If you're a fantasy football sicko like me, there's a good chance you'll be playing in at least one league over at Yahoo Fantasy. Draft prep will be necessary: Rankings, sleepers, keeping up with news, strategy, all that good stuff.

This leaves us with just one last thing to do.

Presenting: My Yahoo fantasy football strategy guide for 2025 drafts. In this article, we'll break down:

• The BADFISH system
• The biggest Yahoo values relative to Fantasy Life rankings
• Position-specific strategy and targets
• Example starts using Fantasy Life's ADP tool depending on draft position
   

As always: It's a great day to be great.

Strategy Guide For Yahoo Fantasy Football Drafts

Apply The BADFISH System In Yahoo Drafts

Shoutout Sublime: This fantasy philosophy and provocative acronym was originally invented by Teddy Roosevelt me last Tuesday night, but features strategy advice I've regularly followed over the years:

Be like water: Zero-RB is cool. So is late-round QB. Hell, fantasy football is supposed to be fun, and it's 2025 after all: Robust-RB is cool too! However, entering any fantasy draft with a predetermined strategy won't help you capitalize on value as it presents itself. Do you really want to keep riding with zero-RB if your drunken leaguemates inexplicably gift you Bijan Robinson at 1.06? Preparation is great, just make sure to take a page out of Bruce Lee's book and be like water: Adapt on the fly in the way you best see fit based on the new information presented to you during the course of any given draft..

ADP is your friend: But it can HEAVILY vary by site. Luckily for you, Fantasy Life has a handy dandy ADP tool that shows every player's different price points from all the main sites. This can also be especially useful for checking out what players are being targeted earlier in bigger-money formats compared to home leagues (example: 49ers WRs).

Don't be a hero early: Fantasy ADP is similar to mock draft accuracy: It gets harder and harder to predict and figure things out accurately the further you go. Baller WRs, workhorse RBs, dual-threat alien QBs, and high-volume beast TEs are obvious targets in the early parts of drafts for clear and obvious reasons—you should take them!—I'd generally suggest waiting until about Round 9 or 10 before deviating more than 12-plus picks from ADP. This should allow you to have your cake and eat it too, by hopefully allowing you to get your preferred targets as late as possible.

F*ck kickers: I despise them. Larry David explains why they're useless in real-life football in this glorious rant. And yet, many insist on including these half-breeds in their fantasy league. Whatever. It's a free country (but please at least cut out the 50-plus-yard field goal bonus. It's outdated and ridiculous). STILL: There's no reason to reach on kickers (or DST) and take them before the final round or two of your draft. Kickers from mid-tier scoring offenses are actually better targets than those from super high-end units (the more you know!). Ideally, you don't even have to draft a kicker (or DST) and can instead invest in RB handcuffs who can be cut before Week 1 … unless you happen to be the lucky beneficiary of a sudden diamond in the rough that otherwise would have been still sitting on the waiver wire.

Injury-prone and already injured are two different things: We tend to think of injury-prone players in a binary "they either are or aren't" sort of fashion. It certainly makes sense that older players who have already suffered plenty of wear and tear are more "injury prone" than young 22-year-old rookies, but it's not exactly a 10/10 vs. 0/10 sort of thing, you know? For this reason, I tend to dismiss the notion that "he'll just get hurt," BUT do pay close attention to existing injuries. As my friend Scott Pianowski once said: “Injuries will find your fantasy team during the season, you don’t have to go looking for them in the draft.”

Stick to upside: The idea of forgoing perceived boom-or-bust options for safer, consistent players sounds nice in theory, but the research pretty strongly indicates that there isn't a meaningful difference in production between previously-consistent and previously-inconsistent players. Shoot for the moon, baby.

Handcuffs are encouraged: Especially in the later rounds of fantasy football drafts. These are the sort of players who are one injury away from being on the cover of every waiver wire magazine out there. Sure, a wild Puka Nacua or Jauan Jennings appears from time to time, but no position produces more sporadic fantasy stars out of nowhere than RB. Prioritize RBs one injury away from entering the position's top-20 conversation over WR5+ types and/or backup QBs/TEs who you'll never feel good about starting anyway.

Yahoo Fantasy Football Best Values By Round

I looked at the Fantasy Life rankings (code "Ian" for 20% off any Tier 1 or 2 subscription!) to determine the biggest round-by-round ADP discrepancies. Now, it's obviously not a given that your specific draft and leaguemates will live and die by previous ADP, but you know what the only thing cooler than getting YOUR guy is? Getting them just a little bit later and strengthening that roster even more.

