The average adult makes around 35,000 decisions a day. On Fantasy Football draft day? Triple that. Do I take a quarterback in Round 1? Do I want a kicker in a dome? Can I trust an injury-prone star? Should I have another beer? These decisions are brutal.
But no matter what you decide, my friends, be bold. Stare down your league-mates. Draft with purpose. The time for safe bets is over.
BOLD PREDICTIONS FOR ’25
STROUD WILL BE A TOP 12 QB
C.J. Stroud was the QB11 in 2023, then slumped to QB20 in 2024. But don’t let that scare you off. Stroud does not suddenly suck, folks. He lost Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins for significant stretches last year. Enter Nick Caley, the Texans’ new offensive coordinator, who turned Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp into fantasy stars with the Rams. With a healthy Collins back and fresh WR additions Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, Stroud is poised to bounce back to top-tier form.
TAYLOR WILL RUSH FOR 2,000 YARDS
Jonathan Taylor closed out 2024 on a tear: 723 rushing yards over the final five games. That’s a 144-yard average. Project that over 18 games and you get an absurd 2,600-plus yards. He won’t reach that lofty a total, but 2,000 yards is firmly in play. The Colts have the 25th easiest schedule to run against, and with Daniel Jones as the QB, there’s no threat of running QB Anthony Richardson grabbing yards and TDs. I’m all in on Taylor as the No. 1 Fantasy RB this season.
RIDLEY WILL HAVE 100 RECEPTIONS
What do QBs Will Levis and Mason Rudolph have in common? They both have projectile dysfunction. Combined they threw 120 passes to Calvin Ridley last year and were off target on 56 of them. A smidge more accuracy would have made Ridley a 90-catch WR. Rookie QB Cam Ward already has a strong rapport with the slippery Ridley. Ward will lean on him to the tune of 100 receptions. Cha-ching!
RODGERS WILL HAVE WORST SEASON OF HIS LIFE
What a sad way to end a Hall of Fame career. Banished to Pittsburgh, the only team in the NFL that would have him, Aaron Rodgers is saddled with the most maddening play-caller in pro football: Arthur Smith. No QB under Smith has thrown more than 16 TDs in the last three seasons. Smith’s conservative, run-heavy approach is Fantasy death. Rodgers’ numbers will plummet, along with his legacy as a Hall of Fame QB.
JONES WILL HAVE BEST SEASON OF HIS LIFE
Named the starting QB for the Colts this week, Daniel Jones might finally reach his potential. The pieces are all in place for success: a solid O-line, a Pro Bowl running back, three excellent receivers and a rookie stud at tight end. Jones’ best season with the Giants was his 2019 rookie year (3,027 yards, 24 TD passes). If he stays healthy for the entire season, he could flirt with 4,000-yards and 30 TDs. Facing the 12th easiest schedule in the NFL, what could possibly go wrong?
ALLEN’S TD PASSES WILL INCREASE BY 25%
James Cook earned a fat new contract after scoring 16 rushing TDs last season, a massive jump from just two scores in 2022 and 2023. The negative regression is almost assured. Conversely, Josh Allen’s 28 passing TDs marked a five-year low. We are used to seeing him in the 35 TD range. With high-scoring shootouts on the docket (Baltimore, Kansas City, Tampa Bay) Josh will need to air it out, deflating Cook’s rushing TDs in the process.
MCLAURIN WILL BE A TOP 10 WR (IF WASHINGTON PAYS HIM)
If the Commanders are serious about building around QB Jayden Daniels, they need to lock in their top weapon. Terry McLaurin finished second in TD receptions in the NFL last year (13) and has led the team in receiving five years straight. They can’t rely on a banged-up Deebo Samuel to carry the load at WR, and there’s no one else on the roster worth a hoot. Washington has $22.9 million in cap space to work with so there’s no excuse. Pay the man, and he’ll pay Fantasy managers back.
MCCAFFREY WILL PLAY NO MORE THAN 7 GAMES
CMC suffers from bilateral Achilles tendonitis, meaning he has the ailment in both legs. The injury is caused by repetitive movements like running and jumping, exactly what running backs do. He missed the first eight games last season and later collapsed untouched in Week 12. He wasn’t cutting or juking — just running — when he crumpled to the turf. Despite a good camp and some offseason treatment in Europe, the risk is enormous. The thought that any step could be his last is reason enough to avoid drafting him.
Grab the FantasyGuru.com 2025 NFL Draft Guide today! Enter the code NEW30 for 30% off the subscription. It’s the ultimate Fantasy toolkit. And best of all, you’ll get Jeff Mans’ Fantasy Football Draft Plan: The Mansifesto! Bill Reinhard appears weekly on This Week in Pro Football (YouTube), is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and a columnist for FantasyGuru.com.
