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We have officially reached the best time of the year! The 2025 NFL season is rapidly approaching, with kickoff officially less than two weeks away and fantasy football drafts booked firmly on schedules. Last year marked a changing of the guard across NFL offenses, as many receivers had down seasons and running backs were the primary factor of the offense. Out of the top 20 non-quarterback points leaders, 14 were running backs. This trend has forced me and many others to alter our draft strategy for 2025. Keeping that in mind, here are my ten annual predictions and hot takes for the fantasy football season!
(NOTE: All scoring refers to half-PPR formats.)
Quarterbacks
Caleb Williams will finish as a top-five quarterback.
Caleb Williams is poised for a monster leap in year two. Despite criticism on the internet, Caleb did not have a bad rookie season by any means. He set the team rookie passing yard record with 3,541 yards, while throwing 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Another year of conditioning and a new, innovative, offense-minded coach in Ben Johnson will lead to an even better performance from Caleb this year. Not only did the Bears add Ben Johnson, they drafted Colston Loveland and Luther Burden in the first two rounds to add to an already stacked receiving room of DJ Moore and Rome Odense. Caleb’s ability to make plays and his plethora of offensive weapons will make him a top-five fantasy quarterback and the first Chicago quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards.
Justin Fields will be a viable QB1 for fantasy purposes with the Jets.
After spending last year splitting time with Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh, Justin Fields was rewarded this free agency with a shot at redemption as a starter. Fields signed a two-year deal with the Jets this offseason for $40 million. The Jets are an intriguing landing spot for Fields, as he reunites with college teammate Garrett Wilson and gets the electric Breece Hall to work with in the backfield. Although it should be a rebuilding year for the Jets, I believe that Fields’ rushing ability and established chemistry with Wilson will lead to a career season for him. I expect him to finish in the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks due to his dangerous rushing output and room to grow as a passer.
Running Backs
Tre’veyon Henderson will be the top-scoring rookie running back.
After taking over highlight reels with a 100-yard returning touchdown in the preseason, Tre’veyon Henderson has quickly ascended on draft boards. While that may have been the casual fan’s introduction to Henderson, scouts and die-hard NCAA fans know that he has been a beast throughout college. The Patriots drafted him with the 38th pick to play a huge role in new coach Mike Vrabel’s offense.
Considering that Vrabel’s offenses in Tennessee ranked top ten in rushing yards for four consecutive seasons, Henderson will play the Derrick Henry role and thrive in New England as the primary offensive weapon. I think that his explosive ability to create yardage from the backfield will allow him to finish as the top rookie running back, even outperforming Ashton Jeanty.
James Cook will finish outside the top 15 at the position.
James Cook concluded his holdout and returned to the Bills two weeks ago, signing a four-year, $48 million contract extension. Although Cook’s performance certainly warranted a payday, hopping into the offense mid-preseason without practicing with the team raises concerns for his performance this season. Guys like Brandon Aiyuk and Le’Veon Bell have previously returned from a holdout and put up poor seasons compared to the year prior.
I sense that Cook will be the next to fall in this line. Cook is talented, but he is bound to regress from the 16 touchdowns scored last season and will have to shake off early-season rust. While Cook may very well finish the season strong, I predict a slow start. Combining that with Josh Allen’s increased presence at the goal line, I think that will lead him to a finish outside the top 15 in points at running back.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt will be this year’s Zamir White, all preseason hype but flounders in the season.
The Commanders’ backfield quickly became wide open after Brian Robinson was dealt to the 49ers last week. The backfield is expected to be split into a timeshare led by Austin Ekeler, but 7th-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt has been the trending name across fantasy circles. Some mock drafts have him selected as high as the seventh round, due to the potential of being the number one back in an exciting Commanders offense.
