Fantasy Football 2025 Early Preseason Rankings Before Hall of Fame Game

It's that time, fantasy football fans! The long summer nightmare has ended, and the NFL will be back in action this Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game.

While Thursday's exhibition between the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, it will begin the process of preseason preparation for fantasy managers. In the coming weeks, enthusiasts will dive into game logs, pore over game highlights and scour practice reports to glean the best intel before their fantasy drafts.

Assuming managers are drafting late in the preseason—a smart idea, given the risk of injuries—draft boards are sure to change between now and selection day.

Those boards have to begin somewhere, though. Here, you'll find early point-per-reception (PPR) rankings for each key position, along with a few sleepers to consider following during the preseason.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Patriots QB Drake Maye

1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
3. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
4. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
6. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
7. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
9. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
10. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Sleeper: Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Starting-caliber fantasy quarterbacks can regularly be found in the middle rounds, and managers should keep an eye out for signal-callers of the dual-threat variety. Quarterbacks who regularly scramble often provide a more dependable weekly floor than pure pocket passers.

This is a big reason why QBs like Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray are valued highly, even though their passing numbers can vary from week to week.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye might not have a reputation as a scrambler yet, but his skill set is closer to that of Josh Allen than some might realize. He rushed for 421 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie last season while throwing 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

With an improved supporting cast, Maye should put up very respectable passing numbers, and with a likely floor of 500-plus rushing yards, he'll have a chance to be a fantasy league-winner. With an average draft position (ADP) of 125, Maye is currently being undervalued.

Running Back

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Titans RB Tony Pollard

1. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
3. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
5. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
6. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
7. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
9. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
10. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
11. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
12. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
13. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
14. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
15. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
16. Breece Hall, New York Jets
17. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
18. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
19. Omarion Hampton Los Angeles Chargers
20. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

Sleeper: Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Managers are regularly looking for upside in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts. However, there's nothing wrong with landing a steady starter who can spend the entire season in the flex spot.

Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard is just such a player. He tallied 41 receptions and 1,317 scrimmage yards in a bad Titans offense last season and has topped 1,300 scrimmage yards in three straight years.

Tennessee's passing offense should get a boost from rookie QB Cam Ward. This should open up running lanes for Pollard, who should remain a high-volume back as the Titans look to support their rookie QB. With an ADP of 72, Pollard might not be a true sleeper RB, but he's not being valued as highly as he should.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
3. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
4. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
6. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
7. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
8. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
9. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
10. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
11. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
12. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
13. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
14. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
15. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
16. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
17. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
19. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
20. DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers
21. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
22. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
23. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
24. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
25. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
26. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
27. Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
28. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
29. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
30. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Sleeper: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 2025 rookie receiver class doesn't seem to be generating as much buzz as last year's group, but managers should definitely keep an eye on Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Emeka Egbuka.

The Ohio State product could open the season as Tampa's No. 2 receiver, due to Chris Godwin's ongoing recovery from a severe ankle injury. While there's no guarantee that Godwin will miss regular-season time, he did open training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Even if Egbuka spends most of the season as Tampa's No. 3 receiver, he should quickly become a favorite target of high-volume quarterback Baker Mayfield.

With an ADP of 121, Egbuka could reward managers in a big way. He has the floor of a regular flex starter, and he could be a quality starting receiver if Godwin misses significant time or doesn't quickly return to pre-injury form.

Tight End

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Bengals TE Mike Gesicki

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
6. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos
7. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
8. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
9. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
10. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Sleeper: Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki might not be a household name, but he's a starting-caliber fantasy player who can likely be found late in drafts. The 29-year-old has an ADP of just 173 entering the preseason.

What makes Gesicki intriguing is the fact that he's really more of a big slot receiver than a true tight end. That gives him an incredibly high ceiling in Cincinnati's pass-heavy offense. Last season, for example, he caught 65 passes for 665 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bengals will have Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins soaking up targets, but managers should be happy to snag Joe Burrow's third-favorite target at a bargain price.

*ADP via FantasyPros.