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USATSI

This is our 12-part, pick-by-pick series where Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings, Adam Aizer, Dan Schneier, Jacob Gibbs, and I each built two of the 12 teams in a six-person, 14-round mock draft to show you a different strategy from each spot.

As a reference point, all touchdowns in this league are worth six points. We award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We also award one point for every reception. The starting lineup features a QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, and FLEX (RB/WR/TE).

If you have the third pick, you're in a prime position to grab one of the most sought-after players in 2025; it just depends on who falls to you. In this draft, Saquon Barkley dropped to me after Ja'Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson went off the board. But I won't fault you if you decide to pass on Barkley for a wide receiver like CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, or a younger running back like Jahmyr Gibbs. Still, Barkley is a tier above those three for me.

My Draft from the Third Pick:

1.03: Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
2.10: Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins
3.03: Kyren Williams, RB, Rams
4.10: Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals
5.03: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Browns
6.10: Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers
7.03: Rome Odzune, WR, Bears
8.10: Javonte Williams, RB, Cowboys
9.03: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts
10.10: Jaydon Blue, RB, Cowboys
11.03: Austin Ekeler, RB, Commanders
12.10: Adam Thielen, WR, Panthers
13.03: Jake Ferguson, TE, Cowboys
14.10: Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons

In a three-WR league, some might worry about a receiving corps led by Tyreek Hill, Jerry Jeudy, Ricky Pearsall, and Rome Odzune. But that means passing on running back Kyren Williams and quarterback Joe Burrow. For me, wide receivers felt a little risky in the third and fourth rounds. I'm more confident locking in touchdown machine Williams (31 TDs in two seasons) and the nearly 5,000-yard passer Burrow than the wide receivers I passed on.

I'm expecting a bounce-back year from Hill after an injury-plagued season, and a breakout from Pearsall, who could emerge as the last 49ers receiver standing amid the Jauan Jennings offseason drama. I was impressed with how Jeudy closed out the year, averaging 20.8 fantasy points per game from Weeks 11–17. Don't forget about Odzune either—Ben Johnson is now running the show in Chicago, and with Keenan Allen gone, the former ninth overall pick could have a sneaky productive season if the Bears' offense takes a step forward.

Later in the draft, I backed up Barkley and Williams with the Cowboys' backfield. The offseason is still early and uncertain, but I'm betting one of Javonte Williams or Jaydon Blue will end up fantasy-relevant, so it's a bit of a hedge. Considering what Rico Dowdle did last season, there's no reason to ignore that backfield with a few late-round picks. 

And finally, don't freak out if you miss out on top-tier tight end talent. I rarely prioritize tight end early in drafts. You can go great or late, but it's better to wait. Last year, I waited and rode Zach Ertz most of the season, even adding Jonnu Smith midseason when he took off. Playing the waiver wire isn't a bad strategy if you grab an elite quarterback early and shore up two top running back spots like I did, or take a wide receiver route. That said, my last two picks were tight ends Jake Ferguson and Kyle Pitts (yes, him again). Getting Pitts for free with little draft capital invested is a no-brainer—you can cut bait early if needed. With Ferguson, Dak Prescott loves his tight ends. Ferguson had no chance with Cooper Rush last season, so he's worth another late-round dart throw.

Favorite pick: Kyren Williams

Kyren Williams has been a league winner since 2023, posting back-to-back seasons of 1,100+ rushing yards and 15+ TDs. Yet people keep fading him. Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter? Just backups. Kyren is still the engine of the Rams' offense. Now going in the third round? That value is absurd. He's not flashy, but he's consistent, explosive when it counts, and a steal with RB1 upside. Please keep fading him—I'll keep buying more shares. One of the most underrated and reliable fantasy assets heading into 2025.

Pick I might regret: Jerry Jeudy

Jerry Jeudy finished 2024 like a man possessed with 20.8 fantasy points per game from Weeks 11–17. But five of those games came with Jameis Winston, not the Browns' latest carousel of chaos: Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. I wouldn't be shocked if all four start games this season. If Flacco holds the reins, Jeudy has legit WR2 upside. If not, the floor drops out fast. It's a volatile pick, no doubt, but you're betting on a talented wideout with explosive potential. However, it is with a QB roulette-level risk.

Player who could make or break my team: Tyreek Hill

Don't call him washed just yet. Injuries and a sub-1,000-yard finish derailed Tyreek Hill's 2024, but fading him at 31 feels like a mistake. A.J. Brown and Drake London were picked ahead of him, but I'd still take Hill every time. The speed, separation, and explosive route running still leap off the film. With Miami's offense primed for a rebound, his WR1 ceiling is very much intact. Legends like Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, and Terrell Owens produced at this age—if Hill stays healthy, why not him?