Pat Kerrane said he is warming up to taking Jermaine Burton in the final round because Burton has, in Kerrane’s words, “the cleanest ‘just take the job’ scenario of any second-year receiver.” Kerrane compared Burton’s situation to two other late darts he likes—A.D. Mitchell and Troy Franklin—and argued Burton’s competition is far softer. Mitchell must unseat Alec Pierce, whom the Colts value for his down-field gravity, while Franklin is stuck in a messy relay with Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and 30-year-old Devon Vele. Burton, by contrast, only has to leapfrog Andrei Iosivas, a boundary-only deep threat who “ran a million routes and did nothing” last year. If Burton simply shows up on time and practices well, Kerrane expects him to be a full-time three-wide starter opposite Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Cincinnati’s defense looks dreadful—Trey Hendrickson remains a hold-out—so Joe Burrow should lead one of the league’s highest pass rates. That sets up Burton for immediate spike-week potential on a top-five passing offense and the kind of contingent upside that can swing Best Ball advance rates if either star outside receiver misses time. Kerrane is not fully past Burton’s rookie-year red flags but now sees the risk/reward calculus tilting positive and is mixing him in whenever late-round options dry up.

Pat Kerrane advised passing on Jermaine Burton until beat writers say he will "actually play significant snaps" for the Bengals. Kerrane detailed how Burton’s rookie year was an unprecedented train wreck—showing up late to meetings for a game plan built around him, attending walkthroughs in pajamas, and even hitting a casino the night before kickoff. Although the coaching staff now frames his camp behavior as "positive," Kerrane believes that praise is relative: it simply means Burton is no longer on the verge of being cut. Given how badly he torched trust last December, Kerrane thinks Burton has "a really long way to go" before Zac Taylor will hand him the WR3 role. Until local media report that Burton is locked into the rotation, Kerrane is putting his late-round chips on cleaner prospects like Troy Franklin and A.D. Mitchell who only have to outplay competent but limited veterans such as Alec Pierce, rather than dig out of a self-inflicted hole. His bottom line: leave Burton on waivers for now.

Erik Beimfohr said Jermaine Burton is an auto-draft in the final rounds because the WR3 job in Cincinnati is wide-open and Burton is the only high-ceiling option left standing. Beimfohr reminded listeners that Andre Yosivas logged "a million routes and did nothing" last year, while safety-blanket Trenton Irwin was allowed to walk and Charlie Jones has yet to flash. Early-camp reports cite Burton’s improved work ethic and smoother relationship with coaches, a 180° turn from the tardiness, casino trips, and missed meetings that tanked his rookie season. With Joe Burrow healthy, the Bengals project as the league’s most pass-heavy attack—Lou Anarumo’s gutted defense (Trey Hendrickson still absent, first-rounder Shemar Stewart rumored to bolt for Texas A&M) all but guarantees weekly shoot-outs. Burton brings the vertical element Yosivas lacks, fits the Pickens-style boundary X role, and costs nothing in Best Ball drafts where one late-season spike week can make advance rates pop. Beimfohr is scooping Burton whenever he goes undrafted, viewing him as a free bet on a top-five passing offense.

Pat Kerrane said George Pickens is a screaming value at his late-fourth/early-fifth ADP and is his favorite wide-receiver breakout bet of 2025 drafts. After back-to-back seasons over 2.0 yards per route run (2.05 in 2023, 2.11 in 2024) despite catching passes from Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields, and a washed Russell Wilson, Pickens now steps into a Cowboys offense that almost has to lean on the pass because the backfield is barren. OC Brian Schottenheimer has already singled Pickens out as the receiver they will "move all over the formation," not just park at X, which Kerrane believes locks in a full-field, high-volume role opposite CeeDee Lamb. Pickens’ ESPN open score has leapt from 48 as a rookie to 70 last season, proof he can separate and is no longer just a contested-catch merchant. Dallas coaches and beat writers are raving about the early chemistry with Dak Prescott, and the contract-year incentive removes any worry he dogs it. Kerrane expects the Cowboys to rank top-five in pass rate over expectation, projecting 135–145 targets and a realistic 1,350-yard, double-digit-TD line that would shove Pickens into next year’s 1-2 turn. He is jamming Pickens whenever he lasts past pick 45 in both Best Ball and high-stakes Season-Long leagues.

Pat Kerrane tabbed George Pickens as the clear non-rookie breakout of 2025, predicting the wideout will be drafted in next year’s second round alongside names like Jaylen Waddle. Pickens has never dipped below 800 yards and already boasts a 1,140-yard campaign; now he gets a quarterback upgrade in Dallas and an offense that should funnel targets outside. Kerrane envisions a 1,300–1,400 yard, double-digit-TD season that turns today’s fourth-round pick into tomorrow’s WR1. He is building Best Ball portfolios around that ceiling, calling current ADP "massive closing-line value."

