Thankfully, the 2025 fantasy football season is just around the corner. Each year, fantasy players want to construct their team with a proper mix of good-value players and upside sleepers while avoiding players with high bust potential. Here are notable fantasy football player outlooks for the AFC South.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Most Accurate Fantasy Football Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Draft Values: AFC South
Fantasy Football ADP Values
Nico Collins (HOU): ADP 13.3 | WR7
Collins became one of the top wide receivers in the NFL once the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud. He was the WR12 in 2023, averaging 86.5 receiving yards and 17.4 PPR fantasy points per game despite missing two contests with an injury. Last year, the superstar missed five games with a hamstring injury but still had an impressive fantasy season. Collins was the WR8 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 83.8 receiving yards and 17.6 fantasy points per outing.
Yet, the former Michigan star could be even better in 2025, potentially finishing as the overall WR1. According to Fantasy Points Data, Collins had a 46.7% receiving touchdown market share last year, ranking third among wide receivers with at least 80 targets. Furthermore, his 32% receiving touchdown market share in 2023 finished 17th among qualifying wide receivers. Houston lost Stefon Diggs in free agency. Meanwhile, Tank Dell likely won’t play this season because of a significant knee injury.
Therefore, Collins could see an increase in receiving touchdowns, especially if Stroud has a third-year breakout. Furthermore, the superstar has been one of the more productive wide receivers in the NFL. According to Fantasy Points Data, Collins ranked third in yards per route run (2.94), sixth in target per route run rate (29%), sixth in first down per route run rate (14%), and seventh in fantasy points per route run (0.62) among wide receivers with at least 30 targets last season.
Calvin Ridley (TEN): ADP 65.8 | WR31
Some believe Ridley will be this year’s Terry McLaurin – a veteran having a career season thanks to a massive upgrade at quarterback. Last season, McLaurin was the WR31 drafted in ADP but finished as the WR7, averaging 15.8 PPR fantasy points per game, a career high. Meanwhile, Ridley was the WR28 last year, averaging 11.7 fantasy points per game, a career low. However, he was significantly better with Mason Rudolph than with Will Levis under center.
|
Calvin Ridley’s Production |
Will Levis Starting |
Mason Rudolph Starting |
|
Target Share* |
20.9% |
24.4% |
|
Target Per Route Run Rate* |
22% |
25% |
|
Yards Per Route Run* |
1.81 |
2.46 |
|
First Read Target Share* |
27.3% |
34.8% |
|
Fantasy Points Per Route Run* |
0.38 |
0.43 |
|
Fantasy Points Per Game |
10.5 |
14.8 |
|
17-Game Pace Total & Finish |
178.5 (WR38) |
251.6 (WR11) |
* via Fantasy Points Data
Not only was Ridley far more productive with Rudolph than Levis, but his targets (8.6 vs. 6.2) and receiving yards (84 vs. 49.8) per game also significantly improved. More importantly, the veteran wide receiver had limited opportunities to find the end zone. Ridley finished 48th among wide receivers with four receiving touchdowns last season. He only scored once in the red zone and saw fewer targets inside the 20-yard line than Tyler Johnson (nine vs. eight).
Yet, that should change in 2025 with better quarterback play. Ridley had a 19.4% first-read target share in the red zone last year (per Fantasy Points Data). Meanwhile, the Titans let Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and his team-high nine receiving touchdowns leave in free agency, replacing him with past his prime Tyler Lockett and a pair of Day 3 rookie picks. Imagine how well Ridley will play with Cam Ward under center and no meaningful target competition.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.