The calendar has now turned to June. We’re not quite in the throes of redraft season, but the preparation is beginning to ramp up. Always important to the process is conducting mock drafts. Here is a 2025 redraft fantasy football mock draft for 1QB PPR leagues from the No. 1 spot.
Assume a starting lineup of 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 2 Flex, with no kickers or defenses included.
Want to conduct your own mock draft? Head on over to our new fantasy football mock draft simulator and get some practice in yourself!
2025 Redraft Mock Draft From the No. 1 Spot
1.01) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
When doing mock drafts, it’s important to try out different strategies. The beauty in picking No. 1 is that you are not at the mercy of the draft room — at least not with the first pick. You can decide whether to start with a running back or a wide receiver.
At this juncture, in early June, I cannot tell you whether my top player is Bijan Robinson or Ja’Marr Chase. The choice between starting with RB or WR will be dictated by how drafts play out based on what I do at No. 1 overall.
This being the first true mock draft of the summer (I know it’s not quite summer yet), I have no idea how I will feel in August after doing dozens, if not hundreds, of drafts. So, for the first one, let’s plan to go with the old reliable Hero RB approach. Take Robinson with the plan of loading up on wide receivers.
2.12) Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
The plan was to go wide receiver here. Obviously, that didn’t happen.
As a friendly reminder, just two short years ago, Christian McCaffrey was the consensus best player in fantasy. There is absolutely a chance he is done. His body has betrayed him, and he doesn’t stay healthy. CMC the megastar may no longer exist. If that’s the case, then this pick may very well cost me a league.
But we play to win the game. If McCaffrey is, in fact, as healthy as they say, why wouldn’t he be his usual elite self? Last year’s issues were purely injury-related. It’s not like we saw any drop off in ability. I am willing to roll the dice on getting the best player in fantasy since LaDainian Tomlinson at the 2/3 turn.
Fair warning, though, by the time we draft for real in late August, I fully expect McCaffrey to be going around the 1/2 turn.
3.01) Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Historically, the WRs going around the 2/3 turn and into the middle portion of the third round are much more appealing than the RBs. In early 2025 drafts, the inverse appears to be true, but I’m not comfortable starting triple RB.
Rather than force a lesser wide receiver over a running back I would never actually take him ahead of, we pivot to taking the best player at a one-sie position.
Josh Allen isn’t human pic.twitter.com/RAm8PpqliW
— BillsMuse (@BillsMusee) June 1, 2025
I would have no issue with Brock Bowers or Trey McBride here, but both are gone. Therefore, the pick is Josh Allen, who has been the best QB in fantasy for the past five years.
4.12) DK Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
I am a firm believer in best player available. However, at some point, position does matter. After not taking a wide receiver in the first three rounds, it’s time to double up on fantasy’s most important position.
DK Metcalf struggled last season, averaging a mere 12.8 fantasy points per game. He fell behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba in fantasy value and really needed a change of scenery.
Even though the Steelers are a low-volume passing attack, Metcalf is perfectly situated to dominate targets. He could set a career high in target share to offset the reduction in overall passing volume going from Seattle to Pittsburgh.
Ideally, Metcalf would be my WR2. But he’s fine as a WR1, given how strong my running backs are, plus the elite QB.
5.01) Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
In general, it’s unwise to deviate significantly from ADP. At the same time, you can’t be drafting a player you literally have ranked lower than someone else just because it feels wrong.
Based on the best available players, if this pick occurred later in the fifth round, I might consider passing on Tetairoa McMillan for someone I’ve ranked lower with the hopes of manipulating ADP to acquire both players.
However, there is exactly a 0% chance I am getting McMillan if I don’t take him here. So as the highest WR on my board, he’s my pick.
6.12) Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions
Oh, the irony. I spent much of last summer explaining why I had no interest in drafting Jameson Williams. But it wasn’t talent-related. It was a macro argument based on the dismal nature of his rookie year.
I was very much open to the notion that Williams would be an outlier, but I wasn’t going to be the one to find out. While he’s unlikely to become an elite WR1, Williams certainly proved himself last season, hauling in 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.2 ppg on just an 18.9% target share.