Pat Kerrane explained why he is holding only 3–8 % Christian McCaffrey across platforms. The 29-year-old is coming off an Achilles tear that erased nearly all of 2024 yet now costs a mid-first-round pick after opening the offseason at the 1-2 turn. Paying that premium means passing on Puka Nacua, Malik Nabers, or Nico Collins—young receivers Kerrane believes match McCaffrey’s weekly ceiling without the age or re-injury risk. While he will still click CMC when the room lets him fall, Kerrane views the veteran back as the easiest first-round leverage fade in Best Ball tournaments that reward unique WR-heavy builds.

Pat Kerrane is hammering Puka Nacua whenever he slips outside the top five picks, insisting the market treats him like a tier below CeeDee Lamb when his resume says otherwise. Nacua posted an outrageous 3.23 yards per route run last year—Tyreek-level efficiency—and racked up 40 targets in his first two NFL games. Even battling shoulder and groin issues, he still lapped the league; the runner-up, Nico Collins, managed only 2.86 YPRR. Kerrane shrugged off worries about newcomer Davante Adams, stating flatly that Nacua is "just better" and remains Sean McVay's unquestioned first read. McVay backed that up this week, praising Nacua’s off-field routine to stay healthy. In spike-week–driven Best Ball tournaments, Kerrane prefers Nacua over veteran runners like Christian McCaffrey and already holds 16 % exposure.

Pat Kerrane said he is intentionally near-zero on Derrick Henry at his current first-round cost in Best Ball drafts. Henry is now 31, showed clear efficiency slippage in 2024, and Baltimore appears set on working a fully healthy Keaton Mitchell in for 6–8 touches a game to keep the veteran fresh. Kerrane argued that drafting Henry inside the top-12 forces managers to pass on elite wideouts like Puka Nacua, AJ Brown, or Brock Bowers—players he views as possessing equal ceiling with far less age-related downside. Yes, a 20-plus-TD season is in the range of outcomes, but at this price that upside is already baked in while the cliff scenario is not. Kerrane would have taken 6–8 % exposure last summer when Henry was a late-third pick, but at today’s sticker price he is comfortable fading almost entirely and reallocating capital to premium receivers.

Erik Beimfohr argued that A.J. Brown is the premier value of the 2025 second round and should never fall outside the top-15 picks. Brown finished third among qualifying wideouts in yards per route run last season—behind only Puka Nacua and Nico Collins—despite the Eagles nursing double-digit leads, funneling carries to Saquon Barkley, and racking up goal-line QB sneaks that siphoned touchdowns away. Beimfohr called Philadelphia’s target tree "arguably the most condensed in football" and noted that simple variance could flip even a handful of Jalen Hurts one-yard plunges into Brown scores, instantly recreating his 2024 first-round profile. He dismissed durability concerns by pointing out Brown has produced WR1 numbers with both Hurts and backup Tanner McKee, giving him one of the league’s safest floors. The payoff is enormous: managers can open drafts with a Gibbs or McCaffrey type, then still land a top-five real-life receiver at Pick 17–18, or pair Brown with Brock Bowers for a start almost no room replicates. Beimfohr summed it up as a "small-miss, big-win" bet—outside of injury, he sees no scenario where drafters regret pressing the button, making Brown a staple in both Best Ball portfolios and high-stakes Season-Long leagues.

Pat Kerrane said Brock Bowers should be treated like an early-first-round pick who is still sitting there in the 1.02-1.05 range of 2025 drafts. He reminded listeners that Bowers just logged the most productive rookie tight-end season ever and arrived as one of the cleanest TE prospects on record—dominant receiving résumé, sufficient blocker, and zero meaningful competition for middle-of-the-field targets. Kerrane loves the environment: Jacoby Meyers provides a steady floor but no target-sucking ceiling, while Trey Tucker and 6-foot-4 burner Deonte Thornton stretch defenses vertically and keep safeties honest. Rookie RB Genti will soak up check-downs and move the chains without cannibalizing seam routes. The new Pete Carroll regime and quarterback Geno Smith add stability, quick decision-making, and a historically high success rate; an upgraded interior line should eliminate the pocket-pressure issues Smith faced in Seattle. Add those touches together and Kerrane projects a massive play-volume offense that funnels short-area targets straight to Bowers. He believes the market will correct in 2026—"Bowers will be the 1.06 easily next year"—so 2025 is the last time managers can pair him with other first-round studs like CeeDee Lamb or Bijan Robinson. His call: be overweight in Best Ball and Season-Long main events, even considering him at the 1.01 in tight-end–premium formats.

