Fantasy: 10 bold predictions for 2025
theScore's Dan Wilkins offers up his bold predictions for the 2025 fantasy football season.
Cowboys support two WR1s
I'm all-in on George Pickens this year. His game-changing ability was made abundantly clear throughout his time in Pittsburgh, but some dreadful quarterback play got in the way of him ever enjoying a true breakout. Not only is Dak Prescott an incredible upgrade, but he's also the kind of QB who's willing to push the ball downfield and give Pickens opportunities to do what he does best.
Conventional wisdom suggests Pickens' ceiling remains capped due to CeeDee Lamb's presence. As a result, Pickens is being drafted as the WR29, according to Fantasy Pros ADP. I'm not sure I can get on board with that, given there should be plenty of targets to go around in Dallas' offense for the star duo. The team's backfield situation points to a pass-heavy unit this year, and the defense could easily put this group in position for a number of shootouts. I don't see why Lamb and Pickens can't both end up as top 12 fantasy WRs, something we saw from two pairs of teammates (A.J. Brown-Devonta Smith, Tyreek Hill-Jaylen Waddle) in 2022.
Davante outperforms Puka
It's not hard to figure out why Puka Nacua heads into the fall ranked as a top-seven player by ADP. He's been one of the best receivers in football since landing with the Rams as a sixth-round pick in 2023, while only five wideouts have exceeded his 9.5 targets per game over that stretch. But volume is only part of the equation. Touchdowns are a must for a high-end WR1 in fantasy, and Nacua has found the end zone just nine times across his first two seasons.
That's not to say he can't or won't improve in that department. It's probably only a matter of time before a superstar like this starts scoring at a higher clip. However, it seems like a major reason the Rams acquired Davante Adams was to get a boost in that area of the game. The three-time All-Pro, who's posted double-digit touchdowns in six different seasons, remains one of the NFL's premier route-runners. His ability to destroy one-on-one matchups on the outside should quickly make him a go-to option for Stafford, particularly in the red zone. Adams also just so happens to be one of the few receivers to have topped Nacua's volume over the last two years. His mid-fourth-round ADP will be a steal if he puts up the numbers I'm expecting.
Fields finishes as top 7 QB
I still have plenty of questions about whether Justin Fields will ever figure things out as a passer. At this point, it may never happen. But that's a problem for the real-life Jets to sort out. Anyone who has paid attention to Fields' career from a fantasy perspective should understand the potential for major value, regardless.
Fields remains one of the NFL's premier runners at quarterback. He finished as the overall QB6 in 2022 almost exclusively because of his 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. The Jets should look to take full advantage of that ability as part of a run-heavy offense this campaign. Fields will get his share of opportunities on designed looks behind a suddenly potent offensive line, and he'll add plenty more in the scramble drill. Crucially, a two-year, $40-million deal should secure him the starting job throughout the season, even if success doesn't come. There's no signal-caller I'd rather have outside the consensus top six.
Kittle gets first TE1 crown
A highly productive pass-catcher for most of his first eight years, Kittle is the best all-around tight end in the game. Yet, he's never finished a season as the overall fantasy TE1. With Brock Bowers and Trey McBride being drafted well ahead of him, there seems to be an expectation it'll stay that way. I'm not so sure.
Kittle is coming off the most efficient campaign of his career, leading all players at his position with 11.8 yards per target (minimum 50 receptions). There hasn't been a tight end to top that mark since Antonio Gates in 2010. The ceiling on the six-time Pro Bowler's production is purely a matter of opportunity. With that in mind, this seems like the perfect year for Kittle to crack 100 targets for the first time since 2019. Brandon Aiyuk is unlikely to be ready for game action until October at the earliest, and a calf issue has sidelined Jauan Jennings for most of training camp. Ricky Pearsall is a promising sophomore, but the receiving corps is thin otherwise. Kittle could be the clear No. 1 target in this passing game for a good chunk of the season, putting him in position for monster numbers.
CMC returns as overall RB1
I totally understand any uneasiness about the idea of counting on McCaffrey this season. The fantasy managers who took him at the top of their drafts last year probably didn’t end up having a lot of fun. And at 29 years old, it’s only becoming more difficult to sell yourself on the idea that he’ll both regain his previous form and put together a full season.
