June 24, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles aren't as deep in their secondary after the offseason departures of Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Avonte Maddox. As a result, Cooper DeJean and rookie Drew Mukuba might both have flexible roles in the secondary in 2025, according to The Athletic's Brooks Kubena. DeJean is still being used at nickel, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is also using him at outside cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell in base packages. Mukuba, meanwhile, has taken first-team snaps at safety as he battles with Sydney Brown while also playing the slot with DeJean in dime packages. Philly still has plenty of talent in their secondary, but an injury to one of DeJean, Mukuba or Mitchell could cause serious issues on the back end.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Brooks Kubena
June 24, 2025
Multiple Philadelphia Eagles players this spring expressed the need for the offense to evolve in 2025, suggesting that there could be more variance under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, according to Inside The Birds' Andrew DiCecco. Running back
Saquon Barkley figures to be the primary beneficiary if that plan manifests in the form of a more balanced attack, minimizing his wear and tear. The 28-year-old became just the ninth player in NFL history to go over 2,000 rushing yards in a season in 2024 as the Eagles offense leaned heavily on him. He had career-highs in carries (345) and rushing yards (2,005) and totaled 482 touches (including the playoffs). While Barkley will again be called on to do most of the heavy lifting, it's also quite possible the Eagles will look to give him more rest after such a big workload in 2024. Still, he's going to be the first player off the board in most fantasy drafts this fall.
--Keith HernandezSource: InsideTheBirds.com - Andrew DiCecco
June 23, 2025
The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that there will be legitimate competition for the New York Jets' starting center job this summer at training camp. Joe Tippmann graded out decently last year, but he was a draft selection by the previous regime. New head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey brough in Josh Myers in free agency to push Tippmann, a former second-round selection. Myers pushed Tippmann during OTAs and minicamp, and he has the edge in experience as a starter and experience working with quarterback
Justin Fields from their time together at Ohio State in college. Rosenblatt still views Tippmann as the favorite to start at center to begin the 2025 season, but Myers is going to get a real shot at the starting gig in camp and the preseason.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zack Rosenblatt
June 23, 2025
The Athletic's Dan Duggan writes that the New York Giants' selection of outside linebacker Abdul Carter with the third overall pick in this year's NFL draft could be a game-changer for the team in 2025. Carter, in addition to pass-rushers Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeau, gives the G-Men the ability to dominate games on the defensive side of the ball. The Giants also upgraded their defense in the offseason by adding cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland in free agency. In 16 games in 2024 in his final season at Penn State, the 21-year-old Carter had 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. While Carter might be in more of a rotational role as an edge rusher initially in the Big Apple, he could emerge as a weekly IDP fantasy option sooner than later because of his game-wrecking ability.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Dan Duggan
June 23, 2025
The New Orleans Saints offensive line seems to be in place this year, and the team hopes their front five will be far more reliable than last year with four former first-round picks, according to The Athletic's Larry Holder. Trevor Penning, a first-rounder in 2022 is moving to left guard as he enters the final year of his contract after struggling at tackle in his first three NFL seasons. Holder writes that the move seems to fit Penning early on. Erik McCoy is the leader of the offensive line after missing most of the 2024 campaign due to injuries. This is certainly a positive development in new head coach Kellen Moore's first year in the Big Easy, especially if the Saints end up going with rookie second-round quarterback
Tyler Shough as their starter under center in 2025 following the abrupt retirement of
Derek Carr.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Larry Holder
June 23, 2025
The Miami Dolphins need a couple of cornerbacks to step up this year with a trade of Jalen Ramsey seeming more like a "when" than an "if" at this point, according to The Athletic's Jim Ayello. Head coach Mike McDaniel has effectively opened up the competition for anyone to grab the two starting outside jobs this summer, with Kader Kohou expected to start in the slot. Among the option for the two starting outside cornerback jobs are Storm Duck, Cam Smith, Artie Burns, Kendall Sheffield and Jason Marshall Jr. Isaiah Johnson, an undrafted free agent in 2024 who spent time on last year's practice squad, was among the standouts during offseason activities. He could put himself in position for one of the starting jobs if he continues to make progress during training camp. Ramsey is expected to be traded before training camp begins in late July.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jim Ayello
June 23, 2025
The Athletic's Jourdan Rodriguez writes that the Los Angeles Rams have some concerns along their offensive line as the 2025 regular season approaches. Starting right tackle Rob Havenstein (shoulders) missed OTAs while recovering from clean-out procedures on both of his shoulders, while starting left tackle Alaric Jackson is dealing with blood-clot issues similar to what caused him to miss time in 2022. DJ Humphries and David Quessenberry were insurance additions on the offensive line, but they didn't draft any tackles this year, and swing tackle Warren McClendon needs more development. There is time for Havenstein and Jackson to get healthy, but if they aren't ready for Week 1 this fall, quarterback
Matthew Stafford could face a lot of pressure in the backfield.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jourdan Rodrigue
June 23, 2025
The additions to the Los Angeles Chargers' offense this year should make second-year wide receiver
Ladd McConkey even more dangerous, according to The Athletic's Daniel Popper. The different is that last year the offense was stunted because they lacked vertical threats. This year, the Chargers have options that can attack defenses vertically from various alignments, which will open up short and intermediate areas for McConkey. Rookie wideout Tre' Harris and rookie tight end