Erik Beimfohr said drafters are sleeping on George Kittle’s unique blend of weekly floor and nuclear-week ceiling at his current 4-5 turn ADP. 
He laid out how every offseason data point funnels targets Kittle’s way: Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing an ACL, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are already battling soft-tissue injuries, Jauan Jennings is focused on a contract extension, and the rest of the receiver room is replacement-level. With Christian McCaffrey pushing 29 and coming off a near-lost 2024, San Francisco is unlikely to “build the plane” around the aging runner, leaving Kittle as the most reliable pass-game option. 
Beimfohr backed it up with 2024 production metrics tracked by Spike Week: • 3 nuclear weeks (top-3 among TEs, 20 % of his games) • 9 spike weeks total, meaning Kittle posted a spike in 60 % of his outings • only 3 duds all season, tied with Trey McBride for the fewest at the position • 12 usable weeks, providing a floor that previously eluded him. 
That profile gave managers advance-rate juice during the regular season while still delivering the monster playoff upside best-ball formats crave. Because Brock Bowers and Trey McBride now go a full round earlier, Beimfohr is jamming Kittle whenever he’s on the board after pick 40, calling him "the cleanest path to capturing 49ers upside" and an easy leverage point on rooms chasing the trendier elite TEs.

Erik Beimfohr argued that every off-season data point funnels extra volume toward George Kittle and that drafters should react by nudging him up their tight-end boards. Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing an ACL tear and was "not very good" before the injury, rookie Ricky Pearsall has already missed early-camp sessions, and Jauan Jennings is practicing but clearly focused on a contract extension. Christian McCaffrey is 28, coming off a near-lost season, and the 49ers front office appears intent on preserving him rather than leaning on 400 touches again. When you layer in San Francisco’s league-easiest schedule—only New England’s projects lighter—Beimfohr sees Kyle Shanahan funnelling high-efficiency middle-of-the-field looks to his healthiest star. He teased forthcoming best-ball-specific stats but noted Kittle already led all tight ends in yards per target last season and owns the kind of week-winning ceiling that destroys playoff brackets when the usage spikes. In Beimfohr’s view, rising uncertainty around every non-Kittle skill player makes him the cleanest path to capturing 49ers upside at his current Round-5/6 price.

Pat Kerrane said Drake Maye is the rookie quarterback worth taking big stands on in Best Ball drafts. He revealed May is already his fifth-highest-rostered player on DraftKings (32 % exposure) and sixth on Underdog (24 %). The confidence comes from a convergence of factors: Vegas sets New England’s win total at 8.5 and has them favored in 11 of 17 games, giving May the second-easiest overall schedule—only San Francisco’s projects softer. Those spreads create the perfect mix of game scripts: competitive toss-ups against middling teams and high-tempo chase spots versus upper-tier defenses like Buffalo and Baltimore. Kerrane believes May’s decisive scrambling (Allen-style power with Jaden Daniels-type willingness), improved coaching staff, and modest but real upgrades to the supporting cast will translate into immediate fantasy production. He expects rushing to provide a weekly floor while the deep ball unlocks spike weeks, projecting a Stroud-like year-one arc that could push May into the massive second tier of fantasy QBs by season’s end.

Erik Beimfohr urged drafters to hammer Keaton Mitchell in the final round, laying out a bullish two-pronged thesis. First, beat-writer reports say Mitchell looks "better, faster, healthier" than before his knee injury, and Baltimore could siphon 6-8 touches per game from 32-year-old Derrick Henry to keep the veteran fresh—giving Mitchell weekly best-ball viability even without an injury. Second, Mitchell’s college production screams upside: as a 19-year-old at East Carolina he averaged 6.3 yards per carry, then posted 1,452 rushing yards, 250 receiving yards, and 7.2 YPC on 200 carries as a sophomore. If Henry misses time, Beimfohr believes Mitchell has rookie-year De’Von Achane type upside because Justice Hill profiles as a change-of-pace receiver rather than a workhorse. The combination of explosive athletic traits, early-declare pedigree, and an aging starter makes Mitchell his favorite late dart throw.

Erik Beimfohr said he is once again loading up on Tyler Allgeier, calling the Falcons runner one of the best cheap contingency picks in Best Ball. Algier was Beimfohr’s highest-owned player last season, and he is repeating the strategy because just one perfectly timed starter absence can turn a late-round roster into a $2 million sweat. Beimfohr argued that the market chronically underprices "binary" backs since drafters hate holding probable zeros, but a single Algier spike week in the fantasy playoffs could be the difference between min-cashing and taking down the entire tournament.

