Welcome back, readers. A lot has happened since I wrote my most recent fantasy columns (2025 first round rankings and the top tier at each position). Dozens of players have changed teams via free agency or trade, and dozens more have signed extensions with their current team. Tee Higgins got tagged again by the Bengals. If you didn’t silence your notifications, you probably have a headache from your phone blowing up with all the ESPN fantasy chimes. As an attorney, I don’t know what to make of the term “legal tampering”. Anything with “tampering” in it sounds pretty shady to me. But whatever, the NFL seems to have this all figured out, and once again, the teams tampered plenty.

So yeah, a lot of players have changed jerseys in the last week or so, but how much of a difference will it actually make? For fantasy, maybe not so much this time around. That’s my first takeaway to share: This was an underwhelming free agent class, and the overall fantasy impact for the 2025 season is likely to be muted.

Last off-season was a different story, or at least it turned out to be. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry found new homes and ran for more than 3,900 combined yards (and 29 combined rushing TDs), and finished as the top two scorers at the running back position. Sam Darnold went from being a backup in San Francisco to the starter in Minnesota and finished 5th in the NFL in both passing yards (4,319) and TD passes (35). Josh Jacobs and Joe Mixon both topped 1,000 yards and scored double-digit TDs on new teams. Aaron Jones, J.K. Dobbins, and Tony Pollard were also quality starters in new locations. It was an unusually good year for players who moved, and especially the running backs. I don’t see that kind of impact happening this season, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see a few notable successes. As fantasy players, we want to cash in on those if we can.

I was going to do a “free agency winners and losers” column, but since many others are doing that, I think it would put me squarely in the losers column. So instead, I’m just going to give you some quick-hit reactions to what has gone down so far, purely from a fantasy perspective. And remember, more dominoes will still fall with additional cuts, signings and trades, plus the draft in late April. A great example: Who will be the starting quarterback for the Steelers and Giants? Asking for D.K. Metcalf, Malik Nabers, George Pickens, and those who roster them in dynasty and keeper leagues.

Takeaways:

1. Seattle has torn it up, for better or worse. The ‘Hawks have done a complete reset, and it’s not just that the team replaced long-time, Super Bowl-winning head coach Pete Carroll a year ago. The team moved on from franchise QB Russell Wilson a few seasons ago and now his successor (Geno Smith) has also left town. D.K. Metcalf is only 27 but was traded to the Steelers, Tyler Lockett won’t be coming back, and Sam Darnold was signed as the new quarterback. The biggest beneficiary of all this turnover is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had a mini-breakout in 2024 and finished as the WR18 on a fantasy points per game basis. He’s now the clear #1 pass-catching option in Seattle and should build on what he did in 2024.

Sam Darnold figures to take a step back after flourishing in a very QB-friendly situation in Minnesota, but he showed that he can get the ball to his top target. Seattle will surely keep adding to its WR room (they already signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling, giving them a second three-initials guy), but JSN slots in as a solid WR2 with WR1 upside for 2025. I’m lukewarm (at best) on Darnold for 2025, with so much less weaponry and without Kevin O’Connell. I also can’t shake his final two games as a Viking.

2. Justin Fields to the Jets! Is there any way this ends up working out, long-term? Almost certainly not. It’s the same-old Jets, and they haven’t had a 5-year starter at QB since Chad Pennington. The two quarterbacks I mentioned above both failed as Jet starters in the 2010s.

Meanwhile, two teams have already decided that Fields isn’t their long-term answer at QB. But don’t let all of this stop you from considering Fields as your QB1 in fantasy. If he can hang on to the starting job, he can produce, and the money they’re giving him over two years suggests that they plan on starting him right away. He’s done it before, but not on a consistent basis. I’ve written a lot about the advantage that a dual-threat quarterback can bring. Fields is that, and in his best season (2022) he finished as the QB5. If you do draft Fields as your QB1, you’ll want to also draft a solid second option.

While we’re here, I wouldn’t be too worried about Garrett Wilson. Yes, Fields is a downgrade from Aaron Rodgers as a passer. But Davante Adams is gone, Fields had his best completion percentage in 2024, Fields and Wilson played together at Ohio State, and D.J. Moore managed one Top-10 season with Fields in Chicago. I like Wilson to improve on his somewhat disappointing 2024 numbers.

3. Najee Harris has legit RB-1 upside this season. OK, Harris isn’t a particularly exciting back and he doesn’t make highlight-reel plays. His career rushing average is only 3.9 yards per carry. That’s OK, because he’s something a lot of other backs aren’t: Consistent and durable. And that’s perfect for his new landing spot. Fun fact: Harris has played four seasons and hasn’t missed a game. He’s had at least 250 totes and 1,000 rushing yards in every season. He’s also lost just four fumbles in his pro career. You know Jim Harbaugh wants to run the ball, and you know the O-line is built to grind and open holes. People forget that Harris caught 74 balls as a rookie. That total led all running backs that season. Second on the list was Austin Ekeler, with 70, and he caught his passes from…wait for it…Justin Herbert. You see where I’m going with this.

4. The Rams are now the Adams Family. In a matter of days the Rams went from “we are exploring a trade for Matt Stafford” to not only keeping Stafford, but adding Davante Adams to the mix, for big money. Adams showed last season that he still has it after age 30 (Cooper Kupp, unfortunately, did no such thing), and while neither he nor Puka Nacua is a burner, defenses are going to have their hands full with Adams and Nacua, who both catch everything thrown their way, are fearless and tough, and run excellent routes. Throw in Tutu Atwell’s speed and the other ancillary pieces and Sean McVay’s passing offense looks poised to be among the most productive in the league for fantasy. Adams could be a bargain as a wide receiver going outside the Top-15 at his position.

5. The Raiders are righting the ship. I’m not overly excited about Geno Smith for fantasy in Vegas, but it’s a clear upgrade to what they had, and should help Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, and the rest of their skill position players. Pete Carroll and a good coaching staff under him should fix the culture pretty quickly. As for Geno, he profiles as a decent value as a QB2 for Superflex leagues.

6. The Daniel Jones signing in Indianapolis is interesting. The deal is for one year and is worth up to $17.7 million. It sounds like it’s going to be an open quarterback competition between Jones and third-year man Anthony Richardson. It’s clear that the Colts have realized that AR – despite his incredible athleticism and upside – might not be the answer. I can almost guarantee that both will start games in 2025. They’re both capable of very good games, and very bad ones too. I won’t make any big fantasy judgments now, but want to keep an eye on this situation as both QBs have the rushing upside to be fantasy-relevant (and the downside to make you extremely frustrated if you’re counting on one or both of them). None of this is great for the Indianapolis receivers – a pretty good group that will continue to suffer from inconsistent quarterback play.

7. D’Andre Hopkins to Baltimore. I don’t see much fantasy relevance here, nor do I see this putting the Ravens over the top. Hopkins is clearly slowing down and he’s on his fourth team in four seasons. Baltimore has so many other viable options at RB, WR, and TE. I doubt he’ll be anything close to a full-time player and he feels like a late-round dart throw or waiver wire guy. Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, Odell Beckham, and now D-Hop. That’s so Raven.

That’s it for today. I’m off to do some legal tampering. Keep it here for more offseason fantasy coverage.