First: You're going to notice more WRs than RBs below, which makes sense considering the home league stereotype/tendency to load up on the latter position early. Don't confuse this with a round-by-round recommendation guide–we're merely looking at Yahoo-specific prices independent of full positional need to get an idea of the biggest potential bargains out there.

• Round 1: Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (FL Rank: 3, ADP: 6.8)
• Round 2: Giants WR Malik Nabers (FL Rank: 7, ADP: 13.3), Eagles WR A.J. Brown (FL Rank: 16, ADP: 21.4)
• Round 3: Cardinals TE Trey McBride (FL Rank: 23, ADP: 28.4), Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (FL Rank: 29, ADP: 34.2)
• Round 4: Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker (FL Rank: 33, ADP: 42.4), Rams WR Davante Adams (FL Rank: 34, ADP: 40.1), Chargers RB Omarion Hampton (FL Rank: 36, ADP: 42.9)
• Round 5: Bears WR DJ Moore (FL Rank: 48, ADP: 57), Eagles WR DeVonta Smith (FL Rank: 49, ADP: 58.1)
• Round 6: Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy (FL Rank: 42, ADP: 63.7), Lions WR Jameson Williams (FL Rank: 52, ADP: 68), Cowboys WR George Pickens (FL Rank: 53, ADP: 67.2), Bears RB D'Andre Swift (FL Rank: 59, ADP: 71.5)
• Round 7: Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan (FL Rank: 47, ADP: 80.5), Titans WR Calvin Ridley (FL Rank: 54, ADP: 79.3), Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle (FL Rank: 55, ADP: 74.8), Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson (FL Rank: 62, ADP: 76.3)
• Round 8: Bears WR Rome Odunze (FL Rank: 69, ADP: 88.9), Browns WR Jerry Jeudy (FL Rank: 73, ADP: 93.2), Steelers RB Jaylen Warren (FL Rank: 80, ADP: 94.5)
• Round 9: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray (FL Rank: 70, ADP: 96), 49ers WR Jauan Jennings (FL Rank: 75, ADP: 104.6), Vikings RB Jordan Mason (FL Rank: 82, ADP: 99.7)
• Round 10: Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers (FL Rank: 71, ADP: 107.3), 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall (FL Rank: 84, ADP: 111.1), Bears QB Caleb Williams (FL Rank: 87, ADP: 110.7), Packers WR Matthew Golden (FL Rank: 94, ADP: 120)
• Round 11: Colts WR Josh Downs (FL Rank: 105, ADP: 122.8), Bears TE Colston Loveland (FL Rank: 108, ADP: 124.5), Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (FL Rank: 112, ADP: 131)
   

With this in mind …

Position-by-Position Strategy for Yahoo Fantasy Football Drafts

Quarterback

I've actually drafted a fair amount of early-round QB this offseason … in Rounds 3-4. Getting behind top-24 price tags for the consensus top-two QBs is thus something I'm not looking to make happen, but hey, if Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson are available when the iffy WR2 tier comes around in the middle of Round 3, and you don't much care for the RBs, go for it! The key is not playing catch-up once the first few options go off the board–I'm most likely to target Jalen Hurts (ADP: 34) at cost around the 3-4 turn.

Essentially, take a page out of Ricky Bobby's playbook and utilize a "First or last" approach at the position. Thinking of it like a barbell also works: If you're going to spend up on a QB, make it a dual-threat alien—mobile top-50 overall picks at the position have generally returned great value in recent years–otherwise, it's FINE, and even preferred, to wait until the double-digit rounds.

Look, I get why Baker Mayfield (QB7, 62.1), Bo Nix (QB8, 69.3), and Brock Purdy (QB9, 79.8) are top-10 options, but are they really worth taking ROUNDS ahead of guys like …

• Kyler Murray (QB11, 96): Has never finished worse than QB12 in his six seasons as a starter. Now, 2020 still stands as the only season that Kyler has supplied truly ridiculous rushing heights (not a short joke, I swear), but at this low price point, he's still a solid target.
• Drake Maye (QB16, 116.2): Your favorite fantasy analyst's favorite late-round QB can scoot (second most fantasy points per game from scrambles) and is in GREAT fantasy company based on his rookie-year per-game numbers.
• Jordan Love (QB17, 116.7) Finished as fantasy's QB5 all the way back in … 2023. An early-season knee and mid-season groin injury prevented us from seeing his usual mobile self.
   