Pat Kerrane said he has basically stopped drafting Will Shipley at his current 168 ADP because the rookie offers nothing but contingent value. Kerrane noted he was at 24 % exposure in Underdog’s Big Board when Shipley cost far less, but he is now down to 4 % because the market is "paying up for knowledge that Shipley’s the number-two." In a game where late-season upside decides everything, Kerrane wants backs who can carve out touches without an injury—"I’m trying to find the next Kyren, not just hold a lottery ticket." Shipley’s profile is entirely binary: if Saquon Barkley stays healthy he is a weekly zero, making the new sticker price a poor risk-reward bet.

Pat Kerrane said Bhayshul Tuten is his highest-owned player because the market has over-reacted to a single May fumble, leaving an every-down skill set available in the double-digit rounds. Tuten is already repping with Jacksonville’s first-team offense, a bullish sign given Travis Etienne’s 2024 decline and Tank Bigsby’s two-down, non-receiving profile. At 206 lbs with a 9.39 RAS, Tuten handled 81 % of Virginia Tech’s backfield touches (peaking at 94 % last year), averaged 1.27 yards per route run and consistently broke tackles. Kerrane noted that if you simply swapped his Round-4 draft capital (pick 104) with RJ Harvey’s Round-1 slot, Tuten grades out identically in his model. He expects an early-season three-way committee but believes the rookie’s pass-game chops give him a clear path to owning the backfield by fantasy playoff time. The cheap price tag also makes back-door Jaguars stacks with Trevor Lawrence and Brenton Strange easy to assemble.

Erik Beimfohr said Zay Flowers is one of the easiest fifth-round clicks on the board because Baltimore is actively building its pass game around him. Beimfohr dismissed worries about Flowers’ 5-foot-9 frame by pointing to Deontae Johnson and Terry McLaurin as examples of "smaller" receivers who eventually posted double-digit touchdown seasons once volume caught up with talent. He cited John Harbaugh’s pre-camp quote that the offense must "get the ball to Zay Flowers more" and called Flowers the Ravens’ best pass-game player outside of Lamar Jackson. If Baltimore follows through, Beimfohr thinks a 12-TD breakout is firmly in play thanks to Flowers’ first-read chemistry with an MVP-caliber quarterback. The floor is simply a seventh-round value loss (“small miss”), but the ceiling is a league-winning WR2 attached to a top-five offense (“big win”).

Pat Kerrane called RJ Harvey a "such a smash" any time he slides into the sixth round. Whether Harvey ends up your RB1, RB2, or RB3, Kerrane is auto-clicking because the rookie’s three-down skill set and explosive metrics (96th-percentile breakaway rate at UCF) dwarf the backs going around him. He noted that Harvey routinely handled 20-plus touches in college, caught passes naturally, and enters a depth chart without an entrenched starter. At a point in the draft where veteran handcuffs with capped ceilings usually go, Harvey brings legitimate every-week upside if he simply wins the job outright. Kerrane said he would only pass if he somehow already had three running backs by that point—otherwise Harvey is the priority pick of the tier.

Erik Beimfohr advised managers who already scooped DeAndre Swift in the mid-70s to hit pause now that drafters have pushed him into the low-50s on Drafters and Underdog. Beimfohr’s argument: the early 15% bags you packed at RB27 pricing offer all the upside you need, while the new sticker price assumes he owns a murky Bears backfield that still includes Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and rookie Dante Miller. Rather than chase steam, let the room overpay, reassess once roles crystallize, and buy back only if a clearer three-down workload actually materializes. Until then, redirect capital to falling backs like Tyrone Tracy or other cheap contingencies.

Pat Kerrane said Zay Flowers is the true "skeleton key" to Ravens stacks in 2025 drafts. Kerrane loves grabbing Lamar Jackson in the third, then pushing Flowers to the fifth where his 2.25 yards per route run and clear WR1 role make him a smash. The volume knock is baked into price, but Kerrane outlined several ways it could spike: a more pass-centric Todd Monken year-two offense, defensive injuries forcing shootouts, or Derrick Henry missing time and removing Baltimore’s planned run-heavy tilt. If any of those happen, Flowers’ first-read chemistry with an MVP quarterback could yield league-winning production, especially because stacking costs remain cheap—Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and even DeAndre Hopkins are all affordable follow-ups. Kerrane concluded that the fifth round is too late for a first-round talent tied to this ceiling and is upping his exposure accordingly.

