32 Facts Fantasy Football Managers Need to Know Ahead of 2025 NFL Training Camp

There is an old saying in fantasy football: "You can't win a league on draft day, but you can lose it."

It's true. There's a lot that goes into successfully navigating a fantasy season, from waiver claims to trades and setting optimal lineups. But none of that will matter if the season is sunk by a bad draft before it even starts.

Some leagues are already drafting—mostly dynasty rookie drafts, startups and best-ball drafts. There are also some redraft early birds, and soon one of fantasy's biggest contests will get underway in the Scott Fish Bowl.

For most folks in redraft fantasy leagues, though, the big day is still a ways off. But that doesn't mean there isn't work to be done.

Having a successful draft hinges on being prepared. And a big part of that preparation is research, looking at the NFL's 32 teams in an effort to identify potential values, sleepers and busts.

Of course, all that work can be exhausting, especially on a hot summer's day. So, pull up a chair, crack open an ice-cold, um, soda and relax as we do the heavy lifting for you with 32 fantasy football facts ahead of training camp.

Average Draft Position data courtesy of Fantasy Pros. Fantasy Scoring Data courtesy of FF Today.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rusty Jones

James Conner Just Won't Fall

You can bet the rent that the summer will be filled by folks taking up Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson. He's young and talented.

And the only thing standing between the 2024 third-rounder and a big workload is James Conner.

Many fans have been predicting the downfall of Conner for years, but he has stubbornly refused to.

Yes, Conner is 30 years old. Yes, his next year without missing a game will be his first. But he set a career high in carries (236) and rushing yards (1,094) last year while also averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He caught 47 passes, topped 1,500 total yards and finished the season 11th in PPR points among running backs.

Most importantly, the two-time Pro Bowler just looked good last year. He ranked among the top-10 backs in yards after contact and was fifth in the league with 24 broken tackles. At an early ADP of RB21, Conner is a value.

Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Darnell Mooney Has 'Sleeper' Fantasy Appeal...Again

Darnell Mooney came up just short of his second 1,000-yard season a year ago, parlaying 106 targets into a 64/992/5 line and low-end fantasy WR3 numbers.

It’s not the sort of campaign that elicits a lot of enthusiasm, until you consider that the 27-year-old was essentially free in 2024.

The price tag for Mooney has gone up, although no one's draft was ever ruined by whiffing on the 47th wideout off the board on average. But that's still well past what he could be capable of in 2025.

Mooney had a solid 20 percent target share a year ago and stretched the field with regularity, piling up over 1,300 air yards and ranking among the top-10 receivers in yards before catch per reception (Yes, that’s a thing.).

In the debut start for Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. last year, Mooney had five receptions for 82 yards. He was also on the field for almost 93 percent of Atlanta's offensive snaps in 2024.

Mooney is not the steal he was a year ago, but he is still a value as a cheaply available fantasy WR3/Flex.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Mark Andrews is a Value Pick at Tight End

The 2024 season was quite the roller coaster for Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews—a ride that ended in heartbreaking fashion.

Over the first five weeks of last year, the 29-year-old was all but invisible. He didn't post double-digit PPR points in a single game and ranked 29th in PPR points among tight ends.

From Week 6 on, though, Andrews played much more like the valuable fantasy asset we have come to expect. Over that span, he was fifth among all tight ends in PPR points, and his 11 touchdown catches led the position.

Yes, the three-time Pro Bowler was a concerning 20th among all TEs in targets. But after that miserable start to the year, his target share picked up, and he remains one of Lamar Jackson's favorite targets in the red zone.

If you miss out on the elite tight ends but still want a semi-reliable weekly starter, Andrews isn't a bad target late in the ninth round.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Josh Allen Isn't Worth a 2nd-Round Pick

There's no question Josh Allen is one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.

The reigning NFL MVP failed to hit 4,000 passing yards last year for the first time since 2019, but thanks to over 500 rushing yards and a dozen rushing scores, he finished the year fourth in fantasy points among quarterbacks.

The 29-year-old is the first quarterback being selected in early fantasy drafts, with an ADP in the middle of Round 2. As good as he may be, though, he isn't worth a pick that early; no quarterback is.

