Fantasy Soccer ‘25: Free company takeaways

Welcome again, readers. Loads has occurred since I wrote my most up-to-date fantasy columns (2025 first spherical rankings and the highest tier at every place). Dozens of gamers have modified groups by way of free company or commerce, and dozens extra have signed extensions with their present staff. Tee Higgins obtained tagged once more by the Bengals. Should you didn’t silence your notifications, you in all probability have a headache out of your telephone blowing up with all of the ESPN fantasy chimes. As an lawyer, I don’t know what to make of the time period “legal tampering”. Something with “tampering” in it sounds fairly shady to me. However no matter, the NFL appears to have this all found out, and as soon as once more, the groups tampered a lot.

So yeah, quite a lot of gamers have modified jerseys within the final week or so, however how a lot of a distinction will it truly make? For fantasy, possibly not a lot this time round. That’s my first takeaway to share: This was an underwhelming free agent class, and the general fantasy influence for the 2025 season is prone to be muted.

Final low season was a unique story, or at the very least it turned out to be. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry discovered new properties and ran for greater than 3,900 mixed yards (and 29 mixed dashing TDs), and completed as the highest two scorers on the working again place. Sam Darnold went from being a backup in San Francisco to the starter in Minnesota and completed fifth within the NFL in each passing yards (4,319) and TD passes (35). Josh Jacobs and Joe Mixon each topped 1,000 yards and scored double-digit TDs on new groups. Aaron Jones, J.Okay. Dobbins, and Tony Pollard had been additionally high quality starters in new places. It was an unusually good 12 months for gamers who moved, and particularly the working backs. I don’t see that form of influence occurring this season, however that doesn’t imply we gained’t see a couple of notable successes. As fantasy gamers, we need to money in on these if we are able to.

I used to be going to do a “free agency winners and losers” column, however since many others are doing that, I believe it might put me squarely within the losers column. So as a substitute, I’m simply going to provide you some quick-hit reactions to what has gone down up to now, purely from a fantasy perspective. And keep in mind, extra dominoes will nonetheless fall with extra cuts, signings and trades, plus the draft in late April. An excellent instance: Who would be the beginning quarterback for the Steelers and Giants? Asking for D.Okay. Metcalf, Malik Nabers, George Pickens, and those that roster them in dynasty and keeper leagues.

Don’t count on any of this 12 months’s free agent signings to fly this excessive

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Takeaways:

1. Seattle has torn it up, for higher or worse. The ‘Hawks have done a complete reset, and it’s not simply that the staff changed long-time, Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll a 12 months in the past. The staff moved on from franchise QB Russell Wilson a couple of seasons in the past and now his successor (Geno Smith) has additionally left city. D.Okay. Metcalf is barely 27 however was traded to the Steelers, Tyler Lockett gained’t be coming again, and Sam Darnold was signed as the brand new quarterback. The largest beneficiary of all this turnover is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a mini-breakout in 2024 and completed because the WR18 on a fantasy factors per sport foundation. He’s now the clear #1 pass-catching choice in Seattle and may construct on what he did in 2024.

Sam Darnold figures to take a step again after flourishing in a really QB-friendly state of affairs in Minnesota, however he confirmed that he can get the ball to his high goal. Seattle will certainly preserve including to its WR room (they already signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling, giving them a second three-initials man), however JSN slots in as a stable WR2 with WR1 upside for 2025. I’m lukewarm (at greatest) on Darnold for 2025, with a lot much less weaponry and with out Kevin O’Connell. I can also’t shake his ultimate two video games as a Viking.

2. Justin Fields to the Jets! Is there any method this finally ends up understanding, long-term? Nearly definitely not. It’s the same-old Jets, they usually haven’t had a 5-year starter at QB since Chad Pennington. The 2 quarterbacks I discussed above each failed as Jet starters within the 2010s.

