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David’s Daily Digest

August 31st, 2025

Sunday Evening Edition

DRAFT WEEKEND DAY PREP

It’s the final weekend, in fact we are down to the last day (of the weekend) before NFL opening weekend and the kickoff of the 2025 Fantasy Football Season. The season will officially kickoff on Thursday night September 4th, so the clock is ticking, time to get your notes in order, your prep wrapped up, and your strategy perfected for the biggest Draft weekend Day on the calendar.

Thus far I have participated in one Dynasty draft, two home leagues (deep roster) drafts, (7) NFL & ESPN fantasy leagues and an Auction draft. And what I have learned is that I am all over the place. Trying to build the perfect roster is no easy task, and it’s also built on a lot of personal preference.

With a couple of home league drafts scheduled for Monday, as I prep for these remaining drafts, here are some of my draft targets;

At the top of my list in the early rounds I am fixed on running back Jahmyr Gibbs (Fantasy RB1 from weeks 13 thru 18 in 2024), wide receiver Drake London (Fantasy WR2 from weeks 16 thru 18 in 2024), and quarterback Joe Burrow (Fantasy QB4 from weeks 11 thru 18 in 2024).

In the latter half of the draft I am looking for value in players like the Jets 2nd year running back Braelon Allen (opportunity in a new offense), the Packers 3rd year tight end Tucker Kraft (7 receiving touchdowns in 2024), and Packers quarterback Jordan Love (could be a bounce back in his third full season as the starter).

My 2025 draft darling, if I have one, has to be Broncos tight end Evan Engram. A sure-handed receiving option for the Broncos 2nd year quarterback (Bo Nix) who should have a rather safe floor for fantasy managers. With very little competition for targets, he’s poised to command a large share and could finish top-5. Just two seasons ago Engram was the fantasy TE4, finishing with 114 receptions on 143 targets, something he has a shot at coming close to this season. His current ADP (8.09) has him coming off the boards around the 8th round as the fantasy TE9. 

That late in the draft with his upside, I love the set up and his value.

That’s My Take.

~David G. Ortega

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David's Daily Digest

August 30th, 2025

Saturday Late Night Edition

MY 2025 FAVORITES: WIDE RECEIVER POSITION

This season the wide receiver position is very deep and my favorites list is very long. With player names like Michael Pittman Jr, Jayden Reed, Deebo Samuel, and Cooper Kupp ranked higher than number 40 in the preseason PPR rankings, there are plenty of late round fliers with upside.

On that note, some of my early round favorites include the Jaguars 2nd year wideout, Brian Thomas Jr. (12th in fantasy points per game in 2024). With 133 targets a season ago, this Jaguar appears ready for a big 2025 Campaign. Another early grab is the Falcons wide receiver Drake London; I love “The Drake!” London was the Fantasy WR14 last season with 158 targets, including 39 in his last three games with Michael Penix Jr under center. London appears very capable of duplicating his target count this season, which puts him in line for another solid output.

As I make my way into the middle round, my top two favorites for the 2025 season are the Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton and the Packers rookie receiver Matthew Golden. Sutton is coming off his best fantasy season with career high in receptions (81) and targets (135). With another year catching passes from Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, I really like Sutton’s chances at besting his 2024 season.

In Green Bay, there has been nothing but non-stop raves surrounding the rookie receiver (Golden), who is having an outstanding training camp according to reports. He’s developing into a favorite of quarterback Jordan Love. Last season the Packers passing game and along with Love sputtered for much of 2024 and without a true Alpha-receiver, there’s opportunity for Golden. The take on Golden is he is a good route runner with solid hands and there’s opportunity for him to emerge as the Packers number one. 

That’s My Take.

~David G. Ortega

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David's Daily Digest

August 28th, 2025

Thursday Night Edition

MY 2025 FAVORITES: RUNNING BACK POSITION

I’ve been making my way through a few more fantasy football drafts of late (can’t seem to get enough these days) and as I am going through the process of selection, I am finding myself targeting a lot of the same players. At the top of the draft the easy favorites include the Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (likely a league winner this season), the Niners Christian McCaffrey, and the Bucs Bucky Irving.

In 2024, during the back stretch leading to and through the fantasy playoffs (week 12 thru week 17), Gibbs finished less than a fantasy point behind Saquon Barkley (fantasy RB1) in fantasy points per game. Irving also makes this list finishing as the fantasy RB7. McCaffrey missed 13 games during the 2024 season, but in 2023 (when he was healthy) CMC played in 16 and finished as the runaway fantasy RB1 (PPR scoring) averaging 24.5 fantasy points per game. He’s healthy this season, so I have no qualms about taking him early.

Looking ahead into the middles rounds and deeper into the fantasy drafts, these are my biggest favorites in the backfield for the 2025 fantasy football season. Just like CMC, the Commanders also possess a former number one fantasy running back in Austin Ekeler. 

