The NFL offseason is buzzing with speculation as fantasy managers prepare for yet another riveting season. Every offseason is headlined by several narratives that dominate conversation. Yet, many of these narratives ultimately prove to be unequivocally wrong.

• Best Ball Rankings
• Best Ball Consensus ADP
• 2025 Best Ball Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• Free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator

Fantasy Football Bold Predictions

Before the 2024 season, Christian McCaffrey was viewed as a consensus first-round selection, according to average draft position (ADP). Reports out of San Francisco suggested that his nagging offseason injuries would be resolved in time for Week 1. Instead, McCaffrey remained sidelined for the first nine games of the season and later suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13. Those who sided with the consensus regarding McCaffrey’s health earned virtually no return on their first-round draft investment.

For this reason, fantasy managers need to stay true to their bold convictions. Given how often the public misses, managers’ intuition and personal research should always be prioritized. With this in mind, here are some of my bold predictions for the 2025 fantasy football season.

Patrick Mahomes‘ Returns to Brilliance

Patrick Mahomes’ resume speaks for itself. With three Super Bowl championships, three Super Bowl MVP awards, two MVP awards and six Pro-Bowl selections, the quarterback already has a very compelling case to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Yet, Mahomes’ success hasn’t quite translated to fantasy football production. He’s finished as the overall QB8 and QB11 in the past two seasons. Those who invested early-round capital in the Chiefs talisman have regretted their draft day decisions.

Part of the decline in Mahomes’ statistics can be attributed to his lacklustre pass-catching weapons. In 2025, he’ll benefit from a compelling trio of wideouts, including Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown. Injuries prevented these players from sharing the field in 2024.

Rice was in the midst of a breakout season before a devastating season-ending knee injury in Week 4. He quickly emerged as the team’s go-to target, amassing 24 receptions on 29 targets for 288 receiving yards in the first three games of the season. Worthy proved to be a reliable playmaker throughout his rookie season. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), he averaged an impressive 7.1 yards after the catch per reception. Brown has earned a reputation for being among the league’s best field-stretchers. He averaged an ultra-efficient 2.68 yards per route run during his abbreviated inaugural season in Kansas City, per PFF. These players will allow Mahomes to re-adopt his gunslinger mentality that made him an instant success in the NFL.

Kansas City’s shift towards a slow-paced, methodical offensive scheme also played a part in Mahomes’ muted fantasy production. His 2024 average depth of target (aDOT) of 6.9 yards was considerably lower than his career tally (8.0). Head coach Andy Reid also placed a greater emphasis on the run game led by Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco. Neither of these backs was able to muster a rushing grade above 72.8 or an elusive rating greater than 33.6 in 2024, per PFF. It’s hard to imagine that the Chiefs will tolerate these inefficiencies much longer.

Simply put, the Chiefs lost Super Bowl LIX because they were incapable of keeping up with the Eagles’ high-flying offense. They’ll need to adopt a much more explosive offensive identity to remain the pride of the AFC. Luckily, Mahomes’ arm talent is second to none, and he now has the requisite pass-catching weapons. I’m expecting a sharp increase in Mahomes’ overall production and a return to elite fantasy football status.

Alvin Kamara‘s Impressive Run Comes to an End

Alvin Kamara has been a fantasy football gem for the majority of his decorated career. In recent years, he’s overcome porous offensive lines and ineffective schemes to deliver great fantasy football production. That said, there are simply too many hurdles for Kamara to surmount in 2025. I’m projecting a sharp decline in output that will eventually result in the veteran back being benched in most fantasy football formats.

In 2024, Kamara’s efficiency metrics left much to be desired. Among running backs with a minimum of 100 carries, he ranked 36th in yards after contact per attempt, 38th in elusive rating, and 28th in yards per carry, per PFF. This trend isn’t likely to reverse as Kamara turns 30 before the start of next season. The Saints may allocate carries to the more dynamic options in this backfield, including Kendre Miller and rookie Devin Neal.

Kamara’s elite receiving production has historically compensated for his lack of effectiveness on the ground. He’s largely benefited from playing with the likes of Drew Brees and Derek Carr, who were both very willing to target the running back position. It remains to be seen whether Tyler Shough, the Saints’ presumed starting quarterback in 2025, will develop the same habits. His career aDOT of 9.6 yards, per PFF, suggests he has a greater affinity for the deep ball. At any rate, Kamara set a career low in PFF receiving grade in 2025.

The Saints’ overall offensive ecosystem isn’t conducive to fantasy football production. Their offensive line ranked dead last in PFF pass blocking grade in 2024. While the addition of first-round offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. will certainly help, this unit is still well below average. Saints fans should also expect sub-par quarterback play in 2025. Rookie signal-callers historically have a very steep learning curve, especially those who aren’t selected in the first round. Outside of the oft-injured Chris Olave, this roster also lacks pass-catching weapons of note. Kamara will struggle to replicate the touchdown production that has made him a valuable fantasy football asset over the years.

A Productive Year for San Francisco’s Trio of Wide Receivers

The current sentiment surrounding the San Francisco 49ers is much more pessimistic than it has been in recent years. The team is coming off a disastrous 6-11 season during which many of its cornerstone players battled injuries. These concerning trends trickled into the offseason, where several players of note signed elsewhere in free agency. The void left by the likes of Deebo Samuel, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga and Aaron Banks will surely be hard to fill.

Nevertheless, the 49ers still possess the foundation to be an efficient offensive unit in 2025. Most notably, I’m anticipating Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk to all out-perform their respective fantasy ADPs.

Brock Purdy has shown to be an ideal fit for Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. According to PFF, he ranked second in yards per attempt and 13th in NFL passer rating among quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 dropbacks in 2024. He’s also made considerable strides as a runner. In 2024, he earned a PFF rushing grade of 90.2 and set career highs in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and missed tackles forced. The 265 million dollar man will continue to sustain drives and push the ball downfield, allowing for steady fantasy football production from the 49ers’ ancillary weapons.

Despite a slow start to his NFL career, Pearsall finished his rookie campaign on a strong note. Across the final three games of the season, he accrued 21 targets, catching 18 of them for 247 receiving yards. On the other hand, Jennings emerged as the 49ers’ alpha receiver in the absence of Samuel and Aiyuk. His PFF receiving grade of 83.7 and average of 2.26 yards per route run (YPRR) shed light on how efficient Jennings was in this increased role.

It was somewhat of a lost season for the aforementioned Aiyuk, who dealt with off-field issues and a devastating knee injury in Week 7. He is, nevertheless, not far removed from a stellar 75/1,342/7 campaign in 2023. All things considered, the 49ers’ trifecta of receivers has shown the ability to be extremely productive on a per-touch basis.

The 49ers’ historically stout defensive unit has typically limited Purdy’s passing volume. That said, this defense won’t be able to replicate past successes without the services of the aforementioned Hufanga and Greenlaw, along with Charvarius Ward, Javon Hargrave and Leonard Floyd. San Francisco will most certainly find themselves in pass-friendly game scripts more often. The resulting increase in pass attempts will lead to more targets for Pearsall, Jennings and Aiyuk.

Over the years, Shanahan has earned a reputation for being among the league’s sharpest offensive minds. Despite the question marks surrounding the 49ers roster, I do not doubt that he and franchise quarterback Purdy will run a potent offense. With a projected increase in overall passing volume, the team’s wide receivers will prove to be wise investments in fantasy football.

Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn