5 Buckeyes go in the first round – Even though Ohio State failed to go back-to-back you can’t ignore the sheer talent on that roster. The Buckeyes will once again be the talk of the draft with several high upside prospects going in the top ten. Caleb Downs is the best overall prospect in this draft in my opinion and the Browns will have a cornerstone on their defense for many years to come.

The Love sweepstakes – Star Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love was already getting plenty of buzz pre-combine and the hype reached another level post-combine. Love displayed the speed and quickness that has scouts drooling. How high will he go? I don’t think he will get past the Titans at 4. Is that too high to pick a running back? That’s debatable but Love is a special weapon that can carry an offense wherever he goes.

Commanders grab WR1 – I’ve been impressed thus far on how Washington is handling this free agency period. As many know, the Commanders had the oldest roster in the league last year and they set out to get younger across the board. They added Odafe Oweh who flashed with the Chargers last year finishing with 7.5 sacks. They also added several weapons for Jayden Daniels including TE Chig Okonkwo. The youth movement will continue as the select WR Carnell Tate with the 7th pick. Tate is the best overall receiver in this draft and could be the next Terry McLaurin.

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This is a very interesting matchup when we dive into the X’s and O’s. It’s very easy to say Seattle will run away with this one. They have a very good balanced offense with Kenneth Walker and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They have two great blocking tight-ends who provide a huge impact in the running game. On defense they don’t blitz much, but they seem to get the quarterback with ease. On paper, their the better team. But wait a minute, does the better team always win? It’s about execution, it’s about timely plays at timely moments. It’s about field goals in pressure moments. All of these things play a factor in the outcome of the biggest game of the year. For the Patriots, they’ve been winning all year with smart QB play, a solid run game and tough hard nosed defense. There defense is a reflection of their tough hard nosed coach and Mike Vrabel. He has these guys believing, and why not the Patriots this year, why not?

What do the underdog (-4.5) Patriots have to do to win this game? I think first and foremost they must keep Seattle’s offense off the field. Seattle is way too dangerous, and they can score points very quickly. A couple mid-range passes to JSN and before you know it there on the 10 yard line. They should and will have a plan for JSN, because as he goes the rest of the team goes. He’s there #1 target and if they can shut him down They need to run the ball and control the clock as much as they can. They need to mix in some play action and throw short to intermediate throws. But most important be smart with the ball. Their margin for error in this game is very slim. They need to take advantage of certain opportunities and score touchdowns, not field goals when they have a chance. Also, they will need one if not two turnovers and create a short field for themselves. It’s important to remember, Sam Darnold has had his issues, and has made his mistakes in big games. I don’t think he just forgets about that, and maybe even thinks about it during this game. There is a lot of pressure in the biggest game of the season. But if he stays mistake free and lights it up, it could be a long game for the Patriots.

What do the favorites Seattle have to do? Well, that’s fairly simple. They need to play their game with a balanced offensive attack, play good defense and minimize turnovers. They cannot give the Patriots a short field. They need to “run up the score” and just keep the pedal on the gas. If they get up by 14 or 21 I think the game is over. They cannot let the Pats linger in this game and stay close. On the defensive side of the ball, they need to come after Maye early and often. He has been sacked 15 times in the 3 playoff games he’s played. If this continues, they will have no chance in this game. With all that said, my prediction is soley on the fact that whoever the critics thought would win and whatever they thought the score would be, either the opposite would happen or most of them were clearly wrong. Everybody is on that Seattle Train as they should be, there the better team, but slow your role!! I like the Patriots in a game where they frustrate Seattle with their potent D and create turnovers. In this game, Darnold may struggle, so how does he overcome that adversity. Everybody sit back on your couch and watch this, as it may be a different game then we all think it might be.

Patriots 21 Seattle 20

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James Conner (vs. SEA) – Conner suffered a gruesome ankle injury in the loss to the 49ers. He is now out for the year which means it’s Trey Benson‘s time in Arizona. Benson is worth spending a good amount of FAAB on especially if you’re in need of a running back.

Terry McLaurin (@ ATL) – McLaurin finally had a breakout game but it came at a cost. He picked up a quad injury that may keep him out this week when the Commanders face the Falcons. The injury didn’t look serious at the time but it’s worth monitoring as his status is in doubt.

Najee Harris (@ NYG) – Yet another running back fell victim to a season ending Achilles injury, this time it’s Harris. Najee shared the workload with rookie Omarion Hampton but now it will be the Hampton show in LA.

