It’s important to know who to target as you prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Of course we want to let value come to us in places, but sometimes you have to reach a bit to get your must-have fantasy football players in drafts. Our analysts provide players they are targeting wherever possible. Here are a few of their must-have fantasy football players for 2025 drafts.
You can find all of their must-have players here: Fitz | DBro | Erickson | Joe
Must-Have Fantasy Football Draft Targets
Here are a few must-have fantasy football draft targets our analysts love.
Fitz’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Austin Ekeler (RB – WAS)
Ekeler is being left for dead in ADP (RB49) even though he was productive when healthy last year and is playing in an exciting, up-and-coming Washington offense.
Ekeler scored double-digit PPR points in 8-of-12 games last season and finished RB31 in fantasy points per game. When Brian Robinson Jr. missed a pair of midseason games with a hamstring injury, Ekeler had 134 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns in those two contests. Two of those TDs came against a tough Pittsburgh defense.
I’m not expecting a return to past glory for the 30-year-old Ekeler, but I think he’s a value in the later rounds.
Check out all of Fitz’s must-have fantasy football draft targets 
DBro’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA)
It will fly under the radar that Kenneth Walker was the RB12 in fantasy points per game last season. Unfortunately, his season was cut short by injuries, but if Walker can stay healthy in 2025, he could finally put it all together with a top-five running back season.
2025 RB Leaders in FD/RR (min 25 targets)
per @FantasyPtsDataDON’T Sleep on Kenneth Walker’s receiving upside pic.twitter.com/QZKJLRNsMI
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) June 12, 2025
Walker proved last year that not only is he still one of the best pure rushing talents in the league, but he is also a true three-down back with passing-catching chops. Among 45 qualifying backs, Walker ranked third in first downs per route run, sixth in target per route run rate and sixth in receiving yards per game, per Fantasy Points Data.
Add all of that on top of leading the NFL in missed tackles forced per attempt and ranking 10th in yards after contact per attempt, and Walker could be a league-winner in 2025.
Mike Evans (WR – TB)
Mike Evans has finished no lower than WR13 in fantasy points per game over the last four years, and he didn’t show any signs of slowing down last year. While he has dealt with hamstring issues in each of the last three years, he has never played fewer than 14 games in any season.
Last year, Evans ranked 23rd in target share, fifth in yards per route run, 16th in receiving yards per game, fourth in route win rate and second in separation, per Fantasy Points Data. Evans is primed to produce as a WR1 again in 2025.
Check out all of DBro’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Erickson’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)
Over three seasons at Boise State, Ashton Jeanty rushed for 4,760 yards on 748 carries (6.4 YPA) with 50 touchdowns. The 5-foot-9 and 211-pound RB had just 10 fumbles on 748 carries (1.3% rate) and displayed steady year-over-year growth, particularly excelling as a receiver in his second season.
According to Football Insights, Jeanty finished his collegiate career with the highest missed tackle forced per touch rate (39%). His career dominator rating ranks inside the top five. His yards per play (3.4) mark is also elite.
His dominance as a junior, with a 43% dominator rating while rushing for an eye-popping 2,595 yards (6.9 YPA) and 29 touchdowns, puts him in elite company.
The Las Vegas Raiders selected him 6th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. In the desert, Jeanty is going to see all the volume he can handle. He will get all the touches he needs to score fantasy points.
Also, during Chip Kelly’s four years as an NFL offensive coordinator, in three of those seasons, his backfields had a 16.6-17.7% target share, but he also flooded his Philly backfield with targets in 2015 (28.7%) per Derek Brown.
Jeanty’s average draft position (ADP) in 2025 will likely be late in the first round based on his best ball ADP. But based on the proposition of talent/opportunity, it’s not a bad bet to make on the uber-talented rookie running back from Boise State.
Historically speaking, the odds are in his favor to return on his late-round 1 ADP.
The last two rookie RBs drafted highly in the first round two years ago – Bijan Robinson (8th) and Jahmyr Gibbs (12th) – finished as top 10 fantasy RBs in Year 1 (9th and 10th, respectively).
The last two rookie RBs drafted highly in the first round two years ago – Bijan Robinson (8th) and Jahmyr Gibbs (12th) – finished as top 10 fantasy RBs in Year 1 (9th and 10th respectively).
But that’s not all.
Looking back a most recent RBs drafted inside the top-8:
— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) June 10, 2025
The high-end rookies entering with top-tier draft capital post top-5 numbers during some pocket of games in Year 1. Tough to completely pass on in best ball with the contest structures heavily weighted from Weeks 15-17.
And for redraft purposes, there are plenty of RB values that you can pair with Jeanty to help mitigate any slow start as he gets accustomed to the pros.
Check out all of Erickson’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Joe’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
Joe Burrow had a monstrous season, nearly passing 5,000 yards passing and finishing as QB3. That was despite a very rocky start to the year for the Bengals. Yet, he’s the fifth QB off the board. I get it, he’s behind the rushing bunch, but he’s poised for another huge season and will go rounds later than the running quarterbacks. I like that value, and the defense is still awful. That means plenty of shootouts and high fantasy point totals!
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
Outside of Issac Guerendo, Jordan Mason is my favorite backfield backup speculation. Mason proved with the 49ers that he could handle a full workload. All that stands in his way is an aging and declining Aaron Jones, and Mason would immediately become a high-end RB2 with the Vikings if he became the lead back. There’s a reason Minnesota looked for a legitimate backup for Jones. Pass on Jones and draft Mason late instead. Then, play the waiting game.
Check out all of Joe’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
Welsh’s Must-Have Draft Targets
Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR)
Chubba Hubbard finished 2024 as the fantasy RB13 in half-PPR. He put up almost 1,400 yards in 15 games played. Every game he received 20 carries, he was a top-10 fantasy running back. In seven games last season, he had 20+ touches in a game, finishing as a top-12 fantasy running back in six of them.
The Rico Dowdle signing doesn’t do much to scare me off. It’s a cheap one-year deal. Dowdle is insurance, not there to take away. The Panthers found some rhythm at the end of the year, and I think that makes them sneaky. Hubbard is RB17 in the ranks, but RB19 in average draft position (ADP). He has RB1 upside and should be drafted everywhere.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
What a messy year it was for Dolphins receivers. Year-over-year, Jaylen Waddle lost about a full yard per route run, which is a huge number. Part of this was the offense moving into more run plays versus how they used to stretch the field. The other culprit could have been Jonnu Smith, who is now gone.
I’m not worried about Darren Waller, nor should you, and that should lead to Waddle being a force across the middle of the field again. He’s going off as the WR33, with top-20 wideout potential if the ball gets back in the air.
Check out all of Welsh’s must-have fantasy football draft targets
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