Fantasy Football Today (CBS Sports)
Episode: Live Mock Draft! When to Draft Rashee Rice, De'Von Achane, TreVeyon Henderson and More
Date: August 22, 2025
Host/Analysts: Adam Aizer, Dave Richard, Jamie Eisenberg
Main Theme:
A live, detailed mock draft for a 12-team full PPR fantasy football league with analysis of picks, player tiers, strategy debates, Steelers backfield breakdown, wide receiver values, and practical draft philosophy for 2025.
Episode Overview
The crew runs a full mock draft for a 12-team, full PPR fantasy football league, providing in-depth commentary and strategy insights throughout. Key themes include how injuries and preseason risers affect draft value, when to target boom/bust players like Rashee Rice, De’Von Achane, and TreVeyon Henderson, and how to construct optimal rosters amid uncertainty (Steelers backfield, WR depth, handcuffing). The episode features live reactions, friendly debates, strategy discussions for each phase of a draft, and player-specific evaluations.
Mock Draft Format and Structure
- 12 teams, Full PPR
- 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 6 bench spots
- No kickers or DSTs
- Adam (Pick 7), Jamie (Pick 11), Dave (Pick 12)
Key Discussion Points & Timestamps
1. First Round Reactions & Early Strategy
[02:29]
- Jamie starts Henry & Brian Thomas Jr.
"Derrick Henry at A Monroe St. Brown... And then Puka Nakua with back to back picks because I got stuck at 12." – Jamie - Dave’s turn: “I love that Dave did that because I was torn between Derek Henry and Brian Thomas Jr. Ah, you got both your guys.” – Adam
- Adam takes Ashton Genti at 1.07; discusses positional scarcity at WR.
2. When and Why to Draft Risers & Fallers (Achane/Jacobs/WR Tiers)
[03:51] & [05:49]
- De’Von Achane early second: “It is a risk but he is just too damn good. It’s okay if he misses a game or two. It’s not going to ruin my season.” – Adam
- Jacobs vs Achane: “This is the first draft we’ve seen... where Jacobs has gone ahead of HN at least recently." – Jamie
- "He’s got to be a round 2 pick at this point." – Dave on Achane’s updated valuation
3. Breaking Down the “Big 5/6” RB Tiers
[07:32] & [12:13]
- Consensus: Jacobs, HN, Kyren Williams, Chase Brown, plus 2 more as “round 2/3 turn” targets
- "I just love the running backs in this range." – Adam on rounds 3–4
- Early WR run leads to strong RB value falling into mid rounds.
4. Wide Receiver Value and Mini-Runs
[14:33], [19:47], [20:17]
- Adam secures a WR in round 5: “There will be plenty of wide receivers. Now there will also be this amazing offer on BetMGM...”
- Discussing how to rank/target WRs in runs: Adams, Metcalf, Wilson, Worthy.
“I would have gone Adams way ahead of Metcalf. Wilson, Worthy.” – Dave [20:20] - Importance of not panicking if you don’t get an elite WR early: “Odds are you’re going to get yourself a running back you really like in rounds three and or four.” – Adam [12:23]
5. Steelers Backfield Controversy: Warren, Caleb Johnson, Gainwell
[30:56] – [34:31]
- Adam, Dave, Jamie break down preseason usage, third down roles, and implications: "It was not good for Jalen Warren unless you guys. Because he didn’t play third down. Gainwell was the third down back. So if Caleb Johnson’s gonna split with Warren on first and second down and... Gainwell at least is going to have a say on third down...” – Adam
- Jamie on rookie outlook: “It’s going to be very tough for Caleb Johnson to be in a primary spot right away. He may work his way.”
- Dave's summary: “It may be a three-headed monster for a considerable amount of time.”
6. Rashee Rice: Value and Draft Philosophy
[25:11], [25:46], [26:15]
- Rashee Rice as a mid-draft swing pick: suspension risk, big upside if appeals linger.
"Your roster in week four is going to be different than the one you drafted in week one. So you know, just, you just get the points from Rashee Rice." – Adam - Jamie: “In a two receiver league, it’s much easier to get away with drafting Rice, especially with your build earlier because he’s going to get you off to those first four games, hopefully playing at a very high level.”
7. Debates on Handcuffing (Ollie Gordon, Spears, Chubb, etc.)
[44:03] – [47:15]
- Adam & Jamie argue whether you should handcuff your own RB or swing on other team’s handcuffs:
"Any running back that you draft where in the back of your mind you’re worried about an injury and you believe in the guy behind him. I think it’s worth doing." – Dave - Jamie: "You may have been able to get Spears on the way back. But... just for your roster build, taking Ollie Gordon would have made more sense."
