You can usually see a crash before it happens, right?

The sound or force of the impact shouldn’t cause any shock. Whiplash shouldn’t be a concern. If anything, with this gift of foresight, you can just avoid the incident entirely. But we know how things really work.

Things happen. Sometimes, they’re not your fault. In other cases, there are indicators. Bad football teams can show similar signs. Watching poor play on Sundays doesn’t always come out of nowhere. It’s an extension of the flawed decisions made months ago. And for a handful of teams, we can see why they’d be hard to trust in fantasy for the 2025 season.

Predicting The Most Dysfunctional Teams In Fantasy Football 2025

DISCLAIMER: Before you scroll down, see your team listed, and come after me on social media, I want to set the record straight. This article is just one man’s (analytical) opinion. I’m not Silky Johnson, and hope all the bad things in life happen to you and nobody else. If anything, and I hate to point fingers, this is kind of your fault.

Well, I take it back. Really, my analysis is our fault.

Average draft position (ADP) data is kind of like a heat check. We, as a community, set the value of each player and, by extension, their offenses.

Accordingly, six of the seven offenses I’ve identified as potential train wrecks sit at or below the average number of players with a top-100 ADP. So, unless Rashid Shaheed (sorry, cooterdoodle) or Cam Skattebo can make a stronger case for having a double-digit ADP, my hands are tied. Anyway, let’s get to it.

The Obvious Candidates

Cleveland Browns

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 14.3 (32nd)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 20th
• Major Offseason Move(s): Traded for a QB, signed another in FA, and drafted two more

The Browns are trying the old “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” method to find their next QB. I’m sure it’ll work out fine. GM Andrew Berry certainly looked happy about the process.

I’m partly joking, but the differing styles of the Browns’ quarterback quartet are an immediate concern. The last time we saw Joe Flacco, he was chucking the ball downfield (to the other team) with a 9.2-yard aDOT. Dillon Gabriel has a similar gunslinger mentality (10.0-yard average passing depth), but Shedeur Sanders (8.5) had the second-lowest per-attempt average of this year’s class. 

We saw how lifeless the passing game became, going from Jameis Winston to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. A drop in passing air yards would cause receiving production to fall for any of the other pass catchers. And it’s not like any of them have efficiency as a skill set to keep their fantasy values afloat.

Jerry Jeudy leads the WR corps after a career year in yards (1,229) and an all-time low in YAC per rec (4.3). Cedric Tillman is yet to participate in offseason workouts. Diontae Johnson skipped OTAs. Plus, the offensive line, after a season of injuries, has its reputation at stake after losing former line coach Bill Callahan to Tennessee. The number of questions at each position is a reflection of our distrust of the Browns’ offense. Nobody would be shocked if ’25 is a repeat of 2024.

New Orleans Saints

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 19.4 (24th)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 22nd
• Major Offseason Move(s): Derek Carr retired, hired Kellen Moore, and drafted Tyler Shough

On the one hand, I like that New Orleans brought in Kellen Moore. From Dallas to LA to Philly, Moore’s offenses have been fantasy-friendly, to say the least. But he’s had the privilege of working with high-end QBs.

• 2024: Jalen Hurts, 80.1% (1st in adjusted completion percentage)
• 2023: Justin Herbert, 74.7% (15th)
• 2019-2022: Dak Prescott, 76.5% (15th)

Accurate. Mobile. Willing to be aggressive. You could apply most, if not all, of those descriptors to the passers who have worked with Moore. The opposite is the case for the two on the Saints’ roster. Across his six starts, Spencer Rattler ranked 32nd in adjusted completion percentage per PFF.

Tyler Shough didn’t fare any better in his final season at Louisville. With Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed averaging double-digit air yards per target in ‘24, Moore will need to implement a sizeable shift in the offense to get the ball in their hands. Drafting Kelvin Banks at LT should help. But there’s a clear disconnect between the skillsets of the QB and his receivers that may take some time to sort out.

New York Giants

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 15.3 (31st)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 23rd
• Major Offseason Move(s): Signed Russell Wilson, Drafted Jaxson Dart

I should add that the Giants also signed Jameis Winston, but his chances of starting feel like a long shot. I mean, I could imagine what it’d be like if he did. However, let’s be realistic.

Let’s assume Mr. Unlimited gets the gig. The G-Men are returning the same starting five offensive linemen that allowed the fourth-most QB hits and allowed the fifth-highest pressure rate. Coincidentally, they’ll face the following defensive units to start the season.

• Week 1: Commanders, 12th (rank in pressure rate)
• Week 2: Cowboys, 9th 
• Week 3: Chiefs, 11th 
• Week 4: Chargers, 19th 

Meanwhile, Wilson went from the 20th-best QB in passing success rate from a clean pocket to 30th when under duress. Tyrone Tracy was a liability in pass protection. I don’t think Abdul Carter is like Travis Hunter and plays both ways. Luckily, Malik Nabers doesn’t have any significant competition for targets. But their quality will continue to lack in 2025, bringing the entire offense down.