The No. 1 QB in fantasy last year (Lamar Jackson) outscored the No. 12 quarterback (Bo Nix) by 6.8 fantasy points per game. That's a smaller gap than between the No. 1 running back and No. 24 running back and No. 1 wide receiver and No. 36 wide receiver.

In leagues that start just one quarterback every week, the edge gained by drafting one early isn't worth the hole it digs at running back or wide receiver.

Let someone else make that mistake on draft day.

Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Adam Thielen Makes for Solid Late-Round Flier

Two years ago, Adam Thielen was a surprise 1,000-yard wideout and top-20 fantasy option. Last year, though, he missed a sizable chunk of the season.

At almost 35 years of age and with rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan now on the team, Thielen has been relegated to the fantasy scrap heap—his ADP is essentially non-existent.

However, when healthy last year Thielen averaged slightly more yards per game than in his 1,000-yard 2023 campaign. He had more touchdowns (five) in those 10 games a year ago than the entire 2023 season.

And even in that down year, the two-time Pro Bowler was a top-30 fantasy receiver in terms of PPR points per game.

McMillan is a talented youngster, and there's also second-year pro Xavier Legette to contend with. But Thielen has earned quarterback Bryce Young's trust. He isn't just going to disappear from the Panthers passing attack.

Generally speaking, late-round picks are best spent on younger players as upside dice rolls. For every rule, though, there's an exception, and Thielen is that in 2025.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Caleb Williams is On Verge of Fantasy Breakout

Caleb Williams' first season in the NFL was a bumpy one. But the 2024 first overall pick can hardly be completely blamed for that.

His offensive line allowed more sacks than any team in the league, and the play-calling in Chicago was...well, yeah.

The Bears dedicated a major part of the offseason to improving Williams’ chances for success this year. The offensive line was bolstered. The team added more passing-game weapons in rookie tight end Colston Loveland and fellow first-year wide receiver Luther Burden III. And new Chicago head coach Ben Johnson is widely considered one of the best offensive minds in the NFL.

Williams, 23, was taken first overall by the Bears for a reason: He has no shortage of arm talent, he's athletic and his penchant for turning nothing into something is at least a little Mahomes-esque.

This isn't to say that the USC product is Mahomes or that he's suddenly going to become one of the NFL's best quarterbacks. But all the ingredients are there for Williams to significantly exceed his QB11 average draft position.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Chase Brown Has Top-5 Fantasy Upside...On the Cheap

Last year, Chase Brown was one of fantasy football's best values at running back. From Week 8 on, he tallied double-digit PPR points in every game he played. He was sixth in PPR points among running backs over that span.

Eric Karabell of ESPN expects the good times to continue for the 25-year-old this coming season:

“Brown proved he could handle a major workload, averaging better than 23 touches per game over the final eight games, when he was among the top five fantasy running backs. And there is little reason to expect the Bengals to force him back into a timeshare. Only four running backs caught more passes, and Brown did most of that damage from November on. He will be a draft-day bargain."

Right now, Brown is the 11th running back off draft boards, with an ADP early in Round 3. That makes him a dream target for "Hero RB" drafters who want to add an elite wideout (or two) without having a glaring weakness in the backfield.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Jerry Jeudy is Grossly Undervalued

Little went right for the Cleveland Browns last year, but the play of wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was a bright spot.

The 26-year-old shattered his career high in receptions, ranked sixth in the NFL with 1,229 receiving yards and finished the year 16th in PPR points among wide receivers.

Despite that success, though, Jeudy hasn't been feeling the love from fantasy drafters and is coming off the board as a high-end WR4.

At that price, the 2020 first-rounder is more than a bargain or a steal; he's felonious.

The quarterback situation in Cleveland is far from ideal, but how is the quartet of question marks for the Browns under center this year markedly worse than last year's menagerie of "meh?"

George Pickens topped 1,100 yards catching passes from Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh in 2023, and you never know—Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders might be halfway-decent quarterbacks.

Add in all the playing from behind the Browns will be doing this year, and injury is about the only thing that can stop Jeudy from exceeding the modest expectations fantasy managers appear to have for him.

