First, congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles and their band of “classy” fans on winning the Super Bowl. It felt like the entire football world was in Philly’s corner because many of us had grown tired of the Chiefs 3-Peat talk. Anyone that watched football in 2024 knew the Chiefs were not the best team. Some of those fans took to the Internets with Chiefs + Refs conspiracy theories. That, too, got old quick. Thank goodness the Eagles put a stop to all that talk, and maybe we roll into 2025 with less, if not zero, Taylor Swift mentions. Let’s get back to football! If you are like me, then you are starting to receive dynasty league invites or if you are really like me and my guys over at @RazzballNFL (Home – Razzball Fantasy Football), you are filling your time with some baseball action. Baseball or not, it is imperative you are aware our football group will be publishing articles throughout the off-season while also hosting podcasts to discuss the upcoming draft, the free agency periods (legal tampering and normal free agency), and, before you know it, BOOM, we will be talking 2025 fantasy football draft prep. What a time to be alive!
For my next group of articles, I will focus on the Wide Receiver position. I will discuss hits and misses, sleepers and busts, steals, and the general outlook for the 2025 season. Our work may be done for 2024, but that only means we are looking forward to winning our leagues in 2025. Stay tuned for rankings, with updates to follow throughout the offseason.
Remember to check in with the @Razzball NFL team of writers as we host our You Tube podcasts where we chat all things off-season fantasy football and maybe weave in some music and pop culture chatter. Join Sky Guasco @SkyGuasco, The Lineup Builder @Derek_Favret, Jeff Kezar @Jefferson__21, Dave Crews @crewser128, and me, Matt Stiles @stiles08 on out various You Tube sows as we answer all your questions thus keeping you engaged for the 2025 season while looking back at what coulda, shoulda, woulda been in 2024. Come for the analysis and stay for the laughs!
Mid Round Steals
- Player: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Team: Seattle Seahawks
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR42 (WR9)
Did you see this coming? I cannot say I did. I was high on JSN but certainly not WR9 high. I was bullish on his Seattle WR partner, DK Metcalf and we all know how that turned out. There has been a lot of chatter about DK possibly being moved this off-season which would open the door for JSN to be a true WR1. In looking at 2024 stats he was absolutely a WR1 albeit a quiet one. There was not a lot of hype around the Seahawks this season, and JSN flew under the radar even while posting a line of 137-100-1,130-6. To be considered elite in 2025 we need to see the TDs increase to at least double digits. I will not be looking at JSN in my Top 10 WRs but can see him finishing in that range again in 2025.
- Player: Courtland Sutton
- Team: Denver Broncos
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR15 (WR43)
Many of the notes I just handed you about JSN can be copy-pasted for Sutton in Denver. Not a ton of hype for the team. Quiet but impressive stat line (135-81-1,081-8). Add in rookie QB Bo Nix and you have the makings of a milquetoast WR that some looked to grab in the middle rounds as roster depth more than weekly starter. Sutton was a weekly starter posting over 14 PPR points per game for the season. My gut says Sutton gets better in 2025 and approaches the century mark in receptions with Sean Payton having another off-season with Nix.
- Player: Jameson Williams
- Team: Detroit Lions
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR22 (WR45)
To say the Lions had an offensive breakout in 2024 would be an understatement. To say Jamo made the jump would also be an understatement. With Ben Johnson calling the plays, Williams ascended in all receiving categories finishing with 91-58-1,001-7 while working to negate the dropsies we saw during his sophomore campaign. I sincerely believe Jamo takes the leap in season four bringing fantasy owners a true WR2 season. The big question mark is what happens with the departure of the OC Ben Johnson. Will the Lions front office bring in a coordinator that can keep Williams in the game from the jump or will the talented WR be an afterthought as he was in 2023? Give me the Over on all receiving categories; 2025 > 2024!
The Rookie Steals
- Player: Brian Thomas Jr.
- Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR4 (WR49)
I screamed it every chance I got! Brian Thomas Jr. would end the 2024 season as the top rookie WR. Insert Andy Bernard meme because I nailed it. Thomas averaged 16.7 PPR points per game with about half the season being led by Mac Jones at QB. If the Jags can keep Trevor Lawrence healthy and provide some help on the other side of the offensive formation, then Thomas will continue to thrive. Trust when I say someone in every league will overdraft Thomas in 2025 expecting a WR4 finish again. That person will be me. I will draft Thomas every chance I get just like I did in 2024. Will he finish as WR4? No, he will not, in my humble opinion but he will also NOT be drafted as the WR4. I see him going in the Top 15-20 picks which is OK for me. I can see myself starting a lot of leagues with Jahmyr Gibbs-Brian Thomas Jr. to start.
- Player: Ladd McConkey
- Team: Los Angeles Chargers
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR12 (WR44)
Full transparency from me, always. I was not as high on McConkey as some of my Razzball co-hosts were, I am OK being wrong (this time). I was not out on McConkey as much as I was more in on BTJ and that is fine. McConkey is going to get better especially when Tee Higgins ends up taking the CB1 coverage for the Chargers. I look for Higgins to grab the bag for Los Angeles thus opening more space for McConkey. Another year in the system equals more trust in and play calling benefitting the second year WR. I foresee Ladd’s targets to be over 130 and his catches to be over 100 in year two.
Follow me @stiles08 on Twitter/X and send questions comments at the bottom of this article. Make sure you jump around the Razzball site for all your fantasy football needs.
-Stiles-
