Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Best Early-Round Players To Target || Fantasy Football 2025

Hosts: Dave Kluge & Alfredo Brown
Release Date: July 31, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dave Kluge and Alfredo Brown dive deep into the optimal early-round targets for 2025 fantasy football drafts. Covering rounds one through four, they discuss strategy, specific player preferences, and provide actionable insights on who to target to set your team up for a championship run. They debate wide receiver vs. running back priorities, challenge common narratives, reference evolving draft strategies, and highlight notable shifts in player outlooks for the upcoming season. Throughout, the conversation is candid and filled with banter, practical advice, and plenty of laughter.

Draft Philosophy & Strategy (01:24 – 03:43)

• Emphasize the importance of flexibility in early rounds—avoid locking into rigid strategies (e.g., zero-RB, zero-WR), and instead let value and draft flow guide decisions.
• Early-round picks are less likely to "burn you" due to sharper ADP and fewer obvious risky picks this year.
• Recognize the value that can be found in rounds three and four for running backs, influencing a preference to target wide receivers early.
• Key Quote:
  "My overarching advice for the first three to four rounds of your drafts is just be fluid. Try to take the value where you can get it, and that should dictate your draft strategy."
  — Dave Kluge (03:38)

Round 1 Targets (04:07 – 11:30)

Dave’s Pick: CeeDee Lamb (04:17)

• Has Lamb ranked as his 1.02 pick (behind Jamar Chase).
• Justifies moving Lamb above Justin Jefferson due to Jefferson's preseason hamstring injury and chemistry concerns with a new QB.
• While others like Bijan Robinson, Jameer Gibbs, or Saquon Barkley are solid, Dave stresses the advantage of a top WR early due to later RB depth.
• Quote:
  "CeeDee Lamb right now, going as the fifth or sixth player off the board, I think is just the most mispriced player in round one."
  — Dave Kluge (05:43)

Alfredo’s Pick: Bijan Robinson (05:54)

• Prefers the potential for positional edge at RB, believing Bijan could outscore other backs by a wider margin than Lamb will at WR.
• Highlights Bijan’s elite dual-threat profile: "One of only three RBs in NFL history with over 2,400 yards & 100 receptions in his first two seasons."
• Falcons' offense is built to run through Bijan—script- and team-proof.
• Quote:
  "If I can get the best running back by a wide margin, I'll take Bijan number one overall. He's the only guy where nothing’s changed, goal line work is solidified."
  — Alfredo Brown (09:15)

Other Key Insights:

• Both endorse flexibility—wouldn’t fault taking any of the backs or WRs in the tight top 5.
• Margins are razor thin in Round 1 (Chase, Lamb, Bijan, Gibbs, Barkley).

Round 2 Targets (12:13 – 20:50)

Dave’s Pick: Ladd McConkey (12:13)

• Analytics darling: Late-season breakout and strong playoff performance suggest ascending WR1 status for the Chargers.
• Projected 17-game pace: 124 targets, 99 receptions, 1,500 yards, 8.5 TDs (from Week 8 onward last year).
• Sees Chargers as a rebuilt offense ready to explode; calls McConkey a little "mispriced," worth an early 2nd round pick.
• Quote:
  "Ladd McConkey, I've got him ranked as my 14th player off the board. He’s a bonafide stud—we just saw him every single week getting better and better and better."
  — Dave Kluge (13:22)

Alfredo’s Pick: Devon Achane (15:13)

• Chose Achane for his ceiling and league-winning upside in a more prominent role this year following the departures of Mostert and Jeff Wilson.
• Achane’s splits with Tua: Over 22 PPR points/game (compared to Gibbs' 18.9).
• Projected to play a larger snap share, be a top passing game outlet, and benefit from Miami’s high pace and volume.
• Quote:
  "Devon Achane is a player people should be talking about as a first-round pick. He can be the number two or three pass catcher and is the most efficient RB on a per-touch basis over the last two years."
  — Alfredo Brown (17:14)

Additional Mentions:

• Both see Round 2 as extremely deep—London, Brian Thomas, Josh Jacobs, and Nico Collins are all values.