Pat Kerrane flagged KaVontae Turpin as the surprise wild card in Dallas after offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer spent multiple pressers gushing over the return ace. Kerrane quoted Schottenheimer’s July 23 comments—"No fear, speed…he’s a weapon we want to move all over the field"—and pointed out that Turpin received first-team hand-offs on Day 1 of camp. The staff is teaching him the same full-field route tree CeeDee Lamb mastered, suggesting legitimate snaps both in the slot and as a change-of-pace back. Kerrane projected a weekly line of 5-6 carries plus 3-4 targets if the experiment sticks, which would siphon exactly the passing-down work drafters hope goes to Jaden Blue or Miles Sanders while denting Javonte Williams’ touchdown equity. He compared the situation to 2021 Atlanta, where Cordarrelle Patterson’s late-camp emergence torpedoed Mike Davis ADP. Kerrane’s takeaway: draft Turpin in the final round of 20-round formats and slash exposure to the overpriced committee backs whose upside evaporates if Turpin becomes Schottenheimer’s new gadget toy.

Erik Beimfohr reiterated that Kyle Williams remains firmly in the hunt for Week-1 usage after another week of camp. Beimfohr noted that beat writers have consistently kept Williams with the top two units while veterans Mac Hollins and Kayshon Boutte rotate at the boundary X spot. Hollins has been sidelined, and Boutte has mostly been asked to do the dirty-work blocking role, leaving a path for Williams to claim snaps at Z or in the slot. If coaches decide DeMario Douglas needs to come off the field to free up Diggs (Adonai Mitchell) for big-slot looks, Williams would be the next man up on the perimeter. The ability to play both inside and out matters because New England is expected to run plenty of two-tight-end looks; Williams has already been seen staying on the field in 12 personnel. In Beimfohr’s view, the rookie now needs only to beat out Boutte for that rotational spot, a far lower bar than many late-round WRs face. That versatility plus a shaky depth chart keeps him a priority flier in Best Ball drafts where any early-season spike week can swing advance rates.

Pat Kerrane bumped rookie Kyle Williams up his ranks after multiple reports of the third-rounder working with the Patriots’ first-team offense. Kerrane admitted Williams is still a long shot to start in Week 1, but the early reps all but eliminate the nightmare scenario New England faced last year when a Day-2 receiver was buried on the depth chart. Instead, Williams appears on track to rotate in three-wide sets from the jump, giving him a faster path to fantasy relevance. For Best Ball drafters hunting late spike potential, Kerrane likes Williams over similarly priced rookies such as Jalen Polk, whose camp buzz has been minimal. The usage suggests Williams could carve out 60-70% route participation by mid-season and provide low-cost exposure to an improving Patriots passing game.

Pat Kerrane advised nudging Tank Bigsby higher in draft ranks after a Jaguars beat reporter charted every Trevor Lawrence snap and found Bigsby rotating frequently with Travis Etienne on first-team hand-offs. Kerrane had previously faded Bigsby because of his two-down profile and the expectation of a three-way committee, but the data showed Bigsby getting more early-down and goal-line work than anticipated. That usage raises his weekly touchdown equity in Best Ball and gives him contingent upside if Etienne misses time. Kerrane now sees Bigsby as a viable late-round pick who can pay off even without an Etienne injury and become a smash if the backfield tilts toward a true 1A/1B split.

Erik Beimfohr argued that Khalil Herbert is emerging as the clear No. 2 back in Indianapolis and should be treated as one of the better contingency picks in drafts. Beimfohr noted the near-total silence on rookie DJ Giddens throughout the first week of camp, contrasting it with Herbert’s long track record of efficient rushing—4.9 yards per carry across 460 career attempts—and the coaching staff’s history of leaning on veterans when starters go down. With reporters indicating Jonathan Taylor is monopolizing true first-team reps, Beimfohr believes the Colts want a veteran insurance policy rather than a developmental rookie. If Taylor misses time—as he has in two of the last three seasons—Herbert could step straight into 15-18 touches a game, giving drafters usable Best Ball weeks and a potential trade chip in Season-Long formats.

Erik Beimfohr said Roman Wilson now looks like a legitimately draftable late-round flyer. Beimfohr pointed out that beat writers have repeatedly noted Wilson running as a starting wideout in both 11- and 12-personnel packages. That means he is working with the first-team offense regardless of formation: outside in base sets and still on the field when another tight end is added. Beimfohr emphasized the importance of that usage for early-season playing time, noting that a Steelers depth chart already thin behind George Pickens could leave Wilson one injury away from a full-time role. The drumbeat of first-team reps gives him a clearer path to weekly Best Ball spike weeks than most wideouts going in the same draft range.

