July 11, 2025
The New England Patriots gave running back
Rhamondre Stevenson a four-year, $36 million extension last summer, which kicks in for the 2025 season. The Athletic's Chad Graff writes that the extension for Stevenson already looks like a bad move after he had 207 carries for 807 yards (career-low 3.9 yards per carry) last year, although he did score a career-high seven rushing touchdowns. On top of it, the Pats selected rookie
TreVeyon Henderson in the second round this year, so New England now have an out to move on from Stevenson if he struggles again in 2025. The biggest drawback to the 27-year-old last year were his seven fumbles. He has nice size and abilities in the passing game, but he won't be guaranteed much under the new coaching staff and will face plenty of competition from Henderson. RotoBaller has Stevenson ranked as the RB35 in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Chad Graff
July 11, 2025
The Athletic's Alec Lewis writes that safety Josh Metellus and the Minnesota Vikings have mutual interest in hammering out a contract extension, but it remains to be seen if they can find common ground on a deal. Metellus has been an integral contributor for defensive coordinator Brian Flores for his ability to play as a linebacker and in the slot, so the Vikings would surely like to keep his versatility around as he heads into the final year of his current contract. The 27-year-old defensive back is also a captain and contributes on special teams. The former sixth-rounder has had 100-plus combined tackles the last two years in Minnesota, and while his versatility could complicate extension talks, it also allows him to play up in the box more often than most safeties and rack up tackles for fantasy managers in IDP leagues.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
July 11, 2025
While it's probably unlikely, The Athletic's Jim Ayello points out there's a chance that the 2025 season is quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa's last year with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins aren't in a pretty salary-cap situation moving forward, so if they have a five- or six-win season this year, it's possible that ownership decides it's time for a hard reset. It's quite possible that Miami's decision-makers going into next year think that Tua's concussion history and limitations as a pocket passer don't make him an ideal franchise signal-caller. The former first-rounder's value, both in fantasy and real life, all depend on his health and what he can produce in 2025. If the Dolphins were to cut Tagovailoa after this year, it would come with a hefty $79 million dead-cap hit. There's bounce-back potential for Tua and the Dolphins offense, but fantasy managers shouldn't be taking him as anything more than a QB2 with upside.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Jim Ayello
July 11, 2025
The Los Angeles Chargers and left tackle Rashawn Slater remain in contract-extension negotiations, but Slater said during mandatory minicamp in June that he had "full confidence" that a deal would get done. Slater is currently scheduled to play on his $19.04 million fifth-year option in 2025. The Athletic's Daniel Popper writes that the 26-year-old is one of the best left tackles in the league, which should allow him to command a top-of-the-market extension. Slater should be in the ballpark of Buccaneers tackle Tristan Wirfs, who is the highest-paid tackle in the NFL at $28.15 million in average annual value. He made the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career in 2024 as one of the league's best left tackles despite missing two games early on with a pectoral injury. Slater's presence on the left side is a huge boost for quarterback
Justin Herbert.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Daniel Popper
July 11, 2025
The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Poles have reached an agreement on a contract extension, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The new deal will keep Poles in Chicago through the 2029 season, and his contract length now matches that of first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Poles has a mixed track record in his time at the helm for Chicago. The team has struggled on the field, going 15-36 through his first three seasons in charge. However, Poles positioned the team to acquire quarterback
Caleb Williams by pulling off a trade with the Carolina Panthers that netted the Bears the number one overall pick in the 2024 draft. Poles' future with the team will be closely linked to the success of both Williams and his second head coaching hire in Johnson, but he's locked in some additional security with this extension.
--Will BradySource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
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July 11, 2025
Cleveland Browns kicker
Dustin Hopkins will "get every opportunity" to rebound from a down year in 2024, according to Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. Hopkins had an excellent year in 2023 when he made 33 of his 36 kicks, including all eight attempts from beyond 50 yards. He was significantly worse in 2024, going just 18-27 overall and four-for-eight from 50+ yards out. Easterling notes that Hopkins' primary competition in Browns' camp is
Andre Szmyt, who has yet to record a kick in an NFL game. Hopkins is just starting a three-year contract extension that he signed in July 2024, so the team is counting on him regaining his prior form. RotoBaller currently has Hopkins ranked as kicker #27 for fantasy.
--Will BradySource: Akron Beacon Journal - Chris Easterling
July 11, 2025
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Demarcus Robinson was sentenced to three years' probation as a result of a DUI charge he received last November, according to The Orange County Register. Robinson was a member of the Los Angeles Rams at the time but signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with San Francisco in March. The NFL has not yet announced whether Robinson will face a suspension or any other sort of discipline. Last season, Robinson played 17 games for the Rams and caught 31 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdowns. He figures to slot in behind
Brandon Aiyuk,
Ricky Pearsall, and
Jauan Jennings on the 49ers' depth chart at receiver. However, Aiyuk may miss the start of the season as he recovers from an ACL tear he suffered last October.
