The fantasy football season is right around the corner, and mock drafts are gearing up. Star wide receivers (WR), running backs (RB), and quarterbacks (QB) will be pivotal for leading teams to victory. However, smaller-market players like rookies and second options can determine which team is the most consistent. This year’s rookie class has the potential to save many fantasy teams from missing the playoffs. Some role players who found a new team will prove themselves as a vital point-scorer.
Millions of people nationwide and globally log into their fantasy football apps every year to start the process anew. They converse with their comrades to arrange a date for their draft, where they build their team for the year.
During the season, teams can request trades from other teams and pick up players from the waiver wire who weren’t drafted. At the end of the year, a certain number of teams make the playoffs and battle it out to be crowned champion of the league. These tips and tricks will help anyone building a winning team.
Last year’s performers
2024 saw a majority of points collected by quarterbacks, who can collect points in different ways. They score one point for every 25 passing yards and every 10 rushing yards. Furthermore, they gain four points for a passing touchdown and six for a rushing touchdown.
The top-scoring quarterback during the 2024 season was Lamar Jackson, with over 430 fantasy points. Last year’s MVP, Josh Allen, came in with 379 points, and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow had 373 points.
In recent years, with the decreasing frequency of star running backs, wide receivers are becoming more valuable. WRs receive a fantasy point for every 10 receiving yards and six for a receiving touchdown. There is a higher concentration of star power and value in the current wide receiver market.
Ja’Marr Chase set many receiving records this past season, with 1700 yards and 17 touchdowns, along with over 400 fantasy points. Justin Jefferson of the Vikings and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Lions both earned over 315 points.
The strength of the top few running backs is noticeable, but the drop-off is large in terms of value for the rest of the RBs. Running backs receive the same points as receivers, but they can also gain points as receivers. That is the reason why running backs were so valuable a few years ago.
The top performer in the RB position was Jahmyr Gibbs of the Lions, with 363 fantasy points. Right behind Gibbs were Bijan Robinson of the Falcons and Saquon Barkley of the Eagles, both obtaining more than 340 points.
Bounce-back candidates
Stefon Diggs – Ranked by most fantasy apps as the 90th overall player and the 43rd wide receiver on the board. Diggs only played eight games last season and ended up with about 500 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Going into this season, he will team up with Drake Maye and the Patriots for a promising year. Maye looks to improve to become one of the league’s best young QBs with a skillful WR. Expect Diggs to step up this year and for the Patriots to make a push towards the playoffs.
Nick Chubb – After blowing up his knee in the 2023 season, Chubb was limited in the 2024 season as well. Chubb is not high on anyone’s board, as he sits at RB #50.
In 2025, Chubb will play for the Houston Texans behind Joe Mixon, who rushed for over 1000 yards last season. However, Mixon will miss time early in the season due to an injury in camp this summer. Chubb will receive more touches than people think with Mixon out, and he could return to being a star RB like a few years ago.
Deebo Samuel – At 83rd overall and the 38th overall WR, Samuel is looking for a breakout year after a few disappointing seasons. Since his record season in 2021, Samuel has not been much of a dual-threat WR, not breaking 900 yards or seven touchdowns.
In 2025, Samuel will suit up for the Washington Commanders, a young offense that shone last season. Jayden Daniels could continue his unreal success with a receiver like Samuel, who could also be a factor in the run game.
Newcomers
Ashton Jeanty – The #6 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Raiders is projected as the 10th overall player and the 5th overall running back. Jeanty broke all kinds of records at Boise State last season, rushing for 2600 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He arrives in Las Vegas to a struggling offense that added a couple of pieces, including himself, like QB Geno Smith. Chip Kelly, his new offensive coordinator, had a great amount of success last year at Ohio State University. He helped the Buckeyes to a National Championship, but will he be able to turn the Raiders around with Jeanty at the rear?
Omarion Hampton – The #22 overall pick in this year’s draft opens as the #35 overall player and the #17 RB. Hampton ran for over 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns in back-to-back seasons at North Carolina. The RB room for the Chargers has been depleted since the loss of J.K. Dobbins to the Broncos. Hampton is the right guy to fill the gap, literally and figuratively.
Jim Harbaugh’s offense thrives with the addition of a power RB, as seen at the University of Michigan. Hampton will be their RB1, expected to get a lot of touches this season, adding to the Chargers’ high-powered offense.
Tetairoa McMillan – The #8 overall pick in this year’s draft comes out as the 56th best player and the 27th best WR on the board. McMillan’s last two years at Arizona were impressive, racking up a combined 2700 yards and 18 touchdowns.
His tall, wide stature gives him a great advantage over most defensive backs, not including his speed and agility. McMillan could be the guy to give Bryce Young another option and turn the offense around.
Build a team
Deciding who to draft is a huge part of a fantasy team’s success for the duration of the season. Drafting players that will score as many points as possible for your team with the least risk of injury seems impossible.
For a first-round selection, no matter what position a team is selecting, they should go with the best available. Past the first round, there are strategies for drafting well to ensure the team is well-rounded. Here are some tips and tricks to use for an upcoming draft:
- The first three rounds are to be used for reliable/consistent WRs or RBs.
- RBs are the most prone to injury on an offense, so be aware of injury history.
- There will be QBs off the board early, but be patient, you will be able to find a useful QB after round three.
- Average Draft Position (ADP) is very useful when deciding who to draft, but rookies are difficult to evaluate, so don’t reach for a rookie.
- In the later rounds, be aware of a team’s depth chart to ensure there is minimal competition in that position room.
- Be ready to adjust when a player goes off the board before they were expected to.
Week-to-week during the season, it would be smart to look for defenses that are playing weak offenses. always being aware of the waiver wire will help any team be ahead of the game. If a player gets hurt, there’s a good chance that their backup is a free agent on waivers, ready to be picked up.
With all of this information in mind, may the best players win!
