Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – "FantasyPros - Top 12 Draft Tips to DOMINATE Your 2025 Fantasy Football League" (Ep. 1612)
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Wormley
Guests: Jake Seeley (The Athletic) and Tom Strachan (Across the Pond)
Introduction
In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Ryan Wormley hosts Jake Seeley from The Athletic and Tom Strachan from Across the Pond to discuss the Top 12 Draft Tips for dominating the 2025 Fantasy Football season. Skipping over the light-hearted banter about Taco Bell, the conversation delves into strategic insights crucial for both novice and seasoned fantasy managers.
Tip #12: Focus on Building a Solid Team Floor
Speaker: Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [03:43]
Jake emphasizes that winning a fantasy championship isn't solely determined by the draft. Instead, it's about building a team with a reliable foundation and actively managing it throughout the season.
"Draft day for me is about building that solid floor. And then the moment the draft is over, it's time to analyze the weaknesses, work out what's still on the waiver..."
— Jake Seeley [03:43]
Key Points:
- Drafting for Reliability: Aim for players who consistently perform rather than high-risk, high-reward picks.
- Post-Draft Management: Utilize waivers and trades to address team weaknesses as the season progresses.
- Avoiding Sunk Cost Fallacy: Don’t cling to drafted players who aren’t performing; reassess based on current metrics.
Tip #11: Adjust Your Strategy Between Best Ball and Redraft Formats
Speaker: Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [11:44]
Jake discusses the importance of tailoring your draft strategy based on the league format. Best Ball and Redraft leagues require different approaches, especially concerning player selection and roster construction.
"Moving from best ball ADP or the way that you construct the best ball roster into redraft is so different..."
— Jake Seeley [11:44]
Key Points:
- Best Ball Focus: Prioritize ceiling and potential breakout players since the system auto-starts your best performers each week.
- Redraft Focus: Emphasize consistency and depth, ensuring you have reliable starters each week.
- Positional Strategies: Adapt how you value positions like RB and WR based on league format nuances.
Tip #10: Prioritize Top-Tier Quarterbacks and Tight Ends Early or Wait Until the End
Speaker: Tom Strachan
Timestamp: [16:16]
Tom advises on the strategic timing of drafting elite quarterbacks (QBs) and tight ends (TEs), suggesting that managers should either aim for these positions early or strategically wait for late-round bargains.
"It's a top tier quarterback or tight end or just wait till the end, do not draft in between."
— Tom Strachan [16:16]
Key Points:
- Early Investment: Secure top-tier QBs or TEs if they fall to your desired draft rounds.
- Late-Round Value: Alternatively, wait and target high-upside players who can outperform their draft position.
- Avoid Middle Rounds: Steer clear of drafting QBs or TEs in the middle rounds where value per pick diminishes.
Tip #9: Use Tiers Effectively to Make Informed Draft Decisions
Speaker: Tom Strachan
Timestamp: [25:20]
Tom underscores the importance of grouping players into tiers to streamline decision-making during drafts, ensuring optimal positional balance and value acquisition.
"The reason why we put players in tiers is because they're the same, it helps you make these tougher decisions in your draft..."
— Tom Strachan [25:20]
Key Points:
- Tier-Based Drafting: Organize players into tiers based on their expected performance to identify value gaps.
- Decision Simplification: Choose within-tier players to maximize positional strength without overreaching.
- Adaptability: Adjust tiers based on real-time draft dynamics and emerging player news.
Tip #8: Be Mindful of Opponents' Preferences and Strategies
Speaker: Jake Seeley & Tom Strachan
Timestamp: [29:29]
Both guests highlight the significance of understanding your league opponents' behaviors and preferences, which can be leveraged during drafts and trading.
"If you're on draft day, which content they lean on, you can use tools like Draft Intel to understand your opponents better."
— Ryan Wormley referencing Jake and Tom [29:29]
Key Points:
- Opponent Profiling: Research how opponents draft, their favorite teams, and trading tendencies.
- Strategic Drafting: Exploit opponents' predictable patterns to gain positional advantages.
- Tools Utilization: Use advanced tools like Draft Intel to gather and apply opponent data effectively.
Tip #7: Avoid Overcommitting to High-Risk Players
Speaker: Tom Strachan & Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [34:33]
Tom and Jake caution against drafting too many players with high risk (e.g., injury-prone or speculative prospects) which can jeopardize team stability.
"Don’t buy all the risk because there will be players where they get so hyped that their cost ends up being prohibitive."
— Tom Strachan [36:19]
Key Points:
- Balanced Roster: Blend high-upside players with reliable starters to mitigate overall team risk.
- Avoid Fads: Steer clear of players who are overvalued due to temporary hype without sustainable performance indicators.
- Value Assessment: Continuously evaluate the risk versus reward of each potential draft pick.