Hell, even guys like Thor Nystrom's hero J.J. McCarthy (QB21, 123) and Liam Coen's protege Trevor Lawrence (QB29, 131) are available LATE in drafts—I'd much rather have one or two bullets at these late round picks than spend top-100 draft capital on someone I'm not positive has *that* much more top-five upside.

Running Back

Yahoo isn't QUITE as WR-heavy in the value department as ESPN (you can read that preview here), but there are still plenty of great WR values in the mid-to-late rounds. Accordingly, I'd like to keep 2-3 bullets ready for the Round 5-7 range for aforementioned values like DeVonta Smith, Xavier Worthy, Jameson Williams, George Pickens, Tetairoa McMillan, Calvin Ridley, and Jaylen Waddle.

Knowing that we'll likely be leaving the first seven rounds with three to four WRs means that drafters should look to perhaps lean on RB and/or an early-round elite QB/TE inside the first four rounds. Again, it depends on your draft slot and who is available, but I'd look long and hard at studs like Ashton Jeanty and De'Von Achane at the top of Round 2, while consensus top-10 Fantasy Life RBs Bucky Irving and Chase Brown are available at the Round 2-3 turn.

Then, ideally, you, a scholar, can land Mr. Ride or Die himself, Omarion Hampton, in Round 4. Yes, Najee Harris (eye) managed to return to practice. Also, yes, the first-round rookie is a special prospect who could flirt with 300-plus touches if his workload looks anything like 2024 J.K. Dobbins inside the NFL's reigning 11th-ranked scoring offense that seemingly has every intention of pounding the rock this season.

Or maybe Kenneth Walker is your cup of tea in Round 4; either way, securing two dope early-round RBs to build around will allow you to scoop up all sorts of WR value in the middle rounds before re-directing your attention to later-round handcuff backs. I like the idea of targeting TreVeyon Henderson (ADP: RB28, 76.3), Jaylen Warren (RB31, 94.5), and Jordan Mason (RB32, 99.7) at their respective affordable price tags if/when you're feeling good about the WR room, but after that it's time to load up on late-round darts who are just one injury away from rocketing up the ranks and/or have sneaky FLEX value already like …

• Browns RB Dylan Sampson (RB51, 129.4) and Jerome Ford (RB52, 129.7)
• Bills RB Ray Davis (RB54, 130)
• Jaguars RB Bhayshul Tuten (RB55, 130.5)
• Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright (RB56, 130.6)
• Cardinals RB Trey Benson (RB57, 130.7)
• Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier (RB58, 131.2)
   

Also note that at the time of this writing, there is a large chunk of quality handcuffs that don't even have ADPs! Depending on how big your draft is, I'm fine utilizing LATE-round darts at guys like Will Shipley, DJ Giddens, Tahj Brooks, Keaton Mitchell, and Sean Tucker. Reminder: All your starting spots are fully filled at this point anyway; use any and all extra bench spots on these sorts of future waiver-wire heroes who you can simply cut should the Injury Gods chill out for once.

Wide Receiver

Feel free to draft multiple baller top-12 options inside the first four rounds, but the aforementioned depth at the position has me willing to generally forgo a true zero-RB approach unless my draft is feeling particularly frisky.

Again: Rounds 5-8 feature a multitude of legit top-30 options with upside for much more at a very reasonable cost:

• Bears WR DJ Moore (FL Rank: 48, ADP: 57)
• Eagles WR DeVonta Smith (FL Rank: 49, ADP: 58.1)
• Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy (FL Rank: 42, ADP: 63.7)
• Lions WR Jameson Williams (FL Rank: 52, ADP: 68)
• Cowboys WR George Pickens (FL Rank: 53, ADP: 67.2)
• Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan (FL Rank: 47, ADP: 80.5)
• Titans WR Calvin Ridley (FL Rank: 54, ADP: 79.3)
• Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle (FL Rank: 55, ADP: 74.8)
• Bears WR Rome Odunze (FL Rank: 69, ADP: 88.9)
• Browns WR Jerry Jeudy (FL Rank: 73, ADP: 93.2)
   

Additional later-round options like Packers WR Matthew Golden, 49ers WRs Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, and Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers particularly stand out at cost. I'd much prefer my six-to-seven WRs come sooner rather than later in drafts, considering the heightened potential for late-round RB darts to better boom.