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Pass-Catchers are Going to Be Busy in 2025

The Dallas Cowboys head into 2025 with the same aspirations as every year: Playing in the Super Bowl. They also enter the season with what could be a highly one-dimensional offense.

The situation at running back is not ideal. Javonte Williams has had a success rate over 40 percent just once in four years. Miles Sanders was atrocious the past two years with the Carolina Panthers. Jaydon Blue is explosive but undersized, and he has never carried the ball more than 134 times in a season.

The Cowboys could struggle moving the ball on the ground. And that means Dallas taking to the air early and often.

CeeDee Lamb is locked in as an elite WR1 and should sail past 100 catches for the fourth consecutive year. Newcomer George Pickens could be in for a career year and is an interesting mid-round target with an ADP of WR29. Even tight end Jake Ferguson could find himself back in the top 10 at his position after a poor 2024.

And since someone has to throw all those passes, quarterback Dak Prescott's average draft position of QB12 makes waiting to draft a starter under center all the more appealing.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Evan Engram Could be Fantasy Football's Biggest Value at TE

The Denver Broncos brought in veteran tight end Evan Engram to fill Sean Payton's "Joker" role: a movable chess piece who can line up all over the formation.

The Denver head coach told reporters he’s excited about what the 30-year-old brings to the offense in the Mile High City:

"The vision was pretty clear. Obviously, he's someone that we feel like can run and give us a passing threat on third down and [in the] red zone. I think he has good body control, and I think he is really good when he gets the ball into his hands. His run-after-the-catch numbers, statistical-wise, have been good."

As recently as two years ago, Engram caught 114 passes for the Jacksonville Jaguars and posted more fantasy points than any tight end in the AFC.

It's not especially likely the two-time Pro Bowler will catch 100 passes in 2025, but there was just one Broncos pass-catcher who had more than 70 targets last year: wide receiver Courtland Sutton.

The opportunities will be there for Engram, and he's the leading candidate from the mid-range fantasy options at the position to crash the elite tier this season.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Rey Del Rio

Jameson Williams Will Continue His Ascension in 2025

More than a few fantasy pundits are calling for a breakout season from Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams in 2025.

After topping 1,000 receiving yards and cracking the top-25 PPR wideouts last year, though, it can be argued the 24-year-old already did that.

With that said, Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that he believes Williams is about to have the best season of his career:

"The sky's the limit for him. He’s exactly where we want him to be right now at this point. He’s been here. He’s grinding. He’s getting better. But we expect him to have a huge season—we really do, man. He’s going to be one of these guys that we’re going to lean on this year and is really going to be big for us. And all he’s got to do is keep working like he’s working, and we’ll be good."

There's no question Amon-Ra St. Brown is the top dog in the Detroit passing attack. But there's no reason to think Williams can't improve on last year's 91 targets and 58 receptions in one of the NFL's most explosive passing attacks.

And given how explosive the 2022 first-rounder is with the ball in his hands, a significant bump in touches could mean big things.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

Josh Jacobs' 2024 Workload Could Be a Problem

Most fantasy managers know about the Curse of 370. Long story short, if a running back surpasses 370 touches in a season, he is almost certain to regress significantly the following year.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs stayed clear of the course in 2024, ranking fifth among running backs with 337 touches.

But what many fantasy managers don't know is while the data isn't as depressing as with 370-touch backs, players who hit 350 or 325 touches in a season also often experience a downturn in production the following year.

Jacobs topped 300 carries in a season one other time. He had a career-high 340 carries with the Raiders in 2022. The following season, he missed four games and his rushing production fell by over 50 percent.

Jacobs has an ADP of RB8, which isn’t that far off last year's RB6 finish. Given the chance his 2024 workload portends a backslide this year and last season's 15 rushing scores won't be easy to duplicate, the 27-year-old is one of this year's riskier RB1 picks.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

C.J. Stroud is a Prime Rebound Candidate in 2025

Last year was supposed to be C.J. Stroud's coming-out party after the Houston Texans quarterback topped 4,100 passing yards in 2023 on the way to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

The 2023 No. 2 overall pick was going to take the next step in 2024 and establish himself as a high-end signal-caller in both the NFL and fantasy.