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Jayden Daniels (vs. LV) – Daniels and the Commanders were pretty beat up following the Thursday night beatdown in Green Bay. Daniels is dealing with a knee sprain he picked up late in the 4th quarter that currently has him day-to-day. If he were to miss Sunday’s matchup vs. the Raiders, Marcus Mariota would be next in line to start.

Aaron Jones (vs. CIN) – It’s been an injury plagued career for Jones and it’s unfortunate because he has so much talent. This time it’s a hamstring injury that he picked up Sunday night against the Falcons. The news doesn’t look good for Jones as the Vikings just placed him on IR. Jordan Mason should now get the majority of the carries and is a top waiver priority if available.

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Unfortunately there were plenty of injuries last week that could shape the fantasy season. Let’s take a look at some we are monitoring this week.

Xavier Worthy (vs PHI) – I had high hopes for Worthy this season but he was knocked out early on Friday night due to some friendly fire. It’s a separated shoulder for the 2nd year wideout but the good news is he is considered day-to-day and might play on a brace. Still, I would be surprised if he suited up this week.

Brock Purdy (@ NO) – Purdy is dealing with a shoulder and toe injury that may see him miss Sunday’s matchup with the Saints. It’s unfortunate as the matchup couldn’t be any better for him and the passing game. If Purdy can’t go, Mac Jones would be in line for the start.

Brock Bowers (vs. LAC) – Bowers picked up a knee injury in Sunday’s game vs. the Patriots. As of now, it doesn’t look serious but owners will want to monitor his practice schedule this week.

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Najee Harris (vs. KC) – Harris has recently been cleared for contact and is expected to suit up on Friday night. How much he plays is still to be determined but I expect rookie Omarion Hampton to get the majority of the workload.

Matthew Stafford (vs. HOU) – Stafford has missed most of the offseason due to a back injury but has recently been cleared for week 1. This injury is concerning for the 37 year-old quarterback who usually struggles in week 1 contests.

Tyreek Hill (@ IND) – It’s been a noisy offseason for Hill who was called out by his quarterback for his off the field drama. It looks like he is ready to go for week 1 after dealing with an oblique injury. Still, it’s hard to get too excited for Hill this season as his numbers continue to decline.

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We are part of the Expert Consensus Rank (ECR) on FantasyPros. This means that our rankings are included in the overall ECR on FantasyPros rankings from week to week. ECR is an ideal metric as it’s not just based on the average rank for each position. With that said, sleepers are defined as players currently outside of the cutoffs below based on the ECR.

• QB: Outside top 15
• RB: Outside top 45
• WR: Outside top 55
• TE: Outside top 15
• DST: Outside top 10

Quick Hits

In the running back room, there are two names I am keeping an eye on. J.K. Dobbins and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Dobbins could very well be the lead back in Denver to start the season. As for the Commanders rookie running back Croskey-Merritt, don’t be surprised if he takes over the lead role by midseason.

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Fan Favorite

It didn’t take long for McLaurin to become a fan favorite in DC. In his debut against the Eagles he exploded for 125 yards and a 69 yard touchdown. He would finish his rookie campaign with 7 receiving touchdowns despite mediocre quarterback play. In fact, that was the theme for McLaurin’s career until last season. Overall, McLaurin has played with 13 different starting quarterbacks over his time in Washington.

Despite the revolving door at quarterback, a terrible owner and several losing seasons, McLaurin never complained but instead perfected his craft. He could’ve complained, asked for a trade or spoke out to the media but that’s not who he is. That’s why he is so beloved in Washington, he has been a true team player.

Contract Standoff

Fast forward to today and McLaurin is one of the few training camp holdouts. There is a clear disconnect in his value between the Commanders front office and Terry’s camp. Rumors suggest McLaurin is asking in the $33m per year range while the Commanders are offering significantly lower than that. Is he worth that asking price?

That’s where this situation becomes tricky. Is he a top 10 WR? Yes, I believe he is right around the 10 range when ranking receivers. If he were to get $33m per year it would put him only below Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb. While McLaurin is clearly a star, he is not an elite game-breaking receiver in my opinion.

Adam Peters and the Washington front office most likely think the same but there is the loyalty factor. For many years he was the only bright spot on this Washington team. He is also coming off a franchise record 13 receiving touchdowns but is about to turn 30 in September.

