Dynasty startup drafts can happen at any time. While most of you won’t be doing any in February, that doesn’t mean we can’t take an early look at the 2025 dynasty startup draft landscape. Since it is very early, this one will focus on the first two rounds of a 1QB PPR fantasy football dynasty startup.
Note: All ages are as of the start of the 2025 season.
Who Should You Draft in Rounds 1 and 2 of Dynasty Mock Drafts?
1.01) Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
A year ago, it was Justin Jefferson on top. Now, it’s Ja’Marr Chase. The reality is we’re splitting hairs. The answer to who the best WR in fantasy is changes based on who had the better year most recently.
Chase just won the WR triple crown, leading the league in receptions (127), yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17). At 25 years old tethered to Joe Burrow, Chase has another 5-7 years of dominance ahead of him.
1.02) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
The only main difference between Jefferson and Chase is the QB situation. Given what Jefferson was able to do with Nick Mullens and Josh Dobbs at the end of 2023, as well as in 2024 with Sam Darnold, though, I can’t say I’m too worried about it. Jefferson is QB proof.
J.J. McCarthy is the presumptive QB of the future for the Minnesota Vikings. As long as he isn’t terrible, and I don’t think he is, Jefferson will remain an elite WR1. He’s only one year older than Chase.
1.03) Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Some may think this is an overreaction. If anything, I think it’s an underreaction. There’s an argument to be made that Malik Nabers should be the overall No. 1 player in dynasty.
Nabers is 22 years old. In theory, that gives him three more elite years than Chase and four more than Jefferson. Of course, I will be the first to push back against planning more than three years in advance in dynasty. The NFL changes too rapidly. But this is less about Nabers being so young and more about his talent.
In his rookie year, Nabers finished as the overall WR4, averaging 18.2 fantasy points per game. He led the league with a 34.9% target share and was somehow second with a 31.2% target-per-route-run rate. He did this with Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, and Drew Lock at quarterback.
It’s safe to assume the New York Giants will eventually get a real quarterback (or Nabers will end up on a team with one). You want Nabers as the cornerstone of your dynasty roster.
1.04) Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
The only knock on Puka Nacua is what will happen when Matthew Stafford retires. I happen to not really care.
Nacua is all kinds of legit. Heading into the 2024 season, there was a legitimate debate about whether Cooper Kupp would resume his role as the team’s WR1. I didn’t think that was a legitimate position, but people did. We now have our answer.
Nacua averaged 17.9 ppg, which includes two games in which he played fewer than 40% of the snaps (one due to injury, the other due to throwing a punch). He led the league with a 37.5% target-per-route-run rate and saw a 30.4% target share. Nacua is only 24 years old.
1.05) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
I don’t like building dynasty rosters around running backs. I also think the hate sometimes goes too far. What exactly makes a WR safer with more upside than Bijan Robinson?
The Atlanta Falcons RB just averaged 20.1 ppg, finishing as the overall RB3. He finally has a competent coaching staff, and Michael Penix Jr. looks like a top 10 QB already. This offense will be good and will consolidate its touches between its two main weapons: Drake London and Robinson.
Last year, we saw a renaissance among old running backs. How is this relevant to Robinson? The concern with any RB is their shelf lives are shorter than WRs’. That’s true, but it’s often overstated.
Robinson is 23 years old. He’s an elite talent. We’ve seen plenty of elite running backs remain highly effective until the age of 29-30. That means Robinson should have as many years left as an elite fantasy asset as the top wide receivers.
1.06) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
If you want to make Jahmyr Gibbs the dynasty RB1, I won’t stop you. If we could somehow know that Gibbs would have multiple full seasons as the Detroit Lions lead back with no David Montgomery, Gibbs would be the dynasty RB1. He would probably be the No. 1 overall player in dynasty.
Gibbs is one of the most electric players in NFL history. He’s so fun to watch, and the production, even with Montgomery, is elite.
Gibbs is 23 years old. He just averaged 22.1 ppg, finishing as the overall RB2. You could take him anywhere in the top six and I wouldn’t bat an eye.
1.07) CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Now we’re getting to the wide receivers who are elite but not quite on the level of the top guys because they have at least a wart or two. CeeDee Lamb predictably regressed after his overall WR1 season in 2023, but he still averaged 17.6 ppg last season.
Lamb saw a 27.3% target share and is the clear WR1 on the Cowboys with no target competition. At just 26 years old, there’s nothing wrong with Lamb as the top asset on your dynasty roster. The Cowboys not being a great organization and Dak Prescott’s somewhat murky future cloud things slightly, but Lamb is still a very safe pick with very high upside.
