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USATSI

With the 12th pick, I'm often leaving the 1-2 turn with two elite receivers. In this draft, I decided that unless Omarion Hampton fell to me at the back end of Round 3, I was going to go light at RB and see if I could still build a team that felt good. There are a number of late-round running backs that I like who are pushing up boards, and I was curious to see how I could piece the position together if I went WR-heavy early. In Round 4, I was faced with a tough decision – George Kittle or Jalen Hurts – I decided to go early Round TE, because my usual pattern is to wait at the position. This turned into quite the funky draft as a result. I wonder what you'll think of it!

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

As a reference point, all touchdowns in this league are worth six points, and 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. We feature a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, and FLEX (RB/WR/TE).

My draft from No. 12 overall:

11.12 - Drake London

2.01 - Brian Thomas Jr.

3.12 - Kenneth Walker

4.01 - George Kittle

5.12 - Rashee Rice

6.01 - DeVonta Smith

7.12 - Travis Etienne

8.01 - Jacory Croskey-Merritt

9.12 - Bhayshul Tuten

10.01 - Cam Skattebo

11.12 - Brock Purdy

12.01 - Justin Fields

13.12 - Woody Marks

14.01 - Isaac TeSlaa

Favorite pick: Rashee Rice

Nico Collins was on 55% of ESPN playoff rosters in 2024, the fifth-highest rate of any WR. He missed five weeks. In 2024 drafts, Collins was picked ahead of where I landed Rice in this draft. And his managers couldn't plan for his absence; they were blindsided by it. And still, Collins was on the fifth-highest percentage of playoff rosters among all wide receivers. Collins averaged 19.5 PPR points. Rice has averaged 20.8 in games with at least a 75% snap rate. He could legitimately be the highest-scoring WR during the Fantasy playoffs. I don't see that type of upside anywhere else in Round 4-5

Pick I might regret: Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Travis Etienne is penciled in as RB2, and Bhayshul Tuten is ready to take over at any moment. What if Tank Bigsby plays a bigger role than expected, though? What if Kenneth Walker gets hurt and I lose my RB1?! In either scenario, if "Bill" Croskey-Merritt isn't the savior my team needs, then I might be in big trouble. I've been a big-time Bill believer since I dug into his film/analytics in April, and Washington's decision to move on from Brian Robinson Jr. might just signify similar belief. Round 8 is the earliest that I've drafted him all summer; hopefully, I don't regret it!

Player who could make or break my team: Kenneth Walker

The setup in Seattle feels perfect for Kenneth Walker. Can he capitalize? His snaps have dwindled in each of the past two seasons. If able to stay on the field, Walker might surprise people as one of the most productive running backs in 2025. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak loves to feature his RB in the screen game, and his outside zone running scheme feels perfectly tailored to accentuate Walker's strengths. Under Kubiak's tutelage, Alvin Kamara was absolutely crushing on the ground before the ground gave way beneath him in the form of injuries all over the 2024 Saints offense. I'm willing to bet on Walker in the Round 3-4 range. He's a special talent, and Kubiak has shown flashes of brilliance as a play designer and play-caller.