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Kacey Kasem examines a best ball mock draft from the RotoBaller staff. He breakdown and analysis for best ball sleepers, roster construction, and more.
You've probably heard your favorite fantasy football analyst say it: "I'd only draft that guy in Best Ball". What does that mean, really? When someone says they'd only take a player in Best Ball, they're usually referring to players who are prone to spike weeks. That's one of the biggest reasons Best Ball can be so much fun: finding those players who can help you win certain weeks.
In Best Ball formats, you "draft it and forget it". It's not really that simple, but I tell folks that to get them to join my leagues. There is less work than your standard fantasy league, as you don't have the option to add, drop, trade, or set lineups. Wherever you choose to host your league, that platform will select your best possible lineup each week. And just like that, you'll get all those fantasy points.
Some of the RotoBaller crew participated in a Best Ball mock draft on Sleeper. It was a 20-round single-quarterback league with full points per reception (PPR) scoring. Each team is required to start 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, and 2 FLEX (WR/RB/TE). I looked at FFPC Best Ball ADP as well as RotoBaller Overall Best Ball Rankings when breaking down the draft. Below, let's examine how the draft unfolded, looking at early-round picks, late-round flyers, and draft strategies.
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Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft Board
Click image to zoom in and enlarge.
Below is the draft order of RotoBaller writers who joined in on this year's Best Ball mock draft.
Team No. 1 - Phil Clark
Team No. 2 - Dan Fornek
Team No. 3 - Kevin Tompkins
Team No. 4 - Jorden Hill
Team No. 5 - Kacey Kasem
Team No. 6 - Andy Smith
Team No. 7 - Brad Camara
Team No. 8 - Ryan Kirksey
Team No. 9 - Josh Constantinou
Team 10 - Adam Koffler
Team 11 - JP Sticco
Team 12 - Shaun Albin
In the next section, a few players from the early rounds who stand out as strong fits for Best Ball formats will be highlighted.
Round 1 - Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Pick: 2
RotoBaller Rank: 4
Phil selected Ja'Marr Chase with the first selection of our Best Ball mock draft. Not a surprise as RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 1 overall player in Best Ball. Dan was next on the clock, and he took his shot on Bijan Robinson.
Bijan with the burst for a 37-yard TD 🔥
📺: #ATLvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/hKRbrB8U8g— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
Robinson had a brilliant 2024, posting 1,456 rushing yards and 14 scores. Only two running backs had more rushing yards than Robinson last season (Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry). Those RBs were available at 1.02, but I like Dan's strategy of taking Robinson here and pairing him with his 2.11 choice, Jonathan Taylor (who had the fourth-most rushing yards last year).
In his second season, Robinson was a top 10 RB for fantasy in nine contests. He was never lower than RB10 after returning from a Week 12 bye. With a full season of Michael Penix Jr. under center, the team will lean on its run game as the QB gets more comfortable.
Round 2 -Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Pick: 18
RotoBaller Rank: 13
I briefly brought up Derrick Henry earlier, but Brad got a steal when he took the back with the 2.06. Henry joins Brad's first-round choice, Puka Nacua, giving him two elite players at skill positions.
Every week the Best Ball Bros that faded Derrick Henry. pic.twitter.com/jwANvAUFMP
— Jacob Rickrode (@ClutchFantasy) November 3, 2024
Henry was a top 10 running back in fantasy 12 times in 2024, finishing as RB4 in PPR leagues. He was only outside the top 15 RBs in four contests and should continue to be consistent for 2025, making him the perfect selection for all formats.
By grabbing three wideouts, a quarterback, and a running back in the first five rounds, Brad locked in a strong WR corps and gave himself room to take dart throws later. When you're getting a QB like Jalen Hurts at pick 4.06 in a 1QB league, you can grab someone like C.J. Stroud and Daniel Jones later and hope their spike weeks fall when Hurts has a down game (or bye).
Plus, he stacked Hurts and DeVonta Smith (5.07), so he's looking for that combo to post some big games together.
Round 3 -Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Pick: 30
RotoBaller Rank: 27
We're into the third round, and not one quarterback has been taken yet. It's not a shock, considering it's a 1QB format, but I told myself I'd take Josh Allen here if he were available for my pick. And of course, I got cold feet, not wanting to be the first person to select a QB (hey, we've all fallen into that trap). Andy scooped up Allen with pick 3.06.
The quarterback wrapped up the season as the QB2, his fifth consecutive year finishing inside the top two at the position. Although Allen threw for under 4,000 yards, the first time since his 2019 season, he only tossed six picks and was sacked just 14 times (both the lowest of his career).
