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Dave's 16 bold predictions for the 2025 fantasy football season. Dave gives one bold fantasy football prediction for each NFC team in 2025, including for Bijan Robinson and more.
Fortune favors the bold. Or so the old saying goes. That is often the case when it comes to playing fantasy football.
While it’s fun to get excited and draft the players you’re most confident in, it remains true that you don’t win your league on draft day. However, it’s also true that you don’t win your league by turtling up into a ball and making super safe, risk-averse picks. Fantasy football is still a predictions-based business after all. And if you want to win, sometimes you have to be a bit bold.
Today, that’s what we’re aiming to do. So, let's get crazy, have some fun, and make 16 bold fantasy football predictions for each NFC team in 2025.
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NFC East - Fantasy Football Bold Predictions
Dallas Cowboys: Miles Sanders will finish 2025 as the best Cowboys RB
All the talk this offseason has centered around Javonte Williams and rookie Jaydon Blue. Williams is the presumptive starter, but he was arguably the worst running back in the league last year. Among 46 backs with 100+ attempts, Williams finished:
46th in PFF rushing grade
43rd in PFF elusive rating
41st in PFF’s missed tackles forced
Blue is a fifth-round rookie with a fumbling issue and is reportedly in the coaching staff’s doghouse for poor practice habits.
Jaydon Blue Described as "Borderline Lazy" https://t.co/ZtXSIptSPD
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) July 18, 2025
Both these players may falter, and that would leave Sanders as the last man standing. He didn’t play well the last few years in Carolina, but Dallas is committed to running the ball. Sanders could see plenty of work.
As disgusting as it sounds, there’s a real possibility that Sanders leads all Dallas running backs in touches. That might mean it’s best to avoid this backfield altogether.
New York Giants: Malik Nabers finishes outside the Top-24 WRs
This is not a fun one to think about, but there’s a world where Nabers takes a step back after last season. New starting quarterback Russell Wilson and Nabers could struggle to get on the same page due to the former’s unique style of quarterback play. There’s also the possibility Wilson’s play further declines during the year. New York’s offensive line will also remain an issue.
This could all negatively affect the New York passing game. However, Nabers still posted a WR6 finish last year with horrific quarterback play, so he should be okay in 2025. Hopefully, this one doesn’t come to fruition because many managers are counting on Nabers for a big sophomore season.
Philadelphia Eagles: A.J. Brown finishes 2025 as the overall WR1
Brown’s current Yahoo ADP of 20th overall has him going in the second round of fantasy drafts. Managers who take him in Round 2 are in for a real treat.
Want a discounted WR1 in your #fantasyfootball draft?
Take A.J. Brown in Round 2.
Brown had a 29% TPRR & a 3.22 YPRR in 2024 per @FantasyPtsData
The #Eagles offense should throw the ball more this year. Brown will benefit.
Priority Round 2 Pick.
— Dave Ventresca (@FF_Stallion) July 17, 2025
The Philadelphia defense lost several players this offseason and is likely to experience regression. That means the offense will be forced to air it out more, and Brown would be the main beneficiary.
His advanced data is fantastic, and he’s still playing at a high level. Any increase in volume could mean a huge season is on the horizon. After he struggled with some injuries in 2024, look for Brown to re-establish himself as one of the premier receivers in the game.
Washington Commanders: Jacory Croskey-Merritt finishes the season as the highest-scoring Commanders RB
There were a couple of ways we could have gone with this one. But what the heck, let’s bust out Da Bomb Hot Sauce and get crazy. Side note- If you’ve ever tried this sauce, you know exactly what I’m talking about here. If you haven’t, don’t ever try it. Save yourself a lot of pain and just Google it.
Unless you’re a complete dynasty degenerate like myself, you’ve probably never heard of Croskey-Merritt. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Eligibility issues limited him to just one game at Arizona last year, causing him to fly under the radar. Make no mistake, though, this is a seriously underrated player.
The #Commanders are getting a tremendous value in the explosive, creative, & unpredictable RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (@JacoryMerritt15)!
Crosky-Merritt displays nimble footwork, strong leg drive to finish, & breakaway speed!#NFLDraft #RaiseHail @raj_manjrekar pic.twitter.com/f8tyRXojqX
— Noah K.M. Chang (@NoahKMChang) April 26, 2025
Croskey-Merritt is an explosive playmaker, and that’s significant when looking at the Commanders’ depth chart. Austin Ekeler is another year older and has struggled with injuries over the last two years. Brian Robinson Jr. is a solid back but lacks explosive upside.
There's a world where Croskey-Merritt emerges as the RB2, proves himself capable on limited touches, and eventually overtakes Robinson as the lead back. If you haven’t had your dynasty rookie draft yet, make sure you get Croskey-Merritt with one of your last picks.
NFC North - Fantasy Football Bold Predictions
Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze finishes 2025 as Chicago’s best fantasy WR
Odunze has become a polarizing player after his rookie year, but he’s still very talented. The arrival of Ben Johnson should only help Odunze reach his full potential. D.J. Moore will remain in the mix for targets. Rookie Luther Burden III looms in the background as well. However, Burden has missed significant time this offseason with a soft tissue injury, and it’s unclear how Moore will fit into Johnson’s offense.