Beimfohr pegged fifth-round pick Tory Horton as another deep-round swing who could smash ADP. Horton was targeted on a wild 40% of his routes and generated 3.45 YPRR in just five 2024 games before injury, after tallying nearly 2,300 yards on 167 catches the previous two seasons (2.75 YPRR, 29.4% target rate). Those numbers hint at alpha traits the Seahawks may have stolen at pick 148. With Seattle’s WR depth thin behind DK Metcalf and the aging Tyler Lockett, Horton’s Underdog ADP of 215 (WR101) makes him a virtually free bet on proven collegiate dominance and a possible early-season role if Lockett’s decline accelerates.

Beimfohr called fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals his favorite ‘next Puka’ candidate. Before a season-ending injury, Royals posted 3.0 yards per route run against a schedule that included USC and Utah while being targeted on 29% of routes and turning 436 of 839 yards into YAC. The Chiefs scooped him at pick 133, joining Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy in the franchise’s youth movement as Travis Kelce shows age-related decline and Hollywood Brown managed only five games under 46 yards in 2024. With Patrick Mahomes still looking for a dependable chain-mover and Royals available at Underdog ADP 215 (WR98), Beimfohr sees a realistic path to immediate fantasy relevance even without an injury to incumbents.

Beimfohr highlighted seventh-rounder Kyle Monangai as a deep sleeper because Chicago added no other backfield depth behind fragile starter D'Andre Swift and uninspiring reserves Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer. Despite poor testing, Monangai carried a moribund Rutgers offense for two straight seven-win seasons, piling up 2,500 rushing yards on 498 carries and finishing tied for 13th nationally in missed tackles forced. Rutgers averaged only 137–207 passing yards per game, making his efficiency even more impressive. Beimfohr emphasized Monangai’s willingness in pass protection—critical for earning two-minute and 3rd-down snaps—citing film cut-ups that show NFL-ready blocking technique. In Ben Johnson’s revamped, Caleb-Williams-led attack and with an Underdog ADP of 214 (RB70), Monangai needs only “a little mid-season chaos” to become an every-down fantasy contributor.

Erik Beimfohr said sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks is one of his favorite late-round Best Ball darts because the profile mirrors Chase Brown’s 2023 hit for Cincinnati. Brooks handled ‘monstrous workloads’ at Texas Tech and still never dipped below 100 rushing yards or 4.0 YPC in any 2024 game. PlayerProfiler shows 62nd-percentile target share plus elite size-adjusted speed and burst scores, suggesting three-down juice. The Bengals currently plan on Samaje Perine as a pure passing-downs specialist, so any Brown injury—or even a desire to lighten Brown’s 2024 extreme usage—opens a path for Brooks to take early‐down work while holding his own on passing downs thanks to proven pass-pro chops. With an Underdog ADP of 213 (RB68), Beimfohr views Brooks as cheap, asymmetric upside tied to Joe Burrow’s offense.

Erik Beimfohr quietly bumped Jerome Ford up his Best Ball board, noting the veteran becomes the Browns' default Week 1 starter if Quinshon Judkins’ contract/legal mess drags on and Dylan Sampson needs time to acclimate. Cleveland forced Ford to take a pay cut but has leaned on him for heavy workloads before, so coaching trust is already banked. Beimfohr views Ford as a cheap floor play who could deliver usable early-season spike weeks while the rookie situation sorts itself out.

Beimfohr moved fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson way up his Best Ball rankings, arguing the Tennessee product suddenly has a massive opportunity edge. With unsigned second-round pick Quinshon Judkins facing a contract stalemate and a possible paid-leave designation after his domestic-violence arrest, Sampson is the only healthy rookie in camp. The former SEC Offensive Player of the Year racked up 1,600 yards and 22 TDs last season and now gets a "nice long runway" to impress coaches. If he performs, Sampson could secure the lead role before Judkins ever reports, giving drafters an explosive, discounted upside play in the double-digit rounds.

Erik Beimfohr said Quinshon Judkins is an automatic fade in current Best Ball drafts. The rookie is unsigned because 30 of 32 second-round picks are holding out for fully-guaranteed contracts, and Judkins just compounded matters with a misdemeanor domestic-violence arrest. Beimfohr noted that even if the Browns finally sign him, the league could immediately place him on the Commissioner’s exempt list, citing last year’s five-game suspension of fellow Cleveland second-rounder Mike Hall for a similar charge. Training-camp time is critical for any rookie, and every day missed puts Judkins further behind fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson and veteran Jerome Ford. Add in the Browns’ recent discomfort with guaranteed money after the Deshaun Watson saga and Beimfohr expects Judkins’ ADP to nosedive, advising drafters to pass now and reassess only after the legal and contract clouds clear.

Beimfohr doubled down on the Denver double-dip, adding that a projected top-five defense will keep the Broncos in positive game scripts and let Sean Payton funnel the offense through RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins. He expects fewer pass-heavy comeback situations, meaning the backfield could realistically average 30 combined touches per game while Bo Nix manages rather than carries the offense. The defensive strength amplifies both floor and ceiling for the two-back stack, reinforcing his earlier claim that Denver is one of the rare teams where drafting both runners simultaneously is +EV in best-ball tournaments.

Erik Beimfohr warned that the Giants’ backfield is far less stack-friendly than other ambiguous situations. He likes both Isaiah Scataboo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. in isolation because either could vacuum up New York’s high-value touches—Scataboo thanks to his short-yardage prowess and Tracy thanks to the receiving résumé he flashed in college. However, Beimfohr expects only one winner to emerge and doubts the Giants will generate enough red-zone trips or explosive plays to support two fantasy-relevant runners on the same best-ball roster. His plan is to spread individual exposures across separate drafts rather than roster both backs together, reserving same-team handcuffs for backfields attached to stronger offenses.

Erik Beimfohr said he is actively pairing multiple Jaguars running backs—Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby and Jaheim Tutan—whenever all three are available after pick 100. Because each costs a double-digit round selection, he views the combo as a low-risk, high-ceiling bet that can pay off even without an injury. Beimfohr pointed to last season’s Devin Singletary–Tyrone Tracy baton pass in New York as proof cheap committees can generate weekly spike weeks while you spend minimal draft capital. In Jacksonville he expects an ambiguous touch split, a fast offense, and enough goal-line work for two backs to produce usable scores in the same best-ball lineup. The ‘two-out-of-three chance you’re right’ math plus the near-zero opportunity cost makes locking up the entire backfield a viable way to stabilize a Zero-RB roster without surrendering upside.

Pat Kerrane said he would actively shop the eighth overall pick in BBM-style drafts. His preferred move is sliding from 1.08 to the 1-2 turn while demanding an upgrade in the 2nd and, ideally, earlier selections in the 4th or 6th rounds. Kerrane views a clear post-Puka Nacua tier break that makes the end of the first round virtually identical to the middle, so collecting extra day-two capital without losing access to "superstar" outcomes is a free roll. He stressed that you still need at least one first-round ceiling player—citing Nico Collins and Brian Thomas Jr. as late-1 candidates who can "go nuts"—to win large-field finals, and therefore would never ship the pick entirely for depth. The goal is to preserve a true alpha while front-loading the roster with a second-round hammer and more mid-round ammo.

Erik Beimfohr said Emeka Egbuka is the single easiest late-round click at wide receiver and could be a second-round pick in 2026 drafts. Beimfohr argued drafters are sleeping on Egbuka because he was overshadowed by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State—similar to how Justin Jefferson and Brian Thomas Jr. were underrated coming out of talent-packed college rooms. Despite that, Egbuka still earned first-round NFL draft capital and is already generating rave mini-camp reviews. The Buccaneers give him a clean runway: Mike Evans turns 32 this season and Chris Godwin is returning from a serious ankle dislocation, leaving a realistic path to a 22-plus-percent target share by Thanksgiving. Tampa’s passing game ranked top-10 in neutral-situation pace and EPA per drop-back last year, so a rookie who can play both outside and slot routes has league-winning upside if he simply proves to be “just awesome,” in Beimfohr’s words. He compared the upside arc to Amon-Ra St. Brown or Chris Olave and called the current double-digit ADP “absolutely insane” for best-ball tournaments.

Pat Kerrane gave a "mini shout-out" to Zay Flowers, arguing his fifth-round price undersells legitimate WR1 potential. Flowers followed a 1.72 YPRR rookie season with 2.25 last year and now enters year three with only an aging Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman standing between him and a 28 % target share. Kerrane acknowledged Baltimore’s run-heavy DNA but noted Lamar Jackson’s career-best 8.0 yards per attempt in Todd Monken’s system and the Ravens’ top-five schedule-adjusted pass-EPA efficiency, calling it "good enough" to fuel a Flowers blow-up. He also highlighted Flowers’ elite first-read share (33 % in Weeks 12-18) and the possibility Andrews cedes snaps to blocker Darnell Washington, freeing even more middle-of-field volume. While Kerrane sees Flowers’ most likely 2025 ADP in the late-second/early-third, he believes there is a plausible path to a Stefon Diggs-style leap if Baltimore’s defense regresses and Monken leans into tempo. That upside makes Flowers a priority in the Round-5 flat tier, especially on Lamar stacks where he functions as a discounted alpha.

