Coach: Nick Sirianni 7 PPG
QB: Jalen Hurts 30 PPG
It was another stellar season for Jalen Hurts, who finally led his squad to a Super Bowl after a 2022 rematch in the big game with the Chiefs. The Eagles were the total package in terms of a roster, but man, he did what was asked of him. Hurts is not a prolific passer, having never thrown for over 4,000 yards, and he only threw for 2,903 yards last year, ranking 20th in the NFL. (He missed almost three games) What keeps him in the elite fantasy tier conversation is his rushing, compiling 603 yards on the ground with an incredible 14 TDs. He’s hit double-digit rushing TDs every year since 2021. The Philadelphia QB protected the football to an incredible 18:5 TD: INT ratio, relying on the ground game to essentially lead the offense to success. Every year is not the same, but they’d be crazy not to run the offense through Saquon Barkley again. All that being said, if Hurts can still keep his goal line tush push upside intact, he’s a safe bet to finish as a top 5 QB again.
RB/WR/TE: Brian Thomas Jr. 19 PPG, Kaleb Johnson 16 PPG, Josh Downs 15 PPG, Marvin Harrison Jr. 15 PPG, Zay Flowers 15 PPG 6th men: Mark Andrews 14 PPG, Xavier Worthy 14 PPG, Darnell Mooney 14 PPG, RJ Harvey 13 PPG, Chigoziem Okonkwo 12 PPG, Bhayshul Tuten 9 PPG, Cam Skattebo 8 PPG, Terrance Ferguson 6 PPG
It was not Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr. who led rookie receivers in points, but rather Brian Thomas Jr. The dude was a baller in an offense that struggled to function for much of the year. Even with backup Mac Jones, BTJ still came to play, finishing the last 5 weeks of the season with games with 18 points and above. Thomas finished with 1282 yards (3rd in the NFL), 129 targets (16th), 87 receptions (17th), and 10 passing TDs (7th). Simply incredible work. 2025 has the makings of a repeat performance, with Trevor Lawrence back to 100% and new era HC Liam Coen in DUVALLLL. The big question is what does #2 overall pick’s Travis Hunter’s target share look like? Will that negatively impact his fantasy production, or will this actually help him put up points? I’m not ready to pass judgment on this situation, yet. There’s a distinct possibility this is a Chase/Higgins or JJ/Addison situation where they complement each other well. There is also a possibility that the #2 overall pick becomes the preferred receiving option. For now, he’s labeled as a top 10 receiver and likely to remain there. However, I’d like to see him do it again before he becomes a potential top 5 WR option.
Kaleb Johnson fits into this offense perfectly. However, he must beat out incumbent Jaylen Warren for the lion’s share of the touches, which may take some time. The player he’s replacing, Najee Harris, averaged 18.8 PPG in 2024 as an all-purpose back. There is hope Johnson can provide some much-needed juice Najee lacked, creating more explosive plays in this run-heavy team. Jaylen is no slouch and will not be an afterthought, but it’s only a matter of time until Kaleb takes over the majority of the carries. It may take a month or two, but Keleb will likely be a top 10 RB dynasty asset by season’s end. (If not already) For now, he’s a back-end offensive option, but that’s very much in flux as more reports come out through the preseason.
There were some massive games for Josh Downs in 2024. 4 times he exceeded 25 points, and he was often the most featured receiver in the Indianapolis Colts’ passing attack. For the second straight year, however, he struggled with injuries, including missing the first two games of the season. Still, he finished with over 100 targets, 72 catches, 803 yards, and 5 receiving TDs. Downs is a very underrated pass catcher who profiles well for our PPR league. If he can stay healthy and the Colts’ QB situation can not be the NFL’s worst, he will be a mighty fine #4 RB/WR/TE.
