ESPN vs Yahoo Sports: Ultimate draft cheat sheet, deep sleepers, breakout picks and more

The 2025 NFL season starts in a couple of days, and thousands of fans are seeking fantasy cheat sheets.

Published on: Sep 3, 2025, 07:40:08 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The 2025 NFL season starts in a couple of days, and thousands of fans are seeking fantasy cheatsheets. Two of the most popular cheatsheets come from ESPN and Yahoo Sports. FantasyPros offers an updated composite, but most players still draft primarily on Yahoo or ESPN, where the biggest discrepancies appear.

A fan takes a picture of an American football installation on Paulista Avenue ahead of Chiefs vs Chargers (AP)

The crucial distinction? Yahoo defaults to half-point PPR scoring, while ESPN uses full PPR. That subtle shift in format creates sharp variations in default rankings, leading to different sleeper values, bust risks, and draft strategies depending on where you play. We decided to make the ultimate sheet using data from ESPN and Yahoo.

Quarterbacks

Justin Fields, Jets (QB13 Yahoo vs QB14 ESPN): ESPN’s ranking leaves room for profit. Fields’ running upside, paired with Garrett Wilson, should make him a top-10 option.

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (QB10 Yahoo vs QB7 ESPN): ESPN trusts Mayfield more, but Yahoo offers a bigger steal if he repeats last season’s top-6 form.

Brock Purdy, 49ers (QB8 Yahoo vs QB10 ESPN): Yahoo is bullish, but injuries to Brandon Aiyuk create risk. ESPN’s placement feels safer.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys (QB9 Yahoo vs QB12 ESPN): Health determines his rebound ceiling. ESPN offers the better draft-day value.

Justin Herbert, Chargers (QB15 Yahoo vs QB11 ESPN): ESPN is aggressive, but Greg Roman’s run-heavy scheme limits passing volume. Yahoo’s ranking reflects that caution.

Running Backs

Tony Pollard, Titans (RB20 Yahoo vs RB23 ESPN): A fair assessment on both platforms as Tyjae Spears looms.

R.J. Harvey, Broncos (RB21 Yahoo vs RB26 ESPN): ESPN is too low given Harvey’s three-down upside over fragile J.K. Dobbins.

Jordan Mason, Vikings (RB28 Yahoo vs RB36 ESPN): ESPN underrates him. With Aaron Jones aging, Mason is a sneaky mid-round value.

Cam Skattebo, Giants (RB45 Yahoo vs RB37 ESPN): Injury concerns cloud his camp, but ESPN’s optimism might be right. Yahoo leaves him with hidden value.

Austin Ekeler, Commanders (RB37 Yahoo vs RB31 ESPN): Yahoo is far too low; even if pass-heavy perception lingers, his TD scoring can still shine.

Joe Mixon, Texans (RB54 Yahoo vs RB46 ESPN): ESPN is overly bullish despite his injury setback. Avoid him early, regardless of platform.

Wide Receivers

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins (WR18 Yahoo vs. WR13 ESPN): At 31, age and Miami’s fading deep game make the middle ground (WR14–15) most realistic.

Davante Adams, Rams (WR19 Yahoo vs WR15 ESPN): Yahoo underestimates his red-zone dominance, even with Stafford’s back issues.

DeVonta Smith, Eagles (WR20 Yahoo vs WR26 ESPN): ESPN underrates his big-play role. Yahoo is closer to reality.

George Pickens, Cowboys (WR21 Yahoo vs WR32 ESPN): Yahoo overvalues him; ESPN’s skepticism fits his volatile profile.

Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins (WR22 Yahoo vs WR27 ESPN): Yahoo pushes too high; ESPN provides safer cost.

DJ Moore, Bears (WR30 Yahoo vs WR20 ESPN): Yahoo’s WR3 view makes sense. ESPN’s WR2 slot feels inflated.

Ricky Pearsall, 49ers (WR34 Yahoo vs WR39 ESPN): Early-season injuries to Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel could catapult him into relevance.

Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers (WR35 Yahoo vs WR40 ESPN): Rookie role could grow fast with Chris Godwin uncertain. Strong buy on either site.

Tight Ends

Colston Loveland, Bears (TE15 Yahoo vs TE11 ESPN): Rookie hype is pushing him too high on ESPN. Yahoo offers the right measured risk.

Mason Taylor, Jets (TE23 Yahoo vs Unranked ESPN): ESPN’s oversight makes him a massive late steal. He’s poised to become one of Fields’ go-to options.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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