While our main focus here at One Week Season is on the elements of game theory and a deep understanding of our contests and competition, there is no question that player selection is an absolutely critical part of being successful in Best Ball. With that in mind, and with three months of drafting done since the NFL Draft concluded and the major contests were released, I put together this article outlining the three players at each position who I find myself drafting at a high rate and/or actively thinking about getting on my roster in optimal ways while I am drafting. Said another way, rankings are one thing, but when you are actually on the clock to make a selection, there is often a “gravity” towards certain players that causes you to reach for them ahead of not only their ADP but also where you have them ranked….or in other scenarios, they may fall in a draft and you abandon your previous strategy for that draft in order to roster them at a discount.
As we head into the heart of drafting season, these are the guys that I have the most conviction about and believe in with great confidence relative to where the field is valuing them.
Caleb Williams, CHI: This is a player who enters the league with one of the more impressive skill sets we have ever seen from a rookie QB. He has been touted for years and produced at an elite level in college. Now he enters perhaps the best situation a high-end rookie QB has ever walked into with two stud veteran WRs, a talented and high-pedigree rookie WR, a solid stable of tight ends, and a deep RB corps. This combination of elite talent and elite situation could very easily lead to the best rookie QB season we have ever witnessed. Being drafted in the 8th-11th round depending on the site/format, I believe Williams will be a top-6 QB in 2025.
Trevor Lawrence, JAX: Speaking of a young and highly talented QB, Lawrence took a bit of a step back in 2023 after having a dynamic sophomore season. This year, the Jaguars added Brian Thomas, Jr. and Gabe Davis to their receiving corps, giving Lawrence a stable of pass catchers that complement each other better and setting him up for potentially his best season yet. The AFC South should be more competitive than in recent years, and Houston, Indianapolis, and Tennessee all have ascending offenses – which could lead to more high-scoring games for the Jaguars.
Will Levis, TEN: Levis has a lot of tools that made him an intriguing prospect coming out of college. He wasn’t dominant by any means in his rookie season in 2023, but with the previous regime’s slow-moving and run-based scheme, he still did enough to catch my eye. This year, he has a terrific corps of skill players and a huge upgrade in coaching/play-calling. Levis is by far my favorite late-round QB target, and a top-12 season would not surprise me in the slightest.
