have high ceilings.
Favorite Pick: Jonnu Smith, TE, Dolphins -- I was able to select Smith in the sixth round as the seventh tight end off the board. People are quick to forget the season the Dolphins' tight end had in 2024. He has the fourth-best fantasy tight end last season behind Brock Bowers, George Kittle, and Trey McBride, and that was after having a quiet first half of the season. If Smith can carry that momentum and stretch that level of play through the entire 2025 season, he's going to once again be one of the top fantasy tight ends in the league.
Least Favorite Pick: Jordan Addison, WR, Vikings -- I needed another wide receiver in the fifth round and DeVonta Smith, who I wanted, was selected by Fabs right before my pick. While Addison has high ceiling games, he's a clear No. 2 option at best in Minnesota behind Justin Jefferson. There's also a huge question mark at quarterback in J.J. McCarthy. If I could change one pick, I would've gone for a more consistent receiver at this point in the draft.
Joseph Summers
Draft Strategy: After landing Justin Jefferson in the first round, my goal was to snag high-upside running backs while hoping that I could hit on a couple of receivers later in the draft to potentially give me an advantage at every position. The Jayden Daniels selection in the fourth round was based on that concept. Breece Hall is the big wild card and will ultimately determine whether or not this team can compete, though I'm thrilled about getting James Conner and Jaylen Warren as supplemental options should I need them. By taking younger wideouts as the draft went on, I've given myself enough dart throws to feel comfortable.
Favorite Pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders -- Even as a second-round pick, I feel confident that Jeanty will be an elite fantasy asset sooner rather than later. He'll be the focal point of the Las Vegas Raiders' offense under Pete Carroll, and his floor is as high as any running back in the league outside of the truly elite names like Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs. It's better to be early than late in fantasy football, and this is a bet on being early.
Least Favorite Pick: Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs -- Name recognition got the best of me here, and Kelce in the sixth round was a poor value pick despite his past successes. Nearing the end of his career, he's likely saving himself for a playoff run with a few big games sprinkled in throughout the regular season. I'm happy to have drafted David Njoku as a hedge, though taking Kelce this early is a mistake that I wouldn't repeat moving forward.
Isaiah De Los Santos
Draft Strategy: The biggest lesson I took from my terrible 2024 fantasy season was a lack of risks and upside choices in favor of older veterans. In my first mock of 2025, I think I struck a much better balance. Ladd McConkey, Jameson Williams and Omarion Hampton are young starters in my projected lineup with clear potential to be even better after strong seasons, or to hit the ground running as a rookie in the latter’s case. I also snagged a Kyle Pitts lottery ticket to go along with a few safer selections in CeeDee Lamb and James Cook. They should both be top-10 fantasy players at their positions in PPR leagues once again.
Favorite Pick: Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Commanders -- I’m taking Samuel Sr. if he falls to the eighth round every time. He’s only one season removed from a WR15 finish in PPR, and he’s now on a team that actively sought him out, which foreshadows a clear plan to utilize his talents. Olamide Zaccheaus and Dyami Brown left 104 targets behind after their respective exits, while Noah Brown (who has targets to spare after 56 in 2024) is the team’s third-best wideout. Throw in the possibility of some rushing work behind Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler, and Samuel’s an obvious bounce-back candidate in an electric offense.
Least Favorite Pick: Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jaguars: I didn’t feel good about stopping Etienne Jr.’s fall, then I talked myself into it considering he was once PPR’s RB3 in 2023. Now, I’m back to having buyer’s remorse. The Jaguars’ backfield is a classic fantasy land mine waiting to punish anyone who dares to test their luck with Etienne Jr. with Tank Bigsby and rookie fourth-round pick Bhayshul Tuten now in the mix. Taking Najee Harris to pair with Hampton and maximize ownership of the Chargers’ run-heavy attack, or even Jaydon Blue, who could easily become the Cowboys’ starting back, likely would’ve been wiser choices in hindsight.
