2025 Fantasy Football Rankings Updated: Tuesday, 7/29/25 Early Training Camp – 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings LINKED HERE
It’s officially the 2025 Fantasy Football season
Summer 2025 has arrived, and you can taste fantasy football in the air. Consequently, I will be updating his 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings and Big Board far more regularly over the coming weeks and months. The same goes for my 2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Rankings.
For the first time, I will also be keeping a 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings Update Log. Here, I will track the biggest risers and fallers, and provide a summary with my reasoning. I will date each and keep the most recent updates at the top.
Early Training Camp 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings Updates (7/29/25)
Joe Mixon Foot Injury Throws Major Wrench into 2025 Fantasy Outlook – Impact on Nick Chubb, Woody Marks
Joe Mixon tumbles down the rankings in light of his foot / ankle injury. He is uncertain for the start of 2025, and “will be reevaluated closer to the season.” YIKES!
With Mixon sidelined, the Texans turn to Nick Chubb. While Chubb certainly rises, he’s got a lengthy injury history of his own:
2015: Tore PCL, MCL, LCL, patella in left knee
2020: MCL sprain right knee
2023: Tore ACL, MCL in left knee
2024: Broke right foot
Demeco Ryan offered a lukewarm-at-best endorsement of Chubb as the starter:
“When it comes to Chubb, and how am I comparing him, he’s been through a lot,” Ryans said. “It’s not always going to be the same as his early years in the NFL. But what I hang my hat on with him is that this guy loves football. He’s physical. He plays the right way. He prepares himself the right way. He’s a really sharp guy when it comes to the protection scheme. He’s on it. He’s helping out the guys.”
There was a distinctive difference between Chubb from last week when he appeared a bit plodding on his runs to Monday when he could be more physical in full pads.
“Seeing him today, he definitely showed up in the pads,” Ryans said. “He’s a guy who can play physical behind his pads. He can eat yardage. So, I’m excited to see him just play football. That’s what he’s always been. He’s always been a tremendous football player, especially when he’s healthy.
“So, he’s still working his way back. It looks like he’s in really good shape. He’ll continue to get better now going through camp. Everybody continues to get better the more you go through it, and I see the same with Chubb.”
Sure, I like hearing Chubb can “eat yardage” and “prepares the right way” and “looks like he’s in really good shape.” But Ryan definitely seemed tepid in his endorsement, which keeps me from skyrocketing Chubb up the ranks. He’s already going 35-40+ picks earlier in Best Ball Drafts, and the price is too rich for me.
Woody Marks also gets a nice boost, and might be the more exciting pick — especially given he is still going in the final rounds of Best Ball Drafts. Marks is an excellent pass-catcher who certainly brings more burst to the table than Chubb or a hampered Mixon. While I’m skeptical the team would give him a full featured RB load, they did surrender a 2026 Round 3 pick to trade up for Marks in Round 4 of the draft — one featuring a stacked RB class, with many talented guys still available.
Ultimately, Mixon falls to a fringe Top-100 pick, while Chubb and Marks both get healthy bumps in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
Chris Godwin Requires Second Procedure while Emeka Egbuka Continues to Climb in 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings
Chris Godwin reportedly needed a second procedure on his knee, and his timetable is now even more uncertain.
Meanwhile, Emeka Egbuka continues to TEAR up camp, drawing tons of praise from Baker Mayfield.
Egbuka continues to shoot up the rankings, and is officially above Chris Godwin now in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Tampa Bay, but if new OC & last year’s passing-game coordinator Josh Grizzard can keep this offense firing, the Aerial Pie can definitely sustain multiple mouths.
Jacory Croskey Merritt Training Camp Drumbeat is Loud and Consistent, Bonafide 2025 Fantasy Football Sleeper
We dive into his outlook more here, but Commanders’ 7th rounder Jacory Croskey Merritt has generated tons of buzz in early 2025 Training Camp. This carries over from an impressive OTAs performance for the rookie.
As a strong inside-zone runner, Croskey-Merritt is a glove-like fit for Kliff Kingsbury‘s scheme. This backfield depth chart is uninspiring, and with JCM already earning first-team work, don’t be shocked if he takes over the starting role at some point in 2025.
