This article originally appeared on FTNFantasy and was written by Tyler Orginski.
Football season is right around the corner, and there’s no better way to lock in your fantasy dominance early than with best ball on DraftKings — where you draft once and ride your roster all season long. Right now, DraftKings is giving all customers a can’t-miss offer: Draft One, Get One! Enter a lineup in the $15 million best ball contest for just $20, and you’ll score another best ball ticket to play FREE for a share of $15 million. Just draft your dream team once, and let your top scorers automatically start each week.
As an avid DraftKings best ball player, I have been drafting best ball teams for a few months. These are some of my most rostered players and players I am actively targeting on my best ball teams.
Generally speaking, when you are above the market on a player in best ball, you have rostered them at a rate of over 10%. All the players mentioned in this article are on over 20% of my best ball teams; these are my favorite targets per position.
Tyler Orginski’s Most Rostered Players in Best Ball
Quarterback
Justin Fields, New York Jets
ADP: 98, QB11
My rank: 94
Everything this offseason suggests that Justin Fields will be the unquestioned starter for the Jets. His passing numbers have always been low, but that’s never been how he wins in fantasy. I won’t waste time explaining why rushing QBs matter; we all know by now. Fields is one of the few guys with a real shot at 1,000 rushing yards, and that alone makes him someone we can’t ignore.
We’ve never gotten a full season of Fields, but in 2022, he finished as the QB7 in just 15 games, and in six full starts last year, he was the QB6. When he’s out there, he’s a top-10 option every single week. In best ball, where you don’t have to guess when to start him, that weekly ceiling is a cheat code.
He’s priced fairly, the upside is real, and I’m actively targeting him as a core part of my QB room on DraftKings.
Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
ADP: 209, QB33
My rank: 192
Jaxson Dart has been my guy in this class long before it was trendy. He balled out at the Senior Bowl and crushed the Combine, and now he’s finally getting the attention he deserves with that sweet first-round draft capital. Good size (6-foot-2, 223 pounds), legit athleticism and productive in college. Dart averaged 329 passing yards per game as a senior with a 69% completion rate and added 38 rushing yards per game. He’s not a Konami Code runner, but he can absolutely give you a floor with his legs.
He’s also more advanced than people think, quicker processor, good feel in the pocket, and he hit the key threshold for adjusted yards per attempt (9.1). That’s a strong indicator for NFL success.
Now to the best ball angle: Late-season weeks matter way more than early ones in this format. Dart may not start right away, but I’m betting we see him when it counts. He’s the perfect QB3 in three-quarterback builds. If he takes over, you’re getting top-15 weekly upside at the cost of a final-round pick. I’m drafting and stashing him everywhere.
Running Back
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ADP: 140, RB44
My rank: 135
Rachaad White already has an RB7 season on his resume (2023) and finished as the RB24 last year while playing behind Bucky Irving. He might not be a pure runner, but he’s an elite pass catcher and a better pass blocker than he gets credit for. And because of that, he’s going to stay on the field more than Bucky Irving fans may like to see.
He may not be the most consistent week-to-week scorer, but he gives you a safe floor and real top-10 upside if anything happens to Bucky. His current ADP around 140 is wild, I’ve been clicking him all offseason without hesitation.
MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers
ADP: 196, RB61
My rank: 179
Lloyd flashed burst, contact balance and legit upside as a prospect, but early injuries and Josh Jacobs kept him off the field in Year 1. Now? He’s the clear No. 2 in one of the most run-heavy offenses in football.
If Jacobs misses time, Lloyd could step into 20-plus touches without blinking. He’s talented enough to deliver, and there’s no real competition; Emanuel Wilson isn’t a threat.
In best ball, that’s exactly what we’re chasing. Lloyd is a top-10 handcuff going far too late and has been a priority for me in the double-digit rounds.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
ADP: 69, RB23
My rank: 61
The Lions have one of the best offenses and offensive lines in the NFL, and their identity is simple: Run the damn football. That’s not just a slogan, it’s how they win games. Montgomery already has weekly RB2 value thanks to his red zone usage and touchdown equity. He’s a lock for double-digit scores if healthy.
But in best ball, where we don’t have to guess which weeks the ceiling hits, Monty becomes even more valuable. If Gibbs were to miss time, he’s an instant top-10 play. We’d be looking at a full-blown three-down back in an elite offense that lives near the goal line.
He’s one of the rare backs who doesn’t need an injury to be in your lineup but has true league-altering upside if one happens. That’s best ball gold.
Wide Receiver
Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans
ADP: 201, WR78
My rank: 172
Now, this is a player I’m excited to draft. Don’t let the college stats fool you; the Stanford offense held him back way more than anything in his game did.
Ayomanor checks the boxes: 6-foot-2, 206 pounds, runs a 4.44 and plays with the kind of smoothness and control that pops on tape. He’s got real polish as a route runner and knows how to use his frame to win. He adjusts well in traffic, has legit field-stretching speed, and brings enough nuance to his routes to beat NFL corners early.
He’s already a lock for three-WR sets and only has to beat out an aging Tyler Lockett to become the WR2 in a functional passing game. And in best ball, where we care more about the flashes than the floor? That matters.
Ayomanor is absolutely free right now, and my favorite dart throw in the final rounds. There’s zero risk and a ton of reward if he hits.
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
ADP: 11, WR6
My rank: 7
In 2024, Malik Nabers turned 170 targets from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito into a 109/1,204/7 line and finished as the WR7 as a rookie. It was pure chaos under center, and he still cooked.
The QB room is still fluid, but Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart are all upgrades. Russ probably opens the year, and while he’s the least fun of the group, he helped George Pickens post top-10 numbers last year. Nabers is just a different tier of weapon; elite separation, twitch and explosion.
In best ball, and especially on full-PPR sites like DraftKings, where volume rules, he’s gold. I’ve got Nabers aggressively ranked as my WR3 overall. Whether it’s Russ, Jameis letting it rip or Dart taking over late, this arrow is pointing straight up. Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers stacks will feed families this year.
Tight End
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
ADP: 130, TE13
My rank: 124
Tucker Kraft is one of my favorite mid-round tight end targets, especially in best ball formats. He stepped up big last season with an overall TE9 finish. Kraft flashed after the catch, ability, physicality and red zone chops.
Even when Luke Musgrave is healthy, Kraft showed he’s the real TE1 on this offense, and there’s no reason to think he isn’t the starter in 2025. He’s an athletic, tackle-breaking YAC threat on an offense that’s trending up fast and could be one of the league’s best tight ends if the Packers pass more.
At cost, Kraft gives you spike-week upside with a real path to more. That’s exactly what we’re hunting in the mid rounds. I am comfortable with him as my TE1.
Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
ADP: 15, TE1
My rank: 14
Brock Bowers is exactly what we chase in best ball: explosive traits, a clean profile and the ability to post week-winning scores from a position that rarely offers it. His 112 catches, nearly 1,200 yards and five touchdowns last year were just a preview. He’s already a star.
In DraftKings’ full PPR format, where volume matters and spike weeks win tournaments, Bowers is a cheat code. He’s explosive after the catch, tough at the catch point, and can win from anywhere on the field, in-line, slot, or out wide.
Even in a less-than-ideal Vegas offense, he still popped. Now, with a stabilizing QB in Geno Smith and no new real target competition, he’s set to build off a historic rookie season. Bowers has TE1 overall in his range of outcomes and the weekly upside to swing best ball leagues.
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