The 2025 NFL season is across the nook. I can not wait.
The “Fantasy Focus Soccer” podcast can be returning quickly for an additional season, as we’ll have loads to dive into all through the preseason to get you able to dominate your leagues.
As we rely down the times till the common season, now looks like a great time to highlight a number of the greatest storylines surrounding the upcoming season.
There isn’t any one higher to do this with than Daniel Dopp. ESPN requested that we additionally embrace Mike Clay.
So let’s dive into it. — Subject Yates
Yates: Will Ja’Marr Chase be the king of fantasy once more? Between now and the beginning of the season, the query I’ll definitely be requested most regularly is: “Who would you are taking with the primary total choose in your draft?” With out diving into each candidate with a case, my quick reply is that the likeliest choose is Chase, as he returns after successful the NFL’s receiving quadruple crown: He led the league in catches, yards, touchdowns and targets, scoring extra fantasy factors than each participant besides Lamar Jackson. The case for Chase to have success akin to that: He is Ja’Marr Chase (now the highest-paid non-quarterback in league historical past), his quarterback remains to be Joe Burrow, and the Cincinnati Bengals have been one of many pass-heavier groups within the league. Repeating historic manufacturing is tough to do, nonetheless, and there are different gamers who may rise to the highest — even when Chase nonetheless has an All-Professional-level season — akin to Bijan Robinson, Justin Jefferson, Jahmyr Gibbs and a little-known working again named Saquon Barkley.
Clay: Wow, what an honor it’s to be included in an article with Mel Kiper III … err, I imply Subject Yates! The Fantasy Sports activities Writers Affiliation Corridor of Fame nod was cool and all, however now I do know I’ve lastly made it. By the best way, are we positive Daniel goes to contribute? I heard he is on the street scouting heart expertise for his Detroit Lions now that Frank Ragnow hung up his cleats. Talking of which, I’m wondering how that may have an effect on Gibbs’ effectivity and, whereas I will save that matter for another time, I need to speak about working backs, particularly the loaded 2025 RB rookie class. All six backs chosen within the first three rounds of April’s NFL draft are more likely to make a large impression proper out of the gate: the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Ashton Jeanty, Los Angeles Chargers‘ Omarion Hampton, Denver Broncos‘ RJ Harvey, Cleveland Browns‘ Quinshon Judkins, Pittsburgh Steelers‘ Kaleb Johnson and New England Patriots‘ TreVeyon Henderson, in addition to New York Giants fourth-rounder Cam Skattebo. It will not be shocking if most (if not all) of those backs discover their method into the “lineup lock” dialogue this season … and that does not even embrace just a few wild playing cards, such because the Dallas Cowboys‘ Jaydon Blue and Jacksonville Jaguars‘ Bhayshul Tuten. Operating again is headed for a little bit of a facelift this season, and I do know I will be investing closely in a number of of those rookies on draft day. Do you will have a favourite rookie RB goal, Daniel?
Dopp: Hey Michael, nice to see you, too! I can not imagine my group and I are taking pictures earlier than I’ve even written a phrase on this column. However we will simply transfer previous it, and I will reply your query like knowledgeable (in case you had been questioning what one seemed like — zing!). My favourite rookie again is Jeanty, who I’ve at RB4, one spot forward of present dashing champion Barkley. I am involved concerning the pure regression for Barkley coming off of such a heavy workload, and I do know I am not alone. Reddit is stuffed with threads about workload considerations and whether or not they’re actual. We’ll save the large numbers for an upcoming “Fantasy Focus,” however 12 of the previous 13 working backs with at the very least 300 carries noticed their fantasy factors drop by a mean of 78.8 factors the next season. Possibly I am off base, however give me the rookie in a Pete Carroll-led Raiders offense with absurd expectations for the younger again over the vet who has to beat historic odds (and previous age, in RB phrases). Oh, and Subject, did I point out that Barkley is on the Madden cowl this yr? He is my No. 12 total participant behind a variety of huge receivers and Jeanty. I would not fault anybody for taking Barkley — he may very well be a reputable outlier — however I simply do not assume I will draft him contemplating the place I ranked him.
