Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride and James Conner were listed as perfect fantasy football picks in a 12-team league for 2025, per ESPN’s Mike Clay.
Clay slotted McBride in the third round of a fantasy football draft, noting he and Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers would be top options to pick if still available.
This season is a bit different, in that I’m actively targeting a top tight end and (*spoiler alert*) a top quarterback. The third round is loaded with talent, but if I can land Bowers or McBride in this range, that will give me a sizable edge over the competition, and I simply can’t pass on that value.
McBride being a top pick in the early rounds of a fantasy football draft is no surprise, especially after his 2024 season where he registered a 111 receptions on 147 targets for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns. He finished second in the NFL among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards, only behind Bowers.
Clay said that while McBride only caught two touchdowns last season, his production over the past two seasons still makes him a top fantasy option in 2025.
McBride is averaging a massive nine targets and 15.4 fantasy points per game since replacing Zach Ertz as the Cardinals’ starting tight end midway through 2023, and the latter number is even more impressive when you consider he dealt with terrible touchdown luck last season (three total TDs, TE-high 7.9 expected). Despite the lack of scoring, only 10 wide receivers scored more fantasy points than McBride last season, and he has a path to another heavy workload in 2025.
James Conner not too far behind Trey McBride on Clay’s list
Clay listed Conner as a perfect pick for the fifth round of a draft, noting his consistent production over the last four seasons as a key reason for his placement on the list.
Conner is my top-ranked available player in this area, and although his age (30) is a concern, there’s enough good here to outweigh the risk. Arizona’s lead back has produced at least 220 touches, 1,080 yards and eight touchdowns in four consecutive seasons, which includes career highs in yards and touches last season. Conner has finished as a top-20 fantasy back in four straight seasons (top 15 in PPG each year) and is well-positioned for another fringe-RB1 campaign.
Conner, a two-time Pro Bowler, is coming off a 2024 season where he rushed for nearly 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns. Conner also had a presence in the passing game for the Cardinals, catching 47 passes for 414 yards and scoring a touchdown.