That didn't happen, though. Stroud's wide receivers were hit hard by injuries, the offensive line was an issue and the QB regressed statistically, throwing for over 50 fewer yards per game and tossing over twice as many interceptions. He was a major fantasy disappointment, finishing outside the top 15 at his position.

The offensive line is still a question mark, but the Texans have overhauled their wide receivers, trading for veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Iowa State teammates Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

Combined with star Nico Collins, running back Joe Mixon and tight end Dalton Schultz, Stroud has no shortage of weapons, even with Tank Dell's status for the season in doubt.

Stroud is one of a group of late-round quarterbacks (his ADP is QB17) with a real chance to crack the top 10 this season.

Patience is a virtue under center this year.

Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Josh Downs is the Colts WR to Roster This Year

There is an understandable lack of enthusiasm regarding the wide receivers for the Indianapolis Colts this year, as quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones don't inspire a ton of confidence.

However, per RotoBaller, if you are going to target an Indianapolis wideout this season, third-year pro Josh Downs should be the guy:

“Downs flashed at times a season ago, especially in PPR formats, becoming a reliable security blanket for Richardson in the short passing game. Downs averaged 13.11 fantasy points per contest, and his 183.5 fantasy points marked him as the WR34, which was 7.7 fantasy points fewer than DK Metcalf and more production than Miami received from Jaylen Waddle."

Both Downs and Michael Pittman have an ADP within four picks of one another, with the former being the slightly more expensive option.

However, Downs was more productive than Pittman last year despite playing in fewer games, and it's worth noting that if Jones wins the starting job for the Colts, he has been known to pepper his slot receiver with targets.

Care to guess where Downs lines up in the Colts' offense?

Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Travis Etienne Jr. May Not Be Ready for Scrap Heap Just Yet

On some level, it's understandable that the fantasy community is fading Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.

The 26-year-old is coming off a miserable 2024 campaign in which he was outplayed by Tank Bigsby, and the Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten back in April.

There had also been trade speculation surrounding Etienne for some time, but new Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen put the kibosh on that talk while addressing the media:

"He's done everything we've asked him to do at a good clique for us. The ability in the screen game, to hand him jet sweeps, and his vision in the run game so far. He's done everything we've asked him to do and more. There has been a consistency. He can shine in ways in space -- it's really hard to see a runner in this setting -- are they going to get the hard physical tough yards -- that's hard to grade at this moment. But he's done a great job. I don't understand some of the stuff (doubts) I've seen out there -- that's absolutely inaccurate."

Bigsby may have outplayed Etienne as a runner, but he's a non-factor in the passing game. Tuten was a fumbling machine in college, while Etienne has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons in three years.

Etienne, could still be Jacksonville's lead running back. And at an ADP of RB36, that would make him quite the value.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Patrick Mahomes May Be Fantasy Football’s Most Overvalued QB

To be clear, Patrick Mahomes is as phenomenal a quarterback as the NFL has seen in...maybe ever. It’s entirely possible he will go down as the greatest signal-caller the league has seen.

Based off recent performance, though, drafting the 29-year-old as the sixth quarterback off the board is wishful thinking at best.

Last year, Mahomes was seventh in the NFL in passing yards, ninth in passing touchdowns and finished outside the top 10 at the position. The year before that, he was sixth in passing yards, eighth in touchdown passes and eighth in fantasy points.

Having a healthy Rashee Rice back at wide receiver should help, but it goes past just injuries at wide receiver. The Chiefs have undergone something of a shift in offensive philosophy the past couple of years, and there has been more running the ball and short passes and less gripping and ripping the ball all over the field.

They care about winning games and getting back to another Super Bowl, not posting gaudy statistics.

And Mahomes is more likely to come up short of ADP than to exceed it.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/David Becker

Fantasy Drafters are Sleeping on Jakobi Meyers in 2025

In some respects, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is the Rodney Dangerfield of wide receivers. Despite playing with a plethora of putridity at quarterback last year, he caught 87 passes, topped 1,000 yards and finished as a top-20 fantasy receiver.