Tank Bigsby Receiving Most Work, Most Impressive RB for Jaguars in Early Camp
Value will come from Liam Coen‘s Jaguars’ backfield. The Bucs were Top-3 in expected backfield points last year thanks to a phenomenal zone-scheme, as well as tons of screens. This is an ambiguous backfield worth attacking.
Early on, the guy going latest in drafts has been seeing the most work. Yes, Tank Bigsby! He was an extremely efficient runner in 2024, and has reportedly been the most active and impressive RB in early camp. He’s rotating in ahead of Travis Etienne and been “the focal point at running back.”
While Bhayshul Tuten excites me the most still tanks to his electrifying athleticism, Bigsby definitely rises. Meanwhile, I’ve never liked Etienne, and I continue to send him down the 2025 Fantasy Football rankings as a result here.
Other 2025 Fantasy Football Ranking Update Quick Hits (7/29/25)
- Joshua Palmer has been a “target magnet” thus far for Josh Allen. He already was a favorite sleeper of mine, but his rise climb continues.
- Darnell Mooney suffered a shoulder injury that will likely sideline him for the entirety of Training Camp. He should return to a high-volume role, but this is some valuable time to forge a rapport with new starter Michael Penix. As such, Mooney falls ~15-20 spots.
- Ty Warren has been the most heavily targeted player for both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. At a TE position that’s tough to fill, Warren could be a massive value in the 110 range.
- Speaking of Colts, Anthony Richardson has outplayed Daniel Jones thus far in camp. While Richardson is clearly the more exciting fantasy option, he’s also a massive negative for all the skill talents here like Josh Downs and Michael Pittman.
- The always-injured Marshawn Lloyd is once again sidelined, and no longer a late-rounder I am targeting in any format.
- Brashard Smith, long a favorite sleeper of mine, is routinely working in with the ones as both a rusher and receiver, especially in the Red Zone. Maybe those “Next Jerick McKinnon” predictions are going to hold true!
- Demario Douglas has been “the Patriots most impressive WR” and looks pegged for the always-valuable Josh McDaniels‘ slot role. He becomes one of the best late-round WR targets with a nice floor.
Mid-July 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings Updates: Rashee Rice, Omarion Hampton, Jajaun Jennings, Judkins & Sampson, Tre Harris, Jaydon Blue & more (7/18/25)
Last Saturday, I left for a family trip to Maine without WiFi / Service — thinking it’s the last real quiet time of the NFL offseason. I returned to 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings chaos!
Let’s dive into the big news causing rankings shifts in some quick-hitters:
Rashee Rice: Sentence received, Multi-game Suspension Likely (or “premature”?)
Rashee Rice has been one of my main targets all offseason after looking like Mahomes’ “Amon-Ra St. Brown at a Round 3 (& recently Round 2) price.” While a suspension was always possible, there seemed to be optimism about avoiding any news this year. That all changed Thursday (7/17):
Schefter speculates Rice “is likely to receive a multi-game suspension.” Shortly after, Mark Maske tweeted “it’s premature to conclude with certainty and that outcome is not close to final.” Helpful!
I drafted Rice heavily while he was available in Round 3, but have stopped with him creeping into mid Round 2, often going Brock Bowers or Jonathan Taylor in his range. He’s clearly due to fall with the uncertainty in the air, but if the suspension is early and only 4ish games, smart drafters can avoid too much dip without Bye Weeks to fill.
Meanwhile, Xavier Worthy should rise the most, followed by Travis Kelce and Hollywood Brown. Worthy has a chance to pick up where he left off — which was 20+ FPs in 4 of his last 5, including a 35.7 FP eruption in the Super Bowl. Worthy was featured far more often during this stretch, but Rice seemed likely to upend that after serving as Mahomes’ clear No.1 prior to his injury.
If Rice’s price dips down into Round 4, I’ll be buying again. But he and Worthy should be going side-by-side at minimum now.
