Fabs' Fantasy Football Mock Draft 5.0: Christian McCaffrey Drops From Round 1

Michael Fabiano | Aug 14, 2025

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season that saw him miss all but four games. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We are just a few weeks away from the start of the NFL season! That’s wild! Over the last few months, we’ve seen players change teams via trade or free agency, coaches get fired and hired, and college prospects have their names called to play at the next level.

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With that said, it’s a great time for my latest one-man fantasy mock draft. It includes 12 teams and is based on a full PPR scoring system. Each team is required to start one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end and two flex players (non-super flex). No kickers or D/STs were required for the purposes of this mock.

Each team went into the draft with a particular strategy in the first three rounds, so you can see how a build begins and ends after 10 picks. For example, Teams 1 and 3 didn’t take a running back. Other mock teams went “old school” and focused on running backs early, while others took a tight end and/or a quarterback higher than the other teams in the draft.

Teams 1: Wide receiver, wide receiver, tight end

Teams 2, 8: Running back, wide receiver, quarterback

Team 3: Wide receiver, tight end, quarterback

Teams 4, 6, 7: Wide receiver, running back, running back

Team 9: Running back, running back, quarterback

Team 10: Running back, running back, wide receiver

Team2 11, 12: Wide receiver, wide receiver, running back

Now that you have the 411, here’s the mock draft … with a few surprises along the way!

2025 Fantasy Football Mock Draft

Round 1

Round/Pick	Team	Player
1.1	1	Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals
1.2	2	Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
1.3	3	Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings
1.4	4	CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys
1.5	5	Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions
1.6	6	Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions
1.7	7	Malik Nabers, WR, Giants
1.8	8	Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
1.9	9	Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders
1.1	10	De'Von Achane, RB, Dolphins
1.11	11	Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
1.12	12	Brian Thomas Jr, WR, Jaguars

Notes: The first round is mostly chalk from my last mock, starting with Chase and Robinson, followed by a combination of wideouts and running backs. I have dropped Barkley out of the top five for fear of regression, which I have talked about extensively, but my guess is that he’ll be in the top five in most redrafts. To the surprise of no one, Jeanty is the first rookie off the board. The first round concludes with two high-end wide receivers, Nacua and Thomas Jr.

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Round 2

Round/Pick	Team	Player
2.13	12	Drake London, WR, Falcons
2.14	11	Nico Collins, WR, Texans
2.15	10	Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens
2.16	9	Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
2.17	8	A.J. Brown, WR, Eagles
2.18	7	Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
2.19	6	Josh Jacobs, RB, Packers
2.2	5	Kyren Williams, RB, Rams
2.21	4	Bucky Irving, RB, Buccaneers
2.22	3	Brock Bowers, TE, Raiders
2.23	2	Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets
2.24	1	Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks

Notes: Collins and London lead off the round, followed by two veteran running backs in Henry and McCaffrey. I know he’s going in the first round based on ADP data, but I’m not willing to take CMC that high. Buyer beware. Henry starts a running back run that includes six in seven picks and includes Taylor, Jacobs, Williams and Irving. Bowers is the first tight end off the board, to the surprise of no one. The round ends with two wideouts, Wilson and Smith-Njigba. Both are going a full round later based on ADP data, so I like them more than most.

Round 3

Round/Pick	Team	Player
3.25	1	Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals
3.26	2	Josh Allen, QB, Bills
3.27	3	Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
3.28	4	James Cook, RB, Bills
3.29	5	Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins
3.3	6	Chase Brown, RB, Bengals
3.31	7	Omarian Hampton, RB, Chargers
3.32	8	Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles
3.33	9	Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders
3.34	10	DK Metcalf, WR, Steelers
3.35	11	Breece Hall, RB, Jets
3.36	12	Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints

Notes: The round begins with the second tight end, McBride. He’s followed by the first two quarterbacks, Allen and Jackson. Hurts and Daniels are also picked in this round. I usually wait on a field general, but this is where this quartet will likely be picked in drafts. A total of five running backs had their names called here, led by Cook, Brown, and Hall. Hampton has moved up into Round 3 due to the questions about Najee Harris after he suffered a superficial eye injury on the Fourth of July. The biggest surprise in this round might be Metcalf, who is going in the fourth round based on ADP. I have him as the WR14 in my rankings, however, ahead of Ladd McConkey (see below).

