It’s easy to get lost in the lull of summer. The NFL season ends with the Super Bowl in February and once we get through free agency and the NFL Draft, there’s plenty of down time. Because of that, we can sometimes forget what even happened during the offseason. What’s Davante Adams doing in blue and gold? Why are DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers in black and yellow? There’s another new QB for the Jets?
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In order to get you ready for training camp, preseason and the 2025 NFL regular season, we’re doing a bit of a refresher of all the major offseason moves to help you going into fantasy football draft season. Let’s get to it!
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Biggest Moves
Seahawks add Cooper Kupp, Sam Darnold
The Seattle Seahawks had a busy offseason with a lot of movement. The most notable being QB Sam Darnold signing a three-year, $100.5 million contract to take over for Geno Smith, who was dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold will operate under a new offense from offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who replaces Ryan Grubb.
In the wide receiver ranks, the Seahawks shipped DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers and signed veteran Cooper Kupp to a three-year, $45 million deal. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, fresh off his breakout season, will take over as the No. 1 receiving option for Darnold.
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There are still a lot of question marks surrounding the offensive line. If that group can keep Darnold upright, Seattle has a chance to be exciting from a fantasy perspective. We could see a lot of the touch volume concentrate on RBs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, and JSN and Kupp.
Bengals re-sign Tee Higgins
The Cincinnati Bengals were among the top offenses for fantasy goodness in 2024. Can they duplicate it in 2025? Well, re-signing WR Tee Higgins to a four-year, $115 million deal was a step in the right direction. Despite missing five games last season, Higgins put up 911 receiving yards on 73 catches (109 targets) and 10 touchdowns. That was good enough for a WR18 finish, just inside the top 20, despite missing games.
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Health is obviously a concern, but if Higgins can put together a full campaign, there’s no reason he can’t shatter his career high in receiving yards (1,091) and receptions (74). Joe Burrow should be an MVP candidate again this season and defenses will be giving their full attention to Ja’Marr Chase.
Deebo Samuel traded to Commanders
The Washington Commanders added to their receiving corps by trading for San Francisco 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel Sr. at the beginning of March. The 29-year-old will play out his contract with the Commanders before becoming a free agent next offseason.
Deebo joins Terry McLaurin (possibly, as McLaurin has been reportedly “frustrated” with contract negotations) and Jayden Daniels in a Kliff Kingsbury offense that should continue to be exciting in 2025. San Francisco was always good getting Samuel in space and using him in a bunch of different looks. Expect Kingsbury to also get creative. Deebo had a down season in 2024, posting 51 catches for 670 yards and three TDs in 15 games. He also added 42 rushes but only averaged 3.2 yards per attempt.
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Samuel will be an interesting sleeper in fantasy this season with a fresh start in a high-powered offense with a talented young QB.
Another new QB for the Jets
This may shock you, but the New York Jets have another new QB. Since 2010, the Jets have had 17 different starting QBs. The latest is Justin Fields, brought in this offseason on a two-year, $40 million contract at the start of free agency. Aaron Glenn was hired as the new head coach and Tanner Engstrand takes over as OC after working under Ben Johnson in Detroit. It’s the Jets, so take this with a shot of penicillin, but this team could surprise in 2025.
Fields posted a 4-2 record with 1,106 passing yards, five TDs, one INT and a 93.3 passer rating in 10 games (six starts for the Steelers last season). It was surprising Pittsburgh didn’t just roll with Fields the rest of the way at starter, even when Russell Wilson was healthy. Fields was also pretty good on the ground with 62 rushes for 289 yards and five TDs, posting multiple games with two rushing TDs.
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Now Fields is reunited with WR Garrett Wilson; the two were teammates at Ohio State in 2019 and 2020. The Aaron Rodgers circus has left town. Glenn should instill a powerful voice and winning culture in New York. It wouldn’t be surprising if Fields finally puts it all together and breaks out this season. He’ll be a trendy sleeper at QB in fantasy football.
Stefon Diggs in New England
It’s been five seasons since Tom Brady left the New England Patriots and the franchise is still looking for its footing. This could be the season we start to see the team turn the corner, however. Jerod Mayo as head coach didn’t work out, but three-time Super Bowl champion Mike Vrabel was brought in as his replacement to right the ship.
One of the big moves this offseason under Vrabel was going out and getting a legit No. 1 wideout in Stefon Diggs, who signed a three-year, $63.5 million deal this offseason. Diggs, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 for the Texans last season, is expected to come in and be the top target for second-year QB Drake Maye. Prior to the injury last season, Diggs had 47 catches for 496 yards and three TDs.
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If Diggs can bounce back from the injury and Maye takes another step forward, there’s no reason the veteran receiver can’t be a solid WR2/FLEX option in most PPR formats.
Davante Adams in L.A.
