10 BOLD Predictions for the 2025 Fantasy Football Season

Fans Only Sportz Network
3 days ago
8 min read

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 8/8/2025 FansOnlySportz

Zak's 5 Predictions

1. Jayden Daniels is a BUST

I know right... great way to start an article. Jayden Daniels is a great talent but I believe his success in his rookie year was a combination of that talent but also a lack of tape on him and a great coaching staff around him. In Daniels' sophomore year the league should be much more privy to his play style and what the Commanders' offense will try to do.

It’s no secret that the Commanders hired a terrific coaching staff for 2024 including Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury. Kingsbury is known for his dynamic and explosive offenses from his time most recently at USC all the way back to Texas A&M. In his career, Kingsbury has coached Johnny Manziel, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams and now Jayden Daniels. Safe to say his tutelage is a huge part of Daniels’ meteoric rise last season.

Ranked QB3 this year above names like Hurts, Burrow, Mahomes and Mayfield. While his dual threat ability plays itself well to fantasy football, he will need to improve on his passing stats from last year that were already inflated. I would not draft Daniels until earliest, round 7 or 8,and I believe he finishes QB10 in 2025.

2. 3 or 4 Rookies Will Make Next Year's Top-10 RBs

The rookie-RB class in 2025 is stacked, not only because of talent but because of the situation they were drafted to.

My picks for the best rookie-RBs this season is Tre Henderson in New England, Kaleb Johnson in Pittsburgh, Quinshon Judkins in Cleveland and Omarion Hampton in Los Angeles.

Henderson has the best situation as a receiving threat in a Drake Maye-josh McDaniels offense and Kaleb Johnson should become the Steelers running back they always wanted Najee Harris to be. Omarion Hampton should be close but splitting carries his rookie year with Najee Harris may cause his progression to be slower and need an extra year to crack the Top-10.

Judkins is the real outlier thanks to his arrest earlier this year on domestic violence allegations; an incoming suspension this year or next could play a crucial role in his 2026 fantasy status but his ability and role in Cleveland is as good as any other RB in a vacuum.

3. Tyreek Hill and Puka Nacua Switch

Currently ranked WR15 and WR7 respectively, I expect Hill to have a season closer to his 2023 campaign with a healthy Tua, while Puka should regress with an aging Matt Stafford and Davante Adams coming to town.

Nacua has always been…. juuuuuust a bit overrated to me. His best moments came when Cooper Kupp was injured and he was the only target. His end of the year stats should still warrant a Top-15 status because of McVay’s offense but he is due for a middling year especially with Davante Adams seemingly set to transform this offense to a more outside-oriented pass game than it has been.

Tyreek was WR1 last year but due to Tua’s injury had a stat line of 81-959-6 and finished WR18 in PPR leagues and WR23 in non-PPR leagues. With Tua back and if he plays all 17 games this season, Tyreek should easily get back to his Top-5 status in the league and especially in fantasy.

4. Ashton Jeanty Is NOT a Top-10 RB

Aright so this is not a dig on Jeanty’s ability as a running back, quite the opposite actually. Jeanty is the best RB prospect I’ve ever seen since Saquon in 2017 but his situation I believe will hurt him his rookie year especially in fantasy.

The Raiders will have a transition year in 2025 for Pete Caroll’s first year heading the franchise. Jeanty should be one of the main playmakers on the offense but how good will that offense be? Last year, Chase Brown finished RB10 in PPR leagues with 1,350 yards, 11 TDs and 54 receptions while James Connor finished RB10 in non-PPR leagues with 1150 yards and 9 TDs. These marks are absolutely attainable for Jeanty but on the Raiders offense he could also fall short, especially in PPR leagues as Jeanty and this offense does not look good for him to catch a lot of balls this season.

5. Baker Mayfield Top-3 for QBs

To play off my “Jayden Daniels is a Bust” segment, I believe Baker will take his place as QB3 by the end of the year or possibly even higher. If you’ve red either of my 2025 Season Awards or my Buccaneers Prediction articles, you’ll know I believe Baker and the Buccs are going to have an incredible 2025.

To say he will finish QB3 is a tall order but hear me out. This means he will finish above Burrow, Mahomes, Daniels, and Hurts. I see Mayfield having a better season than last year as he air raids every game and finishes close to 5,000 yards and 40 TDs again. With another weapon in Egbuka to spread the ball around and hopefully Godwin stays healthy for the season, I believe his turnovers will come down and his TDs will increase.

I believe he comes close to surpassing Josh Allen for QB2 even but Mayfield doesn’t have enough rushing potential for me to firmly say that.