Omarion Hampton Rocketing Up 2025 Rankings after Najee Harris’ Injury
How NFL Players can injure themselves with fireworks, with millions of dollars on the line, is beyond my comprehension. Nonetheless, Najee Harris hurt his eye, and while he is expected to make a full recovery by the season, he’s at least opened Chargers camp on the NFI list.
Hampton, an athletic marvel especially compared to the volume-eating slug that is Najee, was bound to steal this starting job at some point. Harris really didn’t need to hold the door open like this, but now Hampton’s likelihood of starting from Day 1 and never looking back are far greater.
The upside of Hampton is astronomical. Three down skills and build. A 4.46 forty at 221, 99th percentile speed score. PFF’s 10th ranked line. High-end offense and QB play. He’ll break fantasy as soon as he’s seeing the majority of the volume, and it could really be Week 1 now. I’d chase Hampton up to Round 2. I wasn’t touching Najee, and don’t plan to change that now.
Quinshon Judkins Domestic Abuse Charges: Unclear 2025 Fantasy Status, Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford Rise
Quinshon Judkins was arrested for domestic battery this weekend, with a disturbing police report released. The Browns had yet to sign Judkins to an official deal, and are apparently “in no rush to do so” following this news.
Mike Florio believes Judkins could be placed on paid leave when he is ultimately signed, and the commissioner’s exempt list. He is currently not at Training Camp, and who knows if / when he will practice. Whether he faces a suspension or falls far behind as a result, Judkins is a major red flag now.
The upside is still there — unfortunately, we’ve seen assault cases get kicked down the road many times by the NFL, and if Judkins does play all 17 games, he’s in a prime spot to be an athletic bell cow. You could “buy the dip” in hopes of this scenario… but I personally don’t want my fortunes tied to a scum bag. Karma should play out here.
In his absence, Dylan Sampson (who may just be straight up better) SHOOTS up my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings. Jerome Ford was previously off my radar 100%, but is now very palatable at his current ~180s price tag, especially in a zero-RB build that needs some early season “chaperones” while I wait for rookie RB breakouts.
Tre Harris Path Even Clearer to 2025 Fantasy Football Upside with Mike Williams Retired
I’ve been all-in on Tre Harris all offseason, including the Pre-Draft “Big Board” contests and especially after he landed with the Chargers. Harris is an elite man-beater, with historic YPRR vs. Man Coverage with plenty of juice for his large frame.
Now, Mike Williams has officially retired. While Williams shouldn’t have been a huge obstacle, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper reports the Chargers “are now relying on Tre Harris” to be their “starting X.” The team anticiapted him “earning starter snaps early on this season if he acclimated quickly,” but now there is no fall back plan.
Popper also noted Quentin Johnston “has not proven to have the she skill set to play X. He is not consistent or strong enough off the line of scrimmage, and he struggles in 50-50 ball situations.
Without Williams, “the real competition and veteran security” for the X position have been removed. All Harris needs to do now is deliver — but I love him around 100 in Best Ball and as a last round flier in Redraft.
Jajaun Jennings Seeking a New Contract or Trade; Dips Slightly while Pearsall and Kittle Rise
Jajaun Jennings is among my highest-drafted WRs so far — he proved capable of shouldering WR1 duties for the 49ers throughout last year, and seemed prime to do so for at least a portion of 2025 with Deebo Samuel traded and Brandin Aiyuk a PUP candidate.
Of course, Jennings is now seeking a trade or raise, which could impact his 2025 Fantasy Football value greatly. Ultimately, Jennings is “expected to be on hand” when the 49ers report on Tuesday according to Matt Barrows, who also notes: “that doesn’t necessarily mean the situation will be smooth and tidy.”
Jennings takes a slight hit in my rankings for now, but I expect a deal to be done and Jennings to operate in a potential Alpha Role early on. Still, the risk needs to be considered, especially in how Jennings’ removal would sky rocket Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle. Both get some speculative bumps for now.
Jaydon Blue Reportedly Lazy and Unimpressive So Far
If there’s one player I didn’t want to see negative news about… it was Jaydon Blue. He’s been my highest-drafted player by a mile this offseason, although that could come to a screeching halt if his Training Camp Performance doesn’t improve.
Former Cowboys coach Glenn Smith said coaches “have expressed that Jaydon Blue is ‘borderline lazy’ and that the team is not thrilled with his work habits.”
