Every day, the typical adult makes about 35,000 decisions. On the day of the Fantasy Football draft? Triple that. Should I select a quarterback in the first round? Do I want a dome-shaped kicker? Can I trust a celebrity who is prone to injuries? Do you want me to have another beer? These choices are cruel.
But be brave, my friends, whatever you decide. Look down on your teammates. Make a deliberate draft. The days of placing safe bets are passed.
After struggling to become the QB20 in 2024, C.J. Stroud was the QB11 in 2023. However, don’t let it deter you. People, Stroud doesn’t suddenly become awful. Last year, he lost Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs for extended periods of time. Enter Nick Caley, the new offensive coordinator for the Texans, who made Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua fantasy football stars while they were with the Rams. With Collins fully recovered and new wide receivers Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and Jaylin Noel joining the team, Stroud is ready to return to his best.
Jonathan Taylor had 723 rushing yards in the final five games of 2024, capping off a stellar season. The average is 144 yards. You get an astounding 2,600+ yards when you project that over 18 games. Although 2,000 yards is definitely in play, he won’t reach that impressive amount. With Daniel Jones as quarterback, there is no chance of rushing quarterback Anthony Richardson gaining yards and touchdowns, and the Colts have the 25th easiest schedule to run against. I firmly believe that Taylor will be this season’s top fantasy running back.
What do Mason Rudolph and Will Levis, both quarterbacks, have in common? Both of them suffer from projectile dysfunction. They were off-target on 56 of the 120 passes they fired to Calvin Ridley last season. Ridley would have been a 90-catch wide receiver with a little more accuracy. The nimble Ridley already has a close relationship with rookie quarterback Cam Ward. He will be crucial to Ward’s 100 receptions. Cha-ching!
What a depressing way to cap off a career in the Hall of Fame. Arthur Smith is the most annoying play-caller in professional football, and Aaron Rodgers is forced to play for Pittsburgh, the only NFL team that would want him. Over the past three seasons, no quarterback under Smith has thrown more than 16 touchdowns. Fantasy death is Smith’s cautious, run-heavy strategy. Both Rodgers’ stats and his reputation as a Hall of Fame quarterback will decline.
Daniel Jones may finally live up to his promise after being selected as the Colts’ starting quarterback this week. Three outstanding receivers, a Pro Bowl running back, a strong offensive line, and a rookie tight end are all in place for success. Jones’ 2019 rookie season (3,027 yards, 24 TD passes) was his finest with the Giants. He might flirt with 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns if he remains healthy throughout the season. What could possible go wrong with the NFL’s 12th easiest schedule?
After scoring 16 running touchdowns in the previous season—a huge increase from just two in 2022 and 2023—James Cook was awarded a fat new deal. It is nearly certain that the regression will be negative. Josh Allen, on the other hand, set a five-year low with 28 passing touchdowns. He typically plays in the 35 TD range. Josh must go all out because the team’s schedule includes high-scoring shootouts (Baltimore, Kansas City, Tampa Bay), which will deflate Cook’s rushing touchdowns.
The Commanders must lock on their best weapon if they are serious about constructing around quarterback Jayden Daniels. Terry McLaurin has led the team in receiving for five consecutive years and finished second in the NFL in TD receptions last season (13) as well. No one else on the roster is worth a damn, and they can’t count on a sidelined Deebo Samuel to take the load at wide receiver. There is no justification because Washington has $22.9 million in cap space available. He will reimburse fantasy managers if you pay him.
CMC has bilateral Achilles tendonitis, which means that both of his legs are affected. Repetitive motions like running and jumping—exactly what running backs do—cause the damage. In Week 12, he collapsed untouched after missing the first eight games of the previous season. When he fell to the turf, he was running and not cutting or juggling. The risk is huge, even with a nice camp and some off-season care in Europe. Avoid drafting him for the simple reason that each step could be his last.
Get the 2025 NFL Draft Guide from FantasyGuru.com now! To receive 30% off the subscription, enter the code NEW30. It is the ultimate toolkit for fantasy. Best of all, you’ll receive The Mansifesto, Jeff Man’s Fantasy Football Draft Plan! Bill Reinhard is a journalist for FantasyGuru.com, a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, and a weekly guest on This Week in Pro Football on YouTube.
