Fantasy Soccer ‘25: The highest tiers of gamers

Welcome again, readers! The NFL offseason is rolling alongside and has formally entered the enjoyable stage for us followers. Right here’s the place we’re: The scouting Mix wrapped up on Sunday, the primary massive commerce got here down final week (Deebo to the Commanders!), the franchise tag window closed on Tuesday (Tee Higgins will get the tag for the second 12 months in a row, whereas Sam Darnold is a free agent), and free company opens subsequent week (March 12). The principle occasion – the 2025 NFL Draft – is heading our method in late April. So buckle up, associates. Yeah, MLB has its offseason “hot stove,” however by comparability the NFL has a nuclear reactor. Even with the beginning of its season a full six months away, the NFL has a singular means to dominate headlines and maintain our consideration. I’m right here for it.

Two weeks in the past, I dropped my way-too-early first spherical fantasy soccer rankings for 2025, and right now I’ve received my way-too-early prime tiers at every of the primary positions. I’ve written so much up to now about why it’s so necessary to make use of tiers if you do your rankings, so I received’t waste time with it right here. And whereas so much can and can change between now and the beginning of the season, I’m assured that barring accidents, the highest tiers I’m offering right now received’t change all that a lot between now and the top of August.

The problem in placing this collectively, along with the truth that it’s solely March, is to keep away from overreacting to the 2024 season. In itemizing the highest tier of gamers at every place for the 2025 season, the objective is to determine the gamers more than likely to place up elite manufacturing, and never simply the gamers who put up probably the most factors in 2024 (though in lots of instances, it’s the identical gamers).

As a body of reference, at every place I’ll additionally share my closing prime tiers from the 2024 preseason. It’s all the time fascinating to see how this adjustments from 12 months to 12 months, and to see how gamers carried out vs. expectations. That’s proper, I had Dalton Kincaid in my prime tier at tight finish final season. Please settle for my apology.

Let’s get to it. These are my prime tiers for 2025 season-long, redraft fantasy soccer, utilizing these settings: 1 QB beginning, Half-PPR scoring, and 4-points per passing TD. Rankings throughout the tier aren’t overly necessary, and particularly at this early stage. I did this train blind, with out taking a look at anybody else’s rankings or tiers.

Daniels has rocketed to the highest tier

Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos

Quarterback

2025 High Tier: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, and Jalen Hurts2024 High Tier: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes

Commentary:

Will Patrick Mahomes ever put up monster numbers once more? Possibly, however after he completed because the QB1 in 2022, fantasy managers have been burned two years in a row, and title recognition will doubtless preserve Mahomes overpriced in 2025. So long as KC has a prime protection, Mahomes belongs outdoors the highest tier for fantasy.

In my rankings column, I defined why the 4 elite dual-threat quarterbacks listed above are in a tier of their very own, and why I’m fantastic taking any of them throughout the High-25 or so picks. Final season, Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield each completed within the High-5 on the quarterback place in each complete factors and factors per recreation. Nice? Sure, nice, they usually’re strong QB1s for 2025. However I’m not keen to place a “pocket passer” in my prime quarterback tier, as a result of it’s a lot tougher for them to place up elite manufacturing on a constant, year-over-year foundation in the best way that the highest operating quarterbacks can.

Latest historical past bears this out. Allen, Hurts, and Jackson have averaged greater than 20 fantasy factors per recreation in every of the final three seasons, they usually’re the one quarterbacks for whom that’s the case. And 20 factors is simply the ground; 24-25 factors per recreation is a quantity all three have hit greater than as soon as throughout these three seasons. I’m a believer that they’ll all hit that ground once more this season, with ease, as will Daniels. That is the only place for right now’s train.

King Henry continues to be elite

Photograph by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Photos

Operating Again

2025 High Tier: Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Derrick Henry2024 High Tier: Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Breece Corridor

Commentary:

Underlying this excellent manufacturing from the place was a outstanding run of fine well being outdoors of McCaffrey, who because the No. 1 total participant within the 2024 preseason just about single-handedly destroyed one workforce in each single fantasy league on the planet. Breece Corridor stayed wholesome however was one in every of just some main disappointments at a place that thrived in 2024.

