I’ll highlight some of fantasy football’s most trustworthy profiles. Managers should seek to invest in these players if they’ve swung for the fences in the earlier rounds of the draft. Here are the safest players to pick in fantasy football drafts.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Safest Fantasy Football Players to Draft
DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)
The reigning Super Bowl Champions have playmakers all over the field. Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts may draw attention away from the remarkably consistent Devonta Smith. That being said, he should not fly under the radar for fantasy football managers. Smith has finished as a top-24 WR in half-PPR points per game in three consecutive seasons.
Smith has been among the league’s most effective pass-catchers since being drafted in 2021. Among WRs with a minimum of 80 targets in 2024, he ranked 12th in receiving grade, 17th in yards per route run, and 2nd in catch rate. With defenses locked in on the Eagles’ other stars, Smith often capitalizes on favorable matchups to maximize his efficiency on a per-touch basis. This will remain the case in 2025.
Despite often inheriting a secondary role for the Eagles, Smith has earned steady volume throughout his young career. Per StatMuse, he’s seen an average of 7.0 targets per game across four professional seasons. Interestingly, Smith ran a career-high 54.7% of his routes from the slot in 2024. This slight shift in usage may be conducive to more high-percentage looks in the short areas of the field and a subsequent increase in fantasy football production.
The Alabama alum’s output will always be limited by the sheer amount of pass-catching options in Philadelphia’s run-heavy offensive system. A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert will continue to prevent Smith from earning the volume required to become a true fantasy football superstar. Nevertheless, Smith’s undeniable route-running ability and consistent output make him a trustworthy option in the middle rounds of drafts.
Wide Receivers to post a 25%+ Target Share and 2.40+ Yards per Team Pass Attempt last season
– Ja’Marr Chase
– Justin Jefferson
– Puka Nacua
– AJ Brown
– DEVONTA SMITHone of the most underrated wide receivers in fantasy football pic.twitter.com/htHBo1inhI
— DynastyIM (@dynasty_im) July 12, 2025
Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)
A mere month ago, Pollard may not have qualified for this list. Speculation around the Tennessee Titans’ desire to employ a RB-by-committee approach in 2025 made Pollard’s fantasy football outlook quite murky. However, Tyjae Spears‘ ankle injury opens the door for Pollard to reclaim the Titans’ workhorse RB role in 2025. The veteran handled 57.8% of Tennessee’s total rushing attempts in 2024.
The remaining RBs on the Titans’ depth chart do not pose a significant threat to Pollard’s workload. For one, Julius Chestnut has accrued an uninspiring 114 rushing yards across his three-year career. On the other hand, rookie Kalel Mullings was drafted in the 6th round with an unspectacular prospect profile. He failed to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in any of his three seasons as a Michigan Wolverine.
With Spears sidelined, Pollard will undeniably handle the lion share of touches in this backfield. PFF metrics would suggest that he performed well in a similar role in 2024. He averaged 3.40 yards after contact per attempt, forced 39 missed tackles, and totalled 30 carries of 10+ yards. He also accumulated 41 receptions and 238 receiving yards as a receiver.
Tennessee’s porous offensive eco-system will ultimately hold Tony Pollard back from his true fantasy football ceiling. The Titans ranked 31st in PFF’s offensive grade in 2024. While rookie Cam Ward figures to be a stark improvement on the sub-par QB play in past years, there are still plenty of glaring holes on this roster. Pollard can thus be viewed as a reliable, volume-based asset who won’t provide week-winning upside.
Jakobi Meyers (WR – LV)
Las Vegas’ offense is certainly trending upwards. The offseason additions of QB Geno Smith and head coach Pete Carroll will bring some much-needed stability to the Raiders’ passing attack. RB Ashton Jeanty and TE Brock Bowers are both generational prospects primed to take the NFL by storm in 2025. Jakobi Meyers, who’s been a consistent contributor for this team throughout the recent struggles, figures to produce at a high rate this season.
Meyers has now recorded a minimum of 71 receptions and 807 receiving yards in two consecutive seasons as a Raider. He’s managed impressive levels of output despite constant struggles at the QB position. With Geno Smith now in the fold, Meyers will have a great opportunity to convert more of his targets into fantasy football production. Per PFF, Smith’s adjusted completion percentage of 78.4% ranked 8th among qualifying QBs in 2024.
Meyers and Bowers spearheaded this pass-catching corps in 2024, each eclipsing 125 targets. None of the remaining receivers on this roster topped 80. While rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. bring intriguing skillsets, neither is expected to significantly cut into Meyers’ workload. Expect the veteran to command an elite target share once again in 2025.
Meyers’ upside is limited by his role as the second option behind Brock Bowers. Moreover, the offseason investments in Jeanty and Carroll point to a more run-heavy approach this season. While these factors limit Meyers’ fantasy football potential, his reliability makes him an excellent choice in the later rounds of drafts.
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