Richard Louis
Draft Strategy: Going into the draft, I wanted to target wide receivers and running backs early. Holding the 7th overall pick, three backs and three wideouts went in front of me. I was able to snag Amon Ra. St. Brown with my first selection, and it got me pumped. He’s gone over 1,200 receiving yards and 10-plus touchdowns in two consecutive years. Even though Ben Johnson is no longer there, St. Brown will be the focal point of the passing attack.
Favorite Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals -- I’m fully expecting Harrison Jr. to take a leap in his sophomore campaign. He has put on some weight and is ready for the wear and tear of a 17-game season. As a rookie, he was second on the team in catches (62), targets (116), and receiving yards (885) while leading the team in touchdowns (8). With another year of getting comfortable with the NFL game and continuing to build chemistry with Kyler Murray, I expect Harrison Jr. to eclipse 1,000 yards and flirt with double-digit touchdowns.
Least Favorite Pick: Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Vikings -- I’m not typically a fan of running backs over 30 years old. Although Jones Sr. had a good first year in Minnesota, which saw him log 1,138 rushing yards, 408 receiving yards, and seven total touchdowns, I’m expecting him to take a step back. With J.J. McCarthy slated to be the starter, he will have to prove to defenses that he can push the ball downfield so they can lighten the load in the box. Until that is proven, teams will look to slow down the run game, which doesn’t bode well for Jones. Minnesota also added Jordan Mason, who will take reps from Jones Sr.. He’ll also turn 31 years in December, and Kevin O’Connell may look to keep Jones’ legs fresh over the course of the season.
Brian Guiffra
Draft Strategy: My overall thought was to go heavy at either running back or wide receiver, depending on who fell to me with the eighth pick. When all the runners went early, I knew I was going wideout. I hoped Amon-Ra St. Brown would somehow fall to eight, but I'm happy with Nico Collins, a player who I think hasn't reached his ceiling yet. After that, I was drafting for strength at receiver, a position that can be hard to find alphas in later rounds.
Favorite Pick: Brian Robinson Jr,, RB, Commanders -- Jayden Daniels raised Robinson's ceiling last year, and I don't think Austin Ekeler will be as effective this year as he was last. Behind him is only a rookie in Jacory Croskey-Merritt and veteran Jeremy McNichols. I could see Robinson Jr. controlling the backfield touches and finishing with around 1,200 all-purpose yards and around 10 total touchdowns in 2025, especially in a contract year.
Least Favorite Pick: Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Giants -- I'm a Giants fan and Tracy looked good last year. However, he had some fumbling issues and was ineffective in short-yard situations. Enter rookie Cam Skattebo, a bruiser who will certainly steal some touches from Tracy on the goal line. Ultimately, I'm hoping I hit on one of my late-round running backs to make up for the concerns I have about Tracy Jr. in the Giants offense this season.
Jason Schandl
Draft Strategy: This being my first draft of the offseason, I tried to feel things out and let the draft come to me rather than making any bold stands — this also means my team is probably lacking upside. The fact that I didn’t land my first running back until Round 5 is something I'm more than happy to do in August, but in May that's a lot tougher a situation — the good Zero-RB targets are a lot less clear when we have no idea what depth charts are looking like. Still, I'm happy enough with the value I landed in the draft along the way.
Favorite Pick: Jared Goff, QB, Lions -- This isn't so much about Goff himself, but what that pick allowed for me. I was able to land him as the No. 11 quarterback off the board, so I got enough early and mid-round cracks at running back and wideout that I can stomach having less upside on my late-round picks. Goff has been QB7 and QB6 over the last two seasons, and there's not much reason to believe he won't return decent value at this spot again.
Least Favorite Pick: Chris Olave/Rashid Shaheed, WRs, Saints: The New Orleans Saints' passing game isn't exactly one you're going to feel good about doubling down on this year. Chances are good that at least one of these two picks will flop, and there's a real possibility both do. But hey, maybe rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will be the real deal in Year 1.
Devon Platana
Draft Strategy: Whenever I draft between picks 10-12, I try to leave the first five rounds with at least a pair of wideouts and running backs. I had Malik Nabers last season, so I had no issues with taking him in the first round. I was also happy to take care of my running back needs in the following three rounds. I'd usually go quarterback in Round 6 or 7 at that point, but I felt comfortable postponing that once I realized mostly everyone had satisfied their signal-caller needs by then, allowing me to bolster my wideout and backfield depth.