His reward for that career year? An ADP of WR43.

There's no question second-year tight end Brock Bowers is the No. 1 target in the Vegas passing attack, and the Raiders have added a rookie wideout in second-rounder Jack Bech.

However, Bech's next NFL catch will be his first; and despite Bowers' record-setting rookie season, Meyers still logged 129 targets last year.

There’s a new head coach in Vegas in Pete Carroll. A new offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly. And a new quarterback in Geno Smith, who turned his slot receiver last year (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) into a top-10 PPR option.

This isn't to say that Meyers will duplicate that success, although he is playing primarily out of the slot this year.

But his performance isn't going to fall off a cliff, either.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea

Omarion Hampton Fever is a Bit Out of Control

There’s a reason why the Los Angeles Chargers drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 draft: He's a wildly talented young ball-carrier with a three-down skill set who will take over the backfield at some point.

However, before the Bolts drafted the 22-year-old, they signed Najee Harris to a one-year deal.

Harris, 27, isn't especially exciting—he never gained more than 4.1 yards per carry in four years in Pittsburgh. But he also never failed to hit 1,000 yards on the ground in a season, and he was surprisingly effective in multiple metrics, per RotoBaller.

Harris was seventh in missed tackles forced and ninth in yards after contact among running backs with over 100 carries a year ago.

He has also yet to miss a game in his NFL career.

Hampton's ADP is RB18 at present, ahead of Chuba Hubbard of the Panthers and James Conner of the Cardinals. His NFL future may well be bright, but with Harris siphoning touches, his odds of providing value at that asking price aren't great.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

Kyren Williams is a Serious Bust Candidate

Last year, only two running backs in the NFL had more touches than Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams. He had almost 1,500 total yards, scored 16 touchdowns and was seventh in PPR points among running backs.

However, Derek Brown of Fantasy Pros cautioned that the raw numbers don't tell the whole story with the 2022 fifth-rounder.

"I’ll be avoiding Kyren Williams at his price tag. His stranglehold on volume could come to an end with the addition of the explosive Jarquez Hunter to this backfield. In 2024, Williams ranked first in snap share, second in opportunity share and first in red-zone touches. Last year, Williams was wretchedly inefficient. Among 46 qualifying backs, he ranked 44th in explosive run rate, 37th in missed tackle rate and 40th in yards after contact per attempt, per Fantasy Points Data. Blake Corum was similarly mediocre on a per-touch basis. Hunter has the juice to earn the No. 2 RB role and significantly cut into Williams’ workload in 2025. When that happens, Williams will come tumbling down to the RB2/RB3 ranks."

Williams also had 350 regular-season touches and 39 more in the playoffs. That may not officially qualify him for "Curse of 370" status, but that workload is still a major concern where his 2025 prospects are concerned.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

Jaylen Waddle is Potential Fantasy Bargain

Not much went right for the Miami Dolphins a year ago, and Jaylen Waddle's campaign was no exception.

After three straight 1,000-yard seasons, the 26-year-old had just 58 catches for 744 yards and two scores last year, career lows across the board.

However, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that Waddle showed up to OTAs as a man on a mission:

"Your best players have to show commitment to have growth in their game, and what I’ve seen is he is I think understanding his role as a leader a little bit more. He’s taken more ownership in the tonality of practice. When he feels a lull, he has no problem going over to the defense and starting some competitive vibes, let’s just say."

Fantasy managers appear willing to give Tyreek Hill a mulligan for his down 2024—his ADP is WR13. But Waddle has fallen all the way into low-end WR3 territory.

In 2022, the Alabama product was a top-10 receiver. That may not be a reasonable expectation, but if Miami gets any kind of quarterback play, the top 20 isn't an unreasonable expectation.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Foto/Rick Scuteri

Aaron Jones is a Value Pick in Backfield

Aaron Jones' first season as the lead back in Minnesota was a success. The ninth-year veteran set a career high in carries and rushing yards and finished the year inside RB1 territory.

