It’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football draft, and that’s exactly what we’re here to do. Using the DraftHero Mock Draft Simulator from 4for4, I ran a 12-team ESPN mock draft to get a feel for current player values and early trends as we look ahead to the 2025 fantasy season.
Below, we’ll walk through the mock round-by-round, spotlighting the biggest reaches and falls, and break down some of the most actionable takeaways.
Below is a breakdown of my risers, fallers, and strategic takeaways after each chunk of rounds. Standard ESPN roster settings were used (1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 K, 1 D/ST, 6 BN).
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Fantasy Football ESPN Mock Draft: Rounds 1–4
Biggest Reach: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts (Round 2, Pick 3)Taylor is still operating in his prime, but injury concerns loom large—he’s missed the equivalent of a full season over the last three years. When healthy, he’s a volume monster: 321 touches for 1,567 yards and 12 scores in 2024. He averaged just 1.5 receptions per game last year, though that number could rise if Daniel Jones wins the job—Jones has historically targeted RBs more often than Anthony Richardson. Efficiency remains a mixed bag: 6th-best before contact, but near the bottom in yards after contact and broken tackle rate. He’s a locked-in RB1 with upside if his pass-game role rebounds and he stays on the field.
Biggest Fall: Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers (Round 3, Pick 9)McConkey turned heads with a standout rookie season, racking up 91 catches, 1,346 yards, and 8 touchdowns to finish as the WR13. He was a top-five wideout in yards per route run and ranked top-15 in contested catch rate. While not a prototypical X receiver, McConkey’s feel for coverages made him a quarterback-friendly option from Day 1. With Keenan Allen back and rookie Tre Harris joining the mix, target competition could cap his ceiling, but McConkey should still offer reliable WR2 value in full-PPR formats with Justin Herbert at the helm.
Fantasy Football ESPN Mock Draft: Rounds 5–8
Key Takeaway: Elite QBs Are Flying Off the BoardThe top seven quarterbacks were off the board before Round 6. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen both went in the early rounds, signaling a growing trend of prioritizing dual-threat signal-callers. If you want one, you’ll have to pay up. If you don’t, the opportunity to stockpile WR2 and RB3 depth is there for the taking.
Fantasy Football ESPN Mock Draft: Rounds 9–11
Biggest Reach: Adam Thielen, WR, Panthers (Round 10, Pick 9)Thielen returns as a steady slot option but enters 2025 with more competition for targets than ever. Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan are ascending, and Thielen—now 35—showed signs of age last season, finishing with just over 600 receiving yards. He may remain a reliable short-area option for Bryce Young, but the days of fantasy relevance appear numbered.
Fantasy Football ESPN Mock Draft: Rounds 12–14
Key Takeaway: Don’t Reach for Kicker or DefenseStreamable defenses like the 49ers, Rams, Chargers, Chiefs, and Giants are readily available in the final rounds. Use those picks on short-term value and adjust as the season unfolds. The same goes for kickers—target scoring environments, not name recognition.
Biggest Fall: Trey Benson, RB, Cardinals (Round 14, Pick 1)Benson quietly impressed as a rookie and is now positioned to challenge James Conner in a 1A/1B split. HC Jonathan Gannon hinted at viewing both backs as potential “starters,” and Conner—now 30—could cede touches to preserve his health. Benson flashed both before and after contact and should carry weekly FLEX upside with league-winning potential if Conner misses time. He’s an ideal late-round pick for Zero RB builds.
ESPN Mock Draft Board
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ESPN Mock Draft FAQs
Is this a full-PPR fantasy football mock draft?Yes. This mock was completed using full-PPR scoring settings and default ESPN roster configuration.
Which tool was used for this ESPN mock draft?The mock draft was completed using 4for4’s DraftHero, a powerful tool for building mocks and generating optimized draft strategies.
How early are quarterbacks being drafted in 2025 fantasy football?Much earlier than in previous years. In this draft, Josh Allen was selected in the second round, followed closely by Jackson, Daniels, and Hurts. Fantasy managers should be prepared to adjust their strategy accordingly.
Why did Garrett Wilson fall so far?Unclear, but his WR10 finish in 2024 and new offensive scheme suggest he should be drafted earlier than Round 4 in most PPR formats.
What about the tight end market?Tight end is a difficult position to navigate in 2025. There’s upside in waiting until the double-digit rounds, but reaching for upside (like Goedert or Henry) in Rounds 9–11 is a viable strategy too.
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