Now that NFL free agency is upon us, we’ll run through the fantasy football outlooks for trades, re-signings, midrange deals, and tag recipients.
This analysis will be updated as players continue to move about in free agency, so be sure to check back regularly.
Traded/signed with a new team
- WR DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers (3/9)
- WR Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams (3/9)
- WR Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders (3/1)
NEW (3/21) — QB Jameis Winston, New York Giants: Short and sweet … until we know what else the Giants are doing at the position, which likely will be via the draft at this point, Winston can’t be considered more than a placeholder given the deal is worth only $8 mill over two years. Should he somehow manage to start most of the year, there’s matchup value to be had, if you can stomach the turnovers.
RB Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings: The San Francisco 49ers traded another offensive piece in Christian McCaffrey‘s primary backup, presumably turning the RB2 chores over to second-year back Isaac Guerendo. In Minnesota, Mason not only fits the offensive design nicely but also gives fantasy gamers a low-cost, high-upside flier late in drafts who could emerge as a weekly option. Aaron Jones re-signed and will be the top option, but the seasoned veteran will need breathers and could even get babied for a possible postseason run. Jones drafters should handcuff Mason as their RB4.
WR Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks: A homecoming for the Washington native has Kupp poised to catch passes from Sam Darnold with third-year pro Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the presumed WR1 of this new-look passing game. Kupp, who turns 32 in June, should be the second target for Darnold once the dust settles in this high-volume West Coast offense. Injuries are the most glaring weakness in his fantasy profile, and Kupp isn’t the same player as his explosive 26-game stretch between the 2021 and ’02 seasons, but that doesn’t mean he won’t present WR3/flex PPR draft appeal. Here’s still some upside, presuming he can stay on the field, if for no reason but expected target share.
QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks: The ‘Hawks are going through a rebuild and swapped Geno Smith to Las Vegas for picks, which opened the door for throwing $100.5 million at Darnold over a three-year agreement. The Minnesota Vikings helped create the perfect storm for Darnold to finally showcase the skills that made him a high draft selection, but life won’t be as easy in Seattle. The weaponry isn’t as impressive, and the system doesn’t have the same track record with quarterbacks, but he should throw enough to sneak into QB1 territory a few weeks. Seattle made a potentially strong move in signing WR Cooper Kupp on March 14, but the nearly 32-year-old Washington native has been an injury waiting to happen the last few years. The sum of his 2025 fantasy value is best viewed as a low-floor, modest-upside QB2.
RB Miles Sanders, Dallas Cowboys: Since authoring a career-best 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 with Philly, Sanders was an unmitigated disaster in two seasons with Carolina. Interestingly, his strongest performance came in his last game with the franchise, scoring each a rushing and receiving TD in the regular-season finale with Chuba Hubbard out of commission. In Dallas, he’ll compete for touches with Javonte Williams, who, like Sanders, has been a career underachiever in relation to pure talent. Sanders turns 28 in May and has limited mileage with only two seasons of more than 200 touches in his six-year career. We’ll closely monitor this battle throughout the summer, because neither Sanders nor Williams was paid handsomely, suggesting financial loyalty won’t be a factor.
RB Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys: Once a prized fantasy selection, Williams hasn’t lived up to the hype in his four NFL season — one cut short by a torn ACL in 2022. He hasn’t shown the same spring in his step since and has been forced to rely on his receiving chops to remain even remotely relevant in fantasy the past two years. At only $3 million on a one-year deal, it was obvious Dallas would bring in competition for touches, and the front office did just that with Miles Sanders. We will keep a close eye on this situation over the coming months to get a better feel for an expected split. In a fresh setting, Williams is an intriguing flier as an RB3 but probably will be overdrafted in many formats if it appears he’s ahead of Sanders during camp.
RB Raheem Mostert, Las Vegas Raiders: A year after a breakout season, Mostert rushed for a career-low 3.3 yards per carry in 2024 and finished with fewer than 75 PPR points. He turns 33 years old in April and has little chance of being more than a complementary option in an offense that fully should be expected to address the position in the draft. In 2025, Mostert is no more appealing than a late-round desperation pick to fill out a roster.
RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers: Dowdle, fresh off his first 1,000-yard campaign, comes over from Dallas to partner with Chuba Hubbard, a similarly styled back who also broke out in 2024. While it’s unclear what the precise utilization split will look like, Hubbard gets the benefit of the doubt after signing a four-year, $33 million deal last November. Dowdle is more of an effort back than being naturally gifted, but this situation will warrant attention over the summer months to get a firmer grasp on the situation. For now, view Hubbard as an RB2 and Dowdle as a premium handcuff or standalone No. 4.