But with Jordan Mason now in the Twin Cities and Jones the wrong side of 30, his ADP is barely inside the top 30 at the position.

Phil Alexander of FootballGuys believes that asking price is out of whack:

"Jones has averaged 48 receptions per season since 2019 and continues to operate as one of the league’s most versatile backs, even while managing nagging injuries. In 2024, Jones ranked top-10 among running backs in routes run, targets, receptions, receiving yards, and red zone touches — all signs of a strong weekly floor and access to high-value volume. Even at age 30, it’s wild to see a back this proven falling behind rookies in crowded backfields or veterans with murky roles."

The Vikings just gave Jones $13.5 million in guaranteed cheese. That's not something a team does if it believes a back is slowing down.

Provided he can stay healthy, the 2020 Pro Bowler could be a massive value, particularly for teams that take their time before drafting a second running back.  

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Drake Maye Could Be Fantasy's Biggest Steal Under Center

The New England Patriots had their share of struggles in 2025.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye wasn't immune to those struggles. Playing behind an abysmal offensive line with little in the way of passing-game weapons, he was 29th among all QBs in passing yards per game and 24th in touchdown passes.

But Year 2 for the 22-year-old could look much different—for a number of reasons.

For starters, the offensive line should be much better in 2025 after an overhaul highlighted by rookie first-round tackle Will Campbell. Stefon Diggs gives Maye a legitimate go-to wide receiver, and Josh McDaniels is back in Foxborough as offensive coordinator.

Also, Maye offers fantasy managers tasty rushing upside after quietly averaging over 30 yards per game on the ground last year.

On average, the North Carolina product is falling into the 10th round of drafts this summer. He's the ideal "Late Round QB" target—a young player with top-10 upside who can be drafted after the rest of the starting lineup has been assembled.

There aren't many QB targets this analyst likes better in 2025.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave Are Both Undervalued

It's not a massive reach to predict the New Orleans Saints are going to be bad this year—like, really bad.

But that doesn't completely explain why running back Alvin Kamara (ADP: RB19) and wide receiver Chris Olave (ADP: WR37) are both getting the cold shoulder from fantasy managers.

The Saints stank last year, but Kamara set a career high in rushing yards and posted his best yards per carry since 2020. Throw in 68 catches, and he was ninth among RB in PPR points and fourth in points per game.

Olave's 2024 season was cut short by the concussions that have dogged the Ohio State product in the NFL, but he caught 87 passes, eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards and was 17th in PPR points at the position in 2023.

The quarterback situation in New Orleans is far from ideal. But regardless of who is under center, Kamara is going to get touches and Olave is going to see targets.

Look past the suck and see the value.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

The Giants Backfield is a Mess, But There Could be Value There

There’s not a ton of fantasy relevance to be had with the New York Giants. Wide receiver Malik Nabers is a top-10 option at his position and that’s about it.

There could be more, though. It all depends on how the backfield shakes out.

For most of last season, the backfield belonged to Tyrone Tracy Jr., who topped 1,100 total yards, averaged a respectable 4.4 yards a carry, caught 38 passes and finished just outside the top 26 in fantasy points.

However, he also fumbled five times in less than 200 carries, which may be why the Giants drafted Cam Skattebo in April.

The Arizona State product was wildly productive last year and would seem to possess a three-down skill set, but he has had ball-security issues of his own and his long speed is a question.

Both of these backs are going outside the top 30 (with Skattebo the first to go on average), making the duo potential "Zero RB" targets. If one emerges as the clear lead, he could be the kind of jackpot pick that wins leagues.

But it's equally possible this will be a full-blown committee that caps the upside of both backs.

New York Jets

AP Photo/Noah K. Murray

Justin Fields is Great Late-Round QB Target

After two disappointing seasons with Aaron Rodgers under center, the New York Jets have turned to Justin Fields at quarterback.

For Fields, it's a third (and possibly final) opportunity to show he can be an NFL starter. For the Jets, it's the continuation of a search for a viable quarterback that has been ongoing since the Nixon administration.

Thanks largely to his ability to run the ball, Fields has shown he can be a viable fantasy QB more than once in the past. Over his six-game stint in Pittsburgh last year, he was sixth at the position in fantasy points.

