2025 Way-Too-Early Fantasy Football Rankings Featuring The Rise of Jayden Daniels

The 2024 NFL season brought us resurging running backs, next-generation receivers, and the fall of superstar tight ends. Now, with the Super Bowl behind us, we look ahead to 2025.

What’s our outlook for each position heading into the new season? Who are the risers and fallers? Which players are suspiciously absent from top rankings?

Top 50 Overall 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings

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Top 15 QBs

QB Riser - Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

You may be hesitant to draft Daniels at such a hefty price tag, particularly after the sophomore slump from Stroud. However, Stroud’s struggles came as the offensive line failed and Stroud - a pocket passer - was constantly unsettled. Stroud’s game simply doesn’t allow for volatility in passing production.

Daniels’ rushing upside means that he maintains a low-end QB1 floor even in difficult situations. The only time we saw that floor falter was during his rib injury. Daniels has earned the right to join the elite dual-threat quarterbacks.

Other Notable Risers - Baker Mayfield, Bo Nix, Drake Maye

QB Faller - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

In 2023, Murray returned towards the end of the season off a torn ACL with no WR1 and looked surprisingly strong, bolstering our confidence heading into 2024. Unfortunately, the addition of Marvin Harrison Jr. made legitimately no difference in Murray’s fantasy production and, at times, the Cardinals looked like they were actively trying to minimize the pass.

Murray finished the season as a borderline QB1 averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game - fine, but below expectations. Murray is actually a strong bounceback candidate. It’s possible he and Harrison Jr. finally get on the same page and create the high-powered offense we thought we’d see in 2024. However, the Kyler Murray Experience is one of the more frustrating experiences in fantasy football. We’ll need a discounted ADP to invest in 2025.

Other Notable Fallers - Patrick Mahomes, C.J. Stroud

QB Notably Missing - Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Richardson’s ceiling is undeniable. However, we must face the reality that he has major job security issues. Two young quarterbacks were benched this year - Richardson and Bryce Young. Whereas Young came back and looked like a completely different player, Richardson returned with continued inconsistency, inaccuracy, and question marks around durability.

While I believe Richardson has elite fantasy quarterback potential, I’m not willing to risk my fantasy season when we have ample reliable quarterbacks on teams that aren’t actively trying to create competition at the position.

Top 30 RBs

RB Riser - Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

Before the 2024 season, I compared Brown and Kyren Williams, predicting that Brown would have a similar path of ascending to the lead back role in a high-powered offense, thriving as a true workhorse back. Brown took the comparison a bit too literally and followed the exact path of Williams’ extreme usage and was on the field upwards of 80% of snaps from Week 9 through Week 17. During that time, Brown was the RB5 in average points per game in half-PPR - just 0.3 points behind Jahmyr Gibbs.

I’ll double down on my prediction and say that Brown continues down the same path as Williams. Zack Moss remains under contract, but I don’t think Moss is the threat. The Bengals could use a Day 2 pick on a running back in this incredibly deep class. Fantasy managers will take that as a sign Brown will lose his job (Blake Corrum ringing a bell?), but Brown will remain the dominating force and repeat his 2024 success.

Other Notable Risers - Bucky Irving, Chuba Hubbard, Tyrone Tracy Jr. 

RB Faller - Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

From the consensus 1.01 to a late third-round pick, McCaffrey has potentially the most significant fall of any player in 2025. McCaffrey played just three full games last season and failed to score a touchdown for the first time in his career.

McCaffrey has carried injury concerns for several seasons and we accepted the associated risk. However, 2024 left a bad taste in fantasy managers’ mouths. Heading into his age 29 season, we simply can’t afford the risk without a discount in ADP.

Other Notable Fallers - Breece Hall, Isiah Pacheco

RB Notably Missing - Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars

I’m not completely writing off Etienne in 2025. There is potential for a bounce back. New head coach Liam Coen’s offense produced multiple fantasy-viable running backs in 2024 and if Coen truly transforms the Jags’ offense, Etienne could pay off at his ADP. Etienne is also in a contract year.

