Estimated studying time: 8 minutes
Playoff soccer remains to be in impact, however most NFL groups are actually shifting their consideration firmly towards free company. The league’s vacant teaching spots are quick filling up, and entrance places of work are piecing collectively their visions for the long run and evaluating which free brokers may help strengthen their rosters.
Naturally, the free agent panorama additionally impacts the fantasy soccer panorama like a fragile ecosystem, because the league’s strikes drip-feed into our favourite pastime to vary rankings, prospects, and customarily simply how we view gamers and their fantasy projections.
The 2025 free agent class has some actual gems, particularly on the receiver place, the place some big-name free brokers like Tee Higgins and Chris Godwin will likely be hitting the open market.
Tee Higgins to the New England Patriots
The Patriots have an actual participant in Drake Maye, who earned a 70.1 grade in his rookie season, at quarterback, and the purpose now must be to encompass him with all of the expertise he wants. Which means the Patriots have an obligation of care to not solely improve their offensive line — Maye was pressured on 37.4% of his dropbacks — however to additionally put money into actual expertise at receiver. The necessity for a real extensive receiver, or a receiver of any form, was obviously apparent throughout the 2024 season.
The workforce’s main receiver in 2024 was Hunter Henry with 66 catches for 674 yards, and no extensive receiver earned a receiving grade over 70.0. The reply for the Patriots could possibly be Tee Higgins, PFF’s No. 1 free agent. Higgins caught 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in simply 12 video games, incomes a career-high 88.2 grade — seventh-highest amongst receivers within the NFL.
The Patriots had the fewest explosive passing performs within the NFL in 2024 (61, 12 lower than the second-fewest) and may look to construct round Maye by giving him the most effective receiving on the free-agent market. Higgins is usually a power multiplier in each portion of the sphere, and he’s had 71 contested catches since 2020, the fourth-most within the NFL. The Patriots even have essentially the most obtainable cap area within the NFL heading into free company — if anybody will pay him mega bucks, it’s them.
From a fantasy lens, Higgins might feasibly vault into WR1 territory. His upside has at all times been just a little hamstrung by enjoying alongside Ja’Marr Chase, however Higgins would be the de-facto No. 1 receiver in New England and would look to construct a strong basis with Maye, who has the chops to be one of many league’s higher quarterbacks with some assist. Higgins may be that assist.
Najee Harris hits free company on the proper time
Najee Harris impressively crossed the 1,000-yard speeding mark in 2024 for the fourth straight season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His speeding model hasn’t at all times been efficient, however 2024 might need been his greatest 12 months within the NFL. Harris had career-highs in missed tackles pressured (63) and 10-plus-yard runs (30), and his 77.2 grade ranked sixteenth amongst operating backs, additionally a career-high.
Now, heading into his age-27 season, Harris is hitting free company, arguably, on the excellent time. The free agent operating again market in 2025 isn’t sturdy, as Harris, Aaron Jones, and J.Ok. Dobbins pose as standout names — and even then, all three possess explicit fallbacks. Regardless of coming off a career-high 1,131 speeding yards, Jones is now 30 years previous and suffered a couple of niggling accidents, whereas Dobbins has had his personal damage struggles in the previous few years.
Harris is essentially the most dependable three-down choice for any workforce on the lookout for a operating again on the free-agent market. His 283 receiving yards in 2024 have been the very best since his rookie 12 months, and as he’s now teetering on the proverbial age cliff for operating backs, Harris may not set any workforce again an excessive amount of financially. He’s as protected of an choice as potential on the free-agent market.
And that reinforces his fantasy worth too. Harris completed twentieth in PPR scoring in 2024 and can possible be a outstanding characteristic in no matter offense he lands with. He’s confirmed over the past 4 years that he can churn out yards, constantly take 15-20 touches a sport, and supply aid as a pass-catcher. One to maintain a detailed eye on in 2025.
The Los Angeles Chargers add a big-name veteran at receiver
The Chargers offense took a step ahead in Jim Harbaugh’s first season in cost. The addition of Ladd McConkey, who caught 82 passes for 1,149 yards and 7 touchdowns to earn an 80.5 grade in his rookie season, was a giant assist. As was the wonderful play of Justin Herbert, who earned a career-high 91.7 grade within the common season, fourth amongst all quarterbacks. Nonetheless, regardless of that step ahead, it was clear all season that this wasn’t the completed model of the offense.
