Ryan Heath 2025 Must Draft Players

An editorial look at Heath's favored targets and draft strategies for 2025 fantasy leagues.

Ryan Heath 2025 Must Draft Players

Fantasy analyst Ryan Heath outlines his favorite targets for 2025 drafts, with an emphasis on how to navigate platform differences. He teams up with Scott Barrett for official rankings that will be updated through August and frames them against standard 12-team, 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, and FLEX formats in PPR settings. The piece explains that players listed without a platform tag aren’t top targets on that site, and it warns readers that quarterback and tight end values shift most with site scoring rules. Heath also notes that the Week 1 preseason data will influence where ADPs move, while the blurbs are designed to give readers a wide pool of options rather than a tiny list of names.

He marks potential upside with a PL tag next to certain players and describes these as the highest-upside choices at their ADP. He argues the list should be treated as a broad guide, not a fixed script, and that readers should cross-check with their league settings. The article also offers an official ranking pairing with Barrett and a personal top-60 list for early drafts, plus explanations of how to apply the rankings to different sites. In short, the piece aims to help managers build flexible, value-driven drafts across several platforms.

Two strengths stand out in Heath’s approach. First, the piece shows how draft value shifts with different scoring engines, reflecting the real choices many leagues use across ESPN, Yahoo!, and Sleeper. Second, naming power-law players with a PL tag gives readers a clear way to pursue upside without chasing every big-name pick. But there are caveats. Relying too heavily on preseason signals can mislead if a player’s role shifts before Week 1. The article’s breadth is helpful, yet readers should test targets against their own league rules rather than copy a single list.

A second note is about potential bias. The collaboration with Barrett lends credibility but could also bias readers toward a shared viewpoint. Cross-checking Heath Barrett with other rankings helps guard against overfitting. The real test comes in live drafts when ADPs swing and small advantages compound into wins or losses. The piece invites readers to experiment, adapt, and stay skeptical of one-size-fits-all lists.

Highlights

Drafts reward flexible thinking and disciplined testing of plans against real league settings.