There have reportedly been “no reports of Blue working with the first team offense during OTAs or Minicamp,” and this could clarify why. While I still see a ton of upside given the Cowboys’ paltry depth chart, Blue’s game-breaking speed and receiving skills, and the overall explosive offensive environment, I will definitely be cooling my Blue exposure unless I hear some positive camp reports — which wouldn’t shock me at all! The Blue Ship isn’t completely sunk, but it certainly needs some holes to be plugged during camp.
More information on Jaydon Blue here.
In the wake of Blue’s fall, Javonte Williams gets a slight nudge up. The larger riser, however, is Miles Sanders, who has reportedly been running equally with the ones and looking more impressive. If Blue can’t stave these two off, he was never going to be a league-winner — but I’ll be sprinkling in a ton more Sanders at his current ~185 ADP in Best Ball.
Top-12 Ranking Updates While Working on my 2025 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Bijan Robinson, Brian Thomas Rise
While diving into every Round 1 & 2 prospect for my 2025 Fantasy Football Draft Guide, I decided to make a few early round switches:
A) Bijan Robinson is now my RB1 ahead of Saquon Barkley. I see very similar ceilings and consistency (slightly higher for Barkley), but a lot more risk with Barkley after learning about all the curses — 370+ touches, 400 carries, 2000 yards, Madden Cover! I know that may seem silly, and it likely is, but if both prospects are equals in terms of upside, I will lean to the one who has the higher floor in Bijan. I will publish an article on Bijan vs. Barkley soon.
B) Brian Thomas rises after diving into just how effective he was out of the slot, and how Liam Coen plans to maximize his skillset in a role similar to the one that allowed the less-explosive Chris Godwin finish as the WR2 in FPPG.
Darren Waller to the Dolphins: Probably Washed… but not without Upside (7/1/25)
Fresh off the Jonnu Smith trade, Darren Waller is coming out of retirement to join the Miami Dolphins.
Most likely, this move means nothing. Waller has struggled to stay healthy, playing 11, 9, and 12 games from 2021-2023 before his surprise retirement in 2024.
Yet… in a PPG basis, Waller was the TE6, TE10, and TE14 in those ugly seasons. The two year’s before? Waller was the TE2 and TE2, behind only Travis Kelce.
The Dolphins funneled 111 looks to Jonnu last year — largely because the line was atrocious, forcing more of a “quick-hit” attack since the downfield routes had no time to develop. The line looks pathetic again in 2025, s
Jonnu Smith Traded to Steelers to Dolphins – Fantasy Impact on Smith, Pat Freiermuth, & Steelers (6/30/25)
Arthur Smith couldn’t go another season without Jonnu Smith, and thus the duo reunites in the stuff of fantasy nightmares.
In Miami, Smith was a bonafide TE1. He finished fourth in total targets (111) & fantasy points with a 88-884-8 TDs line. Had he remained in Miami, I would have ranked Smith as the TE6, just below TJ Hockenson.
Now, Smith forms a brutal TE Duo with Pat Freiermuth, where the pair should constantly eat into one another’s volume & production in an already low-pass attack under Smith.
Honestly, neither TE are on my 2025 Fantasy Radar. In my Updated 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings, Smith falls to my TE31, behind Ja’Tavion Sanders. Meanwhile, Pat Freirmuth joins the free-fall, landing down at TE33.
Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson weren’t overly attractive sleepers anyways, but they too fall with the added competition. A small Aerial Pie split between this many meh mouths rarely ends in useful fantasy results. DK Metalf is the only Steeler Pass-Catcher I’ll invest in… and even that will be a light bag.
Jonnu Smith Trade Fantasy Impact on 2025 Dolphins: De’Von Achane to the MOON, Tyreek & Waddle UP (6/30/25)
While Smith sours my (already non-existent) taste for all 2025 Steelers, I am now far more interested in the Miami Dolphins. Smith vacates 111 targets, fourth-most among TEs.