While I am not calling for a return to the fountain of youth for Ekeler, despite missing time in 2024 to injury, when given the opportunity he performed. Last season Ekeler posted double-digit fantasy points in 8 of his 11 games played, including a three-game stint (weeks 9 thru 11) where he averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game, ranking as the fantasy RB8 during this stretch. With Brian Robinson being traded this preseason, a healthy Ekeler appears to have a great opportunity to resurge in 2025.

Another backfield fantasy favorite of mine in 2025 is the Bears running back D’Andre Swift. Reuniting with his former play caller (the Bears new Head Coach) Ben Johnson, Swift has an opportunity to run with the Jahmyr Gibbs role in the Chicago offense. 

While he may not be quite Gibbs, Swift is more than a capable back with (I believe) some juice left in the tank. In 2024 he showed some of his flash during a seven-game stretch (weeks 4 thru 11) where he averaged 18.3 fantasy points per game with only 5 rushing touchdowns. He totaled 764 yards of offense (567 rushing + 197 receiving) which ranked 4th behind Bijan Robinson 857, Alvin Kamara 808, and Jahmyr Gibbs 769. He also averaged 4.8 yards per carry during this stretch. 

I am a big believer the Ben Johnson effect can move Swift into RB2 country this season.

That’s My Take

~David G. Ortega

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David's Daily Digest

August 27th, 2025

Wednesday Night Edition

WEDNESDAY WATERCOOLER

MY 2025 FAVORITES: QUARTERBACK POSITION

As the draft season heats up and we get closer to the 2025 NFL Season Kickoff (Thursday, 9/4/25), it’s time to make some predictions and call my shots for the upcoming 2025 Fantasy season.

I feel a greater buzz of excitement and higher level of electricity as the start of the season nears. There are so many directions I can go with and at all of the positions. So there’s no better place to start than right under the center with the quarterback position.

I have a few (Quarterback) favorites here, so before I dial into my favorite for this season, I’ll share some thoughts on a few of the others. I am with the Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (ADP, QB8). After a strong rookie campaign, I believe head coach Sean Payton will have his QB ready to take even more strides forward this season.

And while the sample size in the preseason was small, it was enough for me to drink the coolaid that the Bears head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams are selling. I saw enough to believe that Williams will be playing at a QB1 level, by the end of the season.

Without question, I feel like Joe Burrow will once again put up strong numbers this season and finish as a top-5 fantasy QB (QB3 in fantasy last season), in spite of offering very little upside with his legs. But he’s not my favorite in 2025.

Two seasons ago, the Packers quarterback Jordan Love finished the regular season as the QB6, fantasy quarterback. He tossed 32 touchdowns, added 4 rushing touchdowns, while passing for over 4,100 yards. With a strong rushing attack led by running back Josh Jacobs, Love has plenty of weapons to return to his 2023 form. This season will be Love’s third full season as the starter and I  believe he is primed for a big year.

Love is my 2025 season favorite under center!

That’s My Take

~David G. Ortega

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David's Daily Digest

August 23rd, 2025

Saturday Night Edition

My Diamonds in the Rough

Over the past several days, there’s been some big news coming out of DC and San Francisco. The Commanders have traded Running Back Brian Robinson to the Niners for the 6th round pick, with the implications that Washington is confident in their current backfield. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been receiving a lot of ink lately and figures to fit in the mix somewhere, but my eyes are on a healthy Austin Ekeler. 

The veteran running back was banged up a bit last season, missing five games and he turned in his lowest fantasy points per game output, since 2017. Healthy now and with the potential of a more prominent role this season Ekeler could return closer to his 2022 output where he finished at the top of the fantasy running back landscape. With a current ADP (per Fantasy Calculator/12 Teams) of 108, he could be a huge steal in the 9th round.

Another Diamond in the rough catching my eye, as the Fantasy Draft season heats up, a homer pick yes, but a good one, wide receiver Courtland Sutton. I feel good about the Broncos offense this season and believe quarterback Bo Nix will continue to ascend and as he does, so shall his number one target. Sutton led the Broncos a year ago in receiving with 81 receptions, 1,081 yards receiving, 8 touchdowns, on 135 targets. His 135 targets seem more than possible to duplicate, so putting up better numbers is not a stretch. Sutton was the WR27 last season, a mere one fantasy point-per-game from finishing Top-20; where I put him at this season.

One more Diamond that shines through the rough is the Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams. No stranger to fantasy managers, Williams finished as the fantasy WR26 last season posting double-digit fantasy points in six of his last eight games, scoring 4 touchdowns while averaging 7 targets per game. Williams is definitely a fantasy boom candidate, coming off a very strong 2024 campaign. At the prime age of 24, entering his 4th season in Detroit, I expect to see Williams continue to flourish and post even greater numbers this season, peaking into the Top-20 fantasy receiver threshold.

That’s My Take.

~David G Ortega