Round 3 Targets (22:01 – 31:38)

Dave’s Pick: Chase Brown (22:01)

• Admits a draft season "180" on Brown—recognizes his redraft upside outweighs concerns about his longer-term profile.
• Path cleared (Zach Moss waived, minimal competition) for Brown to command high-value touches in a strong Bengals offense.
• Drumbeat from team insiders: Brown is seen on the same level as Jamar Chase in terms of offensive importance.
• Quote:
  "Even if we shave a little bit off his opportunity, he should still have a stranglehold on the high-value touches, the pass-catching opportunities and the goal line work.”
  — Dave Kluge (23:11)

Alfredo’s Pick: Kyren Williams (25:49)

• McVay RBs produce despite rookie hype cycles (Evans, Corum, now Hunter).
• Williams: Top 10 in points per game each of the last two years; notable consistency and red-zone role ("TD in 26 of the last 28 games").
• Improvement on offense should help Williams’ efficiency if volume drops.
• Quote:
  "Kyren Williams should be ranked as a top 10 running back. He should be a round two pick, but he’s getting RB12 or RB13 prices. I want this safe floor and this upside in round three."
  — Alfredo Brown (29:05)

Additional Notes:

• The hosts emphasize the “sweet spot” for RB value in Round 3.
• Also mention James Cook, Breece Hall, Jackson Smith-Njigba as round three favorites.

Round 4 Targets (32:47 – 41:41)

Dave’s Pick: Alvin Kamara (32:56)

• Notes "out of sight, out of mind" effect—Kamara’s injury during fantasy playoffs led to him being undervalued.
• Prior to injury, was RB5 (half PPR) and RB3 (full PPR).
• Defends Kamara’s workload and efficiency; sees heavy involvement regardless of Saints’ likely rough 2025 offense ("He’s still a tackle breaking, pass catching, big play machine.”).
• Quote:
  "If Alvin Kamara was getting drafted at the end of round two I'd still be drafting him. But with him going end of round four, sometimes round five, he's basically an auto-pick.”
  — Dave Kluge (35:06)

Alfredo’s Pick: George Kittle (35:42)

• Interested in dominant options at "premium" positions—wants top-tier TE edge over consensus.
• Kittle averages more air yards per target, YAC, red zone work, and is now the clear safety blanket with Iuke, Samuel, and others banged up.
• Praises Kittle’s efficiency in every key stat and expects offensive continuity to elevate him.
• Quote:
  "George Kittle is safe, but he has the upside of being the TE1 overall—people are drafting their perceived TE1 in the 2nd round; if I can get that in round four, I’m really happy.”
  — Alfredo Brown (38:00)
• Dave agrees and ranks Kittle as his TE1 over Bowers & McBride.

Additional Mentions:

• Round four is loaded at RB—Kenneth Walker, Omarion Hampton—as well as Rashid Rice as a possible value if his suspension lowers his ADP.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Draft Fluidity:
  "You shouldn’t go into a draft saying ‘I’m going zero-RB’ or ‘I’m going zero-WR.’ Be fluid, take the value as it comes, and let those first four rounds dictate your strategy."
  — Dave Kluge (03:32)
• On RB Importance for Winners:
  "When we look back at who made the biggest difference for championship teams, it’s always the RB who got that absurd workload and touchdown variance. Bijan Robinson is that guy this year.”
  — Alfredo Brown (07:33)
• On Rookie Breakout Timing:
  “Some wide receivers are getting mispriced—guys like Ladd McConkey are round two values due to hype pushing other positions up.”
  — Alfredo Brown (14:06)
• On Late RB Value Pockets:
  “Chase Brown, Kyren Williams, Breece Hall, James Cook—I love this pocket in round three. It lets me start with an elite wide receiver early and still get RB1s.”
  — Dave Kluge (31:01)
• On TE Differences:
  “If people are just locking in Brock Bowers as the consensus TE1, I’m perfectly fine waiting two rounds and taking George Kittle as my TE1 overall.”
  — Dave Kluge (39:07)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Draft Philosophy (Fluidity): 01:24–03:43
• Round 1 Targets & Debate: 04:17–11:30
• Round 2 Top Picks: 12:13–20:50
• Round 3 RB Value Zone: 22:01–31:38
• Round 4 (Kamara, Kittle, and RB depth): 32:47–41:41
• Final Remarks/Next Week’s Tease: 41:41–End

Episode Tone

• Friendly, humorous, and conversational; deep expertise with actionable analysis and self-deprecating jokes.
• Insightful debate, willingness to challenge consensus, and transparent about changing stances (e.g., on Chase Brown).
• Focused on helping listeners find both safety and upside in their early-round picks.

Coming Soon

• Mid-round targets (Rounds 5–8) and late-round sleepers (Rounds 9+)
• Increased episodes leading up to draft season, plus in-season actionable content (waivers, starts/sits)

Summary Prepared for Listeners Seeking Key Early-Round Fantasy Football Picks & Analysis
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