2025 NFL Draft Grades For Dynasty Fantasy Football: Bears Get A+

Matthew Freedman …

The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and Thor Nystrom (our resident Fantasy Life NFL Draft guru) has handed out his official and in-depth 2025 NFL draft grades.

In this piece, I want to take a dynasty-focused approach to the draft and award grades to all 32 teams based on how much they improved their fantasy-relevant skill positions from a long-term perspective.

Is this methodology a little random and a smidge objective?

Yes.

But does it allow me to give out grades to NFL teams in an authoritatively haphazard manner while also getting to highlight a number of rookies and their NFL potential?

Yes.

And to me that feels like a win.

To see how all the rookies stack up against each other, check out our dynasty fantasy rookie rankings.

Here are my dynasty-driven draft grades and notes for all 32 NFL teams (grouped together in scoring tiers and then ordered alphabetically).

A+ Grades

Chicago Bears

They solidified the fantasy value of QB Caleb Williams by giving him TE Colston Loveland in Round 1 and then WR Luther Burden in Round 2. And then they insulated RB D'Andre Swift (at least in the short term) by not addressing RB until Round 7 (Kyle Monangai). Veteran WRs DJ Moore and Rome Odunze and TE Cole Kmet take a hit, but this offense is now loaded and could produce lots of fantasy points over the next half decade.

Indianapolis Colts

They desperately needed a starting TE … and then Tyler Warren fell to them at No. 14. Perfect. Adding RB DJ Giddens and QB Riley Leonard in Rounds 5-6 doesn't hurt.

Las Vegas Raiders

First-round RB Ashton Jeanty should be an immediate star. (I have a position on him to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in our Fantasy Life Bet Tracker.) Second-round WR Jack Bech should start right away and could become the team's top wideout. And the Raiders got some developmental Day 3 depth with QB Cam Miller and WRs Dont'e Thornton and Tommy Mellott.

A Grades

Carolina Panthers

They couldn't go into QB Bryce Young's all-important third season without giving him a bona fide No. 1 WR—and that's what they got in Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8. And then on Day 3 they got a capable complementary back in Trevor Etienne. Nicely done.

Los Angeles Chargers

First-round RB Omarion Hampton should thrive in OC Gregg Roman's run-heavy system, second-round WR Tre Harris could be the team's No. 2 pass catcher as early as his rookie season, and fifth-round TE Oronde Gadsden has a shot to earn a starting job. This offense just got some much-needed juice.

Seattle Seahawks

Second-round TE Elijah Arroyo might allow the team to move on from veteran Noah Fant, third-round QB Jalen Milroe has league-winning upside as a runner (if he can get on the field), and fifth-round WR Tory Horton has a shot to break into the starting lineup. On Day 3, RB Damien Martinez, WR Ricky White, and TE Robbie Ouzts provide solid skill-position depth.

A- Grades

Houston Texans

The Texans addressed a position of need and acquired extra draft capital to trade down into Round 2, where they selected WR Jayden Higgins, and then they added his Iowa State teammate in Round 3 with WR Jaylin Noel. In Round 4, they landed RB Woody Marks to back up starter Joe Mixon. In Round 6, they built depth with QB Graham Mertz. And then in Round 7 they drafted TE Luke Lachey out of Iowa (TE University). This is all good for QB C.J. Stroud and the entire offense.

New England Patriots

Although neither guy is immediately expected to lead his respective position group on the Patriots, both second-round RB TreVeyon Henderson and third-round WR Kyle Williams have the upside to develop into high-end fantasy starters. Sixth-round K Andres Borregales will likely make the team.

New York Giants

The team did well to trade back into Round 1 to get QB Jaxson Dart without giving up a future Day 1 selection, and fourth-round RB Cam Skattebo could push veteran Tyrone Tracy for the starting job.

B+ Grades

Cleveland Browns

It was a straight-up shocker that the Browns didn't draft WR/CB Travis Hunter at No. 2. And yet it's hard to fault them because they added a 2026 first-rounder, and literally every pick they made after No. 33 was on an offensive skill-position player: RB Quinshon Judkins (2.04), TE Harold Fannin (3.03), QB Dillon Gabriel (3.30), RB Dylan Sampson (4.24), and finally QB Shedeur Sanders (5.06). Especially if Judkins, Fannin, and Sanders turn into contributors, this Browns draft class will be legendary.

Green Bay Packers

Veteran WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are in the final year of their contracts, so the Packers selected WRs Matthew Golden and Savion Williams with top-100 picks. I love the process and the possibility both players have to contribute as rookies.

B Grades

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys surprisingly didn't draft a WR or TE. While that might be questionable from a team-building standpoint, it at least means that WR CeeDee Lamb and TE Jake Ferguson look locked in for a world of 2025 targets. And RBs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah have the potential to be first-year contributors despite their Day 3 draft capital.

