Redrafting Fantasy Round 1 2025: Picking Top 12 fantasy football players for rest of season

Griffin Missant

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Redrafting Fantasy Round 1 2025: Picking Top 12 fantasy football players for rest of season image

You know that saying, "Hindsight is 20/20?" Well, that perfectly applies when we look back on fantasy drafts.

This is not to say this is how drafts should have gone in August; obviously, there are plenty of differences about to be discussed. When we were drafting in August, we did not know Joe Burrow was going to get hurt in Week 2. 

This is more so highlighting who is absolutely killing it for fantasy football, and knowing what we know now, how would we draft these players? 

Here is The Sporting News' 2025 fantasy football redraft of Round 1.

Re-drafting Fantasy Football Round 1 2025

1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers

This is probably the least shocking difference in this entire redraft. The surprising part is not that CMC is good for fantasy football, it's that he is healthy through 4 weeks. 

The data shows that when CMC is healthy, he is a beast, and this season is no different. He's the overall RB1 with the most targets and receptions at the RB position. If someone had guaranteed his health in August, he would've been the 1.01 hands down. Congrats to those who took the risk. 

2. Puka Nacua, WR, Rams

Before Matthew Stafford was dealing with a serious back injury, Puka Nacua was sneaking his way into the top half of the first round. It was only after the worries about the health of Stafford that Puka started to fall near the turn. 

Stafford seems fine, and so Puka has been balling out to start the season. He's the WR1 overall through the first 3 weeks and has been averaging 27.4 fantasy points per game. This leads to any other player in the NFL, regardless of position. 

3. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts

It's not necessarily surprising that Jonathan Taylor has been good; we know the talent that he brings. However, the concern was the production of the Colts' offense and how many scoring opportunities Taylor would get.

Well, the Colts' offense has been shockingly good, and Taylor has greatly benefited from it. He's the RB3 on the season and has averaged 22.4 fantasy points per game. 

MORE: Fantasy ROS Rankings (PPR)

4. Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons

If Bijan Robinson played in a better offense, he would break fantasy football. He's basically a WR. The receiving ability is better than any RB in the NFL, but he has 20 fewer targets than CMC. 

There is a strong argument that Robinson would still be the 1.01, but the production hasn't been quite as good as the players above. Still a fantastic option, and anyone who drafted him is happy. 

5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions

No Ben Johnson, no problem for Amon-Ra St.Brown. He's actually outproducing himself to start through the first four weeks this season compared to last season. 

ARSB is the WR2 only behind Puka Nacua; he's averaged 23.6 fantasy points per game. He also leads every WR, RB, and TE in total touchdowns with 6 of them. 

6. James Cook, RB, Bills

Anyone who predicted the drop off of James Cook's fantasy production (me) was utterly wrong. He has been sensational and even better through the first four weeks than he was last season. 

Cook is the RB2 overall while averaging 22.8 fantasy points per game. He once again is dominating in the touchdown department as he leads all RBs with 5 rushing TDs. 

WEEKLY LINEUP TIPS: Fantasy football rankings

7. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Lions

It's not that Jahmyr Gibbs has been bad, but there is a chance that fantasy football managers who selected him high might be a tad disappointed. 

He's the RB5 overall and is averaging 19.8 fantasy points per game, but we have yet to have one of those game-breaking performances. Again, he's been good, but that is why he finds himself at 7 on this redraft. 

8. Jaxon-Smith Njigba, WR, Seahawks

JSN has been elite in his first season as the WR1 for the Seattle Seahawks. He's averaging 17.8 fantasy points per game and is the overall WR6 on the season. 

The Seahawks are rarely going to blow a team out, and therefore the game scripts stay in his favor. There is no reason JSN can't finish as the WR5 or better. 

9. De'Von Achane, RB, Dolphins

While he has not been the flashy player we knew the last couple of seasons, De'Von Achane has been a steady fantasy performer each week. 

Achane is the RB7 overall through 4 weeks, and this was with Tyreek Hill in the lineup. Now that Hill is out for the season, Achane should see an increase in targets and touches. 

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10. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Cowboys

Despite the injury that is going to keep CeeDee Lamb out for a couple of weeks, he's still an elite WR for fantasy. No team in the NFL has more passing attempts than the Dallas Cowboys. 

Once he returns, I have little doubt that he'll finish as the WR5 or better. 

11. Omarion Hampton, RB, Chargers

Call it an overreaction, call it recentcy bias, but if the draft were today, following the fantasy performances in Week 3 and 4, how would you not want Omarion Hampton? 

Since Najee Harris has gone down, it has been Hampton's backfield. He's scored 24.9 and 27.5, and is the RB1 overall in these last 2 weeks.  Even with the duds in Weeks 1 and 2, Hampton is still the RB10 overall on the season. There is no way he's not a first-round pick if the draft were today. 

12. Rome Odunze, WR, Bears

Then you have Rome Odunze, who has been awesome from a fantasy perspective. He's the WR3 on the season through 4 weeks. But the issue is, the touchdowns have been carrying these performances. Not saying that can't continue, but it's hard to predict. 

When looking at the snap and target share, Odunze still offers WR5 or better upside; that's why he's here over some of the names below. 

MORE: Tyreek Hill injury fantasy news, Dolphins outlook

More Players Considered for 2025 Round 1 Redraft

  • Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
  • Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals 
  • Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles 

These players are the big names: Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Ja'Marr Chase. All have been disappointing, but they still have a legit chance to turn things around. Barkley has not been, but there's not that big-play ability so far. Henry looked amazing early on, but has since looked awful. 

Chase gets his own category because he was virtually the consensus 1.01 in the offseason. Dropping him out of the first round might be harsh, but if you had Chase right now, would you not trade him for any of the 12 players above? Truth is, he was in over Rome Odunze before the MNF game in Week 4. Chase caught 5 passes for 23 yards off 8 targets. Something drastic will have to change for him to start producing where he was drafted. 

Before the heartbreaking injury, Malik Nabers was in this redraft.

Griffin Missant

Griffin Missant joined The Sporting News in 2025 as a fantasy football intern. He graduated from Grand Valley State University, where he covered the Lakers football program. He has also worked for Sleeper and the Fantasy Trade Room. He has played fantasy for over a decade, and has been passionate about fantasy football ever since.