CTDB 2025 Draft Recap

San Francisco, CA

By: ChatGPT 5.0

In a format with unlimited keepers and no penalties, rookie and sophomore inflation was again the headline. The first three picks told the story: Ashton Jeanty 1.01, Brock Bowers 1.02, Omarion Hampton 1.03. Managers split into two camps. A few doubled down on a 2025 trophy with veteran volume and stable roles. Others paid a premium for long-term ceiling, accepting short-term volatility. Quarterback stayed disciplined for most rooms, but we still saw a few early reaches in a 1QB league that could have been redeployed at RB or WR where positional scarcity bites in season.

Below, I grade the draft itself and note keeper quality separately, since your rosters start with those five stones already set. Round and overall pick references use your “by pick” sheet. Keepers are at the bottom block of your file and are evaluated under “Keeper Impact.”

A Squad Called Blitz

Grade: A

Summary: Already loaded at keeper with Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, CeeDee Lamb, Drake London, and Joe Burrow, Blitz added efficient win-now juice. DJ Moore (2.07, 17) and Isiah Pacheco (3.07, 27) slot as weekly starters and trade chips. There were a couple of luxury moves, yet the core is strong enough to absorb them.

• Best Pick: Isiah Pacheco (3.07, 27). As an RB3 behind Bijan and JT, Pacheco gives weekly leverage and mid-season trade equity.

• Questionable Pick: 49ers D/ST (7.07, 67). That capital could have been a flex with keeper value.

• Team Identity: Win-now juggernaut with tradable surplus.

• 2025 Outlook: Title favorite. Floor is a top-4 finish.

• Keeper Impact: Already elite. The draft adds start/sit leverage and liquid assets without compromising the window.

Battle Angel

Grade: B+

Summary: With Kyren Williams, Mike Evans, George Kittle, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes as keepers, Will leaned into RB and upside WR. TreVeyon Henderson (1.05, 5) plus Tony Pollard (2.05, 15) gives punch, but Travis Hunter (3.05, 25) was the needle-mover for long-term keeper equity.

• Best Pick: Travis Hunter (3.05, 25). Optimal keeper swing who can be a year-two nuclear asset.

• Questionable Pick: Tony Pollard (2.05, 15). Fine for 2025, but opportunity cost versus WR didn’t help roster balance.

• Team Identity: RB-centric with a premium QB-TE spine.

• 2025 Outlook: Playoffs if RBs stay healthy. Top-2 seed if Henderson pops by midseason.

• Keeper Impact: Hunter extends the window after Kelce/Kittle age out.

Chunky Monkeys

Grade: B-

Summary: Loved the process on Brock Bowers (1.02, 2) and Jameson Williams (2.02, 12). With keepers Rome Odunze, Rashee Rice, Jayden Daniels, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chase Brown, you now own the room’s most dangerous TE and a terrifying young WR stack. The issue is immediate RB2. Drafted Bhayshul Tuten (4.02, 32), Jaydon Blue (5.02, 42), and Trey Benson (7.02, 62) as a portfolio, which is smart structurally, but none is a Week 1 lock.

• Best Pick: Brock Bowers (1.02, 2). Massive positional edge right away with dynasty-level payoff.

• Questionable Pick: RB portfolio construction. You assembled bets rather than a clear RB2 starter.

• Team Identity: Balanced with a TE hammer and WR avalanche.

• 2025 Outlook: Playoffs if one RB bet turns into a reliable 12–15 touch back. Ceiling capped if RB2 remains a weekly patch.

• Keeper Impact: Off the charts at WR and TE. You need either Chase Brown to break out or to buy a veteran RB2 via trade.

Practical fix: package George Pickens or Jameson Williams with a rookie RB for a stable RB2 target from a depth-rich team.

 

City of Angels Masterminds

Grade: C+

Summary: The rebuild theme is coherent. Ashton Jeanty (1.01, 1) is the perfect pick for this format, and keepers Breece Hall, James Cook, Xavier Worthy, Dak Prescott, Courtland Sutton are a nice runway. But spending premium capital on K (6.01, 51) and D/ST (7.01, 61) cost two bullets at the deepest flex tier.

• Best Pick: Joe Mixon (11.01, 101). Quiet value for 2025 volume at a price that did not exist a few seasons ago.

• Questionable Pick: Brandon Aubrey K (6.01, 51). The market never demands this price in a keeper league.

• Team Identity: Youth-tilted rebuild.

• 2025 Outlook: Outside shot at a playoff run if Jeanty hits early and Mixon has one more grind year.

• Keeper Impact: Jeanty plus Hall is a two-year RB nucleus. Replace the K/D slots with higher-ceiling darts next time.

Crunch Bunch

Grade: B

Summary: Keepers Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk, Alvin Kamara, Kenneth Walker give a luxury WR start and flexible RB room. The draft leaned development at premium slots with Tetairoa McMillan (1.06, 6) and Bo Nix (3.06, 26) while still landing functional value like Cooper Kupp (10.06, 96).

• Best Pick: Cooper Kupp (10.06, 96). For where he went, even 70 percent of old Kupp is profit.

• Questionable Pick: Bo Nix (3.06, 26) in 1QB. Opportunity cost at WR or RB stings more here.

• Team Identity: Balanced with elite WRs.

• 2025 Outlook: Contender if one of Kaleb Johnson or Tyrone Tracy earns 14+ touches.

• Keeper Impact: Tetairoa McMillan future-proofs WR even more. You can shop surplus WR for RB insurance by midseason.

