Fabs' Fantasy Football Mock Draft 3.0: Christian McCaffrey in Round 2, Ashton Jeanty Rises to Round 1

Michael Fabiano | May 8, 2025

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey missed all but four games last season due to injuries. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

With free agency, trades and the NFL Draft in the books, the majority of the puzzle pieces are in place for fantasy football managers to put together a pretty clear picture of how NFL depth charts will look. In turn, we also have a good idea about player fantasy values, too.  

Taking all that into account, here’s how I see the first five rounds (60 picks) going if I held a fantasy football draft for 2025 or participated in a best ball league right now.

This mock draft 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 starters (non-super flex). No kickers or D/STs were required in 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 10 and 12 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.

I’ve also included the players whose draft value has risen and fallen compared to the last mock draft, based mostly on the results of the NFL Draft. Players who have moved up or down into different rounds are also highlighted in the mock (listed in bold print).

Risers: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Raiders; Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers; Trey McBride, TE, Cardinals; Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles; Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders; Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals; Quinshon Judkins, RB, Browns; RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos; Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos; D’Andre Swift, RB, Bears; Jerry Jeudy, WR, Browns; Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions

Fallers: Garrett Wilson, WR, Jets; Breece Hall, RB, Jets; Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers; Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins; DK Metcalf, WR, Seahawks; DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles; Chris Godwin, WR, Buccaneers; Najee Harris, RB, Chargers; Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs; Rome Odunze, WR, Bears; Jakobi Meyers, WR, Raiders; Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, Giants

Fabs’ One-Man Mock Fantasy Football Draft 1.0
Fabs’ One-Man Mock Fantasy Football Draft 2.0

Fabs Top 200 Fantasy Football Rankings

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy by Pick

Tm 1: Wide Receiver, Tight End, Quarterback
Tm 2, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Running Back
Tm 3: Wide Receiver, Wide Receiver, Running Back
Tm 4: Running Back, Wide Receiver, Running Back
Tm 5: Wide Receiver, Tight End, Running Back
Tm 6: Wide Receiver, Running Back, Running Back
Tm 7: Running Back, Running Back, Quarterback
Tm 8: Wide Receiver, Running Back, Quarterback
Tm 9: Running Back, Running Back, Running Back
Tm 10: Wide Receiver, Wide Receiver, Tight End
Tm 12: Wide Receiver, Wide Receiver, Wide Receiver

Fantasy Football Mock Draft

Round 1

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

Notes: Chase and Robinson will be the first overall picks in the majority of redrafts, but I’ll go with the former in PPR formats. Lamb should see plenty of targets in the Cowboys' pass attack, even after trading for George Pickens, so I moved him up a few spots compared to my previous mock. The rest of the top nine are chalk. The biggest mover is Jeanty, who goes into the first round in fantasy redrafts after being drafted by the Raiders. With a projected featured role imminent, the uber-talented rookie will see plenty of touches in Sin City. Nacua and Thomas Jr. wrap up the first 12 selections.

Round 2

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

Notes: Collins leads off the second round, and he’s the first of five wide receivers drafted. I moved Wilson down into Round 2, but he’s still a low-end WR1 in fantasy. McCaffrey has been given a full bill of health, so I moved him into the second round. Based on his recent proneness to injuries, I’m not brave enough to move him into Round 1. CMC is one of five runners selected in the round, along with Henry, Taylor, Jacobs and Irving.  Bowers is the first tight end off the board. Fantasy managers should think of him as a receiver. I moved McBride into the second round after the Cardinals didn’t add a receiver in the draft.

Round 3

3.25. Team 1: Josh Allen, QB, Bills
3.26. Team 2: Kyren Williams, RB, Rams
3.27. Team 3: Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens
3.28. Team 4: James Cook, RB, Bills
3.29. Team 5: Breece Hall, RB, Jets (Rd. 1)
3.30. Team 6: Chase Brown, RB, Bengals
3.31. Team 7: Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles (Rd. 4)
3.32. Team 8: Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders (Rd. 4)
3.33. Team 9: Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
3.34. Team 10: Joe Mixon, RB, Texans
3.35. Team 11: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seahawks
3.36. Team 12: Terry McLaurin, WR, Commanders

Notes: Two of the first three picks in this round are quarterbacks, led by Allen and Jackson. I also moved Hurts and Daniels from the fourth round and into this stanza compared to my previous mock. If you want one of the four elite fantasy field generals, you’ll have to pay a high price. I dropped Hall from an end of Round 1 pick and down to a mid-third rounder. He’ll still be a low-end RB1 for those who take wide receivers in the first two rounds. Three of the last four picks are runners, including Walker III. I’d rank him higher, but he’s just so prone to injuries that drafting him comes with risk unless you get Zach Charbonnet.

Round 4

4.37. Team 12: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers
4.38. Team 11: Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers (Rd. 3)
4.39. Team 10: Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins (Rd. 3)
4.40. Team 9: Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals
4.41. Team 8: Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers 
4.42. Team 7: Davante Adams, WR, Rams
4.43. Team 6: DK Metcalf, WR, Steelers
4.44. Team 5: Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers (NL)
4.45. Team 4: Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
4.46. Team 3: James Conner, RB, Cardinals
4.47. Team 2: DJ Moore, WR, Bears
4.48. Team 1: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Browns (NL)

Notes: The Panthers signed Rico Dowdle and drafted Trevor Etienne, but I don’t think it will significantly hurt Hubbard’s role in the offense. Evans and Hill are on the WR2 radar after being No. 1s in 2024 mocks. Hill, who is coming off his worst statistical season in years, comes with more risk than in past drafts. Higgins signed a big deal to stay in Cincinnati and remains a mid-level WR2. McConkey was terrific as a rookie and should remain the first target in the passing game for Justin Herbert. Adams loses some of his luster playing with the Rams, but he’s still on the WR2 radar. Metcalf sees an uptick in value after the Steelers traded George Pickens to the Cowboys. The round also includes two rookie runners in Hampton and Judkins. Hampton could have his ceiling hurt by Najee Harris, but I can still see him being an RB2 in the offense of coordinator Greg Roman. Judkins figures to be the lead man in Cleveland’s backfield, making him well worth a look in the fourth round.

Round 5

5.49. Team 1: David Montgomery, RB, Lions
5.50. Team 2: George Kittle, TE, 49ers
5.51. Team 3: RJ Harvey, RB, Broncos (NL)
5.52. Team 4: Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
5.53. Team 5: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals
5.54. Team 6: Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos (NL)
5.55. Team 7: DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles (Rd. 4)
5.56. Team 8: D’Andre Swift, RB, Bears (NL)
5.57. Team 9: Zay Flowers, WR, Ravens
5.58. Team 10: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Browns (NL)
5.59. Team 11: Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions (NL)
5.60. Team 12: Tony Pollard, RB, Titans

Notes: There’s a lot of movement in this round compared to my previous mock. Harvey has a shot to lead the Broncos' backfield in touches after the team took him in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Burrow is my QB5 and comes off the board in Round 5, and Harrison Jr. is a fifth-rounder in redrafts. Smith fell into Round 5 because of the addition of several rookies in the first four stanzas. The Bears didn’t take a running back until Round 7, so Swift moves up as their projected lead back. Jeudy gets a boost with the return of Joe Flacco, assuming he’s the starter in Cleveland’s crowded quarterback room.