RB AJ Dillon, Philadelphia Eagles: The bruiser from Boston College sat out all of last year with a neck injury but has been cleared to resume his career. He heads to Philly and presumably will fight for the top backup job behind Saquon Barkley. In the event a massive workload catches up to Barkley, Dillon could see RB1 touches in a run-heavy offense, but he’s still little more than a fantasy curiosity for now.
TE Evan Engram, Denver Broncos: This addition makes plenty of sense for both sides. Fantasy owners also should benefit in a big way — if he can stay healthy. Denver has an ascending quarterback in Bo Nix, and Courtland Sutton is close enough to being a WR1 that Engram won’t see many doubles. Sean Payton has proven he knows how to incorporate a tight end into his offense, and this was a favorable division for fantasy TEs in 2024. Engram is a risk-reward decision once the primary TE1 names come off the board.
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens: This is a great signing for the Ravens from a veteran presence but doesn’t really move the needle in fantasy. He surprised in 2023 with Tennessee but was a nonfactor last year as a Kansas City Chief. At age 33 this season, it’s unfair to expect much from him beyond back-of-the-roster value as an occasional fill-in.
TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints: The physical traits are there for a breakout season, and the system is favorable for it … now if only Johnson is able to prove he can stay on the field. The fifth-year pro has considerable upside for fantasy success, and he’ll be catching passes from Derek Carr again, which breeds continuity. The position as volatile as it gets each year, so Johnson has a chance to crack the top 12 in 2025, but finding out will not be for the faint of heart.
QB Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts: A one-year deal worth up to $17.7 million has Jones staying in the Upper Midwest to compete for the starting job with third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who has struggled through injuries and poor passing performances. Make no mistake, the front office wants nothing more than to see its former first-round investment take off like a Lucas Oil-powered dragster, but they won’t hesitate to slap the kill switch if the season is going sideways. Jones resurrecting his career to become fantasy-relevant is a tough sell in any universe. The overarching fantasy takeaway here is that Indy once again wastes a talented receiving corps thanks to inferior quarterbacking. Lame.
RB Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers: A one-year deal worth over $9 million has Harris set to be the workhorse in a run-oriented offensive system. He does everything well enough but has yet to recapture his rookie success for fantasy purposes. Unless the Bolts find a complementary back who forces his way into a large role, Harris could touch the ball well over 300 times this year. The biggest issue is a total lack of explosiveness from his game, but you’ll get a functional effort from him practically on a weekly basis as an RB2 or flex if you’re content with just getting by in those spots.
QB Kenny Pickett, Cleveland Browns: The Philadelphia Eagles traded the former Pittsburgh Steeler back into the AFC North for Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-rounder this year. Pickett should earnestly compete for the starting job as Deshaun Watson spends the offseason program ramping up after blowing out an Achilles tendon last year that required a follow-up procedure. Don’t discount the former Pitt Panther winning the job outright, regardless of Watson’s health, so long as he looks competent in camp. That said, his fantasy appeal is next to zero.
QB Justin Fields, New York Jets: Another year, another reset for the Jets. In 2025, it appears Fields will be the replacement for Aaron Rodgers after the former Chicago Bear spent a lone season mostly on Pittsburgh’s bench. Fields is a mixed bag of sheer athletic prowess and erratic quarterback play, which means he has a place on fantasy rosters, albeit as a high-upside reserve. The Jets have to upgrade the line and could use another receiver to complement Garrett Wilson, but a few young pieces are waiting in the wings. Expect a ton of play-action passing and RPOs to maximize Fields’ best attributes, but he’s still a work in progress.
WR Joshua Palmer, Buffalo Bills: The perplexing puzzle that is Joshua Palmer … after a promising sophomore season with 72 catches, 769 yards, and three scores, Palmer never really was able to capitalize on it the last two years, even with injuries and inexperience around him clearing the way for more chances. The fifth-year pro has played only one full season, making him a mild injury liability. He’s somewhat of a glorified possession guy, who has averaged fewer than 11 yards per grab in two seasons and 15 or more the last two. The Bills are hoping Palmer can replace Amari Cooper after he failed to to find his footing in Western New York after coming over via trade last season. By virtue of being in his age-26 season with Josh Allen throwing the ball, Palmer will have a place in fantasy but more as a late-round gamble than a lineup lock.