The operating sport struggled in stretches, and although the Chargers earned a 90.3 workforce passing grade, their 73.6 receiving grade was 18th within the NFL. McConkey was glorious within the slot, however choices outdoors of him are restricted. Quentin Johnston had a greater sophomore 12 months than anticipated, however he’ll want to enhance a substantial quantity earlier than he may be absolutely dependable — his 5 drops from Week 12 onwards have been the second-most within the NFL. Past these two receivers, the Chargers are discernibly skinny at receiver and have to make a splash.
The veteran free-agent marketplace for receivers is robust in 2025, and the Chargers can dip into that market, decide up a dependable choice for Herbert, and transfer ahead. That receiver could possibly be Amari Cooper. The previous first-round decide will likely be 31 years previous by the point the 2025 season rolls round, however he’s a clean route-runner and has the flexibleness to play inside or outdoors. The 2024 season has been quiet, and Cooper was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Buffalo Payments previous to the commerce deadline, however Cooper nonetheless has lots to supply to an NFL workforce, particularly with a full offseason with a quarterback like Herbert beneath his belt. His 68.3 grade in 2024 is his lowest since 2017, and Cooper completed because the WR63 in PPR scoring, however a bounce-back 12 months could possibly be on the playing cards.
Aaron Jones helps enhance the Denver Broncos‘ operating sport
The Broncos offense is ascending. Bo Nix had a robust rookie season, incomes a 76.4 grade within the common season and main the Broncos to the playoffs for the primary time since 2015. The passing sport, led by Nix and the most effective pass-blocking offensive strains within the NFL confirmed promise, however the Broncos’ speeding assault must be higher in 2025 in the event that they wish to take the subsequent step ahead.
Their 65.1 workforce speeding grade was twenty fifth within the NFL, and the Broncos’ trio of operating backs, Javonte Williams, Audric Estime, and Jaleel McLaughlin had 34 rushes over 10 yards within the common season. The necessity for explosiveness within the backfield is dire in Denver. Javonte Williams is a free agent within the offseason, and the Broncos may look additional afield for salvation. The draft presents a believable choice — the 2025 class is extremely deep and loaded with glorious operating again expertise, however Aaron Jones as a veteran free agent is also of use.
Jones had a career-high 1,138 speeding yards in his one season in Minnesota, and although he’s now 30 years previous, the veteran operating again remains to be explosive. He had 25 rushes of over 10 yards in 2024, the Seventeenth-most amongst operating backs, and he pressured 46 missed tackles, the Twelfth-most on the place. The Broncos might possible nonetheless draft a operating again, however bringing in a veteran with the flexibility and expertise of Jones to guide the speeding assault can be a sensible transfer on all counts. Jones would earn the majority of the carries early on and is dependable as a pass-catcher too. His fantasy worth, particularly in redraft, might stay related throughout all scoring platforms.
Chris Godwin finally ends up on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Chris Godwin had a booming begin to the 2024 season. Within the first seven video games of the season, Godwin caught 50 passes, essentially the most within the NFL, for 576 yards and 5 touchdowns, incomes an 86.3 grade, the third-highest amongst extensive receivers. Sadly, Godwin’s glorious season was minimize quick by a nasty ankle damage, and now, he heads into free company following a season-ending damage for the second time in his profession.
The Buccaneers might transfer to maintain Godwin. He had a superb rapport with Baker Mayfield and was a giant a part of Liam Coen’s offense; nevertheless, Jalen McMillan‘s breakout within the second half of the season may give the Buccaneers pause on spending probably huge cash on Godwin, who will likely be in his age-29 season. They’ll be left with a giant choice. One workforce that’ll even be left with a giant choice within the offseason is the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. They signed Hollywood Brown within the offseason, however he missed a lot of the season and debuted towards the top of the season, and traded for DeAndre Hopkins earlier than the commerce deadline. Each receivers are additionally free brokers within the offseason.
The Chiefs might strike a deal for Godwin, who would improve an offense that flattered to deceive at instances in 2024. Travis Kelce, if he sticks round for an additional 12 months, will likely be 36 in October, and Rashee Rice can be recovering from a devastating leg damage of his personal. Because it stands, the way forward for the receiving room is up within the air. If, and when Godwin, is wholesome, he could possibly be a superb choice within the slot, or outdoors, for Patrick Mahomes.
