Wed Apr 17 9:26am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Get in the Scout Championship
RealTime Fantasy Sports is once again very excited to bring you the Best Ball Scout Championship this season. This contest is a little different from our normal Best Ball Championship. All these drafts take place before the NFL Draft, so you don’t know where any of the rookies are going this year. You are taking them blindly. This makes for even more strategy come draft day. Should you load up on rookies? Should you just avoid rookies? What is the winning strategy? We are here to help.
First of all, the winner of the Best Ball Scout Championship takes home $10,000. You also win money for finishing first or second in your 10-team league. The cost to enter the contest is just $20. There are a maximum of 10,000 teams in this contest. Rosters are 20 deep with starters consisting of a QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE and two FLEX spots. There are no kickers and defenses. Remember, this is a best ball contest, so there is no roster management. Your roster is set once the draft is complete.
With that said, we thought it would be a good idea to look at the championship roster from last year to see what won it all. Here it is:
Round 1: Ja’Marr Chase, WR
Round 2: Davante Adams, WR
Round 3: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR
Round 4: DeVonta Smith, WR
Round 5: Deebo Samuel, WR
Round 6: George Kittle, TE
Round 7: Keenan Allen, WR
Round 8: Joe Mixon, RB
Round 9: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB
Round 10: Dak Prescott, QB
Round 11: Khalil Herbert, RB
Round 12: Jared Goff, QB
Round 13: Raheem Mostert, RB
Round 14: Ezekiel Elliott, RB
Round 15: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB
Round 16: Leonard Fournette, RB
Round 17: Tyler Boyd, WR
Round 18: Taysom Hill, TE
Round 19: Zach Ertz, TE
Round 20: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB
The big thing to notice on this roster is just one rookie was taken. Obviously, this owner hit big with that one rookie, taking Jahmyr Gibbs in Round 9. Gibbs was the 10th rated fantasy back last season. But the championship team from last year took just one rookie. This owner did not load up on rookies and waited until the middle rounds to take his one rookie target. This could be a good lesson learned for owners this season. Maybe going early on rookies or taking several is a losing strategy. Just something to keep in mind this year.
And like with many best ball owners, this roster had three quarterbacks and three tight ends. This owner did not take a quarterback early, waiting to take a quarterback until Round 10. But the owner did got a little early on a tight end, getting George Kittle in Round 6.
The other winning strategy for this owner was loading up on receivers early while waiting to get his running backs until later. This was a very interesting strategy that worked. The owner took five straight receivers to start the draft and didn’t get a running back until Joe Mixon was picked in Round 8. This is a little riskier but another strategy that can obviously worked. Take those sure thing receivers first and get a bunch of question mark running backs in the mid- to later rounds and hope some hit. The big hits for this owner was his pick of Gibbs and getting Raheem Mostert in Round 13. The Mostert pick likely was the big one that put him over the top, getting the fifth rated fantasy back in the back half of the draft. The owners also had some misses at running back with Leonard Fournette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire but that didn’t impact his team too much, hitting on some of those other backs.
So overall, the winning strategy of last year’s Best Ball Scout championship team was going early on receivers, loading up on running backs with question marks in the middle to later rounds, take few rookies and wait on the quarterback spot.
There are numerous strategies to use but this was the winning one from last year. Just something to think about when drafting your team in this year’s Best Ball Scout Championship. Start drafting here.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle had six catches for a game-high 78 yards versus the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. Kittle was targeted 10 times.
Fantasy Spin: It took a little while for Kittle to get rolling after returning from injury, but he looks fully back at this point. He and Brock Purdy have shown tremendous chemistry over the years, and with Purdy struggling with his downfield decision making we should continue to see Kittle get a lot of opportunities each week. Kittle is a top five fantasy tight end.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers WR Demarcus Robinson had an eight-yard reception on his only target in Week 12 versus the Carolina Panthers.
From TheHuddle
San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey had 24 carries, 89 yards, and a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. He also caught all seven of his targeted passes for 53 yards.
Fantasy Spin: On a night when not much looked good offensively from either team, McCaffrey cobbled together 142 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 31 touches. Despite an overall decline in San Francisco's offensive prowess, CMC continues to grind out one effective performance after another, putting himself squarely in the conversation with Jonathan Taylor and Jahymr Gibbs for top overall fantasy RB.
From TheHuddle
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle recorded six carries for 38 yards to go along with four receptions (four targets) for 36 yards in Monday night's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Dowdle was one of the few players who the Panthers could rely on to move the ball. The Panthers ran just 43 plays in the game, which limited their opportunities to get Dowdle a big workload. His 10 touches were his fewest in a game since their blowout loss to the Bills in Week 8, where he had only eight touches. The former Dallas Cowboy was still quite productive with his opportunities, leading the team in rushing and receiving yards. Backup Chuba Hubbard was also more involved than expected in this game, handling three carries for 15 yards and four catches for 27 yards. Dowdle has been more active as a receiver to offset some rushing inefficiencies lately, adding 12 receptions in the last three games, fifth most among running backs in that span. Dowdle has another tough matchup against an NFC West opponent in Week 13 against the Los Angeles Rams.