The Rams swapped one elite wideout for another with Kupp leaving and Adams joining Matthew Stafford and Co. for 2025. Once viewed as arguably the best WR in the NFL, Adams has had his fair share of ups and downs the past couple of seasons. Still fantasy relevant, Adams bounced from the Raiders to the Jets after Week 6, reuniting with QB Aaron Rodgers. Despite being inactive for three weeks and switching teams, Adams was able to finish with north of 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth straight season, totaling 1,063 and eight TDs on 85 receptions.
Puka Nacua is the top wideout for Los Angeles, but there’s no reason a healthy Adams can’t form a 1A-1B situation (at least in terms of fantasy). At 32 years old, Adams is still capable of playing at a high level. He was still a top-20 WR in fantasy last season. The Rams should have an elite offense with Adams, who has top-10 WR upside.
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Steelers revamp offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the more polarizing teams this offseason. Rather than going full-rebuild, Pittsburgh is retooling, adding QB Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf and bringing in veteran TE Jonnu Smith. All this in hopes that an elite defense and improved offense can help the Steelers win in the postseason again.
With the Jets last season, Rodgers wasn’t all that bad. He finished just shy of 4,000 passing yards with 28 TDs and 11 INTs in 17 games. The Jets were just a mess. Those numbers are far from elite in both real life and fantasy. Rodgers shouldn’t be drafted at QB in any fantasy format. But depending on how things mesh, he’ll have streamer appeal and could end up being a startable QB.
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Metcalf took a back seat to breakout WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba last season with the Seahawks. Rather than pay DK, Seattle shipped him to the Steelers. Metcalf signed a four-year, $132 million deal and is firmly the No. 1 WR option in Pittsburgh. Yahoo analyst Justin Boone has Metcalf ranked as the WR24 going into 2025. With Rodgers at QB, Metcalf should still be a decent WR2/3 in most formats this season.
Jonnu Smith wanted a new contract and got it from the Steelers after being traded by the Miami Dolphins. Smith, 29, posted career highs in catches (88) and yards (884) last season. Along with eight TDs, those numbers were good enough for a top-five TE finish in fantasy. This season, Smith enters with lower expectations, coming in as the TE20 for Boone in his rankings.
George Pickens traded to Cowboys
Not that there’s any reason we wouldn’t see a trade between the longtime rival franchises, but it was a bit surprising when the Steelers sent WR George Pickens to the Cowboys this offseason. Pittsburgh had already traded for Metcalf before shipping out Pickens, who wasn’t great at masking his emotions on and off the field. Pickens, who was a second-round pick in 2022, regressed in his third NFL season after posting career numbers in 2023 (63-1,140-5). This past season, he finished with 59 catches for 900 yards and just three TDs. Pickens had led the NFL in yards per reception in 2023 at 18.1.
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Now, Pickens is in a near-perfect situation in Dallas. Dak Prescott is back and healthy. The Cowboys have needed a better WR2 option behind CeeDee Lamb for what feels like forever. If Pickens can adjust to the new offense under Brian Schottenheimer and Prescott stays healthy, we should see his numbers resemble 2023’s, when he finished as a top-25 WR.
Raiders shake things up
The Las Vegas Raiders decided to make some big changes this offseason. Pete Carroll was brought in as head coach after 14 seasons in Seattle. The Raiders traded for QB Geno Smith, who started the final few seasons under Carroll. With a strong voice leading the franchise and a competent starter at QB, the Raiders appear poised to take a step back into relevancy in the AFC West this season. Las Vegas also added the top RB in the 2025 draft class in Ashton Jeanty.
Smith was quietly a top-15 QB in fantasy last season. He’s still not draftable in most formats; maybe you’d add him as a backup in a 14-16 team league. But Smith should have some streaming appeal on heavy bye weeks or depending on the Raiders’ matchup. Given everything we know about Jeanty, you should have no reservations about drafting him in the first round.
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Notable injuries
Below is a list of notable injuries for players that happened prior to last season or during last season that could impact how we approach drafts for 2025.
Quarterback
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Anthony Richardson (shoulder)
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Trevor Lawrence (shoulder)
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Deshaun Watson (Achilles)
Running back
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Christian McCaffrey (knee)
Wide Receiver
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Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL/MCL; PUP List)
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Rashee Rice (knee/hamstring)
Rookies we’re watching closely
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags traded up to select phenom Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Hunter, who will also cycle in at corner on defense, creates a very interesting tandem with Brian Thomas Jr. at wideout for QB Trevor Lawrence. Justin Boone has Hunter ranked as the WR25 for 2025.
Chicago Bears
Not only did the Bears revamp their offensive line this offseason, but they added multiple rookies on offense who could make an immediate impact. First is TE Colston Loveland, who was the No. 1 pick out of Michigan. Next comes second-round WR Luther Burden III out of Missouri. Burden comes in as the WR55 for Boone while Loveland is TE10.
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Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers used their first two picks in the draft on offensive skill players. RB Omarion Hampton should get plenty of run in a 1-2 punch with Najee Harris. The UNC product could take over the backfield at some point this season. WR Tre Harris out of Ole Miss could be the perfect No. 2 option behind Ladd McConkey for Justin Herbert. Hampton comes in as RB17 while Harris is WR56.
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