Round 4

Round/Pick	Team	Player
4.37	12	Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seahawks
4.38	11	Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers
4.39	10	Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders
4.4	9	Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals
4.41	8	Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
4.42	7	Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals
4.43	6	DJ Moore, WR, Bears
4.44	5	George Kittle, TE, 49ers
4.45	4	Davante Adams, WR, Rams
4.46	3	Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers
4.47	2	Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs
4.48	1	James Conner, RB, Cardinals

Notes: Walker III is the first pick of the round, then we see a huge wide receiver run that starts with McConkey (who moved down a few spots since the Bolts signed Keenan Allen). The other receivers in the run are McLaurin, Higgins, Evans, Harrison Jr. and Moore. Kittle is the third tight end picked, and he’s the lone non-wideout in eight straight picks. Worthy has moved up into Round 4 with the expected suspension of Rashee Rice, which we are still waiting to hear about from the NFL. That’s a situation to monitor in the coming weeks.

Round 5

Round/Pick	Team	Player
5.49	1	RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos
5.5	2	Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos
5.51	3	Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
5.52	4	DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles
5.53	5	Jaylen Waddle, WR, Dolphins
5.54	6	Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
5.55	7	Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions
5.56	8	Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens
5.57	9	Jameson Williams, WR, Lions
5.58	10	Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Panthers
5.59	11	David Montgomery, RB, Lions
5.6	12	Travis Hunter, WR, Jaguars

Notes: The fifth round starts with a running back, Harvey, but it then picks right back up with another run on receivers. Over the next four selections, Rice (he'll play at least the first four weeks of the season and then face an NFL suspension), Sutton, Smith, Waddle (who moved up after the Jonnu Smith trade) and Flowers come off the board. Three other wideouts, Williams, McMillan and Hunter, are also picked in the round. Montgomery is always solid and a bargain, even while losing work to Gibbs in Detroit.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has failed to finish as a top-five fantasy quarterback in each of the last two seasons. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Round 6

Round/Pick	Team	Player
6.61	12	Chris Olave, WR, Saints
6.62	11	Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
6.63	10	D'Andre Swift, RB, Bears
6.64	9	Tony Pollard, RB, Titans
6.65	8	Calvin Ridley, WR, Titans
6.66	7	Jauan Jennings, WR, 49ers
6.67	6	T.J. Hockenson, TE, Vikings
6.68	5	George Pickens, WR, Cowboys
6.69	4	Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
6.7	3	TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Patriots
6.71	2	Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs
6.72	1	Jerry Jeudy, WR, Browns

Notes: Round 6 starts with Olave, whose value is in question due to his durability and the Saints quarterback situation. Mahomes is the sixth quarterback off the board, and he’s joined by two other Chiefs (Pacheco, Kelce). Kelce is the second tight end in the round behind Hockenson. Pickens has moved up a bit after being traded to Dallas, and Henderson is shooting up draft boards based on his spectacular camp with the Patriots.

Round 7

Round/Pick	Team	Player
7.73	1	Rome Odunze, WR, Bears
7.74	2	Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Vikings
7.75	3	Jakobi Meyers, WR, Raiders
7.76	4	Kaleb Johnson, RB, Steelers
7.77	5	Joe Mixon, RB, Texans
7.78	6	Jordan Addison, WR, Vikings
7.79	7	Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals
7.8	8	Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Commanders
7.81	9	Stefon Diggs, WR, Patriots
7.82	10	Baker Mayfield, QB, Buccaneers
7.83	11	Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Giants
7.84	12	Bo Nix, QB, Broncos

Notes: This round starts with Odunze, who is one of my favorite fantasy sleepers among wide receivers. The rookie Johnson went in the round as well, followed by Mixon. He’s a major question mark due to foot and ankle issues that could keep him out of training camp … and maybe longer. Addison has been suspended three games, but he’s still worth a spot in Round 7. Murray is my QB7, followed by Mayfield and Nix, who are also drafted.

