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Broncos RBs R.J. Harvey, J.K. Dobbins both ‘routinely’ taking reps with the first team offense in camp

• As anticipated, J.K. Dobbins and R.J Harvey are looking the part of the next 1-2 punch in Sean Payton’s backfield for 2025. After a year in 2024 that saw Denver platoon the likes of Javonte Williams (who has since left for Dallas), Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime, the team made a concerted effort to improve the talent in the backfield with Bo Nix. They’ve done that in spades, and it looks like both of the most recent additions to the RB room in Harvey and Dobbins will see considerable run during the regular season. Between the two, Harvey is the better pass catcher and will likely have a role on third downs and in clear passing situations, giving him a slight edge when it comes to upside over Dobbins - though a chance to increase his work on the ground over Dobbins gives him the upside to be a league-winner in 2025. Dobbins, meanwhile, will most likely occupy the goal line/early down role - a valuable one on a good offense like Denver’s, but one that could be subject to change at any time considering the high investment the Broncos used to get Harvey (a 2nd round pick) and how enamored they are with him so far this training camp. Regardless, both backs are worth grabbing at their respective ADPs and will have a chance to contribute in a system that has historically produced multiple fantasy-relevant running backs.

Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown leaves practice Tuesday on a cart with ankle injury; HC Andy Reid thinks it’s not ‘that bad’

• Another offseason with the Chiefs, another injury just shortly before kickoff to the new year. Brown went down in practice and had to be carted off, causing immediate concern over what his ailment could be considering he suffered a similar foot injury last year that held him out until the fantasy chanpionship semi finals in Week 16. Fortunately, the reports regarding Brown’s injury have been largely positive, and the consensus appears to be that the former Cardinal and Raven avoided anything major at this point with his ankle. While there’s a chance that Brown could be back on the practice field as early as today, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Chiefs take it easy with the veteran receiver and either limit his snaps or hold him out of practice given that there’s still a full preseason slate of games between now and the real deal in September. With Rashee Rice still facing a likely suspension at some point in 2025, the  Chiefs can’t stand to lose another starting pass catcher in Brown - though any potential time missed by Brown, Rice, or Worthy this year would open the door for training camp standout Jalen Royals, who is already seeing snaps and rotating in with the first team receivers this summer.

Vikings backfield looks like it could be close to a ‘50-50’ split between RBs Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert

• Given the choice at price between Aaron Jones at RB28 and Jordan Mason at RB30 - give me Jones. Why? Because a) he’s the likely the pass catcher, and b) he still has a shot at keeping the goal line role. For Mason, we’re depending on him to be the goal line back for him to return at RB30. If I knew that Mason was the goal line back, sure - but we don’t know that that will necessarily be the case. Jones has the out as a pass catcher which will help keep him above water if all else fails. That being said, Mason is still being taken relatively late (10th-12th round) - so there continues to be an advantage there. Let’s hope it lasts through the rest of the summer. One thing is for certain, though - Minnesota’s backfield will look vastly different from the one they deployed last year that fed Jones 300+ touches for the first time since 2019. Jones himself said that he’s not a ‘selfish back’ - alluding to the idea that there could be more of a split in the Vikings backfield with Mason in the fold. 

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Understanding Team-Building Strategy

Most fantasy managers go into drafts focused on who to take. But the more important question — especially early on — is how to build.

Team-building strategy is about constructing a roster with the right positional structure for your format, draft slot, and risk tolerance. It’s the framework you use to guide decisions when rankings and ADP can’t.

Why It Matters More Than Just Rankings

Rankings are helpful, but every draft room is different. You’re going to be sniped. Players will fall. Value will shift.

If you’re locked into a static list without a plan for how your roster is supposed to come together, you’ll end up:

• Reaching for positional needs too early

• Forcing picks that don’t fit your build

• Ending up with unbalanced teams that lack weekly consistency or upside

Having a structure in mind - whether it’s Zero RB, Hero RB, RB Heavy, WR Heavy, etc, gives you a roadmap. It keeps you from chasing the board and helps you stay one step ahead of positional runs.

Structure > Players (Especially Early On)

The early rounds of your draft aren’t just about talent — they set the tone for how your team scores points each week. Taking two WRs early vs. two RBs is more than just a preference — it fundamentally changes how you build out the rest of your team. And as I always say - I don’t love or hate players - I love or hate ADPs.

Think of it this way:

• Your first 3–5 picks define your structure

• Your middle and late picks fill in the gaps of that structure

• If you mess up the structure, the rest won’t matter

Draft Slot and Format Impact

Not every strategy fits every situation. For example:

• Picking early (1.01–1.03)? Hero RB or Double Hero RB might be ideal if you land Bijan or Gibbs.

• At the turn (1.10–2.02)? A Zero RB or Bully WR build may help you capitalize on WR value that falls.

• In Superflex? QB strategy becomes its own structure entirely.

• In full PPR with 3WR + a flex spot or two? WR-heavy builds tend to be the move.

You don’t have to lock into a structure before your draft, but you do need to recognize when one is starting to take shape.

Flexibility Within the Framework

The best drafters know when to stick with a build and when to pivot:

• If you plan to go Hero RB but a second RB you love falls in Round 3… it might become RB Heavy.

• If you go WR-WR-WR early, that’s not a mistake — that’s a WR Heavy build in the making.

The key is to recognize your new structure and draft accordingly.

Your team structure is the lens through which you evaluate each pick. Get it right, and your roster will feel cohesive and powerful. Get it wrong, and you’ll be scrambling to fix positional holes during the rest of your draft and potentially all season long.