Immediately, De’Von Achane pops to mind as the biggest winner. Achane and Jonnu were middle-of-the-field dominators last year. Even with Smith on the field, Achane’s pace with Tua was INSANE:
Yes, Achane was legitimately on pace to be THE BEST RB in Fantasy Football– and he now just lost his greatest target competition for those middle-of-the-field looks!
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle also both rise with this news. Hopefully, the Dolphins line can be even just slightly better and allow more long-developing routes and explosive plays deep down the field. On paper, the line looks just as bad — but if a few big draft investments hit, we could see a massive rebound.
It wasn’t long ago (2022) that Tua-Hill-Waddle were winning people millions every week in DFS. Waddle was the PPR WR8 & led all WRs in Fantasy Points Over Expectation, while Hill nearly became the first WR to hit 2,000 yards with a WR2 finish.
While I don’t expect a return to that exact threshold, especially with Achane now eating targets, I do think Hill & Waddle can both finish as Top-15 WRs in fantasy if Miami regains their mojo. We were all singing Mike McDaniel‘s praises just a season ago. If they rebound at these reduced prices, the Dolphins will be among the highest-rostered championship pieces of 2025.
Achane, Hill, and Waddle all shoot up in my 2025 Updated Fantasy Football Rankings and Big Board.
Emeka Egbuka Rising After Stellar OTAs (and I was just way too low) – 6/29/25
Sometimes, I just realize I was wrong and either way too low or high on a player.
Emeka Egbuka was one of those. Previously ranked in my 140s, Egbuka shoots up into my Top-100 after a stellar OTAs for the Pro-Ready WR (Egbuka Fantasy Outlook updated here).
In short – I had a bad case of “Week 1 Brain,” and was not considering the long-term upside of Egbuka. And then I realized — he may feast as early as Week 1 if Chris Godwin‘s injury lingers, so this isn’t just a “stash-and-see.” After finishing OTAs as the Bucs’ most impressive (& often most targeted) player, Egbuka gets a sharp rise on both my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings & my 2025 Best Ball Rankings
Revisiting the Bears Backfield for 2025 Fantasy: D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai Rise, what about Roschon Johnson? (6/17/25)
No changes have been made to the Bears backfield… which is exactly why they are all risers in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
Both Nick Chubb (Texans) and JK Dobbins (Broncos) have officially signed for the 2025 season, clearing out the last true land mines remaining for the Bears Backfield to dodge.
Consequently, D’Andre Swift rises BIG into my “solid RB2” tier. Ben Johnson has been effusive in his praise for Swift since the pair reunited.
Meanwhile, the Montgomery-inspired “Big Back” role seems up for grabs between Roschon Johnson and Rutgers Rookie RB Kyle Monangai. While Johnson would seem to be the favorite, Monangai was hand-picked by this staff and has reportely been the most impressive player in early camp. I’ve bumped down Roschon quite a bit while Monangai becomes one of my favorite late-round sleeper targets in redraft and Best Ball.
Oronde Gadsen = THE Sleeper TE of 2025 Fantasy (6/17):
The hype train on Chargers Rookie TE Oronde Gadsden is at a fever pitch. He’s received praise from HC Jim Harbaugh, OC Greg Roman, and now TEs Coach Andy Bischoff has compared him to Darren Waller?!
With only Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly to beat in a Roman-scheme that has fed TEs before, Gadsden is quickly becoming my favorite 2025 Sleeper TE. He’s reportedly been to the facility by 5:30am every morning, and become a go-to target for Justin Herbert as he works his way into first-team reps. Gadsden is now inside my Top-200 Fantasy Football Big Board for 2025.
JK Dobbins to Denver: Fantasy Riser, Plus Impact on RJ Harvey’s 2025 Fantasy Outlook (6/16/25)
JK Dobbins to Denver Fantasy Impact covered in greater depth here
JK Dobbins joins the Broncos, home of Sean Payton‘s GOLD MINE RB scheme. Dobbins, who finished second in comeback player of the year, ranked 10th in Rush Yards per game & RB17 in FPPG (just ahead of Breece Hall and just below Chase Brown). While his long speed seemed sapped, Dobbins’ elite vision and constant “churn forward” mentality were fully on display, and he should fit perfectly into Payton’s “Big Back” role.