B- Grades

Los Angeles Rams

Second-round TE Terrance Ferguson and fourth-round RB Jarquez Hunter both provide short-term depth and have the upside to develop into long-term starters.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Based on how far he fell in the draft, the team seems somewhat justified in its decision to pass multiple times on QB Shedeur Sanders, and it at least still addressed the position by adding Will Howard on Day 3. And third-round RB Kaleb Johnson seems likely to assume much of departed Najee Harris' vacated workload.

C+ Grades

Kansas City Chiefs

They didn't invest much draft capital in the skill positions, but the two guys they added on Day 3—WR Jalen Royals, RB Brashard Smith—both have a shot to contribute.

New York Jets

Second-round TE Mason Taylor was a good addition at a position of need, but fourth-round WR Arian Smith is unlikely to improve dramatically the team's pass-catching depth.

C Grades

Denver Broncos

I love that the Broncos invested in RB RJ Harvey with second-round capital. He could be a true difference-making fantasy producer this year. But the team massively overpaid in Round 3 to get WR Pat Bryant, who looks like a nonentity.

New Orleans Saints

Second-round QB Tyler Shough has a chance to open Week 1 as a starter, so he presents great value, but after him the Saints did little in adding only two Day 3 skill players—RB Devin Neal, TE Moliki Matavao).

San Francisco 49ers

GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan selected four skill players on Day 3 (QB Kurtis Rourke, RB Jordan James, and WRs Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen). None of them is likely to make a meaningful contribution to the team, but they're developmental depth.

C- Grades

Miami Dolphins

On Day 3, the Dolphins drafted RB Ollie Gordon and QB Quinn Ewers. Last year, they were widely expected to be top-100 picks. Next year, we'll barely remember they're on the team.

Minnesota Vikings

Neither third-round WR Tai Felton nor sixth-round TE Gavin Bartholomew look likely to contribute meaningfully this year to the Vikings or your fantasy squads.

D+ Grades

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kudos to the Jags for getting WR/CB Travis Hunter … but they traded significant draft capital away to get him, and if they actually do give him snaps at CB (which is their intention) then he might not get as many snaps as he otherwise would at WR. And did the team really need to add two Day 3 RBs (Bhayshul Tuten, LeQuint Allen) when it already has veterans Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne? No.

Philadelphia Eagles

The team drafted just one skill player, QB Kyle McCord, who isn't even guaranteed to beat out veteran Tanner McKee for the backup job. Still, the Eagles got the guy who last year led the nation with 4,779 yards passing, and they got him with only a sixth-round selection.

Washington Commanders

The team added just two Day 3 players in the draft (WR Jaylin Lane, RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt), but in March it also traded a fifth-rounder for veteran WR Deebo Samuel, who could be a key contributor in 2025 for ascending second-year QB Jayden Daniels, so the Commanders get at least a little credit for that.

D Grades

Cincinnati Bengals

They didn't add any skill-position players other than sixth-round RB Tahj Brooks … but at the same time, I didn't expect them to draft any offensive playmakers after giving new contracts to WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and TE Mike Gesicki.

Tennessee Titans

They did what any other team would've done in their position and took QB Cam Ward at No. 1 … but then they didn't give him any potential playmakers until Day 3, when they selected four (RB Kalel Mullings, WRs Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, and TE Gunnar Helm). I doubt any of that quantity turns into quality, which is unfortunate for Ward, who will enter the season with one of the league's least inspiring collections of surrounding skill-position support.

F+ Grades

Baltimore Ravens

They didn't fortify the RB position behind 31-year-old starter Derrick Henry, and they didn't add anyone capable of challenging WRs Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins for a starting role. On the plus side, they at least added K Tyler Loop, who has the potential to replace the suddenly inaccurate and legally beleaguered Justin Tucker.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs definitely didn't need a WR entering the draft, but that didn't stop them from taking Emeka Egbuka in Round 1 … so why should it have stopped them from taking another one (Tez Johnson) in Round 7? GM Jason Licht is gonna do what he wants to do.

F Grades

Arizona Cardinals

They spent zero picks on skill positions. You can't do that when the three WRs after Marvin Harrison are Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Zay Jones.

Atlanta Falcons

They invested nothing in the skill positions, and that feels shortsighted given that No. 3 WR Darnell Mooney and No. 1 TE Kyle Pitts are inconsistent players who are both in the final years of their contracts.

F- Grades

Buffalo Bills

They added just two skill-position players: Fifth-round TE Jackson Hawes and seventh-round WR Kaden Prather. That GM Brandon Beane was so preemptively defensive about the team not adding any notable pass catchers says it all.

Detroit Lions

They gave up a 2026 third-rounder to move up in the third round this year to take WR Isaac TeSlaa, who has an elite physical makeup but poor production profile. Bad process, probably bad prospect.