The odds of that actually happening? No idea. I’m not a doctor. Here’s what I do know: McCaffrey’s do-it-all skill set is RB1 material anywhere. In this offense, it’s a fantasy cheat code. He’s going to have his regular high-volume workload if healthy, and all reports from 49ers camp suggest he looks great. So with some major question marks at receiver, give me McCaffrey as the overall RB1 and Kittle as the overall TE1. It would be the first time that an offense produced the top scorers at both RB and TE since the Chargers had LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates do it back in 2006.
Egbuka leads Bucs WRs
Emeka Egbuka was one of the more shocking picks of the first round in this year's draft. That had nothing to do with ability, but rather the landing spot in Tampa Bay. Did the reigning NFC South champs really need another receiver? As it turns out, yes. Chris Godwin reportedly had a second procedure done on his ankle this spring. He's yet to get back on the practice field, and there's no clear timeline for his return. That opens the door for Egbuka to start the season as the No. 2 wideout alongside Mike Evans. While the 32-year-old is still playing at a high level, will anyone be surprised if he cedes volume to the younger, more versatile Egbuka? There's a path for him to be a legitimate fantasy WR2 as a rookie.
Metcalf catches 115 passes
Did you know that DK Metcalf has never topped 100 receptions in a campaign? His career-high sits at 90, and he managed just 66 catches in each of the last two seasons. Those are pretty surprising numbers for a player who's now earning $30 million per year. Something tells me the Steelers want to get their money's worth on that investment.
How might that be? Well, who else is going to be catching passes in this offense? Outside of Metcalf, Pittsburgh's WR room looks particularly horrific. Metcalf also appears well on his way to developing a strong connection with Aaron Rodgers, who has never been shy about force-feeding his top receiver. Just look at Davante Adams - he received 114 targets across 11 games after joining the Jets in a midseason trade, despite having another star receiver on the other side of the field. Metcalf could be in for the most productive year of his career.
Mason finishes as top 24 RB
Jordan Mason is coming off the board as the RB34 with an eighth-round ADP. Not bad for a player who could end up winning you your fantasy league. Although the presence of Aaron Jones will cap his upside to some extent, all reports out of Vikings camp suggest the backfield will feature a pretty even split. Considering Minnesota's struggles in short-yardage spots last year, it's only fair to assume that Mason's share will include most of the goal-line situations. That could be a particularly valuable role for an offense that I expect to score a lot. Think of it as a diet version of the early days of the David Montgomery-Jahmyr Gibbs duo in the Lions backfield, with Mason having the Montgomery role. He can put up RB2 numbers as the Vikings lean on the ground game to best support J.J. McCarthy.
2 rookies TE1s
It wasn't too long ago that we had to temper expectations for rookie tight ends. The unique physical demands of the position had often made for a tough transition from the college level. While the blocking-related challenges remain, teams have become more creative in getting these dynamic pass-catchers involved. We can expect to see plenty more of that this year.
Colston Loveland, most notably, feels like a top-12 lock at the position. Ben Johnson undoubtedly has big plans for the first draft pick of his tenure as the Bears' head coach. And with a skill set that reminds me of Darren Waller, I think Loveland could easily slide into the Sam LaPorta role in this offense. Tyler Warren shouldn't be far behind. The Colts' first-round pick is more power than finesse, but he's no stranger to high-volume production after a ridiculous season in which Penn State got him the ball every way imaginable. He'll be an immensely valuable security blanket over the middle of the field for whoever is playing quarterback in Indy. And don't rule out a Day 2 pick like Terrance Ferguson pushing TE1 production sooner than later. I think this rookie class is pretty special, and we should see results immediately.
Texans produce top defense
The Broncos and Eagles will probably be the defenses you see fly off the board when someone in your home league inevitably gets that party started too early. There's no need to beat them to the punch. As good as those units should be, I don't see why the Texans can't be even better. This team has everything you want from a top-scoring fantasy defense, as it ranked second in interception rate last year (3.4%) and finished in the top four in sack rate (8.8%). Offensive improvements could create even more opportunities in 2025 for this aggressive DeMeco Ryans-led defense, helping Houston dominate both categories and beat up on the rest of the AFC South. I'll gladly scoop up this unit a round or so after the initial run on defenses begins.