Michael Fabiano of Sports Illustrated singled out the 26-year-old as one the top potential value picks at quarterback in 2025:

"Fields will be a quarterback I’m targeting this summer, especially if he falls to me in the double-digit rounds as a No. 2 signal-caller. Rushing totals like he can produce at his position are fantasy gold, and I plan on reaping the rewards. He's a big-time draft for me."

Fabiano won’t be alone. Fields' rushing upside is sure to make him a darling of the fantasy community this summer, especially with an ADP of 15th among QBs.

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Saquon Barkley is Massive Bust Waiting to Happen

Saquon Barkley had an amazing 2024 season. He played a major role in helping the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX.

He’s also barreling toward disappointing fantasy managers in 2025.

For starters, there's the Curse of 370. Since 2007, there have been 25 running backs who topped 370 touches in a season. Of that group, two (Clinton Portis in 2008 and Ray Rice in 2011) gained more total yardage the following year. An equal number (Rice and Adrian Peterson in 2009) saw an increase in PPR points. That's less than 10 percent who increased their production. A few others saw minimal decreases. The rest? Disaster. The average decline in production for 370-touch backs the past decade is nearly 50 percent.

Barkley was also the ninth back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season in 2024. Of the prior eight, not one rushed for 1,500 yards the following year. The average drop-off in rushing yards from a back following a 2,000-yard season is 966 yards, which is over 47 percent.

Either Barkley is going to buck not one but two historical trends, or he's more likely to finish outside the top 12 than inside the top five.

His ADP is the third overall pick.

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Kaleb Johnson is Best Value Among Rookie Running Backs

Fantasy managers love rookies, and this year’s class at running back is no exception—five rookie runners are ranked among the top 25 in early ADP.

Kaleb Johnson, who was drafted in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is not among them. But Jacob Gibbs of CBS Sports believes he could thrive as the new early-down back in the Steel City:

"Passing downs likely belong to Jaylen Warren, but Johnson might make some serious noise as the offensive engine on early downs in a perfect stylistic fit as part of Arthur Smith's outside zone rushing attack. Najee Harris saw no fewer than 250 rush attempts in four seasons as Pittsburgh's lead back, and Johnson could absorb most or all of his work and expand on the previously lacking efficiency."

Per Gibbs, Johnson accounted for 40 percent of Iowa’s offensive yards last year and a whopping 58 percent of the team’s touchdowns while constantly facing stacked boxes. He has also reportedly impressed in OTAs.

Harris was consistently at least a fantasy RB2, including one top-five finish. If Johnson can just match that, he’ll be a value with an RB28 ADP. Anything more than that will be gravy—and more than that is well within the realm of possibility.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

George Kittle is Primed for Another Massive Season

In a season where everything that could go wrong did for the San Francisco 49ers, veteran tight end George Kittle had himself a year: 78 receptions, 1,106 yards, eight scores and more PPR points per game than any tight end in the game.

The 31-year-old isn’t getting any younger, but Matt Harmon of Yahoo noted he is a player smart fantasy managers have to target in 2025:

"Overall, this looks like a good year to actually consider some of the top-three tight ends considering the steep drop that occurs at the position well before we get to TE10. Since Kittle goes much later than the other two, he’s someone that looks like a proactive target and the cleanest way to get exposure to a 49ers passing game that we know will be good. San Francisco ranked ninth in dropback EPA last season — a year in which almost everything went wrong for them. I’ll bet on them finishing higher in 2025."

On average, Kittle is being drafted over two rounds after Brock Bowers of the Raiders and over 1.5 rounds after Arizona’s Trey McBride.

Niners wideout Brandon Aiyuk may not be ready for Week 1 and veteran receiver Deebo Samuel is gone, which means Kittle could see even more targets than he did in 2024.

If you want an elite tight end on your fantasy squad, the six-time Pro Bowler is the best value and his prospects for the season to come are excellent.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Kenneth Walker III is Risky RB2 Play This Year

When he’s on his game and healthy, Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has top-10 fantasy upside. He was 12th in PPR points per game among RBs last year and has broken 47 tackles in three seasons.