Everyone who was relying on Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024 was fucking pissed. The dude averaged 12.5 PPG and scored just under 200 points, despite playing in every game. This included 8 games with a score under 10 points. It was a horrific showing with the generational label tabbed on him, and even worse when you consider BTJ, Nabers, and Ladd went to less-than-ideal situations for immediate fantasy production as well. The hype train is rolling again, and there should be hope that he progresses into at least a back-end starter option. Predicting him to be anything more than a borderline back-end starter with bye-week filler tendencies would be asking for trouble. Ideally, he can creep up over 1,110 receiving yards and double-digit TDs, into the 15-16 PPG threshold. He probably won’t ever be a PPR dynamo with catches, but for year two, some additional boom games would be nice.
Zay Flowers has delivered enough with modest fantasy expectations. Baltimore has almost always run an offense predicated on the run, and historically, their receivers, outside of Mark Andrews, haven’t produced startable seasons. For Flowers to join the Ravens and at least provide bye-week flyer production has been a welcome sight. Zay concluded 2024 with 115 targets (21 in the NFL), 74 receptions (27th), 1059 yards (19th), and 4 receiving TDs (tied for 60th). Ideally, the TDs would creep up, but I’m not sure we’re going to get more in the yardage category in the near term. The 25-year-old makes for a capable 5th starter.
PK: Chris Boswell 10 PPG
PN: Ryan Stonehouse 10 PPG (Jeremy ‘Crawfish Crawshaw 99 PPG)
DT: A’Shawn Robinson 12 PPG (Osa Odighizuwa 12 PPG, Maason Smith 12 PPG)
A’Shawn Robinson is a tough projection. The dude certainly benefited from Derrick Brown being out of the lineup, resulting in arguably the IFL’s most shocking 295-point season. (He even missed a game!) Robinson tallied 80 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 5.5 sacks, providing his GMs found money. Heading into 2025, he’s a complete question mark, as the Panthers have largely retooled their defensive line and linebacker unit. For now, I’m keeping him as a borderline startable option, but keep in mind they just signed Tershawn Wharton double the amount they are paying A’Shawn to play in the interior.
DE: Jared Verse 18 PPG, Will Anderson 17 PPG (Jermaine Johnson 14 PPG, Joseph Ossai 12 PPG)
Jared Verse exploded onto the NFL scene as a rookie, receiving opportunity right out of the gate for the Rammies. He was the total package, compiling 66 total stops, 2 forced fumbles, and 4.5 sacks on 33 pressures (16th in the NFL). His sack numbers are almost a lock to increase if he keeps those pressure numbers up, and the tackles are precisely what we like to see. With better sack luck, Verse could be rounding into form as an annual top 5 EDGE player.
The former 3rd overall pick Will Anderson progressed again in his second season, reaching 11 sacks despite missing three games. Willy-A is one of the two players the Texans elected to build their defense around, and he’s displayed both elite traits against both the run and pass. From an IDP perspective, there is still another level to unlock, particularly with his tackling. If he can increase his tackles to the 60 range and notch his double-digit sacks, we’ll be talking about the 24-year-old as an annual top 5 option. For now, he’s a solid low-end EDGE1.
LB: Jack Campbell 18 PPG, Bobby Okereke 18 PPG, Demetrius Knight 16 PPG, Germaine Pratt 15 PPG (Nick Martin 14 PPG)
Captain Jack Campbell is back at it again for another step forward as a pro. Right at the beginning of camp, Dan Campbell stated “This is his defense. He has taken ownership and sets the tone for everybody.” Perhaps that’s a part of why Anzalone is upset? Anyway, Campbell has struggled with upside somewhat through two seasons, but has provided serviceable numbers. Last year, he notched 131 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 sack, and 5 PDs. That’s not going to get it done from a big play standpoint. Ideally, he’ll take a step forward in those categories and he’s more than capable. I’m expecting him to take a moderate step forward and find himself as a low-end LB1.
It was a roller coaster of a season for Bobby Okereke, who was receiving some flak for his slow start. He certainly turned it around, particularly from week 8 on, where he didn’t score under 17 points. His season, unfortunately, came to an end in week 14 due to a back issue, but he returns to man the middle of an improving New York defense. There’s hope the Giants can take a step forward as a team, but the back 7 is certainly suspect. Okereke can hopefully provide a stable presence and continue to provide a 130+ tackle floor with 4-8 big plays to boot.
