The first week of NFL free agency is in the books, making it a great time to check in on my first version of 2025 fantasy football rankings.

Much will change in the coming months as the NFL calendar unfolds and I do my deep dives on every team and player.

Today, I will highlight the players most impacted by the early stages of free agency and a few rookies since I have been in the Super Model bunker! 

Check out the Fantasy Life rankings hub to see my full rankings and those from the rest of the team.

2025 Quarterback Fantasy Rankings

Jayden Daniels | Commanders

Daniels is coming off a rookie campaign in which he averaged 21.1 points per game as QB7, emerging as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks. He led all signal callers in scramble rate (12%) and ranked fifth in designed rushing attempts (16%). Kliff Kingsbury loves to use the RPO game with designed looks to playmakers at the line of scrimmage, making Deebo Samuel a perfect fit.

Daniels is my QB3 and ranks 28th overall.

Justin Fields | Jets

Will Fields ever become a good NFL starter? I don't know. But what I do know is that rushing quarterbacks are tough to hold down—even if they are bad passers. Yes, Anthony Richardson broke the mold last season, but we can't let an outlier hold us down. 

Since 2011, we have seen 23 QBs reach 120 rushing attempts and throw for under 3,500 yards. They averaged 20.1 points per game with an average finish of QB11. As the starter for the Bears in 2022 and 2023, Fields averaged 20.6 and 19.0.

Fields is my QB12 and No. 100 player overall.

Running Back Fantasy Rankings For 2025

Ashton Jeanty | TBD

Jeanty garnered a rating of 89 in the Rookie Super Model—the fourth-best score in the model's history. Since 2018, only five other backs have posted a rating of 85 or higher:

• Saquon Barkley(100)
• Leonard Fournette (92)
• Christian McCaffrey (91)
• Bijan Robinson (89)
• Jahmyr Gibbs (87)

It will take a terrible landing spot with a fantastic incumbent starter to push me off the Boise State phenom in the 2025 ranks.

Jeanty is my RB4 and my No. 12 player overall.

Najee Harris | Chargers

Thanks to a deep rookie running back class, we can't rush to judgment on Harris, but the Chargers are a great landing spot. Kimani Vidal could challenge for passing-down work, but he never fully embraced that role as a rookie. The offensive line hasn't met expectations, but they have invested first-round selections in offensive linemen in three of the last four drafts: Rashawn Slater (2021), Zion Johnson (2022), and Joe Alt (2024).

Harris is my RB18 and ranks 45th overall.

Omarion Hampton | TBD

The Rookie Super Model ranks Hampton as the second-best-rated running back in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Similarly rated backs delivered top-12 seasons 62% of the time within their first three years. Landing spot will matter, but Hampton offers the upside to scale the fantasy ranks quickly.

Hampton is my RB21 and No. 51 player overall.

Jaylen Warren | Steelers

With Harris moving on to the Chargers, Warren has the opportunity to step into a more prominent role. Over the last two years, the fourth-year back has posted RB1-worthy numbers in multiple underlying data categories.

• Average Yards After Contact: 3.4 (PPR RB1s average 3.1)
• Missed Tackles Forced Per Attempt: 31% (RB1s average 20%)
• 10-Plus Yard Attempts: 14% (RB1s average 12%)
• Yards Per Route Run: 1.44 (RB1s average 1.23)
• Targets Per Route Run: 24% (RB1s average 21%)

Warren will have to survive the NFL Draft, but his primary competition for touches is Kenneth Gainwell, who is playing on a one-year $1.8 million contract.

Warren ranks as my RB24 and 60th player overall.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings For 2025

Brian Thomas Jr. | Jaguars

The Jaguars released Christian Kirk and Evan Engram. Over the final four games of last season, without those two in the lineup, Thomas led all WRs with 25.5 fantasy points per game with a 37% target share.

Thomas is my WR5 and No. 8 player overall.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks

Smith-Njigba was a revelation in the second half of his sophomore campaign in Seattle, averaging 17.7 fantasy points per game with a 27% target share from Week 8 to 18. The Seahawks offense will look very different in 2025. Klint Kubiak will call plays with Sam Darnold under center and Cooper Kupp replacing DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. 

The Kupp addition is a head-scratcher because of the overlap in skill sets. Still, Kupp will be 32 and wasn't good in 2024. I am betting on the ascending young player (23) remaining the focal point.

Smith-Njigba is my WR12 and ranks 26th overall.

Davante Adams | Rams

Adams joins forces with Puka Nacua to form the new 1-2 punch in L.A. with Matthew Stafford. Per TruMedia, when Nacua and Cooper Kupp were on the field together over the last two seasons, they notched 34% and 27% target shares, respectively. Adams is better than Kupp at this point, and in McVay we trust.

Adams ranks as my WR14 and 34th overall.

Tetairoa McMillan | TBD

McMillan notched a rating of 90 in the Rookie Super Model. Similar rookies have fared well early in their careers, with 80% notching a top-24 campaign in their first three seasons.

McMillan ranks as my WR23 and 49th overall.

Chris Godwin | Buccaneers

Tampa Bay re-signed Godwin (29) to a three-year, $66 million contract. He was off to a massive start in 2024 before a dislocated ankle injury ended his season. Godwin was the WR6 with 19.7 fantasy points per game and an 8.0 Utilization Score over the first seven contests.

Godwin is my WR24 and ranks 52nd overall.

DK Metcalf | Steelers

The outlook on Metcalf could change slightly depending on who Pittsburgh brings in at quarterback. However, this isn't an ideal situation. Arthur Smith loves to run the ball and rotate his personnel (even his best players) more than a typical coordinator. Additionally, Metcalf will have to battle George Pickens, who offers a similar skill set, for targets. 

Metcalf is a good player and a plus for the Steelers, but he has never become a complete wide receiver who can dominate targets.

He is my WR28 and No. 58 player overall.

Bonus: George Pickens falls to WR38.

Tight End Rankings For 2025

Brock Bowers | Raiders

Bowers averaged 15.4 fantasy points as a rookie—the third most in the NFL behind George Kittle and Trey McBride. He posted the second-best Utilization Score (9.1) and target share (26%). Geno Smith is a better quarterback than Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell

Bowers ranks as my TE1 and No. 20 player overall.

Bonus: Jakobi Meyers is WR34.

George Kittle | 49ers

Kittle will be 32 this October, but he didn't show any signs of slowing down in 2024, leading all tight ends with 15.8 points per game. With Samuel traded to the Commanders and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, Kittle will battle Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall for targets early in the season.

Kittle is my TE3 and ranks 35th overall.

Bonus: Jauan Jennings is WR33.

Premium

FantasyLife+ Rankings

A FantasyLife+ subscription gives you into the ultimate fantasy football and sports betting experience. Including full access to some of our premium tools, such as Rankings.

Check It Out