Coach: Liam Coen 7 PPG
QB: Jaxson Dart 28 PPG
Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo started a new era of Giants’ offensive football that has fans excited for the first time in ages. They thrive on physicality and toughness, traits new HC John Harbaugh will certainly enjoy. Dart had plenty of ups and downs in his rookie career, but overall it was encouraging enough to throw him back into the fire in year two and see how high the ceiling is. Last year, notably without Malik Nabers, he never threw for over 300 passing yards and threw only 3 TDs once. He kept his fantasy viability alive with 487 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs in 12 games. His rushing upside is what the J6 (had to do it) lovers will point to that keeps his potential ceiling alive as one of fantasy quarterbacks’ elite. Until he proves it, he’s a mid-low end QB1 with injury and talent concerns. (but as we’ve seen many times, like Drake Maye last year, he can progress)
RB/WR/TE: Jahmyr Gibbs 27 PPG, Javonte Williams 23 PPG, J’Marr Chase 23 PPG, Omarion Hampton 22 PPG, CeeDee Lamb 19 PPG 6th men: Luther Burden 16 PPG, Emeka Egbuka 15 PPG, Matthew Golden 12 PPG, Jauan Jennings 11 PPG, Denzel Boston 11 PPG, Darius Slayton 9 PPG
Jahmyr Gibbs is at the forefront of the sub-200 lb revolution of elite fantasy running backs. (also see James Cook, Kyren, Achane, etc.) For a second straight year, he slayed, averaging 14 attempts per game (17th in the NFL), 72 rushing yards per game (9th), 36 receiving yards per game (3rd), and a quality 1.06 TDs per game (2nd). He also finished 3rd in evaded tackles. Gibbs is often noted as the overall #1 RB/WR/TE with David Montgomery out of Detroit. To get there, he’ll need to bump up his carry total and stave off Isiah Pacheco for opportunity. His efficiency numbers are obviously stellar, and if he can keep that up with 5-6 more carries, he should average over 30 PPG. I’m just not willing to make that bet, but he’s still an excellent and elite pillar of a fantasy squad.
It was extremely encouraging to see Javonte Williams turn his career around after he suffered a devastating knee injury early on in his rookie contract in Denver. He signed a prove-it deal in Dallas, and boy did he prove he was capable of handling a rushing attack. While the numbers won’t wow you, Williams provided 15.75 attempts per game (10th in the NFL), 75 rushing yards per game (7th), and .81 TDs per game (8th). He also ranked 20th among RBs in evaded tackles per game at 3.94. While he was a minimal producer in the passing game, he still wrangled 35 receptions on 51 targets and has shown more in that department during his time in Denver. Javonte is still one of the most underappreciated IFL assets and at only 26, one of the most valuable.
Without Joe Burrow for the majority of the year, it was best-case scenario for J’Marr Chase. So good, in fact, that he was still a top 20 RB/WR/TE as the offense was functional with geriatric Joe Flacco at the helm. Chase was his usual top 3 WR self, finishing 1st in targets per game (11.56), 2nd in receptions per game (7.81), and 3rd in receiving yards per game (88.25). The TDs sat 21st at .50 per game, but 8 TDs isn’t an outlier to some other healthy Burrow seasons. Chase is locked into stud muffin status and has a shot at the overall #1 RB/WR/TE spot if everything breaks right.
Omarion Hampton’s usage is certainly up for debate as we enter 2025. OC Mike McDaniel enters the fold, replacing the archaic mind of Greg Roman. (get that man running a wishbone military academy) McDaniel likes to use a litany of backs as ball carriers and can offer elite fantasy value at RB with pass-catching and pass-blocking chops. The x-factor to Hampton’s fantasy value is whether he can stave off Keaton Mitchell for pass-catching opportunities. I think the answer is yes. While healthy, Hampton ranked 6th in the NFL with 3.56 receptions per game, showcasing trust in his receiving ability. He shared a bit of the carry load, only having 13.78 carries a game (21st in the NFL), while ranking 19th in rushing yards per game. (60.56) I think we’ll continue to see the Chargers give their 2025 1st-round pick ample opportunity to succeed in all facets of the game, while giving his backups occasional opportunities.
Let’s chat about CeeDee Lamb… because a reconfiguration of expectations is in order. George Pickens outperformed CD in many metrics last year: fantasy points per game, receptions per game, receiving yards per game (83 to 74), TDs (.53 to .21), and red-zone targets per game (1.35 to 1.07). Granted, Lamb missed a month of time, but still averaged 17 PPG after his return when they both were on the field healthy. Pickens’ emergence in this offense is concerning for the upside of someone many are projecting (and paying) to be a 20+ PPG producer. As it stands, I don’t see Lamb hitting a top 5 option again. The opportunity for both targets and TDs no longer exists. Still, with a reconfiguration of expectations, Lamb profiles now as a quality top 32 RB/WR/TE.
PK: Chase McLaughlin 9 PPG
PN: Matt Araiza 9 PPG
DT: Grover Stewart 13 PPG (Da’Ron Payne 13 PPG)
Grover Stewart has done well for himself to make a 10-year career in Indianapolis as a 2017 4th-round pick out of Albany State (Georgia). He’s played as a solidifying interior starter next to DeForest Buckner and has occasionally finished as a top 16 option at DT. Last year was a bit of a struggle, as his tackle numbers regressed to 55, registering only .5 a sack, but did tally the first INT of his career. He should find himself back as a low-end DT1 again if he can get a couple more clean-up sacks.
