The fantasy roster foundations have been laid in the 2025 Fantasy Index Invitational. Time to put in the injury insulation and hang some upside drywall.
The first six rounds of the Invitational's maiden voyage are in the books: Ranker-in-chief Ian Allan has assembled an impressive armada of running backs, and a sensible (if less than scintillating) core of target-commanding wideouts; Andy Richardson has begun hammering upside after early investments in a couple of surefire superstars; moonlighting baseball head Todd Zola threatens to show up the guys on the football side with a potentially dominant first five rounds.
With a run on both quarterbacks and tight ends imminent, we make the wide turn into the eye of the draft...
8th Round
| Pick | Team | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.01 | Ben Prator | Matthew Golden | WR |
| 8.02 | Pat Fitzmaurice | Patrick Mahomes | QB |
| 8.03 | Ian Allan | Darnell Mooney | WR |
| 8.04 | Boards | ||
| 8.05 | Luke Wilson | ||
| 8.06 | Moss | ||
| 8.07 | Sweet Lou | ||
| 8.08 | Andy Richardson | ||
| 8.09 | Tom Mignone | ||
| 8.10 | Todd Zola | ||
| 8.11 | TPats | ||
| 8.12 | Andrew S. |
8th Round Commentary
- Luke Wilson: BAM, Ben just drove this bus straight into Flavortown! Speak to that zesty Mayfield-Golden combo platter sir! Also the revenge snipe on our resident Packers fan, bonus points.
Ben Prator: I have been shooting my mouth off saying Baker was my QB1, but that was more targeted at the ADP range I had in mind for taking a QB than anything - that is to say, he was my QB1 after the guys who could actually finish as the QB1, none of whom for which I was willing to pay up. I didn't really want to be taking an upside pick at QB.
Luke Wilson: Baker is going up against an undefeated run of TD% regression, historically. No quarterback that banked QBs at a clip as high as Mayfield's just was has avoided so much as a 10, 15% drop-off, let alone run it straight back. But if you had to bet on one guy to beat the odds...
Sweet Lou: That offense is looking super exciting, too. Plus, Baker is just a fun player to watch, easy to root for him.
Luke Wilson: Yeah, Baker is maybe the poster child 'vibes' pick. History is against him, the FI rankings certainly have the whole offense pulling back fairly sharply, and justifiably so - but there's also undoubtedly a ton of swagger in Tampa right now. And Baker's why.
Boards: Surprised that Golden is the rookie you go for here, Ben.
Ben Prator: Golden was the most exciting guy on the board. I would have taken Egbuka but I'm not trying to triple stack Bucs. I buy Golden's path to volume and the talent-driven upside narrative. Plus, what's going to stop him? Josh Jacobs can't do everything, and Love isn't bad.
7th Round
| Pick | Team | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.01 | Andrew S. | Najee Harris | RB |
| 7.02 | TPats | T.J. Hockenson | TE |
| 7.03 | Todd Zola | Jaylen Warren | RB |
| 7.04 | Tom Mignone | Rome Odunze | WR |
| 7.05 | Andy Richardson | Tyler Warren | TE |
| 7.06 | Sweet Lou | Chris Olave | WR |
| 7.07 | Moss | Jakobi Meyers | WR |
| 7.08 | Luke Wilson | Travis Etienne | RB |
| 7.09 | Boards | Evan Engram | TE |
| 7.10 | Ian Allan | Jordan Addison | WR |
| 7.11 | Pat Fitzmaurice | Tyrone Tracy | RB |
| 7.12 | Ben Prator | Baker Mayfield | QB |
7th Round Commentary
- Luke Wilson: Brian Robinson-Najee Harris has gotta be the absolute least exciting, 'ehhh but I could kinda see it working out' fantasy backfield of all-time. I love how much I don't love it.
Andy Richardson: I had my eye on Najee.
Luke Wilson: Andy's got jokes, boys. Try the fish, tip your waitstaff! - Luke Wilson: Odunze this late. Really hate that it didn't happen on my roster.
Sweet Lou: Yeah, that one hurts. I was looking at him on my previous pick.
Boards: I think probably most of us considered Odunze in the last round.
TPats: Considered Odunze over Hock'. I don't like the drop-off at TE after him, plus I think he's going to be JJM's (J.J. McCarthy) safety net. Also a full year removed from the knee injury, Addison suspended, etc. - Luke Wilson: Tyler Warren as the TE6! 'Fortune favors the bold' pick if ever there were one, Mr. R!
Andy Richardson: Engram would have been safer, but I think Warren might be Indy's top receiver. - Boards: Looking at who's available here, my heart is saying to keep the rookie train going. My brain is saying 'STOP'.
Luke Wilson: Fully half of your first six picks in this draft are rookies, Boards. You've been generally rookie-positive in drafts historically, but this is pushing it even for you. Andy Richardson: I like Boards' team. Lots of guys I was considering or was hoping would make it to me. - Boards: I hear ya. I generally play for the mid- to late season and trust my analysis. I could've settled for vets that I don't find interesting, but I try to see past what has been to predict what will be, as you know. Wasn't my plan to take this many (rookies), but with everyone targeting the usual folks, I pivot to value and upside.
Luke Wilson: As pricey rookies go, I do like the ones you've assembled so far. - Boards: Sorry for nabbing Engram there, Ben. I suspect he was among your targets here.
Ben Prator: Actually, Tyrone Tracy was the one I was more sure on. Sniped by Fitzmaurice.
Boards: Interesting.
Luke Wilson: It was going to be Tracy or Etienne for me. I just couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I'd pretended to believe in the Giants' offense even that much.
Boards: Etienne was the right pick. No bones to pick with that value.
Ben Prator: Okay, well if vanilla is off the table...
—This article will update continuously in the coming days. Stay tuned.