This article is part of our NFL Draft series.
The 2025 NFL Draft delivered major shakeups for fantasy football managers. Some players saw their stock skyrocket with improved supporting casts, while others were left fighting for touches. Here's a detailed breakdown of the players whose fantasy outlooks were directly impacted by the draft.
If you're prepping for your leagues, make sure to check the latest RotoWire top-300 rankings and updated NFL team depth charts to stay ahead.
Quarterback Winners
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Houston entered the offseason with Nico Collins locked in at wide receiver, but Tank Dell's knee injury created a void. The Texans aggressively reloaded, signing Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Stroud now has an intriguing arsenal as he looks to rebound from a frustrating 2024.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
The Bears hired Ben Johnson to overhaul the offense, bolstered the interior line in free agency and drafted tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden. After a rocky rookie campaign full of built-in excuses, Williams now has no reason not to thrive in 2025.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
With Liam Coen now running the offense, Jacksonville swung a blockbuster deal to land wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall. Brian Thomas is entrenched as WR1, and Hunter gives Lawrence the secondary weapon he's desperately needed to prove (assuming Hunter plays more offense than defense).
Running Back Winners
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Despite speculation, Cincinnati didn't invest significant draft capital at running back until
The 2025 NFL Draft delivered major shakeups for fantasy football managers. Some players saw their stock skyrocket with improved supporting casts, while others were left fighting for touches. Here's a detailed breakdown of the players whose fantasy outlooks were directly impacted by the draft.
If you're prepping for your leagues, make sure to check the latest RotoWire top-300 rankings and updated NFL team depth charts to stay ahead.
Quarterback Winners
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Houston entered the offseason with Nico Collins locked in at wide receiver, but Tank Dell's knee injury created a void. The Texans aggressively reloaded, signing Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Stroud now has an intriguing arsenal as he looks to rebound from a frustrating 2024.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
The Bears hired Ben Johnson to overhaul the offense, bolstered the interior line in free agency and drafted tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden. After a rocky rookie campaign full of built-in excuses, Williams now has no reason not to thrive in 2025.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
With Liam Coen now running the offense, Jacksonville swung a blockbuster deal to land wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall. Brian Thomas is entrenched as WR1, and Hunter gives Lawrence the secondary weapon he's desperately needed to prove (assuming Hunter plays more offense than defense).
Running Back Winners
Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Despite speculation, Cincinnati didn't invest significant draft capital at running back until the sixth round (Tahj Brooks). With Zack Moss rehabbing from a neck injury, Brown has a path to significant volume.
D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Swift benefited from Chicago ignoring running back until late in the draft. With a stronger offensive line and added receiving threats, he should find more running room and scoring opportunities.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Despite whispers of Kansas City adding a power back, the Chiefs waited until the seventh round for Brashard Smith, who is far from a power back. Pacheco looks set for another punishing, high-usage role.
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders
Washington avoided premium running backs in the draft, only adding Jacory Croskey-Merritt late. Robinson's bruising style should keep him firmly in the Commanders' offensive plans.
Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys ignored running back early, instead grabbing Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah late. With limited backfield competition, Williams could easily push past 200 touches.
Wide Receiver Winners
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas reinforced its receiver room, but neither Jack Bech nor Dont'e Thornton project to be major threats on the outside. Meyers is set to be Geno Smith's top WR target.
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
The Browns passed on elite receivers and traded down. Tillman, who was trending up last year before a season-ending concussion, now steps into a likely high-volume role.
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas stayed quiet at receiver in the draft. Tolbert, who flashed big-play ability in the four games he was targeted at least six times in 2024, should open 2025 as the Cowboys' No. 2 target behind CeeDee Lamb.
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants
Brian Daboll trusts Robinson, who commanded 140 targets last season. The Giants' light investment at receiver cements his major PPR role.
Tight End Winners
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Despite swirling trade rumors, Andrews remains Lamar Jackson's primary red-zone weapon and a top fantasy option.
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
Goedert was floated in trade discussions but stayed put. When healthy, he's a major part of Philadelphia's passing attack and a reliable fantasy TE1.
Quarterback Losers
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
The Bills did not add a legitimate field-stretching threat. Allen will still produce elite numbers, but Buffalo's reluctance to add speed could cap his ceiling.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas didn't upgrade Prescott's arsenal, even though only Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin are locked in behind Lamb. If those two don't take the expected next step, Prescott could have serious consistency issues.
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Darnold struggled when under pressure last season and now inherits an offensive line that doesn't appear to have improved much this offseason.
Running Back Losers
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
The Patriots drafted TreVeyon Henderson early, signaling a likely split or even a takeover. Stevenson's fumbling issues only make matters worse.
Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers spent a first-round pick on Omarion Hampton, who profiles as an every down back. Harris' window as a starter is likely closed.
Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants
Tracy lost work late last season and now faces a major challenge from bruising rookie Cam Skattebo.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Warren briefly looked like the lead back after Najee Harris left, but third-round pick Kaleb Johnson now threatens to reclaim the workload split.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Despite a solid contract, Hubbard faces new competition after Carolina drafted Trevor Etienne and signed Rico Dowdle.
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville added Bhayshul Tuten early and LeQuint Allen late. Even if Etienne maintains a major role, his workload could take a hit, especially on passing downs.
Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns
With Cleveland adding Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson, Ford's chances to hold onto a significant role seem slim.
Wide Receiver Losers
Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McMillan flashed late in 2024, but the Bucs' addition of Emeka Egbuka may leave the second-year receiver out of three-receiver sets.
Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts' first-round pick of TE Tyler Warren adds more target competition to an already shaky passing attack.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Recovering from a serious knee injury that could cost him half the season, Watson faces stiff competition from first-round pick Matthew Golden.
Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers
Legette's shot at a second-year breakout took a major hit when Carolina selected Tetairoa McMillan in the top 10.
Tight End Losers
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
The Bears drafting Colston Loveland at No. 10 overall puts major pressure on Kmet's role heading into the season.
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks
Fant's fantasy upside is essentially erased after Seattle drafted athletic receiving tight end Elijah Arroyo in Round 2.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 NFL Draft reshaped the fantasy football landscape in major ways. Some players received the reinforcements they needed to elevate their games, while others face new battles for touches and targets. Staying up to date on evolving depth charts will be critical as training camp battles heat up. Keep your draft prep sharp with the RotoWire top-300 rankings and updated NFL team depth charts as you get ready for the 2025 fantasy season.
