Fantasy Football Roundtable: New Homes, Breakouts, and More

Training camps are upon us, and so is the most wonderful time of the year … fantasy season is so back!

Whether you've been throwing yourself into Underdog drafts left and right for months or if you're just getting back in the swing of things, do not worry because today we have you covered. Myself and our amazing roundtable group today are going through our favorite offseason moves that you need to remember, one training camp battle that we're going to have our eyes on, and our favorite potential breakout players for the 2025 season.

Because it's never too early to start thinking about your fantasy football teams! Enjoy…

Which player who changed teams this offseason are you fully in on for the upcoming year?

Gene: It's Justin Fields for me. I am ALL IN on Fields on a team that was not as bad as Aaron Rodgers turned them into last season. Fields is a force multiplier in fantasy. Not only does he give fantasy managers the chance to grab an effective quarterback at an affordable (consensus #91 ADP) price, but he raises the level of other skill guys. His ability to run the ball will take pressure off the running backs and keep second-level defenders' eyes in the backfield during the pass game. Never forget that DJ Moore had his breakout season under Fields. He is a walking top-five finish waiting to happen.

Sam: As a long-time Packers fan, it's been fun to follow Davante Adams during these late stages of his career. That being said, I think there's a great opportunity for him to absolutely dominate in his first season with the Rams. He joins an offense that just lost an uber-talented player in Cooper Kupp and he'll play alongside another star in Puka Nacua, who can command targets (and opposing coverage) in his own right. At Fantasy Life, we project both Nacua and Adams to top 130 targets, 1,000 receiving yards, and 200 fantasy points. Matthew Stafford is going to have himself a season with these two talented wideouts.

Kendall: I think it has to be Jordan Mason for me! Injuries played a big role in Mason's year three breakout, but nonetheless, he finished the season with 789 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games while Christian McCaffrey was sidelined. He also forced a missed tackle on a league-high 37.3% of his carries last season (min. 150 carries), according to Next Gen Stats. In Weeks 1-8 (before McCaffrey's return), Mason also led the NFL with 51 missed tackles forced.

I like the idea of Mason complementing Jones in this backfield. We can expect Mason to be more of the early-down grinder with Jones getting more of the pass-catching work. Mason can handle that physical role, and now the Vikings can hope that Jones will stay healthy throughout the entire season as well. We never want injuries, but right now, Mason not only has standalone value in fantasy, but if Jones were to go down, then he would have the upside of more touches in a solid offense.

Which Training Camp camp battle are you keeping your eyes on for the next few weeks?

Gene: A low-key training camp battle that will certainly have fantasy fallout will be in New York, where the Giants have their incumbent RB1, Tyrone Tracy, who took the starting gig early last season when Devin Singletary missed time with an injury. He is still relatively young and inexperienced at the position, but he showed a ton of promise with his 2024 performance in a bad offense. He finished with over 1000 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns. He will be looking to expand that role in 2025, but that may be in jeopardy because the Giants drafted Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo. He is a rugged, seasoned back who has not played an NFL rep but is already becoming a fan favorite. The danger is not just obvious, which is the chance Scattabo can drain all the goalline carries. He could cut into Tracy's ability to take the next step in his development and fantasy relevance.

Sam: It sounds gross, but I can't keep my eyes off the Colts QB battle. It's not that I'm particularly interested in drafting either Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson, but whoever wins the starting job will have a monumental task in front of him. I still want shares of Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and Josh Downs across my leagues, but obviously, much depends on the quality of the man under center. I can't look away ... I just hope it's worth it.

Kendall: I'm going to cheat a little because this is not technically a camp battle, but Travis Hunter the WR, vs. the CB?  Some people are all in, and some are completely out, but it's understandable — there's never been a player like Hunter before. He's been called a unicorn AND compared to Shohei Ohtani because he is a full-time two-way player. Last season, Hunter led the nation with 1,360 snaps played — 688 on defense, 672 on offense. Right now at Fantasy Life, Hunter is projected for 104.5 targets, 71 receptions, 865 yards, and five touchdowns. That puts him at a WR36 finish, and our consensus rankings have him ranked as the WR30. Maybe we get more clarity on what his usage will be in these next few weeks.

Who is your breakout candidate for 2025?

Gene: This will not be a sexy name, but Washington waited until the seventh round to draft a running back. That was great news for Brian Robinson, who is coming off his best season as a pro. Defenders will need to pay more attention to Jayden Daniels in the running game, which means more room for Robinson to work. The Commanders also traded for Laremy Tunsil and drafted Josh Conerly to help revamp the offensive line. Robinson will top 1000 yards and double-digit touchdowns this season in his second year in this Kingsbury offense. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, but it will be effective and beneficial for fantasy managers.

Sam: I've been finding myself higher on Trevor Lawrence this offseason. Yes, he's largely disappointed relative to expectation throughout the early portions of his career, but the stars are aligning for a true breakout season. First, the Jaguars hired Liam Coen to be their new head coach. Coen has provided ample fantasy success for his QBs and pass catchers during his stops with the Rams and Buccaneers, and the pieces are there for him to find success in Jacksonville as well. In addition, the pairing of Brian Thomas and Travis Hunter, coupled with a suddenly deep, talented backfield, means Lawrence has everything in front of him for a sensational season.

Kendall: I really like Drake Maye this season. Maye averaged 223 passing yards and 36 rushing yards in 10 complete starts last season, and he finished as QB22, averaging 13.6 points per game. There's a lot of meat left on the bone for Maye. The Patriots came in dead last among NFL teams in supporting cast rankings. Also, his wide receivers ranked dead last in receiving yards (1,723) last season. Then there's the rushing upside. In 2024, Maye averaged 4.9 rushes and 36.3 yards per game, but I'm here to tell you he is an exceptional runner, and if he truly gets unleashed this season, then we can expect more from him.

Seen any good movies lately?

Gene: F1 was absolutely phenomenal! I watched it on the biggest IMAX screen in the world (in my mind), and I was glued to the screen for hours. The action was insane and had me squeamish at times in my seat. My heart rate stayed above 115 the entire movie. As magnetic as the action was, it was the inside look at the team that really grabbed me. People only get a chance to see the driver in the car and the pit crew, but the team is so much more extensive than anyone would believe. They take us into team strategies as well as the politics and business behind the sport. It embodied all of the beauty within sports that made me want my life surrounded by it forever.

Sam: A few weeks ago, my wife and I won tickets to an early screening of the new, live-action How to Train Your Dragon, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Not only have I never attended an early screening where I was among the very first to see a film, but it was so amazing to see that movie brought back to life. The soundtrack remained epic, and it was great to have some key voice actors back as true actors 15 years after the release of the original, animated film.

Kendall: Even though I wrote this question, it made me realize I need to get out of the house more. There are a lot of movies I want to see in theaters right now, but a few great movies I have streamed recently are Wild Robot, Nonnas, and A Real Pain. All three could not be more different, so if you want to cry, watch a feel-good movie, or just get on board with some incredible acting, then these movies are for you!

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