Look for Odunze and quarterback Caleb Williams to continue growing together and strengthening their connection. Don’t be surprised when last year’s ninth overall pick emerges as the Bears’ best playmaker.
Caleb Williams' AND Rome Odunze's first career TD!
📺: #CHIvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/u0ICGLXCz7— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
Detroit Lions: Amon-Ra St. Brown finishes outside the top-12 WRs
The previously mentioned Ben Johnson is no longer calling plays for the Lions in 2025. This is significant because St. Brown was highly productive as a short-area target/slot wide receiver in Johnson’s offense. It’s now unclear what kind of role he will have under new play-caller John Morton.
The team has repeatedly stated that fellow receiver Jameson Williams will have a larger role in the offense this year. It’s possible Williams' role grows while St. Brown’s shrinks. A recent report also revealed that St. Brown underwent knee surgery this offseason. This could lead to him starting the season slowly, allowing Williams to emerge as the WR1.
Tight end Sam LaPorta remains in the mix for targets, and he presents a potential issue for St. Brown, too. There’s a possibility that St. Brown sees less volume this year. That would leave fantasy gamers who draft him in Round 1 feeling extremely disappointed.
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love wins league MVP, and Tucker Kraft finishes as a top-3 TE
Okay, I’m sneaking in an extra prediction here, but I am THAT bullish on the Green Bay offense. Love played very well last year despite battling multiple injuries. Now, he enters 2025 fully healthy, and the team has added another receiver with the drafting of Matthew Golden in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.
With Matt LaFleur as his head coach, Love has one of the best play-callers in the league behind him. He is primed for a big season.
Jordan Love threads the needle to Jayden Reed for an early Packers touchdown pic.twitter.com/gInmqjFqEK
— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) November 23, 2023
I’ve placed two separate bets on Love to win MVP this year and am targeting him in as many fantasy football drafts as I can as well. As for Kraft, I’ve been shouting from the mountaintops about him since the 2024 season ended. So, I’ll just leave you with this tweet for my thoughts on Kraft for now.
Why is Tucker Kraft still the TE12 in FFPC drafts?
He was 5th among all TEs in YAC in 2024 and his head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterback have all said he’ll be more involved this year. #FantasyFootball doesn’t have to be hard#GoPackGo
— Dave Ventresca (@FF_Stallion) July 17, 2025
I’m perfectly fine selecting Kraft as my primary tight end this year and am expecting big things. You should, too.
Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy finishes as a top-5 QB
McCarthy is surrounded by an abundance of talent and has Kevin O’Connell as his play-caller. He’s also an underrated athlete and has more upside as a rusher than some think.
He enters a perfect situation for a first-time starting quarterback, and O’Connell has proven he can get the best out of any signal-caller. Nobody should be surprised if McCarthy has a strong season. Fantasy managers should feel confident targeting him later in drafts if they deploy a late-round quarterback strategy.
NFC South - Fantasy Football Bold Predictions
Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson breaks Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record
Robinson is coming off a breakout season in 2024, where he ran for 1,456 rushing yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns.
Bijan with the burst for a 37-yard TD 🔥
📺: #ATLvsNO on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/hKRbrB8U8g— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
He also graded out well in several advanced metrics. Robinson finished seventh in Next Gen Stats rush yards over expected (RYOE), fourth in missed tackles forced, and second in PFF rushing grade.
With Michael Penix Jr. taking over as the starting quarterback, Atlanta will likely lean on its third-year back. Per Sharp Football, the Falcons are currently projected to face the easiest schedule of opposing rush defenses this year. Combine that with a potentially improved Falcons defense, and we could be looking at a monster season for Robinson in 2025.
New Orleans Saints: Do not have a player finish within the Top-24 of each position
Look. This team is going to be a train wreck. Following the sudden retirement of Derek Carr, New Orleans has no great options at quarterback. Their best offensive player is a soon-to-be 30-year-old Alvin Kamara, and the overall roster has many holes.
New Orleans looks like a team that’s playing for a high draft pick in 2026 to find a true franchise quarterback for head coach Kellen Moore. That means 2025 is going to be rough on the eyes. Avoid the Saints' offense at all costs in your fantasy draft this year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 2025 will be the first time Mike Evans does not reach 1,000 receiving yards
This has to happen at some point, right? Well, maybe not, but for the purpose of this article, we’re going to say it does. Evans missed three games last year battling another hamstring injury. As a result, he just barely cleared the 1,000-yard mark. Evans has consistently battled soft tissue injuries throughout his career, and these conditions typically don't improve with age.
Combine that with the offense likely taking a step back following the departure of offensive coordinator Liam Coen, and Evans could struggle a bit more than we are used to seeing. Evans turns 32 years old in August, and 2025 will be his 12th NFL season. Father Time remains undefeated. 2025 could be the year he claims Evans.
Carolina Panthers: Jalen Coker emerges as the best Panthers WR
Coker went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft but eventually signed with the Carolina Panthers. He showed some big-play ability as a rookie and posted a respectable 32-478-2 line in just 11 games.