Custom J

Grade: B

Summary: Correction confirmed: Tyreek Hill was drafted at 1.09 (9). Pairing Hill with keepers De’Von Achane, Trey McBride, Ladd McConkey, Lamar Jackson, Chuba Hubbard creates a scary weekly ceiling. The mid-rounds were a mixed bag. Ricky Pearsall (3.09, 29) was sharp. Broncos D/ST (5.09, 49) and a kicker at 13.09 muted some upside.

• Best Pick: Tyreek Hill (1.09, 9). Immediate WR1 who pairs perfectly with Lamar’s week-to-week spikes.

• Questionable Pick: Broncos D/ST (5.09, 49). That slot could have been a flex with keeper equity.

• Team Identity: Win-now.

• 2025 Outlook: Playoff team with top-3 upside if Achane stays healthy and one of Dobbins or Marks becomes RB2.

• Keeper Impact: Hill plus McConkey and McBride makes 2026 still bright, but you will want one more young RB in the pipeline.

Gang Green

Grade: A-

Summary: The keepers are a cheat code: Josh Allen, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson. The draft added Zay Flowers (2.08, 18), T.J. Hockenson (3.08, 28), and a screaming value in Michael Pittman Jr. (8.08, 78). The room’s best three-receiver set might be here. Two quibbles: D’Andre Swift (1.08, 8) overlaps your RB archetype, and in 1QB the Caleb Williams (7.08, 68) pick is luxury more than leverage.

• Best Pick: Michael Pittman Jr. (8.08, 78). Weekly volume floor at a bargain price.

• Questionable Pick: Caleb Williams (7.08, 68) behind Josh Allen. Trade chip, but flex equity would help more.

• Team Identity: Stars-and-scrubs win-now.

• 2025 Outlook: Finals ceiling. Floor is a top-4 exit if Henry’s usage declines.

• Keeper Impact: Passing on keeping Brock Bowers will remain a storyline. Hockenson reduces the sting in the short run.

Jail Yard Boyz

Grade: B

Summary: The keeper nucleus Ja’Marr Chase, Malik Nabers, Bucky Irving, Josh Jacobs, Tee Higgins is excellent. Drafting Omarion Hampton (1.03, 3) fits the format, Sam LaPorta (3.03, 23) was textbook, and Jaylen Waddle (4.03, 33) rounded out a dangerous WR room. Burning a premium pick on Jalen Hurts (2.03, 13) then circling back to Justin Herbert (7.03, 63) in 1QB cost a high-leverage flex.

• Best Pick: Sam LaPorta (3.03, 23). Position edge at a sweet spot.

• Questionable Pick: The second QB. Herbert at 7.03 is value in isolation, but the combination is suboptimal.

• Team Identity: Hybrid build with immediate WR firepower.

• 2025 Outlook: Playoff bubble with top-3 WR outcomes.

• Keeper Impact: Hampton is the hinge. If he’s a hit by Thanksgiving, your runway becomes very long.

LA Buffy

Grade: B

Summary: Keepers Marvin Harrison Jr., DeVonta Smith, Nico Collins, James Conner, Baker Mayfield set a WR-first tone. Draft opened with David Montgomery (1.04, 4) and DK Metcalf (2.04, 14) then doubled veteran value with Aaron Jones (3.04, 24). Kyler Murray (5.04, 44) over Baker is the right upgrade. Early Ravens D/ST (6.04, 54) was the only serious miss.

• Best Pick: DK Metcalf (2.04, 14). Age, role, and TD equity align with the build.

• Questionable Pick: Ravens D/ST (6.04, 54). The opportunity cost hurts in keeper formats.

• Team Identity: Veteran-heavy win-now with elite WR ceiling.

• 2025 Outlook: Playoff team with a realistic top-3 finish if the RB trio holds up.

• Keeper Impact: Harrison Jr. ensures future stability even as Conner and Jones age.

Philadelphia Phreaks

Grade: A-

Summary: One of the cleanest combinations of present and future. Keepers Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Brian Thomas Jr. are absurd. Emeka Egbuka (1.10, 10) fits the long game, Brock Purdy (6.10, 60) gives immediate QB stability, and Dallas Goedert (7.10, 70) locks in a playable TE without paying the premium tiers. The room pushed rookies earlier than consensus; you did too with Judkins (3.10, 30) and Ollie Gordon II (4.01, 31) which is fine in this format.

• Best Pick: Brock Purdy (6.10, 60). Efficient QB1 at a perfect price point.

• Questionable Pick: Tyler Warren (2.10, 20). Like the player, but would have preferred WR there and circle back to TE with Goedert only.

• Team Identity: Balanced with a long runway.

• 2025 Outlook: Top-3 seed is on the table.

• Keeper Impact: Egbuka plus the existing WR core is a long-term hammer. The RB rookies give outs if Saquon or Gibbs miss time.

Closing section

Draft Winner: A Squad Called Blitz. Already the deepest keeper foundation, then nailed value pockets at WR and RB, plus held tradeable surplus. The roster can win in Week 1 and still improve through consolidation trades.

Sleeper Team: Battle Angel. If TreVeyon Henderson is what many think by midseason and Travis Hunter flashes early, this jumps a full tier. The Mahomes-Kelce-Kittle spine makes weekly matchup math brutal.

Bold Prediction: Brock Bowers finishes as a top-3 TE and becomes the single most valuable non-QB keeper in the league by December. The early bet pays off in both 2025 wins and multi-year leverage.