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As fireworks sizzle through the sky, patriotic tunes blare in the background and partiers crack open that sixth beverage, a storm on the horizon brews.
Fantasy football draft season is coming — and fast.
Sleepers, busts, depth charts and ADPs are already creeping into the cranium. Your long dormant text thread with leaguemates has once again awakened. The stream of smack talk has started to flow.
[ NFL Gamer's Guide: Fantasy forecasts and futures bets for 2025 season ]
Optimism makes you feel so ALIVE! After last year’s Christian McCaffrey debacle, you’re ripe for redemption. Bring on the trades. Bring on the transactions. And bring on the challenges.
Let the research and strategy sessions commence. Step 1 in the annual fantasy formula is right around the corner — draft day.
Yes, the sensationally misguided site software will inevitably give you a C+ grade, but like its AI-writer companion, it doesn’t paint the complete picture.
Flipping the mental switch to football, here are four mid-draft targets who could explode in 2025.
J.J. McCarthy, Vikings, QB (ADP: 129.75, QB20). As featured previously, the former Wolverine is an animal on the prowl. Transitioning slowly due to last season’s knee derailment, he enters his “rookie” season with the playbook fully grasped. If his accuracy from college carries over (No. 5 in adjusted completion percentage in 2023), he’ll excel. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones make up quite the arsenal. Once gamers buy into McCarthy’s backend QB1 appeal, the slashed ADP is bound to climb.
Omarion Hampton, Chargers, RB (45.46, RB17). A beer keg with feet, Hampton is an absolute load. Tap him in the middle rounds, and backers are sure to become joyful drunks. Veteran Najee Harris is formidable, but beatable, competition. Hampton’s tackle-shredding abilities — he finished top-five in YAC per attempt (4.35) and missed tackles forced (73) among FBS running backs last year — should immediately command Jim Harbaugh’s attention. In Greg Roman’s ultra conservative system (No. 10 in run rate in ‘24), Hampton will likely be a 13-15 touch per game focal point straight away. A top-10 fantasy finish isn’t the Stone IPAs talking.
Jauan Jennings, 49ers, WR (66.54, WR33). With Brandon Aiyuk on the mend and Ricky Pearsall in development, the overlooked Jennings is likely to build on last season's breakout. In his expanded role last season, he steadily showed out while working outside and in the slot. Most impressively, as tracked at PlayerProfiler, he ranked No. 4 in contested catch rate, No. 17 fantasy points per route and No. 20 in route win percentage. A final line around 80-1100-7 shouldn’t seem unreachable. He and George Kittle will be Brock Purdy’s primary weapons of choice.
Evan Engram, Broncos, TE (110.58, TE9). Nuggets megastar Nikola Jokic may be Denver’s ultimate “Joker” on the hardcourt, but the Broncos’ key offseason acquisition is sure to get laughs on the gridiron. Sharpied into Sean Payton’s identically nicknamed role, Engram is destined to become a Bo Nix favorite in the short-to-intermediate field. Only two years removed from hauling in 114 receptions with Jacksonville, the reliable 30-year-old could prove a PPR giant. Keep in mind: He was TE10 in average yards of separation per target in 2024. More exciting, he owns the third-easiest fantasy schedule for TEs. He’s simply an absurd value capable of 85-plus receptions.