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 the most compelling training camp battles, rookies with uncertain 2025 outlooks, players on new teams and more.
Fantasy Football Roundtable
Name a player whose training camp performance you’ll be closely monitoring, and tell us why.
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.
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.
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.
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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Is there a rookie who gives you mixed feelings? Why are you on the fence? What is the best-case/worst-case outcome for that player in Year 1?
Andrew Erickson: The former Ohio State running back has the juice that the Patriots’ offense has severely lacked. But how does his skill set project in terms of reliable weekly volume in a backfield that currently features Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson?
Stevenson was constantly in the past regime’s doghouse, so things might improve for him with a fresh start under Mike Vrabel. Also, we can’t ignore the glaring issue on the Patriots roster — the offensive line. Josh McDaniels has a strong track record of RBBC and slow-playing rookie running backs. Despite us clamoring for Henderson to get more touches, this might be a headache in September.
Mike Maher: I’m pretty confident Travis Hunter is going to be great, but I’m less confident we’re going to see consistent production in 2025, at least in terms of the kind of production that’s important to fantasy managers.
First, we weren’t sure if he would be drafted as a wide receiver, a cornerback, or both. The answer turned out to be both, but we don’t know what the split is going to look like. He’s a rookie learning a new offense and a new defense at the same time, and his early snaps in training camp lean toward defense.
What if he’s a full-time cornerback who moonlights as a receiver in specific packages? The price tag isn’t steep right now (73 overall ADP, WR33), and it’s low enough that I kind of want to throw a dart to bleep around and find out. But I just can’t get there. There’s a chance Hunter is a wasted pick in fantasy this year.
Pat Fitzmaurice: I loved watching him at Mizzou, and the possibility that Luther Burden could play the Amon-Ra St. Brown role for Ben Johnson in Chicago is intriguing. But the Bears have two other good receivers with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, and they spent a top-10 draft pick on tight end Colston Loveland.
Plus, Burden has been sitting out with a hamstring injury. If Burden can stay healthy and demonstrate he deserves a robust role, he could be the next-gen Percy Harvin. Or, Burden could have a hard time getting on the field and is someone you’re looking to replace with a waiver wire pickup by Week 3.
Derek Brown: My lukewarm feelings about Quinshon Judkins began during the predraft process and have continued into training camp. Whether it’s the off-the-field issues or the fact that he still hasn’t signed his contract, he has a messy 2025 projection.
Even in a best-case scenario, Judkins is only a volume-driven RB2/RB3 in one of the league’s worst offenses. But if he misses a large chunk of training camp and the regular season due to contract and suspension issues, it could lead to a disappointing season for Judkins as part of a three-headed committee with Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson.
Which of the players who changed teams has you most excited?
Andrew Erickson: If his head is screwed on right in a contract year, George Pickens should smash.
Derek Brown: ERICKSON! My colleague beat me to the punch with his name, but I must adamantly agree with his pro-Pickens stance.
Mike Maher: Davante Adams turns 33 on Christmas Eve, but he looks like a veteran receiver who still has a lot of juice left. He’s also going to potentially have his best offensive situation in years.
Matthew Stafford‘s health has me a little worried, but assuming he’s fine, I think Adams returns WR1 value at a WR2 price and scores double-digit touchdowns for the first time since 2022. Yes, he’ll have to share targets with Puka Nacua. But there are enough targets to go around in that Sean McVay offense.
Pat Fitzmaurice: Stefon Diggs appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL, and it will be interesting to see what he can do for young signal-caller Drake Maye, who was saddled with arguably the worst receiver group in the league as a rookie. Even if we don’t get vintage Diggs, he has a chance to substantially outperform his modest ADP.
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