The MVP has arrived for Bills Camp. 😁@JoshAllenQB | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/NX1GGyWEAn
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 22, 2025
Allen will most likely be the first QB taken in your fantasy draft. His current ADP is 22.05, so Andy found value in the third round. Additionally, he took Caleb Williams (Round 11) and Aaron Rodgers (Round 17). Both Williams and Rodgers have a Week 5 bye, so Andy will have to bank on a big game from Allen that week versus the Patriots. Not too hard to bank on.
He thought this out better than I did; I've got Joe Burrow and Dak Prescott with a Week 10 bye. I took Prescott because I saw value there, but then I was forced to take another QB later. That QB I grabbed was Sam Darnold, so a bit harder to bank on.
Round 4 - Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Pick: 47
RotoBaller Rank: 33
Here's one of my favorite targets in the fourth round. Dan selected Davante Adams at Pick 4.11. Dan went RB/RB to start, and then followed it up by taking five wide receivers in a row. He didn't select his first QB until 9.02 (Bo Nix).
The 32-year-old was WR11 last season despite an injury absence and playing for both the Raiders and the Jets. He accumulated 209 receiving yards in his time with Las Vegas, then posted 854 in New York. It was his fifth consecutive season of at least 1,000 receiving yards, proving he can shine no matter where he's playing. That's particularly helpful for him this season as he joins the Rams.
When Davante Adams put up 198 yards… in one half 😳pic.twitter.com/7seEH9yLLL
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) July 22, 2025
I'm a fan of this build because, as stated with the Robinson pick, Dan had the flexibility to select multiple wideouts who are perfect for Best Ball. Garrett Wilson was his 3.02 pick, followed by Adams, Zay Flowers (5.02), Chris Olave (6.11), and Jauan Jennings (7.02).
Adams had five top 10 contests last season. Jennings and Wilson had three while Flowers had one. Olave was often injured last season, but he gets peppered with targets when healthy. Each of these WRs has the potential for massive spike weeks, although they won't hit every week.
Round 5 - Best Ball Fantasy Football Mock Draft
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
Pick: 51
RotoBaller Rank: 48
Kevin loaded up with pass catchers at the beginning of the draft, taking his first running back in Round 5. With selection 5.03, he took Joe Mixon. Everyone knows what they're getting with Mixon. He's a player who just went for over 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth time in his career.
All my homies love Joe Mixon 😎 pic.twitter.com/zDgNbnEToG
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) December 2, 2024
The veteran back had a strong stretch in-season, although he did miss time with an ankle injury (and played through it at some points). In his first year with Houston, he rushed for 1,016 yards in 14 games while tacking on 309 yards through the air. His eleven rushing touchdowns were the second most of his NFL journey, and he added an additional receiving touchdown to the stat sheet.
After Mixon, Kevin selected RJ Harvey with the 6.10 and didn't lock in another running back until Round 13. He took a cluster of RBs starting in the 13th, picking Tank Bigsby, Nick Chubb (Mixon's backup), Roschon Johnson, and Kareem Hunt. These are all high-upside handcuffs in offenses that know how to utilize their RBs. Kevin hits the jackpot if any of these players step into starting roles.
As of July 23rd, Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list, reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. Monitor the progress of his ankle, especially if you're relying on the back to be your No. 1 RB.
Fantasy Football Best Ball Stacking Roster Construction
Time to examine the Best Ball stacking roster construction strategies used by some RotoBallers in this draft.
Josh: Kyler Murray/Marvin Harrison Jr./Trey Benson, Tua Tagovailoa/Jaylen Waddle, Geno Smith/Brock Bowers
In 2024, Kyler Murray finished as the QB10 in PPR leagues, posting 18.1 points per contest. Josh is holding onto hope that Murray can continue that trend in 2025. He's also betting that Harrison can build on his rookie campaign's 62 catches for 885 yards and eight scores. While a solid stat line, it's not quite what you were expecting from the fourth overall selection.
It wouldn't be a day of on-field work from the Cardinals training facility without a Kyler Murray-Marvin Harrison Jr. clip. pic.twitter.com/soOJB2jq5c
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) June 3, 2025
The Tua Tagovailoa/Jaylen Waddle connection might not be what it once was, but if Waddle and Tagovailoa stay healthy, their spike weeks could be a game changer.
Josh also landed Brock Bowers with the 2.04, so grabbing Geno Smith in Round 16 was a no-brainer. It's his third stack, and he's counting on a big season from Bowers to help elevate Smith. I like this strategy because we all know Bowers sees the targets. Whoever is throwing him the ball is worth a late-round dart throw.
Brad: Jalen Hurts/DeVonta Smith, C.J. Stroud/Jayden Noel
Stacking Hurts and Smith is one of those classic examples when talking stacks. Brad took Hurts in the fourth and followed up with Smith in the fifth to secure the stack. He did this without reaching to make the stack work, selecting Hurts with Pick 42 and Smith with Pick 55. Based on RotoBaller's rankings (Hurts at 38, Smith at 53), both were selected close to where they were ranked.