8. Late-Round Picks and "Luxury" Drafting
[51:13] – [54:12]
- Adam: “I’m going to take Caleb Williams, see if I hit the lottery.”
- Jamie: “You have Joe Burrow... you have a questionable receiving core...”
- Dave: "He’s in between McCarthy and Stroud... three QBs on the waiver wire I’d rather have than Caleb Williams at this point."
9. Team Recaps and Draft Review
[62:00] – end
- Each expert reviews their team, discusses missed/snatched picks, and evaluates structural strengths and weaknesses.
- "This is a good example... I was sniped on each of my first five picks in the odd rounds. Jamie took Henry, Cook, Abuka, Coleman, Baker before I could get my hands on them." – Dave [65:56]
- Jamie: "I like this team a lot. I think just honestly, I was going out of my way to draft Ali Gordon..." [63:39]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On roster flexibility:
“Your team is going to change so much throughout the course of the season. Your roster in week four is going to be different than the one you drafted in week one.” – Adam [25:46] -
On Steelers RB situation:
“It's going to be very tough for Caleb Johnson to be in a primary spot right away. He may work his way.” – Jamie [33:16] -
On targeting RBs rounds 3-4:
“If you're picking in the second half of the first round and you get to rounds three and four, I just love the running backs in this range.” – Adam [12:13] -
On Rashee Rice upside:
“He's just so good... There's a chance that this lingers and lingers. As Jamie mentioned, you don't know what the status is going to be.” – Adam [25:46] -
Debate: handcuffing own RB vs others:
"In the case of a Chan, I think it makes sense to get your own handcuff... If I drafted Kenneth Walker, I’m going to go out of my way to get Zach Charbonnet." – Dave [45:50] -
On knowing your league:
“As you always hear me say, know your league.” – Jamie [22:55] -
On waiting on QB:
"I am right about picking two quarterbacks. I will take that to my grave." – Adam [52:40]
Highlighted Timestamps
- [02:29] – Early first/second round debates and positional value
- [07:10] – Discussion on preseason “injury team” and WR tiers
- [19:47] – Ranking Wilson, Adams, Metcalf, Worthy
- [25:11] – Rashee Rice’s value, suspension risk
- [30:56] – Steelers’ RBs breakdown
- [44:03] – Handcuff RB philosophy
- [51:13] – Adam “luxury pick” logic with Caleb Williams
- [62:00] – Team-by-team draft recaps
Summary of Expert Teams
Adam’s Team
- QB: Joe Burrow
- RB: Ashton Genti, De’Von Achane
- WR: Terry McLaurin, Travis Hunter, Rashee Rice, Khalil Shakir, Marvin Mims
- TE: George Kittle
- Bench: Javonte Williams, Caleb Johnson, Tajie Spears, Caleb Williams
Jamie’s Team
- QB: Baker Mayfield (late)
- RB: Derrick Henry, James Cook, Trayvon Henderson, Jerome Ford, Ray Davis
- WR: Brian Thomas Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Calvin Ridley, Keon Coleman, Stefon Diggs
- TE: Dalton Kincaid, Jake Ferguson
Dave’s Team
- QB: Jared Goff (late)
- RB: Alvin Kamara, Chuba Hubbard, Tony Pollard, Tyrone Tracy, Tank Bigsby
- WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, Marvin Harrison Jr., Ricky Pearsall, Tyler Warren (TE)
Concluding Draft Takeaways
- Plan for Mid-Round Depth: Running backs in rounds 3–5 offer strong value, even if you go WR heavy early.
- Be Flexible: Adapting to runs and positional shortages is key—don't force the “perfect” build.
- Monitor Preseason/Depth Charts: Usage notes, especially in ambiguous situations (Steelers RBs), can shift late-round flyers into league-winners.
- Upside vs. Security: Late rounds are prime for securing handcuffs (Ollie Gordon, Spears) and high-variance plays (Rashee Rice, Travis Hunter).
- “Know Your League”: Be mindful of league-mate tendencies and ADP shifts.
Closing Note
To see the full draft board, head to YouTube.com/FantasyFootballToday. Jamie will post a written recap as well. For more league help, follow the FFT crew on social media and tune into CBS Sports Network at 1pm ET for further breakdown.