
Fantasy Football Team Needs Post-Free Agency: Drake Maye Needs Receivers
Most of the major dominoes have fallen in free agency by this point, and yet, NFL teams of all shapes and sizes still have plenty of roster holes that need to be filled before the 2025 season kicks off.
In the spirit of figuring out what exactly every team still needs ahead of the draft—let's break down the biggest remaining fantasy-relevant team needs around the league!
As always: It's a great day to be great.
Quarterback
Four teams tentatively don't seem to have their Week 1 starter on the roster at the moment:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Currently only employ Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
- Cleveland Browns: Seem poised to ride with Kenny Pickett during Deshaun Watson's (Achilles) recovery.
- Tennessee Titans: Will Levis is the starter, but could that change with the first pick of the draft?
- New York Giants: Tommy DeVito is the last man standing at the moment.
Of course, some of the biggest-name remaining free agents are at QB: Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson look poised to seize two of these starting jobs, while the likes of Jameis Winston, Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz profile as the preferred consolation prizes. There also continues to be smoke to the idea that Kirk Cousins could be traded at some point.
Still, it seems more likely than not that rookie QBs will have the opportunity to compete for these jobs sooner rather than later. Fantasy Life's Thor Nystrom has ranked the incoming class as …
- Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (Comp: Drew Brees)
- Miami QB Cam Ward (Comp: Jordan Love)
- Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart (Comp: Gardner Minshew)
- Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (Comp: Malik Willis)
- Syracuse QB Kyle McCord (Comp: Kirk Cousins)
Running Back
It'd be pretty, pretty, pretty surprising if any of the following four offenses don't make a serious push to add a starting-caliber talent at the position come April:
- Denver Broncos: Didn't bother to bring back Javonte Williams, leaving Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime as Sean Payton's current frontrunners.
- Las Vegas Raiders: Free agent signee Raheem Mostert joins an underwhelming group headlined by the likes of Zamir White, Sincere McCormick, and Dylan Laube.
- Dallas Cowboys: Small one-year deals to Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders shouldn't prevent the Cowboys from adding to their backfield early in the draft (maybe even in the first round!).
- Cleveland Browns: Haven't re-signed Nick Chubb or D'Onta Foreman, leaving Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong as the only RBs on the roster for the time being.
While the above teams are the front-runners to use some excess draft capital on the position, the deep nature of this incoming rookie class could lead to newfound competition in seemingly solidified backfields. A few potential surprise candidates:
- Bills: What if they don't want to hand James Cook the sort of extension he's looking for?
- Dolphins: Does Miami really plan on feeding pint-sized speedster De'Von Achane 280-plus touches annually?
- Steelers: While Jaylen Warren RB1 szn would be borderline erotic, could Pittsburgh still be planning on making a more meaningful push to replace Najee Harris?
- Bengals: Right now Chase Brown is the clear-cut starter, but Zack Moss (neck) is a cut candidate, so could more investments other than simply bringing back old friend Samaje Perine be on the way?
- 49ers: Both Jordan Mason (traded to Minnesota) and Elijah Mitchell (signed with the Chiefs) are out of the picture. Do you REALLY think Kyle Shanahan wants to miss out on this RB class?
Hell, new coaching staffs in New Orleans, Chicago, Jacksonville, and New England could also want to freshen up their current options at the position. Out of all the fantasy-relevant positions, RB profiles as easily the least set-in-stone group ahead of draft season.
Wide Receiver
Every team can always use more depth at WR, but the following three offenses could look to add a legit No. 1 option with the intention of them leading the team in targets. Thus, it'd make sense if they look to add to the position sooner rather than later come April:
- New England Patriots: With all due respect to noted soup and shoe hater Mack Hollins: Far more firepower is needed inside a passing game that ranked 31st in average "Open Score" and dead ass last in receiving yards (1,723) last season.
- Carolina Panthers: The current trio of Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker isn't necessarily bad, but it's certainly feasible that someone like Tet McMillan or Matthew Golden could come in and compete to be the true alpha from day one.
- Green Bay Packers: RB Josh Jacobs is on the record pleading for a proven No. 1 WR, Christian Watson (knee) is a PUP candidate, and the WR room is set to make the league's fourth-fewest 2025 dollars.
There are additional squads that could presumably add a WR with an opportunity to work as the No. 2 option behind their incumbent alpha (Chargers, Broncos, Jets, Browns, Titans, and Cowboys).
Hell, even the Bills, Texans, Jaguars, Chiefs, Commanders, Vikings, Bears, Falcons, Saints, Cardinals, and Raiders also could look to add at the position despite already having two top-tier pass-game options and/or having already done so during free agency.
Tight End
There are seven different incoming rookies with a current consensus mock draft rank inside the top 105 overall players. That's a lot! Accordingly, there's a decent chance that a handful of teams make a splash at the position on day one or day two of the draft.
The following four squads all boast bottom-12 TE rooms in terms of 2025 spending and profile as the most fantasy-friendly potential landing spots at least in terms of target upside.
- New York Jets: Currently boast Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt as their top two options with 2022-24 starter Tyler Conklin still chilling in free agency. Matthew Freedman's latest mock draft has pegged stud Penn State TE Tyler Warren as their savior.
- Indianapolis Colts: Haven't re-signed Mo Alie-Cox or Kylen Granson; it seems awfully unlikely Indy enters next season with a three-deep consisting of Drew Ogletree, Jelani Woods, and Will Mallory.
- Los Angeles Chargers: While lead-2024 target earner Will Dissly is back, Hayden Hurst remains a free agent, and Stone Smartt signed with the Jets. It's easy to see Michigan man Jim Harbaugh pushing for skilled TE Colston Loveland at pick 22.
- New York Giants: Currently rolling with former fourth-rounders Theo Johnson and Daniel Bellinger. The former rising second-year talent has the sort of athleticism worth continuing to bet on, but additional firepower remains needed in the aftermath of the Darren Waller "era".
More squads like the Jaguars, Titans, and Panthers hardly have the sort of depth charts where you'd be that shocked if they spent a day two pick on the position. There have also been trade murmurs surrounding Eagles TE Dallas Goedert and Ravens TE Mark Andrews, potentially forcing both squads to dip their toes into the position's early-round waters as well—with Baltimore certainly being to a bit lesser extent thanks to the presence of Isaiah Likely.
Be sure to stay updated with any additional free agency news with the Fantasy Life free agency tracker! And otherwise? Just have a great fooking day. Why not!
