In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter:

When the powers that be asked me if I wanted to write the 4th of July newsletter, I told them, "Sure, as long as you guys are OK with me providing no fantasy analysis whatsoever and also ranking the 10 most American movies anyone can watch on the 4th of July."

They said: "Yes, we love it. And also provide some fantasy analysis and maybe link back to our FantasyLife+ package if you can do it in a seamless way since that's the place where users can find our 2025 fantasy football rankings (applicable for best ball, redraft, and Guillotine Leagues) as well as our 2025 season-long player projections."

So here we are. I'm writing the newsletter, I've already provided a cornucopia of perfectly integrated links back to the best fantasy website on the planet, and at the bottom of this newsletter, I'm going to list the names of five players you should definitely—under no circumstances—draft for fantasy football this year.

But before that: The 10 most American movies anyone can watch on the 4th of July.

SINCE IT’S THE 4TH, HERE’S 5 RULES TO WINNING YOUR LEAGUE

We’ve Got Your (Non-Movie) Rankings

If you’re picking in the back half of Round 1, how can you decide between Malik Nabers, Ashton Jeanty, and Brian Thomas Jr.? Is Jayden Daniels in a good spot to go elite QB? As Matthew says, “Faith in 5!” And is Round 2 a good spot to get a Hero RB? The Fantasy Life Rankings Hub is here for you.

PPR, Half-PPR, Best Ball, even Superflex … we’ve got you covered. Yes, even our Standard scoring holdouts get rankings love. Dynasty Bros., you too. Our Fantasy Life experts have crunched the projections and created their rankings, which they update throughout the offseason to give you the most up-to-date ranks for you to peruse and get you ready for the fast-approaching fantasy draft season. And if you want to peek at Week 1, well, just click on that tab. We’re here for all your rankings needs.

FULL RANKINGS FOR 2025

Honorable Mentions

In anticipation of writing this newsletter, I took to social media and asked the question: "What's the most ‘American’ movie someone can watch on the 4th of July?"

I got a lot of great responses—and the truth is that there are way more than 10 worthy Star-Spangled movies people could reasonably watch on Independence Day, so here are 12 honorable mentions, in no particular order.

A League of Their Own: Great movie, but I can have only so many baseball and Tom Hanks movies in the top 10, if you get what I'm saying.

Born on the Fourth of July: I opted instead for another (obvious) Tom Cruise movie.

Borat: Still objectively hilarious and very much a movie about the United States. This one also maybe could've been Idiocracy.

Air Force One: I really thought about this one … but then I thought, "If I'm including a Harrison Ford movie from the '90s, it's gotta be Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, right?" And then I realized that Last Crusade was released in 1989. And then I realized that it was time to move on with my life.

Platoon: This one just as easily could've been Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, or maybe even Good Morning, Vietnam.

First Blood: I was so, so tempted to include the entire Rambo series. Also, the fact that the first movie in this series is called First Blood and not the eponymous Rambo is so tilting. 

The Wolf of Wall Street: Few things are as American as white collar crime, Martin Scorsese, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

American Sniper: This one also could've been Zero Dark Thirty.

Glory: There are a number of Civil War movies, but this one might be the best.

National Treasure: I needed to get Nicolas Cage on this list somehow.

The Patriot: This could've been 1776 or maybe Revolution, an Al Pacino film that it seems no one remembers. Or I suppose Hamilton.

Miracle: Enough people mentioned this one to merit inclusion—but I gotta say that this one doesn't scream "Fourth of July" to me at all. U.S. vs. Soviet Union. Cool. I love that. But hockey? Not really a summer sport.

BE PATRIOTIC … DO SOME MOCK DRAFTS BEFORE THE BBQ

10 Most "American" Movies to Watch on July 4th

Here they are, presented in reverse order (10 to 1), straight from the random brain of Matthew Freedman, and not at all representing the opinions of my employers … the 10 most American movies for the Fourth of July.

10. Jaws

The movie is set on July Fourth, it's directed by Steven Spielberg, and it has an iconic soundtrack composed and conducted by John Williams.

9. American Pie

I'm including (via the side door) the summertime American Pie 2 in this. The title of the film has the word "American" in it, and there's something distinctly red, white, and blue about this debauched late-'90s coming-of-age movie.

8. Saving Private Ryan

With this selection, I get a Tom Hanks movie, another Spielberg film, and maybe the greatest World War II movie of all time. The opening scene changed the way directors shoot war movies. 

7. Team America: World Police

The film almost received an NC-17 rating because of—to quote Wikipedia—"explicit sex scenes involving puppets." I think that says it all. The theme song is a work of art.

6. Rocky

Set in the United States Bicentennial and featuring a breakout Sylvester Stallone, Rocky won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and is the ultimate underdog story. Rocky II, Rocky III, and Rocky IV all deserve recognition as well, especially Rocky IV, which has one of the most iconic US vs. Soviet Union sports matchups in film history.

And if you want to include the new Creed franchise under the Rocky umbrella, go for it.

Plus, almost nothing is more American than boxing. 

5. Captain America: The First Avenger

Fantasy Life Founder Matthew Berry famously makes a cameo in Avengers: Endgame, and by the way, totally unrelatedly, it's in my contract that I must mention at least one Marvel movie if at any point I mention any movie of any kind in any of my Fantasy Life content.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War are also total bangers.

4. Forrest Gump

We get another Tom Hanks film, and the soundtrack is one of the best collections of Americana music ever. Overflowing with quotable lines.

3. Independence Day

The United States vs. aliens—and we win. Perfect. No notes.

2. Top Gun

Through the side door, I feel like it's fine also to include under this heading basically any Tom Cruise movie ever, especially Tom Gun: Maverick, American Made, Born on the Fourth of July, Days of Thunder, The Outsiders, Risky Business, A Few Good Men, and all of the Mission: Impossible series.

Basically, the Fourth of July should just be a Tom Cruise movie marathon followed by fireworks at dusk.

And, truthfully, Top Gun would definitely be No. 1 on this totally objective and not at all idiosyncratic list if not for …

1. The Sandlot

Boys. Baseball. The summer of 1962. 

A big dog. 

James Earl Jones. 

And Wendy Peffercorn.

This had to be No. 1. There was no other choice.

SMALLS WOULD WANT TO AVOID THE CHOPPING BLOCK

The Five Guys Not to Draft in 2025

I'm a man of my word—a Freedman of my word, if you will—and at the top of the newsletter, I promised that I'd list the names of five players not to draft in fantasy this year.

So here they are, listed at random.

32 PLAYERS I’M ACTUALLY FADING THIS YEAR

Around the Watercooler

Alright, alright … just because it’s July 4th, doesn’t mean we don’t have the fantasy football fix you need …

👀 Is a zero-RB strategy still viable in 2025? These RBs with league-winning upside would say so.

🐆 This offense has potential for a Big Three.

🎁 Did we say our Draft Kit is ready? Keep coming back, it’s like the gift that keeps on giving.

🇺🇸 Would it be the Fourth of July without a Patriots shoutout? One could be a dynasty sleeper.

🏈 AP’s record-setting rookie performance remembered. He went in the 4th round?

🤔 Are we too high on Ashton Jeanty? Ian has the answer.

💙 Can’t spell Kershaw without a K. Happy 3K to a legend.

🎙️ Already looking forward to Monday? Time to get … Sirius.

💪 These four QBs’ utilization tell a story of how they could perform in 2025.