🦅 TD Jalen Hurts ➡️ DeVonta Smith.
Los #FlyEaglesFly ponen 7 puntos en el marcador.
📺: #ATLvsPHI #MNFpic.twitter.com/0TFBMT31no
— Football Girls MX (@nflgirlsmx) September 17, 2024
Another stack Brad conjured up later in the draft was Stroud and rookie wideout Jaylin Noel. Houston was searching for depth behind Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, as Stefon Diggs is now with the Patriots, and Tank Dell has his fair share of injury obstacles to overcome. Enter Noel, a rookie WR taken in the third round of this year's draft.
Additionally, Houston took Jayden Higgins with the 36th selection. If Collins or Kirk misses time, both rookies see a bump in value. Grabbing one of those rookie pieces to pair with Stroud is a good plan this late.
Ryan: Jayden Daniels/Terry McLaurin/Zach Ertz, Jordan Love/MarShawn Lloyd, Bryce Young/Tetairoa McMillan/Xavier Legette
Having not one but two pass catchers tied to a star QB is a bright strategy employed by Ryan as he took Terry McLaurin in the third, Jayden Daniels in the fourth, and Zach Ertz in the 13th. Last season, Daniels ended the season as QB5, McLaurin as WR7, and Zach Ertz as TE7. When it booms, it booms all around in that offense.
The arena awaits@ZERTZ_86 | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/SVbYY9GpHW
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) June 27, 2025
Stacking Bryce Young with Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette was another way Ryan went in this draft. McMillan was taken with Pick 56, ranked 68 on RotoBaller. He's the team's WR1 and a rookie with a ton of hype. If there's a real connection between Young and McMillan, plus Legette's boom-or-bust potential, Ryan's set for massive points.
Other Factors To Consider in Fantasy Football Best Ball Drafts
As we look at the draft board, there are many trends and thought processes that you can utilize in your Best Ball drafts.
How Many QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs Should I Draft?
One of the biggest questions asked about Best Ball, especially when you first start playing, is how many QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs should you take. The appropriate number depends heavily on your format. What are the scoring settings, roster size, and number of flex spots?
In a 1QB Best Ball league like ours, if you draft an elite starter at QB early, then you can select your second QB later. If you waited on quarterback, you might consider taking three quarterbacks, especially if one of your QBs has a shaky situation. 2-3 quarterbacks are ideal, depending on when you grab your first.
If you grabbed an elite RB in the first few rounds, you might draft between 5-6. If you waited, you're more likely to load up on 6-7 for upside. You only need to start two running backs in a format like this, so you could opt to take fewer RBs and pick up an extra QB if needed.
Baker Mayfield finds Cade Otton for his FOURTH of the day! pic.twitter.com/HzVThYEukg
— Kyle Yates (@thekyleyates) October 13, 2024
Wide receivers are the most valuable position in Best Ball due to starting requirements, so rostering 7-9 is the sweet spot. You can get away with selecting seven if you get a few top guys early, but aiming for more should work in your favor. You can never have too many WRs, especially when starting three WRs and the additional FLEX.
As for tight ends, if you got one of the elite guys early, you can wait to add one more in a later round. If you don't end up with an elite TE, try taking a dart throw on 2-3 tight ends in the back half of the draft. Stacking these TEs with your QB gives you that bonus.
In our draft, Phil scooped up Baker Mayfield at 6.12, then went after Cade Otton at 15.1. Otton registered six or more targets in eight games last season, and the Buccaneers threw for the third-most yards in the NFL. Pairing a heavily targeted TE with a throwing quarterback is an ideal stack.
Do I Need to Stack in Best Ball? How Many Stacks Are Ideal?
No, you don't need to stack in Best Ball, but many in the community would say it's very much recommended. Having at least one stack in Best Ball can be beneficial, as you're chasing weekly upside. Getting a QB and a pass-catcher from the same offense is a simple way to increase spike week potential.
Ideally, rostering two or three stacks seems to be the sweet spot when drafting in Best Ball. Seasoned managers who double up at QB usually try to stack each one. Those who roster three quarterbacks will want to stack at least two of them to maximize the potential for boom weeks. You can even throw in a running back with pass-catching capabilities to add to your stack if you're not feeling the WRs or TEs.
Dak to CeeDee pic.twitter.com/e1BkOWcTDl
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) July 22, 2025
Avoid overstacking or chasing stacks that don't make sense. Forcing stacks by taking players way above their ADP is not recommended. Unless you're targeting a top-tier offense, stacking one QB with three pass-catchers is usually frowned upon. If you have too many stacks from one team, you're going to have to dodge risks like bad weather, injury, or a down year.