1.08) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
Consistency is overrated in fantasy football. However, Amon-Ra St. Brown epitomizes reliability. The Lions WR1 averaged 18.8 ppg last season, finishing as the overall WR2. At one point, he scored a touchdown in eight straight games.
St. Brown still managed to be a top receiver on an offense with a 48% neutral game script run rate. The Lions will not have a great defense every year of St. Brown’s career. There will be more seasons where they have to throw 600+ times. At 25 years old, dynasty managers know St. Brown has many elite seasons remaining.
1.09) Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
As a rookie, Brian Thomas Jr. posted an 87-1,282-10 line. He averaged 16.7 ppg, finishing inside the top 12 WRs. He did this with Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones as his quarterbacks. After one season, we can already say that BTJ is QB-proof.
Thomas is only going to get better. He’s 22 years old, and there’s still plenty of room for the volume to grow. His 25.5% target share was definitely great, but as his team’s clear WR1, we can see that number push 30%.
Hopefully, the Jacksonville Jaguars can move on from Lawrence sooner rather than later and get a real franchise QB. But even if they don’t, Thomas has already proven he can be an elite WR1 regardless of who is throwing him the ball.
1.10) Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Similar to Thomas, Brock Bowes also excelled despite an awful offensive environment. His quarterbacks were Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder. Minshew is the only one of the three who is even close to being a capable NFL starter.
Even so, Bowers immediately displaced Sam LaPorta as the greatest rookie TE in the history of fantasy football. Bowers broke Nacua’s rookie receptions record, hauling in 112 balls for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 15.5 ppg. He’s 22 years old.
1.11) Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Nico Collins proved his unexpected third-year breakout was no fluke. The Houston Texans WR1 was not threatened in any way by Stefon Diggs’ arrival or Tank Dell’s presence. He’s C.J. Stroud’s top guy, and no one will threaten that.
Collins averaged 17.8 ppg last year, a slight improvement over 2023, and he did so in an offense with a QB that clearly took a step back from the previous season. At 26 years old, Collins looks like an elite WR1 for the next half-decade.
1.12) Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Fantasy managers paid for London’s breakout in advance for the second consecutive season. This time, it worked.
Kirk Cousins was a shell of his former self. Yet, he still propelled London to most of his 16.5 fantasy points per game.
The best part is that London’s numbers improved when Penix took over, and Penix looked the part. With the two youngsters linked together for what could be the next decade, London’s status as a top receiver is no longer speculative. Following his 100-catch, 1,271-yard, nine-touchdown season, there’s only upside with the talented receiver at 24 years old.
2.01) Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Does this seem high for Ladd McConkey? Even as the one ranking him here, it feels high. But is there a single negative in McConkey’s profile?
He’s 23 years old. He’s on a good offense with a smart head coach. He’s tethered to Justin Herbert, one of the most talented young QBs in the league. McConkey just averaged 16.2 ppg, while not really coming into his own until midseason. Imagine starting a dynasty draft with London and McConkey. Sign me up.
2.02) De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Feel free to bump De’Von Achane up a few spots if you prefer a running back or down a few spots if you want the safety of a wide receiver. Regardless, Achane has proven himself as a fantasy RB1.
As a rookie, Achane thrived on efficiency, averaging 17.3 ppg. As a sophomore, his efficiency cratered and volume took over. He averaged 17.6 ppg.
Achane proved he could handle a heavy workload and be a lead back. The only knock would be his upside has been severely capped when Tua Tagovailoa is injured. However, that goes for most players. It’s harder to perform as well when your team starts QBs who aren’t starters in the NFL.
Achane is 23 years old. Tagovailoa probably isn’t going anywhere. He’s worth this spot in dynasty startups.
2.03) Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
I am a huge believer in Rashee Rice, and we are likely getting an injury/suspension risk discount. The latter doesn’t really concern me as we’ve heard nothing from the NFL for nearly a year at this point. The former, I think, will be overstated a bit by fantasy managers.
Rice’s knee injury looked awful, but he didn’t tear his ACL. It was a torn LCL, which comes with a much shorter recovery timetable. He should be all systems go well before training camp. Thus, I would not expect the typical player-struggles-in-first-year-back-from-knee-injury situation for him.
Rice was targeted on 34.1% of his routes before getting hurt. He averaged 21.6 ppg over the first three weeks of the season. This is an elite WR1 who I expect to get a bunch of the layup targets that eventually went to Xavier Worthy. He’s still just 25 years old and tethered to Patrick Mahomes.
2.04) Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
It has now been three years of waiting for Garrett Wilson to actually perform like an elite WR1. I still believe there’s a 20 ppg upside, but Wilson has proven he is not QB-proof.
A well-removed-from-prime Aaron Rodgers propelled Wilson to 14.8 ppg, but that’s not good enough based on what fantasy managers paid to draft him, nor this ranking.