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Matt's 5 Predictions

1. Chase Brown will break out and become a Top-10 Fantasy Running Back

Every year, I like to choose one player whom I go out on a limb and believe will truly break out. Usually, it'll be a rookie, but depending on the player, it can vary from time to time. Guys I have classified as this included rookie Patrick Mahomes, Davante Adams, Kenneth Walker, and Jayden Daniels last season. Chase Brown is my selection this year.

From Weeks nine to seventeen, Brown was involved in at least 80% of Cincinnati's offensive snaps each week, with an average of 20.6 fantasy points per game, placing him third among running backs. Beginning in Week 4, Brown ranked as the RB7 in fantasy points per game, underscoring the effect of his consistent involvement. His 54 receptions in 2024 also ranked 5th among all running backs, giving him significant PPR value beyond his rushing production, and that was without getting the full workload throughout the entirety of the season.

With no one to compete with in the backfield, I predict that Brown is primed for an elite season, and will become one of the best running backs in fantasy football.

2. Patrick Mahomes will NOT be a Top-10 Fantasy Quarterback

As the 2025 season approaches, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes stands out as one of the more risky selections in fantasy drafts. Even though he led Kansas City to a 15-2 regular-season record and another Super Bowl appearance, Mahomes has averaged under 19 fantasy points per game (Yahoo) over the past two seasons and has not ranked in the top 10 among QBs in fantasy football for that category.

Mahomes' drop in efficiency was also evident across various metrics last season. Mahomes threw the ball at a 67.5% completion rate, yet his yards per attempt fell one yard below his career average. As he approaches his age-29 season, Mahomes is no longer considered an elite fantasy choice, but rather a mid-tier starter. Previously a consistent top-6 fantasy QB (PPG), he has ranked 13th and 11th in the last two seasons. Thus, I feel that Mahomes will disappoint in fantasy again and fall below the top ten in fantasy quarterbacks at least.

3. 2025 will FINALLY be Kyle Pitts' year

There is nothing to really back up this claim in terms of stats (hence a bold prediction), since Pitts has failed to put together a season anything even close to expectations, but I just have this feeling that the 24-year-old will finally turn things around.

It is clear Pitts has the frame and skillset to be a top-tier tight end, which is why he was selected 4th overall in his draft class. Pitts has also had a string of poor coaching that fails to involve him in any stretch. However, with Raheem Morris proving he can create an offense that works, Offensive Coordinator Zach Robinson elevating the offense even more, and Michael Penix Jr. at the helm, it could finally be the breakout year many have been waiting for.

4. Devon Achane Will be the Bust of the Year

This is definitely my boldest prediction of the bunch, but I cannot shake the feeling that Achane will disappoint this season. Now, do I think he will be horrible? No. However, that does not mean I think he will severely underexceed his current ADP of a late first-early second round selection.

First off, he is not workhorse material. His 5'9", 192 lb frame just will not cut it in the trenches across an entire season. To add to that, he has also had ankle and hamstring injuries in the past, which are types of injuries that can stay with you year in and year out.

I also do not expect Miami to be so heavily reliant on Achane this year. The Dolphins played a good chunk of their season without their quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, causing their offense to never truly find an identity. With Tua back and WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle supposed to be 100% healthy, Achane will have to take a step back in the passing game, which is his main draw in the first place.

5. Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs will Become a Top-Five QB/WR Stack

This one may be for the local fans, but I feel this is a good mix of bold and realistic.

To start, multiple sources have raved about the fast-growing chemistry between Drake Maye and Stefon Diggs. With Diggs already practicing and on track to play Week 1, Maye will have more than enough time to keep growing that connection so that it can flourish when it counts.

With that said, two things need to happen. One, Diggs has to have the production he has had in the past. Before his ACL tear last season, Diggs was a top ten fantasy receiver, posting great numbers in just a short amount of time (47 catches, 496 yards, 3 TDs over eight games). Diggs needs to tap into that production again if he wants to succeed in New England.

Secondly, Maye needs to come through on the hype. Maye is currently being regarded as a near lock to be the breakout star of the season, which is a lot of pressure. However, he has all the tools physically, and though the O-line still may not be great, it is better than it was last year. I do think, though, that the most important thing that will help Maye is the coaching. With a proven winner in Mike Vrabel as Head Coach and a brilliant mind at Offensive Coordinator in Josh McDaniels, it is a combination that, I think, will propel Maye onto the scene as one of the best young stars the league has to offer.

To me, the sky is the limit for these two. So long as the pre-season expectations are met during the year, I absolutely see a world where the Maye-Diggs connection is among the best in football.

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