Fantasy football 2025: Ideal top two picks for each draft slot in a 12-team league

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Fantasy enthusiasts don’t have to worry about getting socked in the jaw on draft day. At least, I’d hope not. (Otherwise, you might want to consider a less intense league.) But the spirit of Iron Mike’s quote applies. Everyone is confident in their strategy until one of your picks gets sniped just ahead of you. Then what do you do?

Do you panic, reach too early for a quarterback and miss out on some elite-tier receivers? Do you abandon your steadfast ZeroRB mentality and select that low-end RB1 you’ve had concerns about all offseason? Do you completely freeze up and blow one of your early selections on Cameron Dicker?

If it’s Option No. 3, you may need more help than this column can offer. If you’re more prone to carry out one of the first two moves, don’t worry: I’ve got you.

I’ve selected what I consider to be the best two-round start for each slot in a 12-team snake draft. It contains just about every permutation of running back, wide receiver and tight end you can think of. No, there are no quarterbacks here. You shouldn’t be thinking about that until at least the third round. (Even that might be too soon.)

While I’ve landed on specific names for each draft position, think of this more as a guide than a gospel. The chances that your draft goes exactly like this are slim. Instead, look at some of the names on either side of your draft slot to keep in your back pocket just in case you find yourself getting punched in the mouth sniped.

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