From RotoBaller
Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught just two of seven targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. McMillan and quarterback Bryce Young struggled to connect in this game, with the two often on the wrong page or Young delivering an inaccurate ball. The rookie wideout isn't without blame, however, as he had a bad drop on a third down in the first half. McMillan was at least able to connect with Young on a beautiful 29-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to at least salvage a decent fantasy day for managers. It was still a disappointing result for the Panthers' passing attack after a great performance last week against the Atlanta Falcons, when McMillan went for 130 yards and two touchdowns. McMillan still projects favorably as the Panthers' clear No. 1 target for their Week 13 matchup against the NFC-leading Los Angeles Rams.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle totaled six receptions for 78 yards on 10 targets in a Monday night win over the Carolina Panthers. Kittle led the 49ers in both targets and receiving yards in the win. Outside of zero catch performance in his first game returning from his early-season hamstring injury in Week 7 against the Falcons, the superstar tight end has been as advertised as an early-round pick for fantasy managers. In the other five games, including Monday night, he's racked up 29 catches for 304 yards and four touchdowns on 34 targets, good for an average of 16.6 PPR points per game. The 32-year-old will again profile as a top-three tight end option in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings caught five of seven targets for 41 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's win over the Carolina Panthers. His first-quarter touchdown came on an impressive catch and run where he fought through two defenders on his way into the end zone. Jennings continues his strong stretch of production over the last four games, recording 19 receptions for 217 yards and three touchdowns on 27 targets. The recent return of second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall hasn't affected Jennings' production, with Pearsall totaling just three catches for six yards in the past two games. The 28-year-old Jennings has been a reliable target earner for San Francisco alongside multiple other capable weapons and a heavy dose of touches devoted to Christian McCaffrey. Jennings will rank on the WR2/WR3 border again in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight had 10 carries for 12 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. He added four catches on five targets for 20 yards through the air. Knight was able to tough out an ankle injury that had limited him in practice leading up to Sunday's performance. The 24-year-old had to find the end zone to save his Week 12 fantasy performance, and he has now scored a touchdown in back-to-back weeks to stay fantasy viable. In a high-volume passing offense, Knight has become a touchdown-dependent running back in all fantasy formats. Since Week 9, over a third of Knight's fantasy points have come from his touchdown production. Heading into Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Knight's short-term fantasy appeal could run out if Trey Benson (knee) returns from Injured Reserve.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter had five carries for 28 yards in Sunday's 27-24 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. Carter also had three catches for 30 yards on three targets. The 26-year-old had his most efficient rushing game of the year in Sunday's matchup, gaining 5.6 yards per carry. Carter will need to continue to maximize each carry he gets in this pass-heavy offense to stay relevant in fantasy in his limited rushing role. Carter has also not seen double-digit touches in a game since Week 6. Fantasy managers should consider Carter a desperation flex option in deeper leagues heading into Week 13 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He'll fall to RB3 duties if Trey Benson (knee) returns from Injured Reserve.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey handled another massive workload in Monday night's 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers, recording 24 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown to go with seven catches (seven targets) for 53 yards in the pass game. McCaffrey now has 298 touches on the season after another 31 in Week 12 against his former team, with Jonathan Taylor being the next closest player at 237. The superstar running back also leads the league in receptions with 81. McCaffrey continues to be one of the top options in all of fantasy football as the engine of San Francisco's offense and a security blanket for quarterback Brock Purdy, who struggled throwing downfield in this game with three interceptions in the first half. McCaffrey will rank as an elite RB1 in Week 13 against the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie first-round tight end Colston Loveland had his breakout game in the Week 9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, catching six of his seven targets for a season-high 118 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career. The 10th overall pick out of Michigan hasn't come close to matching that type of production in three games since, but he did manage to find the end zone for the third time this year in Sunday's three-point win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching four of five targets for 49 yards. The 21-year-old was second on the team in catches and third in receiving yardage on the day as he continues to see his role increase in the second half of the year. In the last three weeks going into Week 12, Loveland was a top-five fantasy TE in half-PPR scoring. Loveland and the Bears have a bad matchup in Week 13 on Black Friday against Philly, but Loveland should be a waiver-wire target for those searching for an upgrade at the position. He's rostered in only 43% of Yahoo leagues.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (knee) is targeting a return to the lineup this Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Pacheco has been out with a sprained MCL in his knee since Week 8 (he's missed the last three games), but he was listed as a full participant on Monday's estimated injury report and looks to be trending in the right direction to suit up in Dallas. Veteran Kareem Hunt, who had a season-high 30 carries for 104 rushing yards and a touchdown in Sunday's overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts, should continue to be KC's preferred option out of the backfield against the Cowboys, making the 26-year-old Pacheco not much more than a shaky, low-upside, touchdown-dependent RB3/flex for fantasy managers. When healthy, Pacheco's volume has taken a hit in 2025, and he has only 329 rushing yards and one TD in his eight games played.
