Best Value Picks in Early Fantasy Football Mock Drafts | ESPN Fantasy

**Liz Loza** (0:00)
All right, trigger warning. I'm going to open an old wound here and talk about a player that was arguably the biggest bust at the wide receiver position in 2025 It is, hey, I'm Liz Loza. This is Facts vs Feelings. And today's fact is that awareness creates opportunity.

**Producer Q** (0:20)
Hello, Liz Loza, Producer Q, out of the bullpen and back into the producers box. And I'm very excited to be with you today because you've been doing a ton of mock drafting as a part of the Mock Draft Project, which as I understand it is a series of 10 mock drafts with the same 10 ESPN analysts using what you've learned. Let's discuss a player that we've got a lot of questions about in Fantasy Therapy.

**Liz Loza** (0:44)
Happy to. I have found this project very illuminating and I wanted to discuss Jeremiyah Love because Fantasy Heads have been hyped about this player since before, well before, he was drafted by the Cardinals in April and for good reason. I mean, just to review his 40 scrimmage touchdowns over the last two collegiate seasons were seven more than any other player in the FBS. He also ran the second fastest 40 among all running backs at the Combine just this past year. And this part is very Q, Q, this part is very Q, you see, you're in my head. This part is very Q, and that is his ability as a receiver. He has elite hands. For context, Love was targeted on 20% of his routes at Notre Dame, which by the way, ranks in the 85th percentile among running backs since 2018 So we know this kid has a dynamic, versatile skill set and can work as an every down player, which is also why Fantasy fans were so disappointed to see him land in Arizona, a theoretically crowded backfield, one that he wouldn't have as much of an opportunity. And yet, despite all that consternation about his landing spot, Love's ADP is climbing. He is currently, and noting that this is the middle of May, the seventh running back being selected off of boards just ahead of both Saquon Barkley and Ashton Gentey.
He's going in the middle of the second round, and let's call this a 10-team PPR draft, full-point PPR draft. I did a mock, that's his current ADP, but I did a mock in which he was the fifth running back selected. And for context again, in order, B'Jaun Robinson went first, Jameer Gibbs went second, CMC went third, Devon H. N went fourth, and then Love was selected. I'm gonna be honest right now, that is too rich for my blood.
I am surprised that this hype is building because there was so, we had a conversation about managing our expectations. And yet, you know, we love shiny toys in fantasy. I will be completely transparent and admit to everybody listening and watching that I have him ranked currently again as my RB9. He is the ESPN Consensus ranked RB10. So to go fifth at the position, a little bit high.

**Producer Q** (3:20)
Let's migrate to the mid rounds now. Is there any name that really stuck out to you?

**Liz Loza** (3:24)
Yeah, it's actually a player that has been connected to Jeremiyah Love for a while, his former college teammate Jadarian Price, also by the way, selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. And this is different, by a team with a legitimate need at the position. Fantasy heads were so excited about Price's landing spot for this exact reason, and yet he is currently the 24th running back, being selected with an ADP of 74 Now, I understand that Price doesn't have the same receiving potential and talent that Love does and that we are all playing in PPR friendly formats. So that needs to be calculated accordingly. But both of these backs are expected and projected to clear 220 carries. And furthermore, the Super Bowl Champion, Seattle Seahawks are more likely to put forth an efficient offense when compared to the Arizona Cardinals, a team by the way, with plus 125 odds to go over four and a half wins per draft Kings. So again, I understand this is not an apples to apples comparison. And I, in full transparency, have love ranked 15 spots ahead of Price. But we're talking about drafting and a massive part of drafting is value. And I would prefer to invest in prices upside despite the potential question marks surrounding his talent, the hands, right? Or his situation, new play caller. Because when I compare him and what he offers and the volume at his avail to the other players that are going off the board around the same spot, I just prefer Price.