However, I believe Merritt is being overhyped. He is not a great pass-catching back, and there will be more carries to fight for than just Ekeler. Deebo Samuel is frequently used as a gadget guy out of the backfield, and Jayden Daniels will also help lead the rushing attack. There is too much uncertainty around Merritt, and I think he is too average to be dominant in the Commanders’ offense. I see carries being split across Merritt, Ekeler, and Chris Rodriguez with no clear frontrunner.
Wide Receivers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba will finish as a top-five receiver in points.
A Seahawks receiving room that was considered the deepest in the NFL two seasons ago is now wide open for JSN as the undisputed number one receiver. JSN had a huge breakout sophomore season last year, as he recorded 1,130 receiving yards and scored six touchdowns. With D.K. Metcalf no longer in town, I expect those numbers to increase further and place him firmly in top five discussions.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak brings a balanced offense to Seattle, in which JSN’s route running will make him an elite asset. While he will share targets with an older Cooper Kupp, JSN’s speed and younger age will make him the preferred target in the slot. JSN will exploit the middle of the field with ease in the new offense and finish top 5 in fantasy points at the position.
Keon Coleman will break out as the Bills’ number one receiver and finish top 12 at the position.
Since trading Stefon Diggs two offseasons ago, the Bills have lacked a dominant number one receiver. Keon Coleman fits the profile best for candidates to step up in that spot. Drafted with the 33rd pick in 2024 as a Diggs replacement, Coleman struggled in his rookie year but flashed star potential, especially in weeks seven and eight. Coleman went for 125 receiving yards in week seven against Tennessee, and recorded a 70-yard and one touchdown performance the following week.
With another season of experience and further chemistry with Josh Allen under his belt, I expect Coleman to continue building upon these standout performances. If Coleman can take on a larger role in the slot over Khalil Shakir, his speed and route running give him the potential to finish near the top of the league in receiver scoring.
Deebo Samuel will finish with more fantasy points than Terry McLaurin.
Deebo Samuel has struggled to replicate his 2021 breakout season, where he put up 1,405 receiving yards and finished as the second-highest scoring receiver in fantasy points. Now that Deebo left San Francisco for Washington this offseason, greener pastures are ahead.
Deebo’s offensive versatility fits Kliff Kingsbury’s schemes perfectly. His speed and ability to create open yardage as both a running back and receiver give Jayden Daniels a much-needed reliable second option behind Scary Terry. With Terry shadowed by opposing secondaries and a lackluster backfield, Deebo’s gadget skillset will kickstart his comeback and cause him to be the more valuable fantasy option out of the two receivers.
Tight Ends
Tyler Warren continues the superstar rookie TE trend and finishes top three at the position.
Rookie tight ends have been taking the league by storm in recent years, as Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta finished number one in points at the position in back-to-back seasons. Tyler Warren is an excellent candidate to continue the trend, as he had a monster senior year at Penn State. He recorded 1,233 yards on 104 receptions and scored eight touchdowns to top it off.
While the Colts face uncertainty at quarterback, Warren is arguably the most talented pass-catcher on the roster. He will go in and play a large role off the bat, as the Colts are in dire need of a top receiving option. I expect Warren to finish within the top three in points at the position, if not number one.
Kyle Pitts fails to crack the top 20 scorers at the position.
An annual offseason tradition for fantasy football players is hyping up Kyle Pitts before the season starts, only to be let down without fail. This year is no different, as a full year with Michael Penix under center and an injury to Darnell Mooney has Pitts truthers filled with large expectations.
However, Pitts’ struggles with route running and inability to fight for extra yards upon contact make me skeptical. Pitts does not play with a typical tight end skillset; he plays like a slot receiver. While his receiving leads to a breakaway touchdown or big yardage now and then, he does not run routes consistently enough to be a sustainable weapon. I see him staying at the same inconsistent level as last season, falling outside the top 20 at the position with the rise of young tight ends across the NFL.
Overview
With the NFL’s high injury rate and unpredictability, making accurate fantasy predictions is a difficult task. What are your thoughts on these ten predictions? Let me know in the comments below.