However, the 24-year-old has a fairly extensive injury history that includes six missed games a year ago. He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in 2024.

And with so many things changing in Seattle this year, Avery Thrasher of The Branded Sports sees Walker as a major “bust” candidate in 2025:

"Despite Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy scheme seemingly suiting his running style, Walker faces a perfect storm of red flags: A new system to learn in a contract year, a concerning injury history and one of the NFL’s worst run-blocking offensive lines. He’ll also compete with Zach Charbonnet, who fits the scheme well and could steal passing-down and red-zone work. With Sam Darnold leading what’s expected to be a struggling offense, touchdown opportunities will be scarce. All signs point to a frustrating running back by committee (RBBC) situation with a capped ceiling for Walker."

Walker’s ADP is RB16, ahead of the likes of Alvin Kamara of the Saints and Joe Mixon of the Texans. That’s a high price tag for a back who had fewer PPR points last season than Tyrone Tracy of the Giants and teammate Zach Charbonnet, whose ADP this year is RB37.

Drafting at ceiling is never a good idea.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Mike Evans is Being Disrespected...Again

This has to be one of the stranger annual rites in fantasy football. And yet, it’s happening again in 2025.

As Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans ages, more and more fantasy managers fade the veteran. This year, his average draft position is WR20.

Last year, despite missing three games, Evans did what he always does and topped 1,000 receiving yards for an NFL-record 11th consecutive season. He also finished 11th in PPR points among wide receivers for the fourth time in the last five years that he has cracked WR1 territory.

Last year’s 11 touchdown catches were the sixth time in his career that he has posted double-digit scores. He has never been targeted less than 109 times in a season. And he has averaged over 15 yards a reception for his career.

It has become obvious over the last two seasons that Baker Mayfield and Evans have a strong rapport.

Evans has been one of the most consistent wide receivers the league has ever seen. And while he missed three games last year, that ties for the most games he has ever sat out in a season.

Evans is a pass-catching robot. What fantasy team doesn’t want a pass-catching robot?

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Calvin Ridley is a Good Target for 'Robust RB' Drafters

This could be a good year to snatch a high-end running back or two early on draft day because those in the WR25-WR40 range are replete with potential values.

Wideouts like Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans.

In his first season with the Titans last year, despite catching "passes" from a quarterback better at mayonnaise commercials than throwing the football, Ridley caught 64 passes, topped 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight year and third time in his career and finished the year 27th in PPR points among wide receivers.

That feels closer to Ridley’s fantasy floor than his ceiling, but he’s actually being drafted a handful of spots lower at the position.

Yes, the Titans brought in Tyler Lockett, but Ridley remains far and away Tennessee’s No. 1 wide receiver and a safe bet to lead a team that will be playing from behind quite a bit in targets.

Rookie Cam Ward is a question mark under center, but the Titans drafted him first overall for a reason, and he can’t be any worse than Will Levis was a year ago.

If Ward is a marked improvement over last year’s QB play, Ridley should be able to work his way into WR2 territory.

That's value.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Derik Hamilton

Brian Robinson Jr. Is Underrated Fantasy RB

There are legitimate reasons why fantasy managers are rather "yawn" about Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr.

In three seasons, he has never rushed for 800 yards. He has surpassed 1,000 total yards just once. And he has missed games in all three years he’s been in the NFL.

However, the offseason came and went without the Commanders making any major moves in the backfield, and while speaking to reporters offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said he has high expectations for Robinson in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract:

“The biggest thing that came out of last year, I think, was that any of the guys that we asked to go in and play played at a really high level. B-Rob’s a guy who has played an incredibly high level. I thought early in the year, when he was really healthy, he was what we expect him to be, and the focus this offseason has been great. He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level.”

The Commanders still have pass-catching back Austin Ekeler in town, but he’s the wrong side of 30, missed time himself and only had 112 touches. Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt is, well, a seventh-round rookie.

It’s not that often a lead back is available as the 30th running back off the board. Provided Robinson can stay healthy, exceeding that asking price shouldn’t be difficult.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.