Tight End

Similar thoughts here as QB: If you want to spend up on Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, or George Kittle: I get it. They're the position's big-three options for a reason, and devoting early-round capital to them is fine if you simply aren't a fan of the available RBs and WRs. McBride in particular sticks out as a great potential Round 3 target.

That said: Realize that you only need one of these guys if you do wind up spending a top-four pick on them. Worry about cutting a bench scrub to fill a bye week later; continue to play the handcuff RB lottery in the meantime.

But yeah: First-or-last, barbell approach for me. There are so many great WR values on the board inside the top-eight rounds that I prefer to throw one-to-two late-round darts on still exciting options. First-round rookies Tyler Warren (TE15, 119.4) and Colston Loveland (TE16, 124.5) and stand out to me, or drafters can select safer—albeit still TE1 capable—veterans like Jake Ferguson (TE14, 117.3), Dallas Goedert (TE12, 115.5), and hell, even Kyle Pitts (TE17, 125.2) when most of the top-tier RBs and WRs are gonzo.

Kicker

Again: F*ck kickers. Draft handcuff RBs if you can and deal with the position later. But if you insist, check out my colleague Matthew Freedman's admittedly awesome kicker preview. 

DST

Look, if you can land elite real-life defenses with comfortable enough opening schedules like the Broncos, Ravens, or Vikings in the last two rounds of your draft, go ahead, but like with kickers, please don't reach on the position when there are capable skill-position players still on the board.

This is largely because of two fun options that: 1.) Aren't expected to totally suck at playing defense, 2.) Possess borderline erotic opening schedules, 3.) Have a good chance of being available after a handful of options at the position are already off the board.

• Patriots (ADP: DST9): Have some blue-chippers on this side of the ball and start the year with the Raiders, Dolphins, Steelers, Panthers, Bills (ugh), Saints, Titans, Browns, and Falcons.
• Cardinals (ADP: DST21): Start the season with the Saints, Panthers, 49ers (ugh), Seahawks, Titans, and Colts. Not a great defense, but potential to be good based on the additions of some high-priced free agents and early-round draft picks.

Difference in Early-Round Strategy Depending on Draft Position in Yahoo Fantasy Drafts

Alright, time to put our money where our mouth is. Just kidding. Plenty of time for that later. Let's just eyeball what some potential starts might look like using Fantasy Life's cool ADP tool! 12 teams, 1-QB, base half-PPR scoring. Cool? Cool.

First, we'll peep an early-draft position …

1.01 is my favorite starting draft position this season, thanks to the potential to get the obvious best WR in fantasy to go along with another legit top-12 option in either Ladd McConkey or A.J. Brown *and* a consensus top-12 RB in Bucky Irving, Kyren Williams, or Chase Brown. Hell, Trey McBride is in play in Round 3 as well, but I haven't made a habit of taking any elite TE (or QB) while legit top-12 RBs and WRs are still available.

Pretty, pretty, pretty cool, and similar possibilities are available at 1.02 and 1.03. It'd also be quite nice to get Omarion Hampton or Kenneth Walker to slide to the Round 4-5 turn, but worst case, drafters can still take a long look at some quality WR2s before zeroing in on TreVeyon Henderson at the Round 6-7 turn. From there, a few more mid-round WR values are in play along with late-round handcuffs and the aforementioned Round 10-plus plays at the onesie spots.

Now for a middle draft position …

Getting CeeDee Lamb in the middle of Round 1 feels illegal, but hey, we'll take it. Any of the other top-six consensus RBs/WRs or Christian McCaffrey are also great starters. Round 2 and 3 should hopefully land you another stud RB (Bucky Irving or Josh Jacobs) or WR (Drake London, Tee Higgins), and hell, I don't mind taking a long look at George Kittle if you're stuck in the RB2/WR2 tier and don't feel great about any of the options. After that, Omarion Hampton or Kenneth Walker in Round 4 should give you a VERY solid backfield to build around and allow you to load up on the many great mid-round WR values.

And finally, a late draft position …

Getting a one-two RB/WR punch at the Round 1-2 turn feels pretty great, although I'm also not opposed to simply snagging two of the sweet consensus top-10 WRs there before "reaching" just a tad on KWIII and Hampton once Round 3-4 comes around. I prefer those backs to the available WRs, although Davante Adams would be the potential exception if he really does make it all the way to Round 4. As has been the case with the other draft spots, Rounds 5+ look like great times to fortify the WR room before turning your attention back to QB/TE/RB once equipped with 5-6 baller receivers.

Oh yeah, one more thing: Have fun! It is just fantasy football after all. Good luck!

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