Guillotine Leagues Mock Draft: Building Around Brock Bowers Is A Cheat Code In 2025
In the Guillotine Leagues™ format, you can be drafting with up to 18 teams, something totally foreign to many of you. Often, people fret about drafting at the end of the first round—after all, drafting 16th, 17th, or 18th is unfamiliar territory.
Fortunately, having processed thousands of Guillotine Leagues, we know that draft position doesn't correlate to winning. It's far more important that you make great in-season decisions with your FAAB spending.
And unique to the guillotine format, you can correct your draft day mistakes by just spending FAAB to fill any roster holes that you've got.
And to prove that a late-draft positioning can still yield a good team, let's take a look at my Guillotine Leagues mock draft in Fantasy Life's exclusive Draft Champion, drafting from the 16 slot. I've logged my thinking for each of my picks as they've happened.
Pick-By-Pick Analysis Of Guillotine Leagues Mock Draft
1.16 – LV TE Brock Bowers
I've said it a million times, in big leagues like Guillotine, you need to prioritize the tight end position. There simply aren't 18 good ones. Sloughing the tight end position is a harrowing exercise in a format that can end your season with a single dud game.
I considered waiting on Bowers, figuring that Trey McBride would be available at 2.03. Or maybe waiting for David Njoku, who I really like this year. But I like Bowers better, and at the end of the day, I just wanted to ... Get. My. Guy.
What if Bowers is even 20% more productive as a sophomore?
Yes, Ashton Jeanty will siphon off carries, but Jeanty will also provide sustained drives, more trips into the red zone, and more touchdown opportunities for every Raider.
2.03 – CIN RB Chase Brown
Every day, I become more convinced that Chase Brown is sitting on a big year, and I've consistently nudged him up my rankings, currently at pick 16 overall. The reason for my optimism is the belief that he's going to be a strong PPR helper. His reception totals jumped up in the second half of last year, and I expect 50+ receptions this year too.
3.16 – DEN WR Courtland Sutton
The elite four mobile quarterbacks are gone. So, I'm going to slough the quarterback position for several more rounds—quarterback is Guillotine's most replaceable position. There's a decent chance Courtland Sutton would have been available at 4.03, but I didn't want to risk it because I have a strong preference for Sutton over anyone else on the board.
4.03 – NYG RB Tyrone Tracy
I won't draft again for 32 picks, and at that point, the running back position is going to be in really rough shape. I'm hoping my favorite sleeper, Jordan Mason, is still around by the time I'm picking again.
Tracy isn't the sexiest of picks, but I'm optimistic about Tracy making a jump in year two. The Giants offense should be better this season, thanks to two upgrades at the quarterback position. Now a sophomore, Tracy could be dramatically improved, particularly when you remember, he's a converted wide receiver who only had 146 career rushes in college and 192 last year. He spent last year learning the running back position on the job.
Tracy lacks bulk, and Cam Skattebo will vulture all the short touchdowns. But, with his collegiate receiving chops, Tracy should see a jump in receptions from last year, when he (weirdly) averaged just 2.6 receptions and 19 receiving yards per game.
5.16 – MIN RB Jordan Mason
YES! As mentioned last round, I was hoping Mason would be here for this pick. He's going to be the "heavy" in Minnesota's 1-2 punch with Aaron Jones. I see double-digit touchdown upside for Mason.
6.03 – LV WR Jakobi Meyers
If Jauan Jennings were healthy, I'd be buying his dip in ADP and taking him here. But his timetable for return is currently unknown, and calf injuries easily aggravate. I need my sixth-round pick to be available in Week 1.
The Raiders have a far better quarterback this year, Geno Smith. But despite the blundering ways of Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell, Meyers posted double-digit PPR points in nine of the last 11 games.
The Raiders drafted a bunch of rookie receivers, but none of them appear ready to dethrone Meyers as the Raiders' workhorse wideout.
Meyers is a prototypical guillotine asset, consistent but not flashy, with reliable week-to-week production.
7.16 – JAC RB Tank Bigsby
I'm doing this exercise as a mock draft simulation, but I desperately wish this were a real draft! I love this roster! I adore Tank Bigsby and fully expect him to be Liam Coen's next Bucky Irving (minus the receptions). Over Bigsby's two years, here's Tank's rank among RBs with 200+ carries:
- Yards after contact: 6th
- Avoided tackle rate: 4th
- Rushes per touchdown: 10th
He's a brute, and he's going to get all of the Jaguars goal-line carries. Double-digit touchdowns are on the horizon for Tank.
8.03 – NE QB Drake Maye
By my rankings, Maye was the last player left in his tier of quarterbacks. His rushing prowess is forgotten by too many people, and he'll save my bacon a couple of times with his wheels. New coaches Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels will improve the entire offense. Stefon Diggs' remarkable return from last year's midseason ACL tear is a boon, too. As a very real guillotine bonus, Maye doesn't have a bye until Week 14.
9.16 – WAS RB Austin Ekeler
Ekeler is a case study for players who are far more valuable in Guillotine than regular leagues. Because he can catch, Ekeler is a very valuable PPR asset, quietly chipping in 6-10 PPR points every game just with his receiving. Throw in 30ish rushing yards, and Ekeler will help my team avoid the chopping block for September and October, after which I'll replace him with someone better.
10.03 – NO WR Rashid Shaheed
In the Guillotine format, I don't normally take guys who survive on long bomb receptions, because those are inconsistent plays. Guillotine drafters want consistent production above all else! But, we're 160 picks into this draft, and everyone who's still available has warts.
It's very possible Shaheed will see plenty of long balls as Tyler Shough (or Spencer Rattler) battle from behind in the second halves of losses.
11.16 – CLE WR Cedric Tillman
Every time Kevin Stefanski hasn't been burdened by Deshaun Watson, he's produced wins and promising (often, very good) offensive football. With Joe Flacco looking like the long-term starter, I'm buying low on Browns, particularly in the passing game.
12.03 – BAL RB Keaton Mitchell
I don't want to make too much of the first preseason game, but it's clear that Mitchell has regained most (all?) of his pre-ACL form. He looked fast and shifty in the preseason opener, and he'll challenge Justice Hill for playing time behind Derrick Henry.
13.16 – BAL RB Justice Hill
I never root for injury, but if anything happens to Derrick Henry, I'm set, whether it's Mitchell or Hill getting most of Henry's workload. Last year, Hill evolved into a really nice receiving back and finished with PFF's 10th-best receiving rating for running backs. In a pinch, his PPR floor makes him startable in an emergency.
14.03 – CLE QB Joe Flacco
As mentioned earlier, I'm buying low on all parts of the Browns passing game, including its trigger man, Joe Flacco. In the first month of the season, Flacco faces defenses that ranked 27th, 22nd, 5th, and 25th in fantasy points allowed to passers.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
By registering or logging in, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
