Super Bowl LIX is over now — the beers have been drunk and the light poles climbed — so we can start looking ahead to Super Bowl LX.
One NFL team can feel really good about where they are (once the celebration ends), while the other 31 teams will be trying to figure out what went wrong and how to improve.
Today, let’s see the players who will shape the 2025 offseason in fantasy football. The scouting combine is only two weeks away, and free agency starts in a month, so we don’t have much time to think about how the pieces will fall into place before things start moving.
Tee Higgins
Higgins is the biggest player to watch this offseason when it comes to how other players’ fantasy value will change. If he stays with Cincinnati — which might be what he wants — Joe Burrow becomes a top-five fantasy quarterback with a chance to win MVP in real life. Higgins is a physically powerful player who can improve any offense and quarterback he plays with. The quarterback he teams up with is likely to become much better once Higgins joins the team.
Every team would love to have a player like Higgins at the peak of his career, so there will be a lot of competition if the Bengals can’t or won’t re-sign him. The Patriots, Commanders, and Chargers are among the teams that need a receiver and have a lot of cap space. It’s easy to picture Higgins ending up in a situation where he gets more chances than he did in Cincinnati. If he gets over 140 targets, he will be one of the top receivers in fantasy.
Deebo Samuel
After a tough season statistically, mostly due to injuries, Samuel asked the 49ers for a trade, and his agent has been allowed to explore possible teams for him. It looks like he will likely be moving on. Even during a disappointing season for him, Samuel still managed 93 touches and was targeted 81 times; his exit would open up more chances for Jauan Jennings and give more opportunities to Ricky Pearsall in fantasy football.
Samuel seems like a perfect match for the Denver Broncos, who are looking for a versatile player. If Deebo is interested and the Broncos are willing to offer him a contract, the trade could happen.
Tyreek Hill
Hill appeared to use Super Bowl media week as a way to clarify his stance, telling almost every outlet that he would prefer to stay in Miami. Maybe that’s the case, and maybe the Dolphins are fully committed to keeping Tyreek.
However, Hill is a complex player who will turn 31 soon, and he was clearly unhappy at the end of the regular season. It’s important not to assume that Miami won’t be open to offers. Hill could be an attractive option for any team that misses out on Higgins.
Sam Darnold
It’s not completely clear whether Darnold is the best of the bad quarterbacks or the worst of the good ones, but we’ve learned that he can support two great fantasy receivers (before falling apart in a big way during the most important weeks of the season). If he stays in Minnesota, Justin Jefferson will remain a top-five fantasy pick, Jordan Addison will be a strong WR2, and Darnold will be a quarterback worth considering with potential.
If Darnold ends up in a team with less talent, he’s likely only a Superflex quarterback, and Minnesota’s receivers will depend on an interesting but unproven 22-year-old quarterback who is recovering from multiple knee surgeries. As much as we might like the idea of a J.J. McCarthy-led offense, he’s still an unknown. Darnold, however, just had a 35-touchdown season with a 14-win team.
Michael Hoecht celebrates after sacking Sam Darnold in the 2nd halfAaron Rodgers
Rodgers is not at his best anymore, but he’s not completely done either. At 41, he likely still wants to play professional football, but we know it won’t be with the Jets.
A big game of quarterback musical chairs is about to happen across the league, involving Rodgers, Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and others. When the music stops, Rodgers could end up in a somewhat exciting place, maybe with the Steelers or Giants, or he could land in a less attractive location, like the Titans or Browns.
It’s also possible that the music will stop and Rodgers will be relaxing in a sensory deprivation chamber, disconnected from the idea of continuing his NFL career. He’s a free spirit, not tied to traditional ideas or expectations. Shrug.
Devante Adams
Adams and Rodgers keep ending up together, but it’s not certain that will happen this offseason. After a season where Adams gained 1,063 yards and scored eight touchdowns over 14 games, he’s sure to get attention if or when the Jets let him go.
He’s said to be interested in the Rams and Chargers, teams that would keep his fantasy value strong but could make things uncertain for players like Puka Nacua or Ladd McConkey. Adams is about to turn 32, but he’s far from finished. Every team that is competing for a championship and needs a receiver will at least check his price.
Chris Godwin
Let’s remember that when Godwin injured his ankle and ended his season in Week 7, he had been competing for the top WR1 spot for the year. At that point, he was one of the best options in fantasy. We shouldn’t be too worried about his recovery, either, since he and the Bucs had mentioned a possible return in the postseason if the team made a deep run.
Godwin is entering free agency at 29, after a half-season where he averaged 82.3 receiving yards per game and caught 80.6% of his targets. He’s been one of the most dependable players at his position since joining the league in 2017. A return to Tampa would be of interest to everyone involved, but it would certainly limit the recent excitement around Jalen McMillan.
If he stays healthy, Godwin is definitely the kind of receiver who can boost his quarterback’s fantasy value.
Chris Godwin (NFL)Ashton Jeanty
Yes, there are a few reliable, older running backs who will be available in free agency, but this year’s draft class isn’t as strong as last year’s. Jeanty is the running back most likely to shake up fantasy draft boards this offseason. No matter where Aaron Jones or Najee Harris go, we won’t be thinking about those players at the end of the first round.
Jeanty just had one of the best individual seasons in college football history, rushing for a huge 2,601 yards while averaging 7.0 yards per carry and scoring 30 touchdowns.
He also caught 80 passes for 862 yards over three college seasons, showing he can be used in the passing game. If Jeanty ends up in Dallas — where he is often mocked to go — or in Chicago — where he is openly hoping to play — then someone in every fantasy draft will be picking him in the first two rounds.
Matthew Stafford
On one hand, it doesn’t make much sense for the Rams to trade a quarterback who just led the team to the divisional round, where they gave the eventual Super Bowl champions their toughest challenge in the playoffs. But maybe this is a case of a team trying to get rid of an aging star while his value is still high. There has been too much talk about a possible Stafford trade to just ignore it.
Stafford still has an incredible arm and is one of the most creative (and also immobile) quarterbacks in the game. If he is up for trade, he would be the best option available for 2025. Malik Nabers has already shown interest on behalf of the Giants.