Bryce Young TO JALEN COKER. 83-YARD TD.
📺: #DALvsCAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/9DdQnhGIEP— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024
Yeah, yeah. I know what you’re going to say. The Panthers just drafted Tetairoa McMillan eighth overall in the NFL Draft. I get it. While McMillan is an excellent receiving prospect, there are areas of his game he needs to clean up. If McMillan starts the season slowly, the door will be open for Coker to emerge.
How likely is this prediction to come true? Probably not very likely, but hey, a guy can dream, right? This one is really for all my fellow Jalen Coker truthers out there.
Jack Plummer with a dime to Jalen Coker for the touchdown 🎯
📱: Stream #CARvsBUF on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/GeZPfi10UJ
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
Update - Coker has been placed on the injured reserve due to a quadriceps injury and will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. As a result, he is only worth targeting in formats that have IR spots.
NFC West - Fantasy Football Bold Predictions
Los Angeles Rams: Blake Corum overtakes Kyren Williams as the Rams' RB1
The Rams still haven’t inked Williams to a long-term contract extension. As long as that’s the case, there will always be doubt in some fantasy gamers' minds when it comes to Williams. He already took a step backward last year from an efficiency standpoint and also experienced some fumbling issues.
Head coach Sean McVay has spoken multiple times this offseason about the need for the running game to be more explosive. That hasn’t been Williams' calling card, so the door might be open for another back to emerge.
While fourth-round rookie Jarquez Hunter has received a lot of buzz this offseason, Corum has become a forgotten name. That’s understandable given how his rookie season played out, but he’s still a talented back with good vision and is a more elusive player than Williams.
Blake Corum with the nasty jump cut and the biggest TD in Michigan history.
Words can't even describe what millions of Michigan fans across the globe were feeling in this moment#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/yB29wZH2bZ
— Underwood Unleashed (@Underwood_szn) June 24, 2025
Rookie running backs under Sean McVay have a history of seeing little action. So, it’s rather curious to see Hunter getting a lot of buzz.
Either way, it sounds like McVay wants more out of the running game this year. If Williams remains an un-explosive player, it’s more likely that Corum will be the man Los Angeles turns to in 2025. Corum makes for a good post-hype sleeper to target later in drafts.
Arizona Cardinals: Trey Benson outproduces James Conner and becomes the team’s RB1
Conner has been a stud each of the last two years, but he’s now 30 years old and on the back nine of his career. Benson’s rookie season was atrocious, but the Cardinals coaching staff was reportedly impressed with his play to close 2025.
With Conner another year older, there has been some speculation that the team could adopt a more committee-based approach this year. Arizona didn’t make any notable additions to the running back room, so Benson would be the primary beneficiary if that’s the case.
While Conner has remained a good player during his late 20s, he’s reached the point where his game can experience a rapid decline at any moment. Don’t be surprised if that’s the case in 2025, which would allow Benson to take on more work. He might take the RB1 job and never look back.
San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall finishes as a top-12 WR
Okay, so it’s not good news that Pearsall is beginning training camp on the PUP list. However, it’s nothing to panic about just yet. Hopefully, this is just a minor hiccup and he’ll be back on the field in no time.
Pearsall has an average Yahoo ADP of 118.3 overall, and despite being on the PUP list, he remains a screaming value.
First NFL TD for Ricky Pearsall ‼️
📺 #SFvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/J8kjN1jYLB
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 10, 2024
Deebo Samuel Sr. is no longer with the team. Brandon Aiyuk is likely to miss multiple games to begin the season. Jauan Jennings is embroiled in a contract standoff, and George Kittle turns 32 in October. This could all lead to Pearsall emerging as the team's top pass-catcher.
San Francisco felt confident enough in Pearsall to select him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. His rookie season wasn’t great, but that was in large part because he missed time recovering from a preseason gunshot wound that occurred during an attempted robbery.
There’s a lot of uncertainty regarding the 49ers' receiving room entering the season. What’s not uncertain, though, is that Pearsall has one of the best young quarterbacks in Brock Purdy throwing him the football and has one of the best offensive minds in Kyle Shanahan drawing up plays for him.
Yeah, it’s probably a good idea to draft Pearsall this year.
Seattle Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III finishes 2025 as a top-3 RB
Klint Kubiak takes over as Seattle’s offensive coordinator this year. He brings a rushing scheme with him that is ideal for a player with Walker’s talent. Seattle has also taken steps to improve its offensive line. The addition of guard Grey Zabel in the 2025 NFL Draft will bring some stability to this unit.
Walker has consistently graded out well in several running back metrics, and last year was no different. He also caught a career-high 46 receptions last year. This was significant because many analysts have dinged Walker for years due to a supposed lack of pass-catching upside. All of this suggests Walker is more than capable of producing a monster fantasy football season.
Seattle’s offensive line should play better this year, and that alone will help Walker. Consider that Seattle faces the seventh-easiest schedule of run defenses this year, according to Sharp Football, and Walker is poised to explode in 2025.
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