Yates: Will Christian McCaffrey and Tyreek Hill return to peak kind? Presently final yr, we had been all gearing as much as take McCaffrey with the No. 1 choose, as he was otherworldly as soon as once more in 2023. His 2024 season was successfully over earlier than it even began, as an Achilles and subsequent knee challenge restricted him to 50 carries. If we knew McCaffrey was going to be wholesome for this full season, I nonetheless imagine he could be deserving of the primary choose; he is merely that dominant. However we do not, so the place he lands in drafts — nearer to the top of the primary spherical within the mocks I’ve completed — may make him the steal of the yr. In the meantime, Hill had wrist surgical procedure this offseason, which could clarify his disappointing 2024 season, however solely partially. He did not miss a single sport final yr, however the offense seemingly simply misplaced its mojo. Due to Hill’s weird 2024 season, the general depth of huge receiver and the rise of younger stars on the spot, Hill’s common draft place is dropping considerably. He hardly ever lasted previous the primary 5 picks in drafts final yr, whereas I’ve seen him persistently drop to the top of the third or starting of the fourth spherical in early 10-team mocks. Do these stars have a resurgence in them in 2025 and past? Mike, I used to be going to make a joke about how some say you will have additionally fallen off like Hill final yr, however I will not as a result of I am a pleasant man. You are again up.
Clay: Hey, at the very least I used to be atop a cliff I may fall from … not like Anthony Richardson. Think about hyping up that man final offseason. Talking of quarterbacks, what’s the perfect technique this yr? It was essential to get one of many superstars, however then the fad was to attend so long as attainable to discover a starter. This season, I need one of many massive 5, which incorporates Josh Allen, reigning high scorer Jackson, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts and, to a barely lesser extent, Burrow (he does not have fairly the dashing enchantment). After these 5, I see a giant drop-off and lots of quarterbacks with related outlooks. That features Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, Bo Nix, Kyler Murray, Brock Purdy, Caleb Williams and Justin Herbert (amongst many others). If I miss on the primary 5, I am joyful to concentrate on different positions and wait fairly a very long time to pounce on a passer, together with taking a lottery ticket on a breakout candidate akin to Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy. The one QB I do know I will not ever draft is Jared Goff, as Daniel is a real Lions fan and would by no means let him out of the primary spherical. Proper, Daniel? RIGHT?!
Daniel: I can perceive the confusion as a result of the Lions do have two gamers who’re being drafted within the first spherical this yr in Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown, however no, Michael, I might NEVER take a QB within the first spherical. Even my beloved Goff, who trails solely Hurts, Allen and Jackson for probably the most video games with at the very least 25 fantasy factors amongst QBs over the previous three seasons. Not unhealthy for knowledgeable athlete who has the 40-yard sprint velocity of Mike Clay. No less than we all know who Goff is as a quarterback. I can not say the identical for Jonnu Smith. How are you alleged to correctly worth Smith this yr? He has completed seventeenth or worse at tight finish in seven of his eight NFL seasons. That is actually unhealthy. The lone exception was final yr’s end as TE4, and boy was it a bizarre season. After coping with head accidents within the first half of 2024, Tua Tagovailoa was again underneath heart in Week 8, and Smith went on a tear to complete the season. From Weeks 8 to 16, he noticed extra targets, receptions and receiving yards than every other go catcher in Miami (together with Hill and Jaylen Waddle), and he tied Hill for probably the most receiving touchdowns amongst Dolphins throughout that stretch. Final season was nice, however 2025 managers have to wonder if a man who completed exterior the highest 16 in all however one season within the NFL can truly repeat and supply TE1 worth. And now there’s concern he may very well be traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers to play for Arthur Smith for a third time. I technically have Smith listed as a starter as a result of he is the TE10 in my rankings, however throughout our mock draft train I handed on Smith greater than Mike handed on the gymnasium this spring. Cannot wait to see that dad bod within the Bahamas!
