Fantasy Football 2025 Early Printable Cheat Sheet for Flex Rankings

Believe it or not, the NFL is back this week. The preseason will begin on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game, an exhibition matchup between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers. That game should also mark the unofficial opening of fantasy draft season.

While it's hard to glean meaningful information during the preseason, tune-up games can give fantasy managers a glimpse of players who could surprise in the coming year. Preseason games also often lead to injuries, which is why it's best to wait until late in the summer to draft.

Of course, it's never too early to prepare for a fantasy draft, and we're here to help with that process. Below, you'll find an easy-to-reference cheat sheet for early point-per-reception (PPR) flex rankings. You'll also find a look at a few fantasy-related storylines worth tracking during the preseason.

Early 2025 PPR Flex Rankings

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase

1. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

2. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

3. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

4. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

5. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

7. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans

8. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

9. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

10. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

11. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

12. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

13. Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

14. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants

15. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

16. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

17. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

18. Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

19. Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals

20. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins

21. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens

22. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

23. Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Josh Jacobs, RB, Green Bay Packers

25. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

26. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

27. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

28. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders

29. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

30. Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams

31. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

32. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

33. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

34. Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

35. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

36. D.J. Moore, WR, Chicago Bears

37. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

38. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

39. Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos

40. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

41. DK Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

42. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

43. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens

44. James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals

45. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers

46. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

47. Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

48. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

49. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings

50. Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans

Joe Burrow's Preseason Exposure

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Joe Burrow

While we're largely focusing on flex players here, it's worth taking a moment to figure out where quarterbacks fit into the equation. While it's possible to win a fantasy championship with a middle-tier signal-caller, it's hard to win without a consistent one.

This is why dual-threat quarterbacks like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts tend to dominate the early rounds. Their scrambling provides a solid weekly floor. Top quarterbacks who don't scramble regularly, like Joe Burrow, represent the next tier and can often be found after filling out the top flex spots.

According to FantasyPros, Burrow has an average draft position (ADP) of 48.

Burrow could be a quarterback worth building around—he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns last season, after all—but he does carry some risk. The Cincinnati Bengals' star takes a lot of sacks and has finished two of his five seasons on injured reserve. Managers may, however, get an early look at Cincinnati's pass protection during the preseason.

The Bengals plan to give Burrow extended work during the preseason.

Naturally, Cincinnati isn't about to trot out its best player without its starting O-line, which may include newcomers Lucas Patrick and Dylan Fairchild. Managers considering Burrow will want to see if the Bengals' line looks any better than the underwhelming unit we've seen throughout Burrow's career.

The Development of Michael Penix Jr.

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Michael Penix Jr.

Late last season, the Atlanta Falcons pivoted from a struggling Kirk Cousins to rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback. The results, while not overly impressive, were encouraging.

Penix threw for 775 yards with three touchdowns, three interceptions and a 78.9 QB rating as a rookie. Entering Year 2, Penix expects to be leading an elite offense in Atlanta.

"We should be the best in the league,” Penix said, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. “We should be unstoppable.

Penix (ADP of 142) is firmly in sleeper QB territory. However, his development could have a massive impact on flex starters like Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney and Kyle Pitts.

Pitts, for example, has largely disappointed since his 1,026-yard rookie season in 2021. If Pitts is set to elevate the QB position, though, Pitts could return to being a top fantasy tight end.

Robinson, meanwhile, might be the best fantasy back to target at the top of drafts. He tallied 61 receptions, 1,887 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns last season and could be even more productive if Penix takes the proverbial next step. He's probably a "safer" pick than even Saquon Barkley, who had a historic season in 2024 but also recorded 482 touches between the regular season and playoffs.

Managers should get an idea of just how comfortable and efficient Penix is in his second season before slotting Falcons skill players into their draft boards.

Does Najee Harris Become a Factor for the Chargers?

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Najee Harris

Managers can typically count on rookie running backs to provide solid flex value, even though there is some risk involved in drafting them. Rookies are completely unproven, but backs often jump right into prominent roles.

The 2025 draft class featured several starting-caliber running backs, though Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton are the two with whom managers should be most familiar.

The Las Vegas Raiders took Jeanty with the sixth overall pick and are likely to place him right into an every-down role. The Los Angeles Chargers took Hampton 22nd overall and might have him in a high-volume situation.

Hampton's role could hinge heavily on whether and to what extent Najee Harris becomes a part of the backfield rotation. L.A. signed Harris to a one-year deal this offseason, and the 27-year-old has a history of being a high-volume ball-carrier—he topped 1,000 rushing yards in all four of his seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, Harris also suffered an eye injury in a July 4 fireworks accident and opened camp on the non-football injury list.

Harris was back with the team late last week but was watching practices from the sideline, according to Chris Roling of SI.com.

If Harris can get back on the field and make some noise during the preseason, he could potentially work his way into something close to a 50-50 split with Hampton. If he can't, the rookie could be destined for 20-plus touches per game.

*ADP information via FantasyPros