On the one hand, one could argue that chasing efficiency is dangerous. Yet, I believe last year was Williams’ first normal season as a pro, and his performance earned him the clear WR2 role and more volume. He has a WR31 ADP after a WR23 finish. Sign me up.
7.01) Kaleb Johnson, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kaleb Johnson is the exact type of running back the Steelers and OC Arthur Smith love. He should average 12-14 carries per game and be the primary goal-line back.
Most importantly, he’s the clear top player on my board. I won’t pass on the guy I believe will score the most fantasy points of the remaining players simply because he’s on the same team as a player I already drafted.
8.12) Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears
I’m really glad I went with a running back at my last pick, as the wide receivers here are far more appealing. With two elite RBs and a solid RB3, I’m doubling up on WR once again.
The tricky part here is there’s no clear top wide receiver available. It all depends on draft philosophy. Jakobi Meyers and Josh Downs represent the safe options. We know they will produce, but Downs is unlikely to be a true difference-maker, and we know Meyers won’t be.
But if you know anything about my philosophy, it’s that I don’t believe in playing it safe, especially not in the later rounds.
Luther Burden III is the upside play. He could easily have absolutely no value. He could be Rome Odunze 2.0 in terms of production. Or, his talent could shine through and my WR4 could return WR2 value. Yeah, I’m gambling on upside.
9.01) Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ditto for Emeka Egbuka. Most people in this spot would probably split the difference — take one of Burden or Egbuka and then one of Meyers or Downs. If you want to do that, by all means, go for it. There’s nothing wrong with marrying a safe pick with a volatile one.
Egbuka is not a volatile player. He projects to be one of the safest prospects in this class. The problem is he will open the season behind Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, making him unlikely to be a reliable early-season contributor.
That’s okay. I’m drafting to win with the hopes that 32-year-old Evans and 29-year-old coming off a torn ACL Godwin don’t both play the entire season. Egbuka as the potential WR2 in a Baker Mayfield offense down the stretch is exactly what I’m hoping for.
10.12) Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings
My favorite backup RB to draft is Jordan Mason, as he proved he could be a feature back filling in for McCaffrey last season. Then, the Minnesota Vikings made it a point to go and get him to pair with Aaron Jones after not being pleased with the production they got from Cam Akers and Ty Chandler last season.
Jones is over 30 and feels like he’s on the precipice of his nagging injuries actually costing him time. Mason could have standalone RB3 value with high RB2 upside should Jones go down.
11.01) Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are the favorites to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but that doesn’t mean they won’t score any points. This is a team that will be trailing a ton and forced to throw a lot.
Rashid Shaheed was actually outperforming Chris Olave when both went down last season, and the former is massively undervalued right now.
The first touchdown of the first Sunday this season belongs to Derek Carr, Rashid Shaheed and the @Saints!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/hMbfIfFNpe
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 8, 2024
12.12) Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
I guess it’s time to take a tight end. I have no problem waiting until the very last round if there were running backs and wide receivers that felt like better options. At this point, everyone kind of looks the same, so securing a reliable starting tight end is a fine move.
13.01) Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans
I have no idea who is going to be the WR2 for the Houston Texans. Jayden Higgins has the higher draft capital between him and Jaylin Noel. Meanwhile, Christian Kirk, the presumptive favorite, is on a one-year, prove-it deal.
The Texans have no allegiance to any player. If Higgins is the best, he’ll get the job. If not, he cost me a 13th-round pick.
14.12) Joshua Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills
Based on Joshua Palmer’s ADP, I could’ve waited even longer. He might not have even gotten drafted, but this mock draft concludes after 14 rounds, and I wanted to make sure to talk about him.
I am not a believer in Keon Coleman. Meanwhile, Khalil Shakir is a slot receiver, and Palmer was brought in to be the primary X. He won’t be a superstar, but if we can get WR3 value from a WR6, that’s a fantastic return on investment. Not to mention the little bonus stack with Allen.