There was a time when writing up this Draft Plan article was one of the most important things I did in the summer.
Now it’s pretty much the only thing I do.
I’ve produced this article for about a quarter of a century now, and it’s been a staple of mine and a popular article because my goal is genuine and straightforward: I want to give you an edge to win your league. I began publishing in this space in the mid-90s with a passion to help readers, and over 30 years later, that passion remains.
I’m also addicted to being right, and I’ll do whatever it takes to find the answers ahead of the test each fantasy season. I can’t physically steal the test, as I did multiple times in high school when I was ill-prepared for an upcoming final, so I pour over data, keep up with all the news, reach out to my contacts for insider information, and whatever else it takes to find correct answer to each question fantasy players are faced with.
This year’s plan of action has been on my mind for months, and I have sat back and watched the ADP develop and settle in. I’ve observed the trends and studied the players and their situations in-depth, as usual. I’ve also drafted a lot this summer, mostly over at the FFPC, which I love.
So I’m ready to provide what I believe is a sensible roadmap for your 2025 season-long drafts. No draft plan is entirely static, so there’s always some flexibility in play, but my plan is pretty definitive this year, even though I’ve never been more selective about which players I back as targets.
Here’s a look at what’s contained in this manifesto:
- A quick look at my approach and what I’m thinking this year.
- “The 12,” which are my top 12 essential player targets for optimal roster construction.
- My plan of attack at each position, along with the specific players I’m targeting and when.
- “The Dirty 30,” which are 30 players I’m passing on this year at ADP.
- The Hansen 50 list (my 50 targets within the top 275).
- My favorite picks this year by round (1-18).
- The Draft Plan in action.
My Approach/What I’m thinking
I’ll get into the nuances of each position below, but just a few notes before we begin:
I’m obsessed with ranking the players better than they are in the marketplace in terms of their ADPs and industry rankings. In other words, I love when I beat the markets, and most of the players listed in my plan are market-beaters because I think they are mispriced.
I’m seeing more information coming out of training camps this year, and I’ve already noticed the markets tightening up considerably as of late July, so we may not see a lot of ADP movement in August.
I’m also obsessed with finding the right roster-building route for each season. Last year, I was more into the RBs, for example. This year, I’m less into the RBs and more into WR/TE early.
When it comes to most of the players I’m excited to draft, it’s about the player plus the cost, so I may prefer Player A over Player B, even though Player B is a superior player, because Player A is more affordable.
While I’ve evolved in terms of my willingness to back older players, I’m always looking to find a high-end player's career season. In general, I’m usually focused on ascending players while passing on those in decline. Most players will have their “career year” at 28 years old or younger.
So I’m still obsessed with youth, and I dock veteran players for getting older. That’s not my plan per se, and I make some exceptions, but recent history shows that the expiration dates on players have been moving up for years, so I’m still a “fantasy ageist.” If you read and followed this plan last year, there’s a good chance you didn't draft Christian McCaffrey and instead got Bijan Robinson. That call alone made being an ageist profitable in 2024.
I’m always looking for buying opportunities with good players, so I’ll also look at assets who are depressed due to injury, poor situation, etc., from the year before.
And by the way, many of the opinions expressed here have been discussed throughout the year on my podcast with Brian Drake, available on the site, so be sure to subscribe!
“The Twelve”
As noted by Scott Barrett in his Upside Wins Championships manifesto, in a typical fantasy football league, there are only 7-15 players who actually matter in each season, especially in this day and age, when replacement-level players are more plentiful than ever.
I’ve always understood how the fantasy game is mostly about finding legit needle-movers, which is why I’m always chasing breakout and career seasons, and why I’ve focused on young, ascending players my whole career. My primary goal with this list is to identify players critical to implementing my plan of attack this season, but these 12 players also possess the needle-moving upside to help you win a championship.