When you're drafting, it helps to check the schedule for potential shootouts or to see how defenses perform against the pass. Don't forget to keep an eye on those bye weeks. You don't want to load up with stacks that have the same bye because then you'll get a bunch of goose eggs that week.
Should You Draft Handcuffs in Best Ball?
Honestly, it depends on who the handcuff is and how you've constructed your roster. Maybe the handcuff has standalone value (like a 1B to the starter's 1A). Or perhaps you punt RB to grab top dogs at WR and TE, ending up with backups at the position.
If you land an elite RB and his high-upside backup falls to you, taking a shot in the later rounds would be worth it. If you look at Brad's draft, he selected Henry in the second round. In Round 15, he picked Justice Hill, and in Round 19, he grabbed Keaton Mitchell. Brad has the security of Hill and Mitchell as handcuffs in case Henry gets hurt.
Ravens have an impressive RB trio with Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, and Keaton Mitchell looking 💯 after his 2023 knee injury. pic.twitter.com/zseMrc4sAo
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) May 28, 2025
There is also value in taking backup RBs with standalone value. Dan took Justin Fields as his QB2 at 11.02. In late rounds, he chose Braelon Allen (14.11) and Isaiah Davis (20.11). Allen is a passing-down back who sees work on the goal line, and he should benefit from a few boom games in his second season. Davis saw more work as the season progressed and is a perfect dart throw in the last round.
Josh grabbed a ton of handcuffs, not grabbing his first RB until Round 7. He took a flyer on Kaleb Johnson as his No. 1 RB, following that up with Najee Harris (9.09), Tyjae Spears (10.04), Rachaad White (11.09), Benson (12.04), and Jerome Ford (13.09). He loaded up on high-value pass-catchers to start the draft, so he looked for RB upside in the later rounds.
This way, he was able to stack Harrison and Murray as well as Tagovailoa and Waddle. That kind of "top-happy" approach could pay off.
Favorite Late-Round Fantasy Football Best Ball Targets
Let's focus on some of the best late-round options for Best Ball formats.
Keenan Allen, Free Agent, WR
Pick: 203
RotoBaller Rank: 166
Last season, with the Chicago Bears, Keenan Allen caught 70 balls for 747 yards and seven scores. Not as productive as he has been in the past, but still a good stat line for the former Charger. Allen is currently a free agent as the Bears decided not to re-sign him. He might not have a team to call his own, but that didn't stop JP from selecting the WR at 17.11.
Very impressive throw with hands in his face, throwing Keenan Allen open pic.twitter.com/0G55LdBzef
— Theo Ash (@TheoAshNFL) October 13, 2024
The vet is bound to find a home on a WR-needy team, and JP is banking on him becoming useful for Best Ball once this happens. I had a similar thought process with Amari Cooper at 19.05, though his production has fallen even more than Allen's.
Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks, TE
Pick: 237
RotoBaller Rank: 188
Kevin went deep at tight end in this draft. In Best Ball, that can work if you're aiming for high-volume TEs, especially those that function like the WR2 in their offense. He grabbed Trey McBride, a top target for the Cardinals, early at 2.10. Then he slowly picked up TEs with upside and for depth. When his final pick rolled in, he didn't need another tight end, but he still took a swing on Elijah Arroyo.
Elijah Arroyo moving this fast at 6'4", 245 LBS👀💨
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 9, 2024
Most of the roster builds had teams selecting 2-3 tight ends while Kevin picked up five. Going heavy at TE can work, but you need to focus on those that see heavy target shares. It can also be a great way to course-correct if your other TEs don't hit, or to load up on a position where consistency is rare. Pass catchers are king in Best Ball.
If a few of those tight ends become primary options in their offense, Kevin's team will hit big.
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears, RB
Pick: 195
RotoBaller Rank: 265
D'Andre Swift is the lead dog at RB for the Bears, with Johnson backing him up. The team opted to re-sign Travis Homer, but he isn't the solution at depth. Enter Kyle Monangai, selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai went OFF today 😤
⭐️ 27 carries
⭐️ 208 yards
⭐️ 3 TDsThis RB class is LOADED. pic.twitter.com/uxpFix1Cg3
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) September 7, 2024
Monangai will face off with Johnson for the RB2 spot on the Bears. If the rookie were to beat Johnson out, his 17.04 draft spot would scream value. There were three weeks last season where Johnson put up double-digit points, and Monangai can post a few spike weeks if things break his way this season. The 23-year-old's ADP is currently 271.91, and Jorden took him with Pick 195.
Could he have waited? Sure, but he made sure to get his guy in a later round where most guys are dart throws.
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