It’s not as easy as giving McLaurin what he wants but at the same time you have to consider what he means to this team and community. My gut is telling me this will get done for around the $30m per year range but this holdout could last all the way through the pre-season.

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We’re excited to unveil our first draft rankings of the 2025-26 campaign below. These rankings will be updated throughout the pre-season and up to week 1. Make sure you keep it locked here as we will also be releasing our sleeper rankings in the coming days.

Chase on Top

Fresh off his record breaking deal, Ja’Marr Chase stands atop our rankings. Chase was the clear WR1 in 2024 putting up monster numbers. Can you he do it again? He absolutely can. I expect the Bengals to once again be a juggernaut on offense and carry its weak defense.

Ashton Jeanty a Top 5 RB?

Right now I have Jeanty as a top 5 RB. Jeanty is a workhorse who showed in college he is more than capable of carrying a heavy load. I expect the Raiders to lean on Jeanty and 2nd year star Brock Bowers. This Raiders offense will be somewhat limited but these two will get a ton of volume.

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5. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders (Thurs. 12/25 1pm EST) – Netflix

Get ready for a Christmas NFC East showdown in DC. The up-and-coming Commanders, who have 8 standalone games in the upcoming season, will host their rivals in this intriguing matchup.

Whenever these two teams play it’s always must watch television. Now we get to settle in after unwrapping presents and enjoy Jayden Daniels vs. Dak Prescott. This game could very much have NFC East title implications being this late in the season.

Many including myself expect the Commanders to be in the NFC East title race but the Cowboys are the wild card. If Prescott can stay healthy and newly acquired George Pickens behaves, Dallas could be in the mix by the time they kickoff this one.

4. Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Fri. 9/5 8pm EST Brazil) – YouTube

YouTube will join the NFL party this upcoming season by streaming this AFC West battle opening week in Brazil. It’s a rare Friday night matchup but there is plenty of buzz for this one.

The Chiefs are coming of a 15-2 season where they were eventually blown out by the Eagles in the Super Bowl. They will look to start the season on a winning note versus their rival. Justin Herbert and the Chargers surprised many last season by finishing 11-6 and earning a Wild Card berth. It didn’t take long for Jim Harbaugh to make his mark in LA.

I expect the Chargers to take the next step this season and really challenge the Chiefs in this division. They added a much needed weapon in Omarion Hampton and Herbert should thrive in his second year in Harbaugh’s system. Look for this one to go down to the wire.

3. Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens (Mon. 9/25 8:15pm EST) – ABC/ESPN

This game may end up being the best Monday night matchup of the upcoming season. It is also a potential Super Bowl matchup. The Lions will look to bounce back from losing to the Commanders in the Divisional round while the Ravens will look to finally get over the hump.

Baltimore has been one of the best regular season teams the past couple of years but keep finding ways to lose in the playoffs. Case and point Mark Andrews costly fumble last year vs. the Bills. Lamar Jackson takes the majority of the blame for the playoff failures but the team as a whole seems to fade down the stretch.

Detroit was a heavy favorite last year to reach the Super Bowl but ran into a hot Commanders team. Expect them once again to compete for the NFC Title in 2025. The major question for the Lions is health. They were hammered with injuries last year, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

2. Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs. 9/4 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock

Is there any question about whether the NFC East is the best division in football? The NFL seems to agree with the Cowboys, Commanders and Eagles dominating the primetime schedule. We are also fortunate to kick of the season with a classic Eagles vs. Cowboys matchup.

As we stated before, the Cowboys are a fascinating team to watch this season. On the one hand they could compete for the NFC East title or they could finish 4-13. It all depends on the health of Dak Prescott and if new head coach Brian Schottenheimer can push the right buttons.

The Eagles on the other hand should once again compete for the NFC crown with most of their weapons back. They are the team to beat until proven otherwise.

1. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (Sun. 9/7 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock

The Ravens have another big-time matchup against the Bills in our Sunday night opener. Baltimore will be out for revenge after their demoralizing defeat in Buffalo in last year’s playoffs.

Both of these AFC titans need to find a way to get past the Chiefs to reach their goal. Josh Allen and company came close last season but once again fell just short in KC. The Chiefs have had the Bills number for some time now. Can the Bills finally break through?

Meanwhile, the Ravens just need to play better in the playoffs. They have all the makings of a Super Bowl team but need to be more disciplined in crunch-time. This game, although in just week 1 could set the tone for the top of the AFC down the stretch.

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