McCaffrey goes to present fantasy analysts and gamers suits this offseason. After his unimaginable efficiency in 2023, he barely performed in 2024 and his means to remain on the sphere is a large query mark. I debated together with him in my Tier 1 (in addition to Achane, Jacobs, Jonathan Taylor, and Cook dinner), and any of them might find yourself in my Tier 1 earlier than all is alleged and achieved. However for now, I feel the gamers I’ve listed should be in a separate tier on the prime as they’re the very best and most secure combos of excessive ground and ceiling. The second tier on the place is trying very robust and decently deep, and if you happen to miss out on the High-4 however get one of many second group as your RB1, I feel you’ll be proud of that.

Can JJ assist JJ as a prime WR? We’ll see.

Photograph by Bruce Yeung/Getty Photos

Large Receiver

2025 High Tier: Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb2024 High Tier: CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, and Ja’Marr Chase

Commentary:

This was the toughest place group for me. A case could possibly be made that Chase ought to sit alone in his personal tier on the prime, after he received the triple crown in 2024. I’ve received him as my No. 1 extensive receiver (and No. 2 participant total after Barkley), however I feel the Bengals received’t be as atrocious on protection in 2025 and due to that, Chase is unlikely to repeat his numbers. The Bengals misplaced 4 video games the place they scored 30 or extra factors.

As soon as once more, Justin Jefferson’s quarterback scenario is dicey (with Sam Darnold not getting tagged, it could possibly be a combo platter of Daniel Jones and J.J. McCarthy…hmm). Jefferson didn’t disappoint in 2024 with Darnold beneath heart and is as QB-proof as they arrive, however nonetheless, I don’t really feel nice utilizing a High-5 decide on him. The checklist of first-year QBs who’ve supported a High-3 WR could be very brief. CeeDee Lamb misplaced his quarterback to harm in 2024 however he ought to return to being the focus of the Dallas offense and one of the crucial focused receivers within the league. I don’t really feel that method about Tyreek Hill, who might be 31 when the season begins and could be slowing down. I’ll take him as soon as it’s a transparent low cost however in all probability not earlier than.

Sturdy instances may be made for together with every of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Nico Collins, and Puka Nacua in Tier 1, however for numerous causes I’ve them separated from the High-3. They’re on the prime of my subsequent tier, which additionally consists of Brian Thomas, Jr., A.J. Brown, and Malik Nabers. Nabers might climb that ladder a bit relying on the Giants’ quarterback scenario when summer season rolls round.

Bowers: one other stud with QB questions

Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Photos

Tight Finish

2025 High Tier: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, George Kittle2024 High Tier: Sam LaPorta, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, Trey McBride, Dalton Kincaid

Commentary:

That is the place with the largest changeover from 2024. As not too long ago as two seasons in the past, Kelce stood alone as the highest tier on the place, but it surely’s fairly clear that his days of dominance are over. He’ll nonetheless have his moments, however at his age the consistency isn’t the identical. Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews are necessary items of their respective offenses, however every suffers from the truth that his workforce has so many different good scoring choices. McBride is my solely repeat High-tier decide at tight finish, and all that stands between him and being the highest scorer on the place is touchdowns. He completed because the TE3 in 2024 (Weeks 1-17) regardless of recording only one receiving TD, and he leads all tight ends in catches and yards throughout the final two seasons.

Kittle has been out and in of the High-Tier on the place for near a decade, and final season he benefitted from accidents to McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel. He completed as the general TE1 in 2024, at 13.9 fantasy factors per recreation which was nearly two factors away from the sphere (Bowers was second). Even with everybody wholesome, and even at age 31, he’s a favourite goal of Brock Purdy and may produce TE1 numbers so long as he himself stays wholesome, which hasn’t all the time been a given.

Brock Bowers is my No. 1 tight finish for 2025 as of now, however very like Jefferson and Nabers, his QB scenario is unsettled and bears watching. He put up monster numbers as a rookie final 12 months with one of many NFL’s weakest quarterback rooms, so I’m not overly fearful.

Enjoyable truth: Jonnu Smith was the TE1 final season from Weeks 7-17. I can’t put him in my Tier 1 as this was far and away his finest season (i.e., a profession 12 months), and I do anticipate Miami’s proficient extensive receiver duo to bounce again some in 2025.

That’s a wrap. I’ll be again quickly with some free company/fantasy takes, so preserve it right here.