Oronde Gadsden both have the ability to make plays down the field for the Bolts and take attention away from McConkey. McConkey was a fantasy stud in his first year in the NFL with 82 catches on 112 targets for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games (14 starts). The Chargers will remain a run-first offense, but McConkey should still be in play as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2 in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
June 23, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid made a point all offseason that he wants the offense to get back to pushing the ball deep down the field, according to The Athletic's Zak Keefer. The Chiefs finished 27th in the NFL last year in passing plays of 20-plus yards. However, with receivers
Rashee Rice,
Xavier Worthy,
Marquise Brown and
JuJu Smith-Schuster all healthy going into the 2025 season, they have a deeper wideout room than they've had in years. The Chiefs should place more emphasis on explosive downfield plays, which is good news for those that draft quarterback
Patrick Mahomes. The 29-year-old superstar finished as the QB12 in 2024 with KC's offense dinking and dunking underneath. If the Chiefs get back to being an explosive offense deep down the field, Mahomes has a shot at returning to top-five QB status.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zak Keefer
June 23, 2025
The Houston Texans' offensive line is still a big question mark, and The Athletic's Mike Jones writes that virtually every starting position on their O-line remains up for grabs heading into training camp this summer. Tytus Howard is the only returning starter, but he took snaps at right guard and right tackle during minicamp. Laken Tomlinson appears to be the starter at left guard, with Jarrett Patterson, Jake Andrews and Juice Scruggs competing at center. Cam Robinson and Aireontae Ersery split reps at left tackle during offseason workouts. The Texans gave up 90 sacks the last two years, so how their offensive-line setup shakes out this year will be worth closely monitoring for those considering taking
C.J. Stroud as their starting quarterback in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike Jones
June 23, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals rookie second-round linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. slotted into a starting spot immediately alongside Logan Wilson during offseason workouts and has already brought stability to the defense, according to The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. The 24-year-old is old for a rookie, which has made his addition more like a free-agent signing than a draft pick. Knight has the makings of a future leader of the defense in Cincinnati. He lacks size at 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, but he has good speed and was productive as a starter at South Carolina and Charlotte in college. Knight's coverage skills should make him an immediate starter in 2025 for a Bengals defense that was their glaring weakness last year. His athleticism and role as an every-down linebacker should also make him relevant in IDP fantasy leagues sooner than later.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
June 23, 2025
The Athletic's Adam Jahns writes that Chicago Bears new head coach Ben Johnson is challenging second-year quarterback
Caleb Williams every day about everything and is coaching him hard, which should be a good thing for his development going into his second NFL season. Johnson's fiery, demanding persona stood out on the practice field during the offseason program, and it's expected to continue into training camp this summer. The 23-year-old was sacked a league-high 68 times while throwing for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 17 starts after being the first overall pick in last year's draft. He also rushed for 489 yards. Fantasy managers should give the USC product a pass after the Bears fired their head coach and offensive coordinator midway through Williams' rookie season. With Johnson now running the offense and plenty of weapons at his disposal, Williams should take a step forward in 2025.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Adam Jahns
June 23, 2025
The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia writes that the battle for the Buffalo Bills' second starting cornerback job is wide open entering training camp this summer. The Bills signed both veterans Tre'Davious White and Dane Jackson in the offseason and also took Maxwell Hairston in the first round and Dorian Strong in the sixth round of this year's NFL draft. Buscaglia thinks the competition will come down to White and Hairston. White struggled during offseason workouts but knows the offense well, while Hairston has the raw ability to play anywhere, although he still has a ways to go to learn the defensive scheme. The competition is expected to go right up until the start of the regular season. The 21-year-old Hairston tweaked his hamstring during minicamp, but he's expected to be ready for the start of camp in late July.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Joe Buscaglia
June 23, 2025
The Baltimore Ravens used a sixth-round pick to take kicker
Tyler Loop out of Arizona in this year's NFL draft to replace long-time standout
Justin Tucker, who was released this offseason. Loop is the favorite to succeed Tucker, but The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec thinks the Ravens could be headed for their first training camp kicking competition since Tucker beat out Billy Cundiff in 2012.
John Hoyland, an undrafted rookie out of Wyoming, has been good enough to suggest that he could push Loop for the starting gig in training camp and the preseason this fall. The 23-year-old Loop impressed the coaching staff during offseason workouts after making 83.6% of his field goals in his four seasons with the Wildcats in college. Loop could be a bit inconsistent in his rookie season if he wins the job, but given the offense he's in, he could be fantasy relevant immediately.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jeff Zrebiec
June 23, 2025
New York Giants quarterback
Russell Wilson said that he signed with the team this offseason because of second-year wide receiver
Malik Nabers. "I came here because of him. I really wanted to play with someone who is special like him," Wilson said. Nabers led the Giants in receiving in 2024 in his first year in the league with 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on 109 catches (170 targets) despite subpar quarterback play and two missed games due to a concussion. While the aging Wilson might not be much of an upgrade from what the Giants trotted out there last year after
Daniel Jones was cut, he does excel on the deep ball and should target Nabers heavily through the air. Nabers proved last year he is a clear WR1 in fantasy, regardless of who is throwing him passes. The LSU product and former first-rounder has the ability to take over any game.
--Keith HernandezSource: Empire Sports Media - Anthony Rivardo
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