Erik Beimfohr called George Pickens the easiest click in the Jalen Hurts / George Kittle / rookie-RB pocket, noting Pickens is already his highest-owned receiver in that ADP zone. Beimfohr loves the "small-miss, big-win" profile: a worst-case of weekly WR2 numbers as Dallas’s clear No. 2 and a best-case of a top-eight season if Pickens’ contested-catch dominance (career 61 % contested rate) merges with Dak Prescott’s league-leading deep-ball EPA. He emphasized the structural fit—landing an explosive 22-point spike-week archetype without sacrificing early QB or TE priorities—and pointed out that Pickens has posted consecutive 2.0+ YPRR seasons despite catching passes from Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and a fading Russell Wilson. Upgrading to an offense that ranked first in passing DVOA two seasons ago and finished top-three in points per drive last year makes Pickens a clear tournament winner at a 55.0 ADP. Beimfohr is drafting Pickens on any roster that needs ceiling in Rounds 4-5 and expects him to be a consensus second-rounder 12 months from now.

Pat Kerrane said George Pickens is his favorite breakout bet in the mid-4th/5th round and believes we will be drafting him in the late-2nd next summer. Pickens has stacked three straight efficiency jumps—1.38 yards per route run (YPRR) as a rookie, 2.05 in year two, 2.11 last season—while his ESPN Open Score has climbed each year, showing he now separates instead of winning solely on contested catches. The real unlock is a quarterback upgrade from washed Russell Wilson / Justin Fields chaos to Dak Prescott, who finished top-3 in MVP voting two years ago and has previously supported 1,100-yard seasons from both CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper. Dallas lacks a true WR3, so Kerrane projects a 22-23 % target share for Pickens—ample volume for a down-field alpha whose career ADOT sits north of 14 yards. Add dome home games and a playoff schedule that avoids January weather, and Kerrane sees top-15 WR outcomes without needing Pickens to overtake Lamb. He compared the setup to Tee Higgins or Jaylen Waddle smashing next to established superstars and is scooping Pickens whenever he falls past 4.10 in Best Ball Mania drafts.

Pat Kerrane advised sprinkling Jacob Cowing into the final rounds as a pure upside hedge against Ricky Pearsall. Cowing is locked into the slot, a role Shanahan historically feeds with first-read targets, and early camp reports describe a "nice drumbeat" of chemistry with Brock Purdy. If Cowing outperforms Pearsall inside—Tett McMillan even called him the best receiver he’s ever played with—Pearsall would have to move outside and compete directly with Brandon Aiyuk once Aiyuk’s hamstring heals. That domino could vault Cowing to 70-plus-percent route participation on a 49ers offense Kerrane expects to throw more because of defensive regression. At a near-free ADP, the payoff is weekly WR3 volume tied to elite efficiency, making Cowing an easy portfolio add for best-ball drafters already light on late receivers.

Pat Kerrane pushed back on the Pearsall enthusiasm, calling him a full round overvalued in best-ball rooms. Pearsall’s rookie efficiency—1.31 yards per route run— mirrors the lukewarm debuts of Rome Odunze and JSN but without their elite prospect grades. Kerrane reminded listeners that Kyle Shanahan has a long history of quickly shelving wideouts who fail to pop, so Pearsall could find himself losing snaps when Brandon Aiyuk returns or if fellow slot man Jacob Cowing continues his strong camp. With an ADP in the mid-70s, Kerrane would rather draft proven slot options like Jaden Reed or Khalil Shakir, arguing those players have comparable ceilings without the very real chance of delivering a zero. He labeled Pearsall a better redraft stash—where you can drop him by Week 6—than a best-ball investment you are stuck with all season.

Erik Beimfohr said Ricky Pearsall is still an "awesome click" in the low-70s despite the uncertainty baked into his profile. Beimfohr expects San Francisco’s suddenly shakier defense to push Kyle Shanahan toward a more pass-centric game plan, creating extra volume for Brock Purdy to feed secondary targets. With Brandon Aiyuk’s hamstring and contract situation unresolved and Deebo Samuel showing decline, Pearsall— a 2024 first-rounder who flashed down the stretch after literally being shot in camp— has a clear runway to seize a full-time role. Beimfohr framed the bet as a 60/40 proposition where drafters either get nothing or land a mid-season breakout tied to one of the league’s most efficient quarterbacks. At an ADP two rounds cheaper than last year’s JSN or Jaxon Worthy archetypes, he believes the payoff outweighs the risk in large-field Best Ball Mania tournaments.