QB Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders: Seattle went into full-blast rebuilding mode, and the trade of Smith to Vegas brings a veteran presence to Sin City. The Raiders hired former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll this offseason, and it’s clear the franchise trying to immediately win given the ages of their new head honcho (74 in Sept) and Smith, who turns 35 in October. More weaponry needs to be assembled, but Smith is a stable No. 2 fantasy passer.
WR Christian Kirk, Houston Texans: The Jaguars were on the verge of cutting the vet before shipping him off to Houston for a seventh-rounder in 2026. The low investment means he’s not even necessarily a lock to make the final roster, though we expect he will at this time given the Texans’ positional depth needs.
Re-signed/extensions
WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: The LSU standout inked a blockbuster four-year, $161 million extension to lock him in for the prime of his career. Barring an injury to Chase or Joe Burrow, he’s a top-three WR lock in 2025.
RB Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings: The versatile vet felt there was some unfinished business in the Twin Cities, and the interest was mutual. He landed $13 million in guaranteed money on a two-year, $20 mill pact. Jones averaged 14.6 PPR points per game in his first year with the Vikes, largely fueled by going over 1,500 offensive yards. RB Jordan Mason was acquired from San Fran and will spell Jones on occasion. Should you draft Jones, Mason is strongly advised as a handcuff investment. Even though age is a factor as he turns 31 in December, Jones is a low-end RB2 or ideal third back.
RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs: There’s not a great deal of fantasy value here for Hunt, who turns 30 before the season kicks off, and will contend with a healthy Isiah Pacheco and newcomer Elijah Mitchell. Hunt has limited value for gamers chasing touchdowns in a pinch just to get something from a lineup slot, which makes him inherently risky. Factoring in age, a potential multiway split, and an isolated role, Hunt is a tough sell for drafters in any conventional format.
WR Darius Slayton, New York Giants: Once again, Slayton has opted to remain in New York in free agency. This time, he was paid better than many probably expected. A solid but largely one-dimensional receiver, Slayton is a deep threat with limited contributions for fantasy purposes. His fantasy production dipped last year to just 6.9 PPR points per game — two full points below the prior year — and he hasn’t reached even 9.0 points a contest since a 12.1 average as a rookie in 2019. Furthermore, the quarterback situation looks bleak no matter what New York does, so Slayton can be left on the wire.
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs and Godwin have forged a symbiotic relationship that has survived catastrophic injuries and multiple franchise tags. He was rewarded with a three-year, $66 million deal entering his ninth pro season. Godwin, when healthy, is a WR2 in aggregate but is among the most risky receivers on the injury front.
TE Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders: The 34-year-old bounced back in ’24 after a couple of down seasons. With Jayden Daniels favoring Terry McLaurin and now Deebo Samuel entering the fray, one has to wonder how consistently useful Ertz will be in 2025 fantasy lineups. He’s undraftable in most settings but makes for a fine waiver option in a pinch.
QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: A massive contract with $250 million guaranteed locks the NFL MVP in with four years remaining on his deal.
WR Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills: The reliable safety valve secured a four-year deal worth up to $60.2 million, but he remains a fringe fantasy option as a matchup play or injury replacement.
TE Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals: After a few years of diminished play that led to him bouncing around the league, the former Penn State standout managed to resurrect his career enough for the Bengals to ink him to a three-year, $22.5 million deal to remain in Ohio. He’ll offer occasional fantasy utility but markedly underperformed in the games in which Tee Higgins was on the field vs. when not.
WR Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs: The brief appearance last year after missing most of the season with injury was enough for KC to fork over up to $1l million. While he’s not automatically a fantasy option just because he plays for the Chiefs, there could be flex offerings with the right matchup.
RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles: The 2024 rushing champ was handsomely rewarded for his 2,000-plus-yard campaign with $41.2 million in new money.
WR Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers: After a year away from the franchise as he recovered from a torn ACL, Williams returned to LA in free agency. At 31 in October, he’s clearly on the downside of his career and will be merely a bit player in a run-heavy offense that already has a capable deep threat in the ascending Quentin Johnston. Williams is late-round roster depth in fantasy.
WR Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams: A one-year, $10 million deal has Atwell returning to the team as a situational receiver who can offer a waiver role if an injury or tasty DFS matchup presents a clear path.
Franchise/transition tagged
WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals: For the second straight offseason, Cincy slapped the franchise tag on Higgins — with the goal being to lock him in with a long-term deal. The Bengals did just that by inking Higgins to a four-year, $115 million contract. He’s becoming a bit of an injury liability but has WR2 baseline value when on the field.