The Broncos ranked second in PFF Run Blocking Grades, 10th in total points per game (25), and project to take a meaningful step forward in Bo Nix‘s second year. This is a phenomenal environment.
Especially considering Sean Payton‘s historic deployment of RBs in the passing game. Since 2013, Payton-led offenses have ranked Top-5 in RB Target share in every season. In 17 seasons, Payton’s backfields have ranked Top-2 in total fantasy season a whopping 12 times (70%). Payton has directed 120+ passes to his RBs 12 times since 2006, when he became a head coach — this has happened just 32 total times in that span (& Payton is TWELVE of them!). In 17 years, he has NEVER ranked outside the Top-5 in expected receiving points to RBs.
All this to say: I think both Dobbins and electric rookie RJ Harvey can thrive in 2025 at their current prices. In 2017, Alvin Kamara was the RB3 and Mark Ingram was the RB6. He has had TWO Top-24 RBs from the same backfield four different times. Payton’s RB2’s have average 13.4 PPR FPs over the course of his career!
Harvey brings 4.4 speed and elite contact balance to the table. Payton has only gushed over Harvey, saying, “Harvey—[he] was kind of our pet cat throughout the process. His running style, he’s dynamic, really good vision, really good instincts, really good contact balance, highly explosive. We thought maybe he had the best vision in the draft. You see the plus-10s, I think he leads everyone with plus-10 runs. Home run ability… We feel like he can improve in the pass game. He wasn’t featured there, but we really liked this [running] back.”
And if you need any further convincing, just look at the quads:
Best Ball Impact: Ultimately, I love both Broncos RBs at their current prices. I had 42% of JK Dobbins before the signing, scooping him in the 170-190 range in close to half of my drafts. With his price now in the 140s & RB47, I still foresee plenty of Dobbins in my future. I also had nearly 30% of Harvey, and see myself continuing to hold around this number as his price dips into the 60s. Harvey may not be the clear-cut three-down horse any longer, but Payton’s historic success with RBBC’s, Harvey’s elite athleticism, and a phenomenal Broncos’ environment make him a smash still in Round 5-6.
Anthony Richardson’s Shoulder Injury Makes Daniel Jones More Likely Week 1 Starter (6/15/25) – Josh Downs, Michael Pittman 2025 Fantasy Risers
The Colts were planning to hold an open competition at QB, but Anthony Richardson suffered a shoulder injury. He’s missed all of minicamp, allowing Daniel Jones to soak up 1st team reps and create some distance in the QB race. While Richardson’s injury won’t require surgery and could even be ready for camp, Jones has reportedly looked solid:
Jones has always been a check-down machine, feeding slot weapons like Wan’Dale Robinson and even Richie James. This is great news for underneath threats like Josh Downs and Michael Pittman, who has sneakily been working with Jones all offseason and is among my favorite fantasy values right now. Exciting rookie TE Ty Warren also sees a nice surge and fits Jones’ strengths well too.
Shoot, when Jones got hot ahead of the Giants’ surprise playoff run two seasons ago, Isaiah Hodgins and James were both Top-24 WRs in FPPG over the last stretch of the season. Downs and Pittman both have significantly higher ceilings and floors now.
Alec Pierce, among my highest-rosted Best Ball players, takes a fair hit as Jones often shies away from the big-play. Jones does have a strong arm, he simply plays conservatively — perhaps Steichen can help him push it.
This also sneaky-boosts up Jonathan Taylor and the RBs. Sure, Jones is mobile, but he is not nearly the GL Vulture threat of a towering Anthony Richardson.
Best Ball Fantasy Impact: Jones himself is actually palatable, perhaps even desirable, in 2025 Best Ball Fantasy as a QB3 with spike-week upside due to his rushing. Don’t be surpised if he’s a popular early season 2025 Waiver Wire add for QB-needy teams.
Currently going around 190-200 ADP, Jones could be a true impact player. I love his upside in that range compared to the other fliers, and given Downs and Pittman are now targets in Round 8 as WR4s or WR5s, I love stacking DJ late — but only as a QB3!
