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Who are the top 15 NFL free agents for 2025 fantasy football? Joey Pollizze dives in and looks at the best free agents heading into the 2025 offseason.
Free agency is always one of the craziest times of the NFL offseason because so many different players will be switching teams. As a result, a lot of these players' fantasy value will change for next season. Just look at Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs from last year's free-agent class. Both running backs went to better situations and had one of their best fantasy seasons in 2024.
On the other side, some players go to worse situations and see their fantasy value decline. Players like Calvin Ridley, Mike Williams, and Gerald Everett fell under that category in last year's free-agent class.
So, who are the top free agents this offseason for 2025 fantasy football? Let's dive in and rank the top 15 NFL free agents for the next fantasy season.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
15. Diontae Johnson
There were a lot of different players to choose from for this spot. DeAndre Hopkins, Nick Chubb, Russell Wilson, and Mike Gesicki were all under consideration for No. 15 on this list. However, Diontae Johnson felt like the best choice here. If he lands in the right spot this offseason, he could be a better fantasy option than people might think.
Diontae Johnson is the freest money in the game right now.
Dude has never had below 50 receptions or 85 targets in a season before this year.
Has a Top-10 PPG finish on his resume (2021).
6+ targets every game the first 6 weeks w/ CAR before getting traded to teams he didn’t… pic.twitter.com/jmhjyI3ioJ
— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) February 6, 2025
Now, there is a ton of uncertainty surrounding Johnson right now. He was cut by two different teams at the end of the season and couldn't even get playing time on a Baltimore offense that lacked wide receivers. But don't forget, he is just 28 years old and has totaled over 700 yards in four of the past five seasons. He was also a solid fantasy option to start the 2024 season with the Carolina Panthers.
14. Javonte Williams
It would be a shock to see running back Javonte Williams wind up back with the Broncos. He wasn't involved much to end the 2024 season and only averaged 4.6 carries per game over his final eight contests. Still, Williams can return to being a low-end RB2 option in fantasy if he lands with a running back needy team in free agency.
A change of scenery is much-needed for Williams, and that change could possibly help him recapture that rookie-year form. He totaled 903 rush yards and finished as the RB17 in PPR formats back in 2021. Given that the former Broncos running back is only 24 years old, he could find himself in a solid situation for fantasy next season.
13. Rico Dowdle
Running back Rico Dowdle is coming off the best season of his career in 2024, so he should get some interest from several teams this offseason. He ran for a career-high 1,079 yards and finished as the RB22 in half-PPR formats with the Dallas Cowboys last season. Dowdle will likely be looking for a multi-year deal, and it remains to be seen if the Cowboys will be willing to offer him that.
If he returns to Dallas and the team doesn't take a running back early in the 2025 NFL Draft, then he will be a solid RB2 option again next year. There's also a chance Dowdle finds himself with the Las Vegas Raiders or Pittsburgh Steelers, two teams that could be in the market for a starting running back.
12. Zach Ertz
Tight end Zach Ertz might have just turned 34 years old, but the veteran proved this past year that he can still be a solid fantasy option. Ertz finished as the TE7 in PPR formats and totaled 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. As a result, he should see some interest from other teams in free agency.
However, his ideal landing spot for fantasy is back with the Washington Commanders. He has already formed a nice connection with young quarterback Jayden Daniels, and their chemistry on the field grew as the season went on. The 34-year-old averaged 13.5 PPR fantasy points over the final seven games of the year.
11. Marquise Brown
Wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a prove-it one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason, but a preseason shoulder injury forced him to miss the first 15 games of the regular season. Therefore, it'll be interesting to see what type of contract he signs in free agency. He only appeared in five games (regular season and playoffs combined) this past year and didn't really do much in those contests.
Still, Brown could be one of the more sought-after wide receivers in free agency this offseason. He is only 27 years old and has shown his potential in years past. If the 27-year-old could land with a team like the Commanders or Panthers, he could be a consistent fantasy option for managers in 2025.
10. Keenan Allen
Wide receiver Keenan Allen is surely past his prime, but his poor numbers during the 2024 season could be correlated to the Bears' offensive struggles. He totaled only 744 receiving yards—his fewest in a season since 2015—and his WR34 fantasy in PPR formats also didn't rank particularly well. Allen, though, should be in a better situation next year.
The 32-year-old has already said he wants to play for the Bears, Chargers, or Rams in 2025. All three of those places are ideal landing spots for Allen in free agency. Chicago added offensive guru Ben Johnson as its head coach, and both Los Angeles teams are in need of a WR2 in their respective offenses. At the very least, he could be a fantasy high-end WR3 in those places.
9. J.K. Dobbins
Injuries have really set back J.K. Dobbins to begin his NFL season. He missed the entire 2021 season and half of the 2022 season due to a torn ACL and then missed 16 games during the 2023 campaign due to a torn Achilles. However, in the two years that Dobbins has stayed healthy (2020 and 2024), he finished as a top-24 fantasy running back twice.
Chargers RB JK Dobbins says he loves the team, the city, and the fan base. He hopes to return in 2025 with the team. pic.twitter.com/x0cPZxruKl
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) January 12, 2025
Therefore, where Dobbins lands in 2025 is really important for his fantasy value. If he goes to a place where he will start, he should be a reliable RB2 option again for fantasy managers. His ideal landing spots currently are the Chargers, Steelers, Cowboys, and Vikings.
