NFL training camps have opened, and it won’t be long before fantasy football draft season is upon us. FantasyPros analysts Derek Brown, Andrew Erickson, Pat Fitzmaurice and Mike Maher begin a series of preseason roundtables by discussing fantasy football topics to help you dominate your drafts.
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Fantasy Football Roundtable: NFL Training Camp Battles & Players to Watch
Name a player whose training camp performance you’ll be closely monitoring, and tell us why.
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
Mike Maher: There are analysts I respect (and DBro) who are very high on J.J. McCarthy, and I want to see what this Minnesota offense looks like with the second-year quarterback at the helm after a lost season due to the knee injury he suffered during the preseason last year.
I specifically mentioned the Vikings offense there because that’s why I’m watching McCarthy. I’m not necessarily interested in him for fantasy (unless we’re talking Superflex), but I want to see just how good this offense can be because that will change how I feel about Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson. Justin Jefferson is going to be Justin Jefferson, but McCarthy will determine just how valuable the ancillary pieces in this offense can be.
Travis Hunter (WR – JAX)
Pat Fitzmaurice: I’m ranking Travis Hunter conservatively because I fear his defensive usage could lead to an offensive snap share below 75%, which would make it hard for him to turn a profit on his current cost.
But what if Hunter is truly a full-time receiver? And what if he’s completely uncoverable in camp? A conservative ranking for Hunter comes with no small amount of FOMO. What if he’s a star receiver from the jump? Pay close attention to Hunter’s usage and performance over the next month.
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF)
Derek Brown: With his former first-round draft capital and late-season flash in 2024, Ricky Pearsall could be a monster value in fantasy football. Brandon Aiyuk‘s early-season availability and effectiveness questions give Pearsall a clear runway to take off in 2025, but Pearsall is battling his hamstring issues right now. His health in camp and the reports on his usage and rapport with Brock Purdy will necessitate close monitoring up to Week 1.
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
Andrew Erickson: Jaylen Waddle. I am very curious to see how/if his role in this offense changes for the better in 2025, post Jonnu Smith. The 26-year-old receiver is super talented and has shown us his ceiling with two top-13 finishes and three 1,000-yard campaigns on his resume. While Tyreek Hill drew headlines for the wrong reasons at the end of last season, Waddle is looking to stake his claim as the No. 1 WR in Miami.
Which training camp battle do you find most compelling? Pick a team and a position group. What are the stakes for fantasy?
Giants Running Backs
Derek Brown: Pick your warrior. Tyrone Tracy Jr. or Cam Skattebo? One of these backs will emerge as a workhorse for this offense. I think the running back by committee (RBBC) narrative and projection are wrong and that Brian Daboll will again lean on one of these players en route to a strong RB2 season for fantasy managers in 2025.
Jaguars Running Backs
Andrew Erickson: This is a super ambiguous situation between three backs: Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten. But based on what we saw from Liam Coen’s offense last season in Tampa Bay, the odds are that somebody from Duval County is going to crush their average draft position (ADP). It’s just a matter of figuring out who to target.
Packers Wide Receivers
Mike Maher: My first answer would have been the Giants’ backfield. My safety school was the Jaguars’ backfield. DBro and Erickson took those, so I’ll pivot to the Packers’ wide receivers. We thought the Green Bay wide receiver room was crowded last year, and it’s even more so in 2025. But there are lots of questions that need to be answered and potential fantasy values to be found.
Is Matthew Golden going to be their No. 1 WR after the Packers finally took a receiver in the first round? Does Jayden Reed take another step with more talent around him? Can Christian Watson come back healthy and push for a role? Does Romeo Doubs hold onto his starting job? See also: Dontayvion Wicks and Mecole Hardman.
It’s possible this position group ends up being a stay-away in fantasy because of the number of mouths to feed, but what if the increased talent comes with improved efficiency and production? Is there value to be found here in what could be a very good offense this season?
Colts Quarterbacks
Pat Fitzmaurice: The Colts’ quarterback derby is the traffic accident from which I can’t look away. A lot of fantasy managers have waved the white flag on Anthony Richardson, but I’m not quite ready to turn my back on a 6-foot-4, 244-pound former No. 4 overall draft pick with 4.4 speed and a rocket arm.
It was a small sample size, but Richardson averaged 0.43 fantasy points per snap on 173 snaps as a rookie in 2023 — 19.4% more than the fantasy QB1 that year, Josh Allen. The alternative for the Colts is Daniel Jones, who’ll excite no one with his fantasy potential but is probably the better bet to unlock the fantasy value of Michael Pittman, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren.
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