Favorite Pick: Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers -- I don't think I've ever waited until the 14th round to draft my quarterback, so I was relieved to see my patience pay off in the form of Purdy. Even though he finished as the QB14 last year, a lot of that had to do with injuries to guys like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk across the 49ers' offense. Purdy should also benefit from a 2025 schedule that’s filled with plenty of passer-friendly matchups.
Least Favorite Pick: Joe Mixon, RB, Texans -- Although he had a solid 2024 performance, I'm not completely sold on Mixon's outlook this season. The Texans' offensive line underwent several changes this offseason, so it remains to be seen if the new-look unit gels well together. Quality running backs were limited at this point too and I felt like I didn't have many other options. However, Alvin Kamara would've been a decent alternate pick.
Christopher Schad
Draft Strategy: I wanted to go “Zero RB,” but sometimes you can go too much “zero” and not enough “RB.” After whiffing on Christian McCaffrey with my first year’s pick in last year’s draft, I went safe with A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill. I tripled down with Terry McLaurin but I valued touchdowns over receptions in a PPR league by going David Montgomery and Jordan Mason. The rest of the draft I went for guys who were an injury away from a starting role or guys I thought had upside. The goal is to get a solid starting lineup, have upside on the bench and take guys late that beat everyone to the waiver wire early in the season.
Favorite Pick: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Vikings -- I’m really high on McCarthy this season, and not because I’m a romantic Vikings fan. At this time a year ago, we were wondering if Sam Darnold could replace Kirk Cousins. The answer was a resounding “yes” because he was throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. That pass-catching group gets better as T.J. Hockenson is fully healthy and the Vikings made the infrastructure even better with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason in the backfield and an overhaul on the interior of the offensive line. Mix in a steady drumbeat coming from Minnesota that didn’t include Aaron Rodgers, and I think McCarthy can hit the 4,000-yard, 30-touchdown mark that Cousins and Darnold have hit in the past. For a late-round quarterback, that’s worth the risk.
Least Favorite Pick: Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles – I’ve got to admit, I was a prisoner of the moment here. The Tush Push ban failed hours before we did this mock draft, and I knew that Hurts has 42 rushing touchdowns since the Eagles started running that play in 2022. Josh Allen has 37 touchdowns during that time frame, but no other quarterback has more than 20. Even if the Eagles don’t throw the football as much with Saquon Barkley in the backfield, Hurts’ rushing success makes him a safe pick. And while I like pairing Hurts with Brown, there were a slew starting-caliber quarterbacks still on the board late in the draft. In a league that requires just one quarterback at the position, I wish I waited a little longer.
Jen Piacenti
Draft Strategy: I wanted to get two running backs and two wide receivers in the first five rounds, which I was able to accomplish. My plan was also to wait on a quarterback since I think there are plenty of undervalued signal-callers going late in fantasy drafts. I’d rather use two to three late picks at the position and stick with whoever ends up playing the best. I was also able to get a tight end in the first five, and one I think it being undervalued in TJ Hockenson. I loaded up on wide receivers between Rounds 6-10 and then started to back up my running back, tight end and quarterback positions in the draft after that.
Favorite Pick: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seahawks -- I grabbed Walker III a little ahead of ADP, but I didn’t want to risk that he wouldn’t get back to me. I’m high on him this season, as he is set up for major success in Seattle with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Across his two seasons as an OC (Vikings, Saints), Kubiak's offenses averaged 446 rush attempts and 128 running back targets. Kubiak has already stated he is excited about Walker III in his zone scheme, and as long as Walker stays healthy, he should easily surpass his ADP. Walker caught a career-high 46 passes and finished as the RB13 on a per game basis in PPR leagues in 2024, and he’s only 24 years old. I also handcuffed him with Zach Charbonnet, who has proven he can also be a fantasy stud when given the opportunity.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as SI Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft Analysis: Travis Kelce, Joe Mixon Among Least Favorite Picks.