Round 8

Round/Pick	Team	Player
8.85	12	Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens
8.86	11	Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jagaurs
8.87	10	Jaylen Warren, RB, Steelers
8.88	9	J.K. Dobbins, RB, Broncos
8.89	8	Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Patriots
8.9	7	Khalil Shakir, WR, Bills
8.91	6	Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Commanders
8.92	5	Caleb Williams, QB, Bears
8.93	4	Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
8.94	3	Javonte Williams, RB, Cowboys
8.95	2	David Njoku, TE, Browns
8.96	1	Jordan Mason, RB, Vikings

Notes: Andrews is the seventh tight end on my rank list, and both he and Njoku come off the board in this round. There are also several running backs in this round that come with question marks. I still have Etienne Jr. ranked as the top Jaguars running back, but Tank Bigsby is closing ground. Warren will share work with Johnson in Pittsburgh, but he could have flex value in PPR formats. I think Dobbins will start for the Broncos ahead of Harvey, but I like the latter a bit more in drafts. Stevenson and Williams both come with their own depth-chart drama, but neither has been picked as more than a No. 4 fantasy running back based on this mock.

Round 9

Round/Pick	Team	Player
9.97	1	Quinshon Judkins, RB, Browns
9.98	2	Ricky Pearsall, WR, 48ers
9.99	3	Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers
9.1	4	Rachaad White, RB, Buccaneers
9.101	5	Jayden Reed, WR, Packers
9.102	6	Cam Skattebo, RB, Giants
9.103	7	Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans
9.104	8	Evan Engram, TE, Broncos
9.105	9	Tucker Kraft, TE, Packers
9.106	10	Emeka Egbuka, WR, Buccaneers
9.107	11	Josh Downs, WR, Colts
9.108	12	Tank Bigsby, RB, Jaguars

Notes: Judkins is the only unsigned rookie and we’re not sure when he will join the Browns due to an off-field incident, but I’d roll the dice on him at this point. The dart throws continue in this round, as several players who could have a path to fantasy value (sleepers) are selected. That list includes players such as Perasall, Skattebo, , Spears and the aforementioned Bigsby. At wide receiver, Godwin has fallen a few rounds since we’re unsure when he’ll return from the ankle he injured last season. We’ve also heard rave reviews about Egbuka in Bucs camp. Engram and Kraft, the two tight ends in the round, could be nice bargains. Engram, in particular, is a favorite target of mine.

Round 10

Round/Pick	Team	Player
10.109	12	Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seahawks
10.11	11	Tyler Warren, TE, Colts
10.111	10	Jake Ferguson, TE, Cowboys
10.112	9	Isaac Guerendo, RB, 49ers
10.113	8	Najee Harris, RB, Chargers
10.114	7	Austin Ekeler, RB, Commanders
10.115	6	Nick Chubb, RB, Texans
10.116	5	Jerome Ford, RB, Browns
10.117	4	Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys
10.118	3	Trey Benson, RB, Cardinals
10.119	2	Tyler Allgeier, RB, Falcons
10.12	1	Brock Purdy, QB, 49ers

Notes: This round starts with Charbonnet, who is the handcuff for Walker III. Another big handcuff, Guerendo, comes off the board a few picks later. In all, eight of the 12 picks in this round are running backs … including Harris, Ekeler, Chubb (who’s stock has risen with the Mixon news), and Ford (who’s also moved up due to the Judkins situation). The round also features two tight ends, Warren and Ferguson, and two quarterbacks in Prescott and Purdy. Both players being available in this round (and many others) bodes well for those fantasy managers who like to wait on the quarterback position until later in their draft.

Total players drafted per position:

Quarterbacks: 12
Running Backs: 49
Wide Receivers: 47
Tight Ends: 12

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