Demetrius Knight was selected as a 2nd round pick out of (say it with me, Barry) Charlotte University! The 25-year-old rookie will be expected to start from the jump and provide a level of explosive plays that former Bengals backer Germaine Pratt could not. It’s a bit of a mystery as to what his snap share will be, but it will likely be near full-time. On opportunity alone, Knight will be a starter for fantasy purposes, and we’ve seen plenty of rookies take advantage of their opportunity in their rookie year.
Germaine Pratt’s offseason has been tumultuous, as he was released in June, well after he could have likely received a more lucrative deal. He settled for a 1-year $5 million contract with the Raiders. So far in camp, he has not been receiving starting reps; those have been going to Devin White and Elandon Roberts, and he has been struggling with hamstring tightness. Obviously, this is concerning, but Pratt is, no doubt, a better player than White. I’m still projecting Pratt as a near full-time player, but I’m getting a bit worried as we start getting into the meat of camp.
CB: Alontae Taylor 13 PPG, Daxton Hill 12 PPG (Jaycee Horn 11 PPG)
A lotta fantasy hoes are banking on Alontae Taylor replicating his past two seasons of elite corner production. In 2023, he averaged 12.7 PPG, and last year, an insane 16 PPG. In 2024, he tallied 89 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 4 sacks, and 16 PDs. It’s expected he’ll be their slot corner again this year, potentially profiling for another STAR-studded season, playing multiple alignments across the defense. It’s expected to be an aggressive unit as well, so Taylor could be looking at many opportunities for sacks. I love his profile, and he could certainly repeat as the CB1.
Daxton Hill has endured a fascinating IDP journey. He started as a safety for the Bengals, and later transitioned to an outside corner role for the team. Last year’s start was exceptional, posting 59 points through 4 games. Unfortunately, an ACL tear ended his season, resulting in a lengthy rehab process he’s still going through. He’s on track for the season opener and should face no restrictions. The Bengals are certainly a team to target corners for IDP, and Dax has a solid opportunity to be a top 16 player. He’s on the fringe of the CB1 ranks.
S: Nick Cross 16 PPG, Trevon Moehrig 15 PPG (Kerby Joseph 14 PPG, Malaki Starks 12 PPG, Javon Bullard 11 PPG)
Nick Cross went supernova for IDP last year. It was one of the most surprising IDP seasons, certainly for the safety position. The soon-to-be 4th-year player totaled 146 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 INTs, and 1 sack. He finished as the S2, ahead of guys like Brian Branch and Jessie Bates. A new scheme is coming into town for Indy. Even if it were the same scheme, Cross would be due for a regression; however, this makes the situation even more precarious. Still, he’s slated for a box safety role and has clearly shown he is a physical player capable of impacting the game in all phases. If he does it again, he’ll climb up dynasty safety boards after struggling over his first two seasons.
Trevon Moehrig signed a massive deal to become a pillar of the new-look Panthers defense, one that was historically bad in 2024. He was irrelevant for IDP through two years in Las Vegas, playing deep center field and not compiling enough tackles to be anything more than waiver wire fodder. That changed in 2023, playing more as a hybrid safety, trending up to totaling over 100 tackles over his last season. There are questions about what Trevon will be tasked with doing in Carolina, but he can be a versatile defender. Depending on who wins the spot opposite of him can determine his usage a bit, but for now, he’s slotted as a top 20 safety.
Off: Houston Texans 11 PPG
PPG: 318
W-L: 6-11
X-Factor: Progression and consistency from young offensive guys.
Curt has been slowly building a roster worthy of championship contention, but it still needs a bit more time to develop. The youngsters still aren’t fully baked yet, but holy tits, this team is full of talented prospects. If RJ Harvey, Kaleb Johnson, Bhayshul Tuten, and Cam Skattebo can provide startability this season, Curt could very well become a sneaky good team. His defense, outside of defensive tackle, is ready to contend. Very fun team that can certainly make some waves.
