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Some fantasy football managers may still be clinging to their 2024 championship trophies and group chat victory… but the rest of us are looking forward to next year. Sure, it may be a little early to do so, as the biggest draft weekend of the year is just over 220 days away. However, preparation is never bad. There’s also no early debate brewing over which of the 2024 stars (or budding stars) are worthy of a first-round pick.
Here’s our team’s first two-round, too-early (never too early!) 2025 fantasy football mock.
Round 1, No. 1 pick: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase is a receiver at the peak of his powers coming off a triple crown season, tied with an elite passer. He undoubtedly has the talent and the necessary situation to repeat as WR1. — Andy Behrens
2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Jefferson was injured in 2023 and did not play a full season. His other four years in the NFL: WR6, WR4, WR1, WR2. I still think it’s important to have a roster of fantasy wide receivers that start themselves.— Scott Pianoowski
3. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
I guess I could shout into the void about the likelihood of the RB1 in a given season repeating his production. Or you could just draft the guy who just rushed for over 2,000 yards as a featured back for a top-level offense. — behrens
4. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Robinson was just beginning to spread his wings. during the last six weeks (RB2 during that stretch) and the Falcons should have improved quarterback play, and therefore more offensive dynamism, next season. — pianoowski
5. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb just caught 101 passes for nearly 1,200 yards in just 15 games, in a season where everything went wrong. We only have to look at his dominant 2023 to see his advantages. — behrens
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
You get a little nervous if OC Ben Johnson leaves, but the Sun God and Jared Goff get plenty of reps together. St. Brown’s winning average over the past two seasons speaks for itself: 117-1,389-11. — pianoowski
7. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Everything about his season has been surprisingly good and he was already making gains with his ADP before David Montgomery’s injury. With or without Ben Johnson in 2025, he is the clear RB3 on my board. — behrens
8. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
The touchdown column has been a little light, but if you prorate Nacua’s pace in 2024 to a full season, you get 122 receptions and 1,530 yards. Sean McVay’s schemes are very good for his featured players. — pianoowski
9. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
By game and by play, Collins has been simply sensational. He was averaging 88.0 YPG and 2.83 yards per route entering Week 18. behrens
10. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Nabers just posted a 109-1,204-7 rookie season despite horrible play from his quarterback room. The Giants will surely have better options there next season. — pianoowski
Round 2, 11th pick: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
By picking at or near the end of the first round, you should feel lucky to find someone with a reasonable path to finishing as the game’s No. 1 RB or WR. We don’t need to speculate on whether McCaffrey can reach that level because he’s done it twice before. — behrens
12. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
I didn’t know how to break the Nabers-Thomas Jr. tie, so I’m thrilled that my mock rosters got both of them. The story is the same: dynamite rookie production despite poor quarterback play. At least Thomas’ club will have a new coaching staff. BJT is always open. — pianoowski
13. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
I see no reason why Jacobs won’t have the exact same role and workload next season that he had in 2024, with the same level of effectiveness. He has been one of the league’s most elusive high-volume running backs since his freshman season, and the Packers have made him the centerpiece of their offense. — behrens
14. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
He recovered very well after that mistake, didn’t he? His last three weeks: RB1, RB1, RB5. Taylor quietly has 20 touchdowns in his last 24 games, and is just entering his age-26 season. — pianoowski
15. Ashton Jeanty, TBD
Jeanty is a ridiculously skilled, do-it-all running back, coming off a cartoonish college season. His ADP could be higher than this if he runs a competent offense.
16. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
His rushing efficiency declined, as expected, but he made up for it with an increased receiving role. Miami’s offense is at a crossroads, but Achene is the most stable person in the room. In year 3, his arrow is still pointing up. — pianoowski
17. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
After a record-breaking first season, Bowers has solidly established himself as a resident of the top tier at his position. If a capable quarterback somehow finds his way to Las Vegas, Bowers has a chance to have a legendary year. — behrens
18. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers made him the featured running back after the break, and he was the RB6 for the last seven weeks. I know the older running backs did surprisingly well in 2024, but this is still a position where I want to bet on the young players in the top nine. — pianoowski
19. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Under normal circumstances, you might be sweating over the fact that you’re entering your age-31 season. But he’s also coming off a year in which he gained over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and averaged a career-best 5.8 YPC. Henry remains an impossible problem and is the featured back in a top-tier offense. — behrens
20. AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Are these the “boring value vet” years for Brown? He has averaged 85.8 receiving yards per game. since he joined the Eaglesand despite the Hurts and Barkley Show, he scored seven times on 67 receptions this year. A supposed full AJB season belongs in anyone’s second round. — pianoowski