Fantasy Football Today’s Draft-A-Thon Hits New Milestone for St. Jude
The Fantasy Football Today Draft-A-Thon, a fundraiser supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, has already blown past its initial goal. As of August 15, organizers reported more than $159,000 raised, with donations still rolling in.
The drive included a fourth 12-team, PPR mock draft this week, offering a glimpse into how managers value stars and role players in a balanced format. Notable early movement included Josh Jacobs at the eighth spot and Justin Jefferson dropping to the 11th slot, showing that draft boards can shift significantly in a single mock.
Three managers drew particular attention for their approaches and selections. Billy Ward, picking 12th, built a well-rounded lineup with Nico Collins, Derrick Henry, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Omarion Hampton among his first four picks. He didn’t panic at tight end, ultimately snagging Dallas Goedert with his final pick in Round 13, a move he says fit his flexible strategy. “I aimed to stay flexible and take the best available players as the board fell,” Ward noted, emphasizing that Goedert was a late-round payoff rather than a predetermined plan.
No. 9 pick Adam Hawn employed a modified Zero-RB approach, starting with Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Davante Adams and Joe Burrow. While Nabers over Jefferson in Round 1 sparked some debate, Hawn stuck to a plan that prioritized depth at running back later in the draft. He added Aaron Jones in Round 5 and Najee Harris in Round 7, with valuable mid-round picks like George Pickens in Round 6. Hawn defended Jones’ still-primed role in a high-powered offense and stressed the value of depth at running back to complement his other strong positions.
Jose Martinez, starting at No. 11, landed the top weapon by taking Jefferson in the first round, then added Puka Nacua, Alvin Kamara, James Cook and Jakobi Meyers in the early rounds. In Round 6, Martinez took Joe Mixon, whose health and return timeline could be a potential league-winner if he’s cleared for Week 1. “I’m hoping Mixon returns to his dominant form and helps carry my squad,” Martinez said, reflecting the faith in a late-round upside play.
Fans can review the full rosters and analyses from all participants to see how different strategies played out in this charity format. The event uses standard fantasy scoring: six points for all touchdowns, one point per 10 rushing/receiving yards, one point per 25 passing yards, and a point per reception. The starting lineup consists of 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, and 1 FLEX (RB/WR/TE) with six reserves across 13 rounds.
Draft order for the mock was:
1. Ryan Van Sickle
2. Vincent Giovannoni
3. Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports Senior Fantasy Writer
4. Geoffrey Braden
5. Chandler Burke
6. Christian Castillo
7. Jeffrey Cooperman
8. Marty Shapiro
9. Adam Hawn
10. Irvin Robles
11. Jose Martinez
12. Billy Ward
Donations remain open as organizers continue to rally support for St. Jude. If you’d like to contribute, you can visit the event page and participate in future mock drafts or make a direct donation. This effort blends the excitement of fantasy football with a meaningful cause, underscoring the power of community fundraising to support pediatric cancer research and treatment at St. Jude.
Additional notes and context
– The fundraising total already surpasses the initial goal of $100,000, signaling strong community engagement and generous support from fans and participants.
– The mock drafts provide practical lessons in strategy, such as balancing early-star selections with depth-building and evaluating real-world injuries or roster flexibility.
– Supporters benefit not only from the sense of participation in a charitable effort but also from insights into how fantasy rosters can be constructed under pressure and changing player values.
If you’re curious about how strategy shifts can influence a fantasy team in a charity setting, keep an eye on future updates from the Draft-A-Thon. With more donations anticipated, organizers may host additional mock drafts and reveal further roster results that fans can learn from and enjoy.