--Will BradySource: The Orange County Register
July 11, 2025
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jalen Nailor "will be the team's No. 3 receiver," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. Lewis also notes that Nailor showed up to organized team activities in the "best shape of his life." Nailor played 17 games for Minnesota last season, recording 28 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns. His most productive stretch of the season might have been from Week 2-3, where he tallied a combined six catches for 85 yards and two scores. That's noteworthy because those are the two games that fellow Minnesota wideout
Jordan Addison missed in 2024. Addison could be facing an early-season suspension due to a DUI citation he received last summer. If that happens, Nailor could be a sneaky end-of-roster add for fantasy managers.
--Will BradySource: The Athletic - Alec Lewis
July 11, 2025
New York Giants left tackle Andrew Thomas (foot) "makes no promises about returning in Week 1, although that very much remains his goal," according to Dan Benton of Giants Wire. Thomas underwent surgery to fix a Lisfranc foot injury in October. The 26-year-old former first-round pick was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2022, but he's been limited to just 16 games across the last two seasons. With Thomas on the field, the Giants have been significantly better (6-10 record) in that span than without (3-15). His presence impacted New York's top fantasy targets, such as wide receiver
Malik Nabers. Nabers averaged 22.9 PPR points per game when sharing the field with Thomas compared to just 16.5 PPR points without him.
--Will BradySource: Giants Wire - Dan Benton
July 11, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed back franchise-tagged offensive guard Trey Smith to mandatory minicamp last month, a good sign that both sides will eventually work out a new long-term contract extension, according to The Athletic's Zak Keefer. "There's no secret we'd like to get Trey locked up," general manager Brett Veach said earlier this year. The 26-year-old allowed only 1.5 sacks in 2024 and has been part of two of the team's Super Bowl championships. If the two sides cannot agree on an extension before the start of the 2025 season, Smith will make $23.4 million, which would make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL. He has started 67 of 68 regular-season games for KC and all of their 13 playoff games since he was selected in the sixth round back in 2021. Smith has become one of the best right guards in the league.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Zak Keefer
July 11, 2025
The Athletic's James Boyd writes that Indianapolis Colts left tackle Bernhard Raimann is a candidate to receive a contract extension from the team, possibly as early as this summer. The former third-round selection in 2022 is entering the final year of hi four-year, $5.3 million rookie deal. Raimann initially struggled when he was thrust into a full-time starting role halfway through his rookie campaign, but he's now become one of the better left tackles in the league since that point. According to Spotrac, the 27-year-old tackle is projected to earn $20 million annually on his next deal. If the Colts fail to extend him, Raimann will have plenty of suitors on the open market next March. In the meantime, he'll be protecting the blind side in 2025 for either quarterback
Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson (shoulder).
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
July 11, 2025
If Houston Texans quarterback
C.J. Stroud has a strong 2025 season, it's more likely that the team will work out a multi-year contract extension with him before the start of the 2026 campaign, writes The Athletic's Mike Jones. Stroud took the league by storm in 2023 as a rookie but regressed last year because of poor offensive line play and struggles by then-offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. If Stroud and the Texans offense are able to rebound in 2025, Jones thinks that Stroud could follow San Francisco 49ers QB
Brock Purdy as the next signal-caller to get a five-year, $250 million-plus contract. Given Stroud and the offense's struggles in 2024, RotoBaller now has him ranked as the No. 20 fantasy QB going into the 2025 campaign. The Texans remade their O-line, but there's no guarantee it will be better and give Stroud more time to find his weapons.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Mike Jones
July 11, 2025
San Francisco 49ers fullback
Kyle Juszczyk said that running back
Christian McCaffrey (knee) "looks incredible. He looks so healthy, he looks so explosive." McCaffrey got a late start to the 2024 season due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis before spraining the PCL in his knee in Week 13. All in all, the 29-year-old All-Pro back played in just four games for the Niners last year, putting up 348 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. He was an absolute bust for fantasy managers after going off the board first overall in many drafts, but CMC is now fully healthy and was a full-go for minicamp practices this offseason. McCaffrey's extensive injury history makes him a pretty big risk-reward as a top-five fantasy RB, but he's still a high-end, three-down threat out of the backfield when he's healthy. If he stays healthy, McCaffrey could easily bounce back in 2025 and carry fantasy squads.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Vic Tafur
July 11, 2025
Los Angeles Rams running backs coach Ron Gould has noticed this offseason that running back
Kyren Williams is more explosive. Williams ranked seventh in the league with 1,299 rushing yards in 2024 and tied for fifth with 14 rushing touchdowns. However, his 27 explosive rushes of 10-plus yards ranked tid for 11th in the NFL. They were also the second-fewest of any RB with over 250 carries. Williams' five fumbles tied for second-most among backs. "The first thing that stood out to us was his explosiveness," Gould said. The 24-year-old's numbers have been solid, but his lack of size and speed leave him less room for error than most feature backs, and he's expected to face more competition for touches, mostly from
Blake Corum. Williams is still L.A.'s featured back, but he's on the RB1/2 borderline in fantasy.
--Keith HernandezSource: TheRams.com - Wyatt Miller
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