DE: TJ Watt 18 PPG, Chase Young 17 PPG (Jonathan Greenard 16 PPG)
It’s been quietly discussed for some time, but 31-year-old TJ Watt is past his peak. Yes, he’s still a top 20 pass rusher, and he is elite at actualizing pressures to sacks, but it’s unlikely we’ll see an overall EDGE1 season again. Last year was still excellent, finishing as the EDGE8 in PPG. His season ended week 14, but he tallied 7 sacks, 53 tackles, 3 FF, and an INT. (The ancillary big plays, particularly the forced fumbles, have been a staple.) About to be 32, Watt still has some left in the tank, but part of me wonders if the cliff is close. His brother JJ, who endured many more injuries than TJ, was barely holding his body together at 32. (JJ did finish his career at age 33 with 12.5 sacks tho)
Chase Young was left for dead, tallying 4 straight unusable seasons after an encouraging rookie campaign. After missing the first five games due to a calf strain, he was a force for the Saints, rallying for 38 tackles, 10 sacks, and 1 TD. The pressure numbers were there too, registering 30, and he would have been a fringe top 10 EDGE in that category over a full season. Upon his return in week 6, he was the EDGE 10 the rest of the way, pointing to a notion that we are sleeping on Chase Young. The dude is back to being a mid-range EDGE1. Patience is a virtue.
LB: Jordyn Brooks 19 PPG, Ernest Jones 19 PPG, Sonny Styles 17 PPG, Dee Winters 15 PPG
Jordyn Brooks decided it was time to be an All-Pro in 2025. He led the NFL in combined tackles (183) and contributed 4 big plays. While those stats point more toward a bad-defense tackle merchant, Brooks earned a contract extension. The narrative of Brooks teaming up with rookie and fellow Red Raider Jacob Rodriguez is likely too good for the Dolphins to pass up. Not to mention fan favorite Dolphin Zach Thomas also went to Tech and has been mentoring them both. Look for Brooks’ stats to regress slightly due to natural attrition, but he’ll almost certainly finish in the top 16 again.
Ernest Jones has finally found his home after bouncing around a bit after the Rammies let him go. He’s now locked in through 2027 as the man in the middle and poses as one of the best IDP options at the position. Despite missing 2 ½ games, Jones still racked up 126 tackles, 5 INTs and a TD, finishing as the overall LB14. Regression is almost certainly coming in the INT department, but he should do better than zero sacks. He’ll be staying in the top 16 for a 4th straight year, ever since he received a full-time starting role.
Sonny Styles… man, he’s got one hell of a name. Just rolls off the tongue and fun to say. Styles was taken 7th overall by the Commanders in April’s draft and is fully expected to man the middle of their defense from day one. The 6’5”, 243-lb blue-chip has started for the Buckeyes the past two seasons and had help from two other incredible talents in Caleb Downs and Arvell Reese. All of them were selected in the top 15. He wasn’t quite in the tackle-eater category in college, but there was so much talent around him, he probably didn’t need to be. Styles profiles as a quality linebacker who’ll slide right into 120-140 tackles and 4-5 big plays over a season. That’ll earn him high-end LB2 billing and give his IFL GMs exactly what they want.
The Dallas Cowboys were looking to overhaul their defense after shipping off Micah Parsons and continued their litany of trades by bringing in 49er Dee Winters for a 5th-round pick. He got a full-time snap share in 2025 (over 1,000 snaps), and he provided a season of inefficient tackle production and 1 big play. Winters finds himself in a training camp battle with rookies and 2nd-year players. He’s the leader in the clubhouse, but don’t be surprised if he’s eventually replaced by Jaishawn Barham or Shemar James.
CB: Kamari Lassiter 12 PPG, Nate Wiggins 11 PPG (Taron Johnson 10 PPG)
Last year’s CB1 was Kamari Lassiter, a tackle-and-PD machine. Playing in every single game, Lassiter tallied 91 tackles, 4 INTs, and 17 PDs, providing a high floor for his fantasy owners. He never scored over 25 points, but never under 6.50. Kamari is a boundary corner, so I expect his PPG to be more volatile than his slot CB counterparts, but he should still be a year-over-year starter opposite lockdown stud, Derek Stingley.
Despite being listed as 182 lbs, Nate Wiggins is a willing tackler! In 2025, he posted 76 tackles, to go along with 3 INTs and 14 PDs, putting him in the top 16 corners. I’m hesitant to project he’ll get there again, especially with a new defensive scheme in town, but he’s certainly worth a roster spot and starts in pass-heavy game scripts.
S: Julian Love 15 PPG, Justin Reid 12 PPG (Antonio Johnson 12 PPG, Javon Bullard)
Julian Love’s 2025 was a wash. He missed over two months due to a variety of ailments, but was still an integral piece of their Super Bowl run. Love should be a fine top 20 safety, but his upside is likely capped a bit due to Nick Emmanwori eating up many of the box snaps by the line of scrimmage. Still, we’ve seen years of tackle efficiency from Love, and so long as he’s healthy, he makes for a fine high-end S2.
Justin Reid was a baller in Kansas City and Houston, but struggled a bit with consistency through his first full season in New Orleans. Through week 6, he only exceeded 11 points once, and he missed 2 ½ games during the fantasy playoffs. That won’t exactly inspire confidence as we head into year two, but he’s posted plenty of startable seasons through his 7 other years. I’d be comfortable with Reid as my S3, but he’ll probably struggle a bit with consistency again until we see otherwise.
Off: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10 PPG
PPG: 345
W-L: 13-4
X-Factor: Just stay healthy.
Dan worked on his latest mini-rebuild over the past several seasons, but largely set the table for his squad last year by trading for Gibbs and Chase. They could both end up as the #1 players at their respective positions. On the IDP side, there is also star power, particularly at LBer with two LB1s in Brooks and ol’ Ernest. Dan built the team for a ring; the breaks just need to go his way.