The Signs Are There …

Indianapolis Colts

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 21.8 (15th)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 12th
• Major Offseason Move(s): Signed Daniel Jones, Drafted Tyler Warren

Real quick, let me play both sides, so I come out on top.

Cynical Chris would point out the obvious detractor to the Colts’ offense. 

Between the Saints and Colts, I’m not sure which QB competition is sadder. Daniel Jones hasn’t played a snap since November of last year. In that game, he threw two picks to the same Panthers’ defense that everyone else marked down in pencil as a win. He hasn’t thrown for more than two TDs in a single game since 2019. Sure, he could turn Josh Downs into the next PPR scam, as he did for Wan’Dale Robinson. But there is another way the offense could function.

Quenton Nelson was Indy’s only starting lineman to play the full season. Accordingly, the Colts ranked 17th in adjusted yards before contact per rush. Jonathan Taylor hit career lows in rushing success and forced missed tackle rate. A healthy blocking unit and an improved running game would keep whichever QB upright and the offense on the move. It’s a tough needle to thread, but the personnel are in place for the Colts to stay competitive in 2025.

New England Patriots

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 16.5 (30th)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 32nd
• Major Offseason Move(s): Signed Stefon Diggs, added offensive linemen

Honestly, I want to start on a positive note with New England because I generally agree with their approach to the draft and free agency. I see the vision for building around Drake Maye. Signing Morgan Moses and Garrett Bradbury, along with drafting Will Campbell, should keep Maye from getting knocked around 5.2 times per game (the 13th-highest rate amongst starters). Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are a solid one-two punch out of the backfield. But there’s an obvious part of the team built on hopes and dreams.

• Kendrick Bourne: 800 (career-high, single-season yardage total)
• Mack Hollins: 690
• DeMario Douglas: 621
• Kayshon Boutte: 589
• Ja’Lynn Polk: 87

Outside of Stefon Diggs (aka The Love Boat Captain), Maye’s pass-catchers are, I’ll say, unproven, to be kind. And, OK, if you don’t like season-season yardage, let’s look at their efficiency. Nobody on this list has a career-high yards per route run higher than 1.55. For reference, Diontae Johnson was the WR53 in YPRR last season at 1.53. 

So, at best, the offense will be boring (i.e., run-heavy) but protective of their franchise QB. At worst, a lack of separation by his receivers forces him to bail out of the pocket, and Maye regresses to his rookie tendencies.

OK … Hear Me Out

San Francisco 49ers

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 22.1 (14th)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 13th
• Major Offseason Move(s): Traded away Deebo Samuel, Prioritized defense in the draft

To be clear, I’m acknowledging the fact that I’m reaching. I don’t believe the 49ers will underperform. They were right to extend Brock Purdy. In fact, I could make the case that the chaos from last year brought out a more polished version of Purdy.

Purdy held onto the ball longer, threw the ball farther downfield, and tried to fit the ball into tighter windows. Simply put, he was more willing to take chances. And, when all else failed, he used his legs. Purdy’s 8.4% scramble rate translated to an extra 4.2 fantasy PPG. And again, I’m not saying the recently-made multimillionaire can’t have a repeat performance. But a few pieces of his surrounding cast need either luck or a time machine to boost my confidence level.

• Brandon Aiyuk – likely to start the season on the PUP list
• Christian McCaffrey – as healthy as a 29-year-old RB coming off a PCL tear can be
• Trent Williams – Will be 37, missed multiple games in consecutive seasons

The 49ers’ offensive line already sat in the middle of the pack by the end of the season. But they only used swings in free agency to patch up their starting lineup. San Francisco’s Week 1 receiver rotation will likely be Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and Demarcus Robinson. 

In other words, the fragility of the offense is what has them on my radar for 2025.

Houston Texans

• 2024 Offensive Points per Game: 20.5 (18th)
• End-of-Season Offensive Line Ranking (per PFF): 29th
• Major Offseason Move(s): Added offensive linemen, signed and drafted WRs

Like my thoughts about the 49ers, I’m trying to be thorough. I’m squinting at the data and headlines to find the indicators that we could point back to in November or December and realize how we got to a bad place with the offense. The easiest place to start is with C.J. Stroud’s shoulder.

Stroud says it’s nothing. The media (and we) are noting it as something. I’m jotting it down as a thing. Full disclosure: I’m not a doctor. But I’ll offer this news item along with Stroud’s 109 hits (plus an extra 19 in the playoffs) from last season as a piece of information I’m keeping in the back of my mind. 

If his protection looks like it’ll improve, my concern drops off. More clean pockets equal fewer hits to me. But neither of Houston’s FA acquisitions at OL has instilled much confidence.

• Cam Robinson – ranked 34th out of 59 eligible Tackles (in PFF pass-blocking grade)
• Laken Tomlinson – ranked 33rd out of 58 eligible Guards

If you cringe at PFF grades, that’s fine. The Texans’ new duo to cover Stroud’s blindside both ranked in the top five for most pressures allowed at their positions.

A change of scenery could be good for both, but the potential for another year with a weak offensive line should cast some doubt. Let’s assume Christian Kirk and Jayden Higgins get in sync with Stroud early, but his health and ability to stay upright will be constant storylines throughout 2025.

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