While backs often have strong years in the final year of their contract, we could see a continued phase-out of Etienne. Don’t be shocked if we see the Jags draft an additional back on Day 3 and take advantage of the incredible depth of this year’s class.

Top 30 WRs

WR Riser - Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

I have every bit of confidence in Thomas Jr. as a player. However, I won’t lie to you - we’re taking a gamble with this rise in rankings. The good news is that if Liam Coen can successfully implement his system, Thomas Jr. will eat all season long. The bad news is that we never actually saw Trevor Lawrence consistently supply Thomas Jr. with volume. His late-season surge was with Mac Jones.

As a Clemson alum, I hate to admit it, but I am a bit skeptical that Lawrence can be rehabilitated. However, I’m willing to take the risk considering the truly dominating force that Thomas Jr. delivered. After the Jags bye week, Thomas Jr. was the overall WR3 in average points per game from Week 13 through 18. He’s a true star in the making.

Other Notable Risers - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey

WR Faller - Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals

I’ll own up to this one. I absolutely leaned into the egregious ranking of Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024. He stepped in as the clear WR1 for a big-play quarterback who should’ve had a bounce-back season. As we talked about with Murray, the Cardinals’ offense was perplexing. They leaned heavily on the run and had the 12th fewest pass attempts in the league. Harrison Jr. finished with just 62 receptions on 116 targets, eight touchdowns and 9.7 fantasy points per game.

Even in his stronger fantasy performances, his usage was still strange. Murray and Harrison Jr. have a lot of work to do this offseason to get on the same page. I have confidence they can do it. However, low-end WR2 is the best he’s looking at in terms of rankings. 

Other Notable Fallers - Davante Adams, DK Metcalf

WR Notably Missing - Deebo Samuel & Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers receivers are missing for two very different reasons. Samuel is a trade candidate and it’s difficult to rank him with no clarity on his quarterback or target share. While I still believe Samuel has upside - particularly off a bad season, given his history of bounce backs - his situation warrants a dramatic drop in ADP.

Aiyuk is locked in with the 49ers. However, his ADP will remain lower until we feel more comfortable with his recovery timeline. It doesn’t help that Ricky Pearsall had a strong finish to the season. 

Top 15 TEs

TE Riser - Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins

This may seem reactionary coming off such an outlier year. However, Smith’s role warrants a rise in rankings. Since Mike McDaniel’s arrival in Miami, the Dolphins struggled to find a tight end that could fit all the requirements needed for their offense - solid blocking, unique athleticism and a strong redzone presence.

Insert Jonnu Smith, the perfect match for McDaniel’s offense. Much like the remaining Dolphins’ offense, Smith’s success is ultimately tied to Tua Tagovailoa staying on the field. However, given the low ceiling for the tight end position in general, Smith is worth the gamble. 

Other Notable Risers - Brock Bowers, 

TE Faller - Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Kelce is currently mulling over his future but even if he returns, expect a dramatic drop in ADP. Despite a downward trend in production, Kelce was still the top-ranked tight end heading into 2024, typically drafted in the early third round. He finished the year as TE8, averaging just 9.2 fantasy points per game in half-PPR.

Kelce’s 2024 got off to a dreadful start, but he did see an uptick in targets after the injury to Rashee Rice. Still, with just three touchdowns, Kelce offered fruitless volume, a very limited ceiling and ultimately disappointed fantasy managers. With Rice’s expected return and Xavier Worthy's emergence, Kelce’s role would likely lack volume and touchdowns.

Other Notable Fallers - Dalton Kincaid

TE Notably Missing - Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Don’t let the promise of being Michael Penix's big favorite fool you into drafting Pitts. It’s time to cut the cord. His lack of production had nothing to do with Kirk Cousins’ struggles. The sad reality is that Pitts isn’t a major part of any version of the Falcons’ offense.

Whereas Drake London and Darnell Mooney had strong years, Pitts struggled to maintain reliable fantasy production and finished as TE21 in half-PPR average points per game, averaging just 6.3 fantasy points per game. He was the least productive member of the fantasy starting offense - behind even Ray-Ray McCloud.