Fantasy Football '25: snack bar Free agency

Welcome back, reader. A lot has happened since I wrote my latest fantasy columns (2025 first round and the top level at every position). Dozens of players have changed the teams through free agency or trade, and dozens of other have signed extensions with their current team. Tea Higgins was tagged again by the Bengals. If you do not silence your notifications, you will probably have a headache from your phone, which chases all the ESPN Fantasy bells into the air. As a lawyer, I do not know what to make of the term “legal manipulation”. Everything that is in it with “manipulation” sounds pretty shady for me. But whatever, the NFL seems to have found everything out, and the teams have manipulated a lot again.

So yes, many players have changed in the last week or so, but how much difference will it actually make? For imagination, maybe not that much this time not so much. This is my first to take part: this was an overwhelming Free Agent class, and the general effect on the imagination for the 2025 season should be steamed.

The last low season was a different story, or at least turned out. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry found new houses and ran for more than 3,900 combined yards (and 29 combined TDS) and ended as the two best scorers at the running back position. Sam Darnold became a starter in Minnesota from a backup in San Francisco and ended the 5^TH in the NFL in both Passing -Yards (4,319) and TD passes (35). Josh Jacobs and Joe Mixon both exceeded 1,000 yards and achieved double -digit TDs in new teams. Aaron Jones, JK Dobbins and Tony Pollard were also high -quality starters in new places. It was an unusually good year for players who moved, and especially for the running backs. I don't see this kind of effects this season, but that doesn't mean that we will not see some remarkable successes. As a fantasy player, we want to redeem them if we can.

I wanted to make a column “winner of the free agency and loser”, but since many others do that, in my opinion it would bring me exactly into the column of the losers. Instead, I will only give you a few quick reactions to what is so far less, only from a fantastic perspective. And remember that more domino stones will still fall with additional cuts, signatures and shops as well as the draft at the end of April. A good example: Who will be the start quarters for the Steelers and giants? Ask for DK Metcalf, Malik Nabers, George Pickens and those who lead you into dynasty and keeper leagues.

Snack:

1. Seattle has torn it out for good or bad. The 'Hawks carried out a complete reset, and it is not just that the team replaced a year ago by Super Bowl, head coach Pete Carroll. The team continued a few seasons from Franchise QB Russell Wilson and now his successor (Geno Smith) has also left the city. DK Metcalf is only 27 years old, but was traded on the Steelers, Tyler Lockett will not come back, and Sam Darnold was signed as a new quarterback. The greatest beneficiary of all these sales is Jaxon Smith-Njigbawho had a mini breakout in 2024 and ended as a WR18 to fantasy points per game. He is now the clear #1 Pass Catching option in Seattle and should build on what he did in 2024.

Sam Darnold Numbers that have to take a step back in a very QB-friendly situation in Minnesota after blooming, but he showed that he can bring the ball to his upper destination. Seattle will surely expand his WR room again and again (you have already signed Marquez Valdes scantling and give you a second three-initial type), but JSN slots as a solid WR2 with WR1 upward trend for 2025. I cannot shake his last two games as Vikings.

2. Justin Fields To the jets! Is there a way to work in the long term? Almost not. They are the same old jets and they have not had a 5-year-old starter at QB since Chad Pennington. The two quarterbacks mentioned above, which I mentioned above, failed in the 2010s as a Jet starter.

In the meantime, two teams have already decided that Fields at QB is not their long -term answer. But do not let all of this prevent you from viewing fields as your QB1 in the imagination. If he can hold on to the starting job, he can produce and the money they give him over two years suggests that you plan to start him immediately. He has done it before, but not consistent. I wrote a lot about the advantage that a quarterback with two threats can bring. This is Fields, and in his best season (2022) he ended as a QB5. If you design fields as QB1, you would also like to design a solid second option.

While we're here, I wouldn't worry Garrett Wilson. Yes, Fields is a downgrade from Aaron Rodgers as a passer -by. But Davante Adams is gone, Fields had its best share in 2024, Fields and Wilson played together in the state of Ohio, and DJ Moore headed a top 10 season with Fields in Chicago. I want Wilson to improve his somewhat disappointing 2024 numbers.

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

3. Najee Harris Has a legitis RB-1 upward trend this season. Ok, Harris is not a particularly exciting back and he does not make highlight reel games. His career -Rushing average is only 3.9 meters per carry. This is okay because it is something that many other backs are not: consistent and durable. And that's perfect for his new landing site. Funny fact: Harris played four seasons and did not miss a game. He had at least 250 dead and 1,000 rushing yards every season. He also lost only four fumbles in his pro career. You know that Jim Harbaugh wants to run the ball and you know that the O-line is built to grind and open holes. People forget that Harris caught 74 balls as a newcomer. This total amount led all running backs this season. The second on the list was Austin Ekeler at 70 and he caught his passports from … wait for … Justin Herbert. You see where I go with it.

4. The Aries are now the Adams family. Within a few days, the rams of “We examine a trade for Matt Stafford” went to Stafford, but also added, but added Davante Adams For mix for big money. Adams showed last season that he still has it after the age of 30 (Cooper Kupp did not do anything), and although he is neither he nor Puka Nacua a burner, the defense with Adams fully and with Adams and Nacua, which starts up, are fearless and hard and excellent Routes. Throw Tutu Atwell's speed and the other side pieces and Sean McVays temporary offensive seem to be one of the most productive in the league for fantasy. Adams could be a bargain if a wide recipient goes outside the top 15.

Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images

5. The Raiders set up the ship. I'm not excessive Geno Smith For imagination in vegas, but it is a clear upgrade to what they had and should help Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and the rest of their skills to position players. Pete Carroll and a good coaching team below him should repair the culture pretty quickly. As for Geno, he as a QB2 for Superflex leagues a decent value.

6. The Daniel Jones Signing in Indianapolis is interesting. The deal is for a year and has a value of up to 17.7 million US dollars. It sounds like it is an open quarterback competition between Jones and the man Anthony Richardson in the third year. It is clear that the Colts have recognized that AR – despite its incredible sportiness and its upward trend – could not be the answer. I can almost guarantee that both games will start in 2025. Both are both too good games and very bad. I will not make big fantasy judgments now, but I would like to keep an eye on this situation because both QBS have the upward trend to be imaginative relevant to imagination (and the disadvantage to make them extremely frustrated if they count on one or both of them). None of this is great for the Indianapolis recipients -a pretty good group that will continue to suffer from inconsistent quarterback games.

7. D'Ore Andre Hopkins to Baltimore. I don't see much fantasy relevance here, nor do I see that the ravens have exaggerated the ravens. Hopkins slows down significantly and he is in four seasons in his fourth team. Baltimore has so many other sustainable options at RB, WR and TE. I doubt that he will be around a full-time player and he feels like a darts throw or waiver wire type. Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, Odell Beckham and now D-hop. This is so raven.

That's it for today. I set off to make legal manipulations. Keep it for more fantasy reporting outside of the season.