From RotoBaller
New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson isn't the sexiest name by any means at his position, primarily because he resides in a Saints offense that is tied for last in the league with 15 points scored per game. However, Johnson has been the No. 2 option in the passing game in New Orleans in 2025 behind receiver Chris Olave, and he enters Week 13 action tied with Hunter Henry at 8.7 half-PPR fantasy points per contest. The 29-year-old had touchdown catches in back-to-back games going into the Week 12 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, including a season-high 92 receiving yards before the team's Week 11 bye. On Sunday, Johnson had six catches (second-most in a game this year) on seven targets for 46 yards against Atlanta. His 67 targets through 11 games in 2025 tie him for seventh at the TE position. Johnson will be in position as an intriguing low-end TE1 in fantasy in a plus matchup this weekend versus Miami. He is on pace for a career-best season.
From RotoBaller
In his first game since suffering a hip injury in Week 5 that landed him on Injured Reserve, Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange recorded five catches for 93 yards on five targets in his team's Week 12 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Strange's encouraging return was a continuation of what he had shown before getting hurt. Across the four full games he played before the hip injury, Strange had recorded 19 receptions for 182 yards on 23 targets. Jacksonville could get wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) back from injury in Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, which may impact the target share for Strange. However, Strange himself played just 71% of the Jaguars' offensive snaps in Week 12, which is a number that could rise as he gets fully healthy and re-integrated into the offense. Strange should be a waiver-wire target in fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams heading into Week 13.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk had his best game of the 2025 season in Week 12, recording five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown on six targets against the Buffalo Bills. It's been an injury-marred season for Kirk overall, as he's recorded 21 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown across seven games played. However, Kirk has earned 21 targets over the last four weeks and could be re-establishing himself as a steady presence in the slot for the Texans. The 29-year-old has typically been a fairly productive wide receiver when healthy, averaging 6.6 targets and 53.7 receiving yards per game across 100 career NFL contests. In PPR fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams, Kirk could be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into a Week 13 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Tez Johnson was one of the lone bright spots for his team in their 34-7 Week 12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, hauling in three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown on four targets. The 23-year-old has now recorded five touchdown catches over his last six games played. Perhaps most encouragingly, Johnson played 86% of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps against Los Angeles even though Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin returned to the field for the first time since Week 5. However, Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield (shoulder) suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to exit Week 12 early and puts his status in question for Tampa Bay's Week 13 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Any missed time for Mayfield would be a blow to the fantasy outlook for Johnson and the rest of the Buccaneers' pass-catchers. Still, Johnson has emerged as a player worth targeting on the waiver wire in PPR leagues with 12 or more teams.
From RotoBaller
With Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers Travis Hunter (knee) and Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) sidelined in recent weeks, Parker Washington has stepped up as one of the go-to targets for Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Over his last four games, Washington has hauled in 18 receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns on 25 targets. Thomas Jr. could return as soon as Week 13, but Hunter is on Injured Reserve and is not expected to return this season. Even when Thomas Jr. returns to the lineup, Washington could remain a relatively high-volume option in the Jacksonville passing game. Across 11 games this season overall, the 23-year-old has hauled in 35 receptions for 421 yards and three touchdowns on 60 targets. In fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams where Washington remains available, he could be worth targeting on the waiver wire heading into a Week 13 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson recorded three catches for 77 yards on three targets in his team's Week 12 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. Across 12 games this season, the 24-year-old has hauled in 39 receptions for 427 yards and five touchdowns on 60 targets. While Johnson's numbers don't jump off the page, he's been extremely consistent. In his last six games, Johnson has recorded exactly three receptions five times. The Giants may be getting starting quarterback Jaxson Dart (concussion) back in Week 13 after he's missed each of their last two games due to a concussion. Across Dart's last four games before getting injured, he targeted Johnson 25 times. He lacks explosive upside, but Johnson has proven to be a high-floor fantasy tight end option who should be a waiver-wire target in leagues with 12 or more teams heading into a Week 13 matchup against the New England Patriots.
From RotoBaller
Across the first 10 games of his NFL career, Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III has recorded just 22 receptions for 295 yards and one touchdown on 28 targets. However, Burden III has been playing some of his best football in recent weeks. Over his last three outings, the 21-year-old has hauled in nine catches for 124 yards on 13 targets. Perhaps most importantly, Burden III could be overtaking Bears veteran Olamide Zaccheaus for the WR3 role in Chicago alongside Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. Over the last two weeks, Burden III has earned 66 offensive snaps compared to just 33 for Zaccheaus. The presence of Odunze and Moore caps Burden III's upside. Still, the rookie has flashed big-play ability and appears to be carving out a more stable playing time floor. Burden III should be a waiver-wire target in fantasy leagues with 12 or more teams heading into a Week 13 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten was unable to find much success in the running game during Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Tuten rushed the ball seven times for 17 yards in the overtime victory. It's worth noting that Tuten did carry an ankle injury into this game, so possibly that impacted his performance on the field. In Week 11, Tuten rushed for 74 yards with a touchdown in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie back remains the backup, but should continue seeing nearly double digit carries per week. His struggles this week could make fantasy managers hesitant, but he does head into a plus matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 13.
From RotoBaller