8. Amari Cooper
Even though wide receiver Amari Cooper is coming off the worst statistical year of his career, he should still be in line for a multi-year deal this offseason. Cooper didn't really see playing time with the Bills when he was traded there at the deadline, but he has been one of the more consistent wide receivers over the past couple of years.
Cooper has totaled at least 1,100 receiving yards in four of the past six seasons and has finished as a top-20 fantasy option in two of the past three years. As a result, the 30-year-old wideout could go back to being a consistent fantasy option in 2025. Teams like the Broncos, Commanders, and Chargers could use another wide receiver on offense next year.
7. Justin Fields
It might shock some people that quarterback Justin Fields is this high on this list. However, from a fantasy perspective, he is one of the best free agents in this draft class. In six starts with the Steelers last year, Fields averaged 19.1 fantasy points per game and finished as a top-12 fantasy quarterback in half of those starts.
Even when he was the starter for the Bears, he averaged 18.4 fantasy points in 2023 and 20.3 fantasy points back in 2022. That makes Fields' landing spot one of the most important this offseason. If he lands with a team like the Jets, the 25-year-old will likely be a top-12 fantasy quarterback.
6. Sam Darnold
After a career year with the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Sam Darnold will enter free agency. While it remains to be seen if he winds up back with the Vikings, chances are he will find a new home this offseason. Darnold threw for a career-high 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions this past season while finishing as the QB9 in fantasy.
Therefore, Darnold should be in a good spot to land a starting job in free agency. Teams like the Jets, Raiders, and Steelers are all in need of a starting quarterback heading into the offseason. If the 27-year-old quarterback winds up signing with a team like the Raiders, though, he likely will be more of a QB2 option in fantasy in 2025.
5. Najee Harris
Najee Harris will be one of the best running backs on the free agent market this offseason. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his four NFL seasons and has finished as a top-20 fantasy running back in half-PPR formats every year. So, Harris will likely sign with a team that guarantees him a starting role in 2025.
Najee Harris’ career so far:
•Never missed a single game
•First RB since 2008 to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first 4 seasons
•One of just three players since 2021 with 4,000+ rushing yards and 1,100+ receiving yards
Still Doubting? 🤔🤔#NFL #Steelers pic.twitter.com/aQHBKX1jmR
— The Standard (@TheStandard412) January 8, 2025
We shouldn't rule out a potential return to Pittsburgh, but imagine if Harris lands with a team like the Cowboys or Bears in free agency. He would be the clear RB1 in Dallas' offense and could fill the David Montgomery role in Johnson's offense in Chicago next season. Either way, the 26-year-old running back should get a multi-year deal this offseason.
4. Aaron Jones
Running back Aaron Jones is on the older side, but he showed last year that he can still be a reliable RB2 option for fantasy managers. Jones finished as the RB15 in PPR formats and played 17 games for the second time in three seasons. He also ran for a career-high 1,138 yards and five touchdowns with the Vikings in 2024.
That makes him one of the top free agents for fantasy purposes entering the offseason. He has finished as a top-15 fantasy running back in five of the past six seasons and still clearly has a lot left in the tank. If the 30-year-old can stay with Minnesota next season, he should be drafted as a solid RB2 once again.
3. Stefon Diggs
Although wide receiver Stefon Diggs is 31 and coming off a torn ACL, he is one of the top offensive free agents in this year's class. He should see interest from multiple teams this offseason, and Diggs has some good years left in him. Before his ACL injury this past season, the veteran had 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns across eight games.
Diggs will now head to free agency, and his fantasy value will depend on where he lands. Re-signing with the Texans would be great for his fantasy value next season. Tank Dell will likely be out for the entire season, so the 31-year-old veteran would just have to compete with Nico Collins for targets. The Cowboys are also a solid fantasy destination for him, considering he'll act as the WR2 alongside CeeDee Lamb.
2. Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin is another wide receiver on this list coming off a season-ending injury. Godwin injured his ankle back in Week 7 and missed the remainder of the season. However, given how the former Buccaneers wide receiver looked in his first seven games in 2024, he should be one of the top wideouts on the free agent market this offseason.
Godwin totaled 50 catches for 576 yards and five touchdowns across seven games this past season and was the WR2 in PPR formats at that time. Going back to the Buccaneers would be the best-case scenario for his fantasy value in 2025 and beyond. However, if he were to leave this offseason, signing with a team like the Commanders wouldn't be a bad second option.
1. Tee Higgins
To no surprise, wide receiver Tee Higgins is the best offensive free agent on this list. As a matter of fact, Higgins might be the best free agent in all of football this offseason. He totaled 73 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 12 games this past season and only turned 26 years old in January. So, he is in for a big payday in free agency.
He should have multiple suitors on the free agent market and could see somewhere between $25-30 million a year on his new deal. It will be interesting to see if the Bengals can re-sign him once free agency opens up, but Higgins might chase the money. If he signs with a team like the Patriots, his fantasy value might decrease a little in 2025.
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