In the meantime, two groups have already determined that Fields isn’t their long-term reply at QB. However don’t let all of this cease you from contemplating Fields as your QB1 in fantasy. If he can grasp on to the beginning job, he can produce, and the cash they’re giving him over two years means that they plan on beginning him instantly. He’s executed it earlier than, however not on a constant foundation. I’ve written loads in regards to the benefit {that a} dual-threat quarterback can convey. Fields is that, and in his greatest season (2022) he completed because the QB5. Should you do draft Fields as your QB1, you’ll need to additionally draft a stable second choice.

Whereas we’re right here, I wouldn’t be too nervous about Garrett Wilson. Sure, Fields is a downgrade from Aaron Rodgers as a passer. However Davante Adams is gone, Fields had his greatest completion proportion in 2024, Fields and Wilson performed collectively at Ohio State, and D.J. Moore managed one High-10 season with Fields in Chicago. I like Wilson to enhance on his considerably disappointing 2024 numbers.

Can Najee be electrical with the Chargers?

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3. Najee Harris has legit RB-1 upside this season. OK, Harris isn’t a very thrilling again and he doesn’t make highlight-reel performs. His profession dashing common is barely 3.9 yards per carry. That’s OK, as a result of he’s one thing quite a lot of different backs aren’t: Constant and sturdy. And that’s excellent for his new touchdown spot. Enjoyable truth: Harris has performed 4 seasons and hasn’t missed a sport. He’s had at the very least 250 totes and 1,000 dashing yards in each season. He’s additionally misplaced simply 4 fumbles in his professional profession. Jim Harbaugh needs to run the ball, and the O-line is constructed to grind and open holes. Individuals neglect that Harris caught 74 balls as a rookie. That complete led all working backs that season. Second on the checklist was Austin Ekeler, with 70, and he caught his passes from…look forward to it…Justin Herbert. You see the place I’m going with this.

4. The Rams at the moment are the Adams Household. In a matter of days the Rams went from “we are exploring a trade for Matt Stafford” to not solely conserving Stafford, however including Davante Adams to the combination, for large cash. Adams confirmed final season that he nonetheless has it after age 30 (Cooper Kupp, sadly, did no such factor), and whereas neither he nor Puka Nacua is a burner, defenses are going to have their fingers full with Adams and Nacua, who each catch every part thrown their method, are fearless and difficult, and run wonderful routes. Throw in Tutu Atwell’s velocity and the opposite ancillary items and Sean McVay’s passing offense seems poised to be among the many best within the league for fantasy. Adams could possibly be a cut price as a large receiver going outdoors the High-15 at his place.

Geno Smith: What goes to Vegas..

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5. The Raiders are righting the ship. I’m not overly enthusiastic about Geno Smith for fantasy in Vegas, nevertheless it’s a transparent improve to what that they had, and may assist Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, and the remainder of their talent place gamers. Pete Carroll and a great teaching workers underneath him ought to repair the tradition fairly rapidly. As for Geno, he profiles as an honest worth as a QB2 for Superflex leagues.

6. The Daniel Jones signing in Indianapolis is attention-grabbing. The deal is for one 12 months and is value as much as $17.7 million. It sounds prefer it’s going to be an open quarterback competitors between Jones and third-year man Anthony Richardson. It’s clear that the Colts have realized that AR – regardless of his unimaginable athleticism and upside – may not be the reply. I can nearly assure that each will begin video games in 2025. They’re each able to excellent video games, and really dangerous ones too. I gained’t make any large fantasy judgments now, however need to regulate this example as each QBs have the dashing upside to be fantasy-relevant (and the draw back to make you extraordinarily annoyed for those who’re relying on one or each of them). None of that is nice for the Indianapolis receivers – a fairly good group that can proceed to endure from inconsistent quarterback play.

7. D’Andre Hopkins to Baltimore. I don’t see a lot fantasy relevance right here, nor do I see this placing the Ravens excessive. Hopkins is clearly slowing down and he’s on his fourth staff in 4 seasons. Baltimore has so many different viable choices at RB, WR, and TE. I doubt he’ll be something near a full-time participant and he looks like a late-round dart throw or waiver wire man. Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, Odell Beckham, and now D-Hop. That’s so Raven.

That’s it for right this moment. I’m off to do some authorized tampering. Hold it right here for extra offseason fantasy protection.