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Scott Engel reviews his 2025 Scott Fish Bowl draft for fantasy football to break down draft strategies and player analysis. Scott's expert draft advice.
My 2025 draft recently concluded in the legendary Scott Fish Bowl, the largest and most notable tournament in the fantasy football industry. The competition includes over 400 leagues and nearly 5,000 teams. This year, the theme was divisions named after favorite sports teams, so I competed in a 12-team league in the Seattle Seahawks division, although playing in the New York Mets or New York Knicks divisions would have been applicable, too.
The Scott Fish Bowl is the most prestigious large-field fantasy football tournament in the nation and is also the main fundraising source for the Fantasy Cares charity. The scoring is unique and changes every year in several categories. While the scoring and roster sizes are exclusive to the SFB15 format, reviewing the draft picks is still a very useful exercise for all fantasy players.
You still get my overall fantasy-style scouting reports for my draft, and I point out where I would have operated differently in a regular-sized, customary PPR league. This season’s distinctive roster setup is an “all flex” approach, with elevated PPR points for all pass-catchers, while maintaining the TE premium scoring. Points for rushing attempts and first downs put a higher emphasis on volume, workloads, and running QBs.
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Fantasy Football Draft Review: My 2025 Scott Fish Bowl Draft Roster And Analysis
Round One: Ashton Jeanty
I had both Jayden Daniels and Ashton Jeanty in my first-round queue of the draft on the Sleeper app. When Daniels was taken with the pick ahead of mine, Jeanty became the surefire selection. In a unique scoring system reliant on volume, he was the best potential running back available to combine a potentially heavy workload and significant aside.
In a regular league, I would not draft a rookie in the first round, as there is the danger that a first-year running back could start slowly and possibly hurt the outlook in the standings over the first few weeks. But a large-scale field tournament like SFB15 must be handled like a high-stakes format, where you have to gun for upside and not follow the usual customary processes when drafting in a normal 12-team league.
You will have to draft Jeanty in the first round of most leagues this year, because he is drawing comparisons to the likes of Saquon Barkley and LaDainian Tomlinson. For me, in a league format where I am competing with a huge field overall, I was willing to sacrifice any possible slow start to get the best numbers possible from Jeanty later in the season and in the SFB15 playoffs.
Round Two: Bucky Irving
I went with Bucky Irving as the eighth RB off the board. This format doesn’t require minimum starters at any position, so I went for the player I liked best for a potential ceiling. Irving is a dazzling and versatile runner who can effectively run inside and get loose in the open field. In regular leagues with normal starting lineup rules, I would have drafted him in round two, also. There are some minor concerns about his overall workload, yet he will lead the Tampa Bay RBs in touches and should be highly efficient.
Round Three: Ladd McConkey
I was not quite ready to take a QB since the best dual threats were long gone, and the quality of top-tier RBs was beginning to fall off. So, in the continued spirit of volume and upside, McConkey was my ideal pick. He should improve on last season in terms of receptions and targets, and doesn’t have many significant threats to his role as a leading pass-catcher.
In regular leagues, if you start out with two RBs, McConkey is an acceptable third-round pick because he has true fantasy WR1 promise for the 2025 season.
Round Four: Tee Higgins
If Tee Higgins can stay healthy over a full season, we could see him deliver a very strong campaign in one of the league’s busiest offenses. Hopefully, he will want to prove that he was worth the four-year extension, and it can serve as another motivating factor. I did not intend to start out with two RBs and WRs, yet Jeanty/Irving/McConkey/Higgins would be a satisfying core in any format.
Round Five: Tyreek Hill
This was a fun pick for me, as I don’t believe Hill’s disappointing 2024 season is truly reflective of the player he can still be. When both Hill and Tua Tagovailoa are avoiding injuries, they will still demonstrate terrific chemistry with each other. This is another pick I would make in a regular style of league, although Hill should still be off the board in the fourth round of a format where two starting QBs are not permitted.
Round Six: Isiah Pacheco
By this point, with the top 10 QBs already being taken, I was good with waiting for a value play later on. In many drafts, if I don’t get one of the top 3-4 QBs in the earlier rounds, then waiting is fine by me, even in a superflex format. There are approximately 20 QBs I will realistically target as superflex starters this season.
I believe in reading the signals from a front office when it makes sense, and the Chiefs are apparently maintaining their confidence in Pacheco. They really didn’t bring in anyone else to challenge him for the lead role, and a prime workload could be ahead for him in a rebound season. If you can get Pacheco as a third RB or flex player in a single QB draft this year, go for him.
Round Seven: Trevor Lawrence
Soon, it was going to get quite uncomfortable at QB if I didn’t grab a starter by this point. Getting maximum value out of a player can make a real difference in where you finish when the middle and later round picks outperform their draft slots. This is a critical year for Lawrence, and with a good supporting cast and Liam Coen in his corner, a QB1 season seems more possible than it has been before.
Round Eight: C.J. Stroud
This is a format where you can start two QBs, so I wanted to get a pair by some point and wasn’t going to wait any more. I am betting on a rebound campaign from Stroud, who should see his pass protection improve, while the WR crew is looking deeper.
Round Nine: Tyler Warren
The Colts' rookie is one of my favorite value targets this season, and with the additional points per reception for tight ends in SFB15, this could be a difference-making pick. Rookie TEs have been making instant and major splashes in recent years, and Warren is the next candidate to enter the pros with a possible high ceiling. Warren looks ready to be an instant impact player for the Colts.
Round 10: Javonte Williams
Again, volume is important in SFB15. So, while Williams appears to be an uninspiring pick in any type of draft, he should still be the lead RB for a good offense. In regular leagues, take the chance on the possible workload when the top 30 or so RBs are off the board.
Round 11: Jake Ferguson
I did not plan on picking consecutive Cowboys, but Ferguson is a fine selection as a second tight end, and the fantasy buzz on him is growing this preseason, so he may go in the top 10 at TE in many seasonal drafts. Dallas will get involved in many shootouts, and Ferguson might be a good source of TD production.
Round 12: Cam Ward
I needed a third QB as insurance in case Stroud or Lawrence disappoint again, and to at least function as a streaming replacement when needed. Ward will have to overcome some mediocrity around him on the roster, yet he has the poise and abilities to present some upside.
Round 13 And Beyond
Brenton Strange is a good TE2 target, as he showed flashes of promise with Jacksonville last year, and Evan Engram is gone. I was able to get him as a third TE in a TE premium format. … Kyle Williams is widely being mentioned as a sleeper candidate for New England. … If Roman Wilson stays healthy, he might sew up the No. 2 WR in Pittsburgh.
Kyle Monangai may get a chance to be a goal-line alternative to D'Andre Swift in Chicago. … If the Lions continue to sour on Jameson Williams, monitor the progress of rookie Isaac TeSlaa. … Brashard Smith was taken as possible depth behind Pacheco in Kansas City.
It must be highlighted that seven of my last nine picks were rookies. First-year players can function as key contributors on winning teams if you hit on them late, and there will be many promising prospects available in the later rounds. In 2023, I pinpointed Puka Nacua and Tank Dell as some of my final picks and won the New York Silver Bullet league in the NFFC.
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