The New York Jets will have a new QB in 2025. Will it be a veteran or will they take a shot on a rookie? Either way, the uncertainty is a problem. Fortunately, my guess is Wilson’s time with the Jets is limited, as he will force a trade by 2026 if the Jets can’t get their QB situation worked out. He’s too talented and young at 25 years old not to take in this spot.
2.05) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
The narrative around Jaxon Smith-Njigba after his sophomore season was going to be one of two things: either he broke out after a good, not great rookie season, or he failed to overtake a declining Tyler Lockett, cementing his bust status. Fortunately, it was the former.
JSN not only overtook Lockett, but he also outperformed DK Metcalf as well, averaging 14.9 ppg. Still just 23 years old, Smith-Njigba has proven himself capable of being an NFL WR1.
2.06) Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Even in 1QB dynasty formats, securing an elite quarterback has value. Josh Allen’s career will not last as long as Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow’s careers, but even at 29 years old, Allen is not on the precipice of the end. He should remain one of the best QBs in fantasy for at least another 4-5 years.
Allen’s 22.6 ppg last season marked his worst average over the past five years. That’s the type of elite we’re talking about here.
2.07) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
As last year’s overall QB1, Lamar Jackson also has an extremely high floor and ceiling. He has never averaged fewer than 20 ppg and now has two seasons over more than 25 ppg.
Jackson is 28 years old and also has a good 5-6 elite years left in him. He’s become an elite passer in addition to being the greatest rushing QB in NFL history.
2.08) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
For as much flak as the fantasy community is deservedly getting for making a rookie WR a borderline first-round pick in redraft leagues, Marvin Harrison Jr. wasn’t actually bad. The issue was the expectations.
Harrison caught 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. Sure, he lagged well behind Nabers, Thomas, and McConkey, but nothing about his performance suggests he won’t at least be a strong WR2 in fantasy.
For whatever reason, Harrison could not command targets like his peers. I expect to see a significant leap as a sophomore, both in terms of Harrison’s ability and Kyler Murray’s deliberateness in getting him the ball. He’s 23 years old. This may look like a screaming value by midseason.
2.09) Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
We’re going back-to-back Arizona Cardinals here. Trey McBride could easily have posted an all-time tight end season. He managed 15.6 fantasy points per game despite scoring a mere two receiving touchdowns. Realistically, he should’ve scored at least eight. If he did, we’re talking about him pushing 18 ppg. Those are elite WR1 numbers from a tight end.
McBride led all tight ends in target share and was second in targets per route run rate. He’s 25 years old.
2.10) Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
I decided to bump Jayden Daniels up to QB4 ahead of Burrow and Mahomes. Ultimately, it’s hard to deny the greatness we saw from him as a rookie.
Daniels averaged 21.9 ppg and took a bottom-of-the-barrel Washington Commaners team to the NFC Championship Game. He is the undisputed greatest rookie QB in NFL history.
Stroud’s sophomore year regression provides a cautionary tale on anointing Daniels right away, but Daniels has a rushing security blanket that Stroud did not. Plus, Daniels did not have much to work with in terms of offensive weapons.
The 2024 version of this team might end up being the worst supporting cast Daniels gets for a long time. That’s a scary thought for a 24-year-old.
2.11) Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley just averaged 23.2 fantasy points per game. He finished as the overall RB1, shattered records, ran for over 2,000 yards, and won the Super Bowl. Let’s call it as we see it: This is the highest Barkley’s dynasty value will ever be.
This simultaneously feels late for Barkley and also a bit risky. He’s 28 years old with a checkered injury history. Taking a running back entering his eighth NFL season in the first two rounds of a dynasty startup is not typically how you want to build a team.
It’s definitely unfair to knock Barkley after what he just did, but not a single fantasy manager drafting this year derives any benefit from what Barkley just did — we only care about what he will do. And what he won’t likely do is rush for 2,000 yards again.
Barkley is not going to bust, but if you get three more years of 16-18 ppg before Barkley falls off, will he have been worth this pick?
2.12) A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
I hate this pick so much. I always struggle with figuring out where to rank players I do not want, and I do not want A.J. Brown on any of my rosters in any format.
Brown is an immensely talented player, but he’s been overrated almost his entire career. The fantasy community has largely viewed him as an elite WR1, but there’s absolutely no upside.
Now, that’s not to say 17 ppg is anything to scoff at, but if you’re looking for 18 ppg or 20+ ppg upside, you won’t find it in Brown.
At 28 years old, it’s unlikely we suddenly see Brown have the best season of his career. He averaged 15.0 ppg last season and completely disappeared/was not needed for huge chunks of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl run. On a run-first offense with a very talented WR2 beside him, this is the earliest I would consider taking Brown.