Tip #6: Optimize Your Bench with Upside Players
Speaker: Tom Strachan & Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [45:21]
Tom emphasizes the necessity of filling your bench with players who have significant upside rather than just occupying roster spots with low-impact players.
"Don't waste your bench on players who never hit their fantasy ceiling. Focus on those with breakout potential."
— Tom Strachan [52:39]
Key Points:
- Upside Focus: Select bench players capable of making substantial weekly impacts if their roles increase.
- Strategic Depth: Ensure each bench spot adds potential depth rather than filler.
- Flexibility: Position your bench to adapt to injuries and sudden performance boosts throughout the season.
Tip #5: Adapt Best Practices from Redraft to Your Specific League
Speaker: Jake Seeley & Tom Strachan
Timestamp: [46:26]
Jake and Tom discuss how general best practices must be tailored to fit the unique settings and rules of your specific fantasy league for optimal performance.
"Too many people go with the best ball mindset into redraft and that ends up hurting them sometimes."
— Jake Seeley [15:30]
Key Points:
- League Specificity: Customize draft strategies based on unique league rules, scoring systems, and roster requirements.
- Flexibility: Adjust your approach dynamically rather than adhering rigidly to standard strategies.
- Continuous Learning: Stay informed about any rule changes or trends within your league that may affect drafting decisions.
Tip #4: Leverage Average Draft Position (ADP) Strategically
Speaker: Jake Seeley & Tom Strachan
Timestamp: [40:57]
Using ADP data smartly can uncover value picks and help avoid overpaying for players in your draft.
"Looking across where the values are and you compare that against VECR and see where your favorite analysts rankings bring up those players..."
— Jake Seeley [46:26]
Key Points:
- ADP Awareness: Familiarize yourself with how players are trending in your specific platform's ADP.
- Value Maximization: Identify discrepancies between ADP and personal rankings to find undervalued players.
- Platform Differences: Recognize that ADP can vary significantly across different fantasy platforms, affecting draft strategy.
Tip #3: Don't Draft Based Solely on Last Year's Performance
Speaker: Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [25:20]
Jake warns against overreliance on previous seasons' results, advocating for a more nuanced approach that considers current season dynamics.
"Don't just draft with last year's results in mind because it can be very easy to fall into the trap..."
— Jake Seeley [34:33]
Key Points:
- Holistic Evaluation: Assess players based on current team changes, coaching strategies, and injury statuses.
- Future Potential: Focus on players poised for improvement rather than those who may have peaked or regressed.
- Avoiding Bias: Make draft decisions based on comprehensive analysis rather than just historical performance.
Tip #2: Actively Engage in Trades to Enhance Your Team
Speaker: Tom Strachan & Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [57:16]
Tom and Jake stress the importance of active trading as a means to continuously improve your team and adapt to the evolving season landscape.
"Be active. Everybody playing Fantasy. They don’t want to put in the effort, they’re just looking for somebody to come into their inbox."
— Tom Strachan [57:16]
Key Points:
- Proactive Approach: Regularly seek out trade opportunities to address team needs and capitalize on player performance trends.
- Mutual Benefit: Aim for trades that offer value to both parties to facilitate smoother negotiations.
- Self-Evaluation: Continuously assess your team’s strengths and weaknesses to identify optimal trade targets.
Tip #1: Utilize Advanced Draft Tools for Real-Time Insights
Speaker: Tom Strachan & Jake Seeley
Timestamp: [40:19]
The top tip revolves around leveraging advanced drafting tools, such as Draft Intel and Draft Assistant, to gain real-time insights and make informed decisions during the draft.
"Draft Assistant fully integrates your customized cheat sheets and suggests picks based on your rankings, team build, ADP and other factors."
— Ryan Wormley [50:08]
Key Points:
- Real-Time Data: Use tools that provide live updates on player selections and ADP trends to make strategic picks.
- Customization: Tailor cheat sheets and rankings to fit your unique team strategy and league format.
- Efficiency: Streamline the drafting process by relying on automated suggestions and analyses from sophisticated platforms.
Final Thoughts
As the draft day approaches, strategic preparation and active management are paramount for fantasy football success. Both Jake Seeley and Tom Strachan highlight the importance of understanding your league's nuances, leveraging data-driven tools, and maintaining flexibility in your approach. Additionally, fostering strong trade relationships and making informed roster decisions throughout the season can significantly enhance your chances of dominating your fantasy league in 2025.
Ryan Wormley wraps up the episode by emphasizing the balance between strategy and enjoyment, reminding listeners that while expertise is valuable, having fun and staying adaptable are key components of the fantasy football experience.
Resources Mentioned:
- FantasyPros Draft Kit: Available at fantasyprose.com/kit
- Draft Intel: A tool for gaining real-time draft insights and opponent profiling.
- Cheat Sheet Creator: Customize your own tiers and rankings on the Fantasy Pros website.
For more insights and tips, follow The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and social media platforms.