Nick Chubb to Texans 2025 Fantasy Football Impact (6/9/25)
Nick Chubb joins the Texans on a one-year, $2.5M contract worth up to $5M with incentives. While Chubb is most likely to just be a depth signing / handcuff, Mixon isn’t exactly in his prime any more either. There’s a real shot Chubb steals some work, especially at the goalline, which bumps Mixon down slightly. Chubb is just a late-round handcuff stab after all his injuries.
Woody Marks also is now dead. Maybe he carves out some standalone receiving usage, but without the “handcuff upside,” there’s no ceiling here.
Rashee Rice Football Riser: Full-Go at Minicamp (6/5/25)
Rashee Rice continues to climb up my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board. He is a full-go a mini-camp and looks explosive & without limitations, according to Patrick Mahomes.
At the time of his injury, Rice ranked 10th Overall on my Rest of Season Fantasy Football Big Board. He was Mahomes’ Amon-Ra S. Brown “lay up” guy, with 9, 6, and 14 targets and three-straight Top-18 PPR FP performances (21.6 FPPG):
A suspension could still be lingering, but the Chiefs never get hit by the NFL, so I feel that is minimal. As of now, I have Rice back into my Top-24 overall (+16 Overall).
Best Ball Impact: Rice is already starting to climb in to Round 2, and I fully support it. In a WR-heavy market, I am hoping to lock in 20%+ bags of Rice even if it costs me Round 2 capital.
Jonnu Smith Fantasy Football Faller: Trade Possibility? (6/5/25)
Jonnu Smith is reportedly holding out of 2025 Mandatory Minicamp in hopes of a new deal. Smith is not wrong to want more, as his $4.6M salary is below luminaries like Austin Hooper, Will Dissly, and Josh Oliver, and he just set career highs with 88-884-8 TDs (Fantasy TE4).
Previously a target of mine, Smith now falls from TE6 to TE9. The Steelers are reportedly the most interested (thanks, Arthur Smith), which would be fantasy death for Smith. Should Jonnu remain in MIA and show up, I’d shoot him right back to my Top-6 TEs. Yet, the risk of a horrific landing spot makes Jonnu tough to stomach ahead of the other sure-fire TE1s.
Best Ball Impact: Jonnu had been a heavy target of mine, but I am largely fading even with his reduce 100-115 price tag. Granted, I have still scooped Smith when he dips to 125+ (especially if it completes a Bucs vs. MIA Week 17 stack). At that price, the huge upside is worth the near-zero risk.
Dak Prescott and George Pickens 2025 Fantasy Football Risers; Aaron Rodgers to Pittsburgh (6/5/25)
The Cowboys pulled off a heist, getting George Pickens for a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Pickens leaves a horrendous environment in Pittsburgh for a potentially fruitful one in Dallas. Steelers OC Arthur Smith can’t even generate enough volume to sustain one viable fantasy WR, so when DK Metcalf arrived, it seemed like fantasy doom for both of them.
Now, Pickens finds himself in Dallas. Typically, Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer has been run-heavy as a playcaller. However, this move suggests the team is open to chucking more often, and Pickens should feast on single-coverage next to stud CeeDee Lamb. His volume and surrounding talent both get a boost, even in a number two role, bumping Pickens 20+ spots into my Top-75 now.
Dak Prescott also gets a nice 30+ spot boost, now on the fringe of my Top-100. I still question his true upside in Schottenheimer’s scheme, but we’ve seen THE QB1 upside many times, so Prescott is definitely a worthy QB1 in a deep 2025 pool.
On the Pittsburgh side, DK Metcalf now becomes the sole No.1 WR in Pittsburgh, and gets a notable QB upgrade in Aaron Rodgers. Still, Arthur Smith’s run-obsessed scheme is death for WR production. His last 4 WR1’s (incuding two seasons of Drake London) = WR38, WR31, WR37, WR42. AJ Brown, among the greatest in the game right now, was WR21 & WR14 under Smith. Metcalf rises to 58th overall on my Big Board — still -11 ECR, but definitely more palatable.
Bookmark this page, which The Wolf will keep regularly updated all summer! Don’t forget to also save The Wolf’s 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings & Big Board (as well as Best Ball Rankings if you play!)
