Fantasy Football Rankings: 3 key players giving Justin Boone headaches this draft season

Yahoo

20 hours ago

Every time I sit down to work on my fantasy rankings and projections, there are always a handful of players who demand more time than others.
Normally, it's fun to dig deeper into a player's profile and come away with a better understanding of their outlook moving forward. However, there are plenty of occasions when it ends up being a frustrating process that leads you further down the rabbit hole in search of answers.
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Here are three players who forced me to stare into the abyss longer than expected as I contemplated their fantasy values for this season.
DJ Moore, WR, Bears
For all the excitement over Ben Johnson's arrival in Chicago, it's unclear which players will benefit the most in the Bears' offense.
Moore has been the team's unquestioned No. 1 receiver the past two years, topping 95 receptions in both campaigns. But he's coming off one of the more disappointing 98-catch seasons you'll ever witness, failing to eclipse 1,000 yards and posting career lows in yards per route run (1.44) and yards per touch (9.3).
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Meanwhile, the front office spent their first two picks on pass-catchers, Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III, who will join Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet to provide much stiffer target competition in 2025.
With all the changes around him, Moore expressed uncertainty over how he'll be deployed in Johnson's scheme, but it's important to read the entire Chicago Sun-Times article from early June and not get misled by a quick soundbite.
In the piece, Moore came across as excited about the new offense, which isn't surprising considering he attended Johnson's inaugural press conference with the club in January. He also vowed to clean up the bad on-field body language that plagued him at times during that forgettable 2024 campaign. Johnson noticed and praised his efforts, singling out Moore's motivation and willingness to do whatever it takes.
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While a few positive spring quotes shouldn't be enough to sway savvy fantasy managers, let's remember Moore is just one season removed from finishing as the WR10 in fantasy points per game. And though his overall production took a hit a year ago, it was a disappointing season for the entire organization.
Much of the blame for the offensive struggles fell on Caleb Williams, but issues with the former coaching staff and offensive line were obvious to anyone paying attention. Johnson's hiring will have a major impact on Williams' development, as will the significant investments up front with Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson solidifying the interior.
Thankfully, better days are ahead in Chicago and Johnson appears to be the type of offensive leader that the Bears — and Moore — need to maximize their potential.
Moore's 2025 Fantasy Outlook: Even with the increased pass-catching weapons around him, Moore remains the most skilled wideout in Chicago and still has the best chance to be the Bears' top target. Burden missing OTAs due to a soft tissue injury will also slow the rookie's involvement early on. So, while the influx of young talent could be a problem for Moore's long-term dynasty value, the veteran continues to be a fantasy WR2 with top-15 upside in redraft — assuming Johnson gets Williams on track.
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Redraft Ranking: WR19 (4th round)
Breece Hall, RB, Jets
Hall fits in the same category as Moore — high-end talents who've had some of their fantasy shine worn off while playing for losing teams with less than favorable circumstances.
It feels like a lifetime ago when Hall was breaking long runs and averaging top-10 fantasy numbers over his first seven NFL games, before an ACL tear ended his rookie campaign.
He managed to overcome the knee injury — and the Jets' subpar quarterback play — to produce RB6 fantasy results on a per-game basis in 2023. However, he did the majority of his damage over the final month, when he was the second-highest-scoring fantasy running back behind only Christian McCaffrey. It was an impressive feat that seemed to signal a return to his pre-injury form heading into the 2024 season.
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Unfortunately, Hall wasn't as successful last year (RB18 in fppg), playing under the dark cloud that hovered over New York while Aaron Rodgers was its starting quarterback.
But let's not lose sight of the fact we're talking about a 24-year-old runner who's been a solid fantasy option (when healthy) in three straight seasons and displayed an elite ceiling on several occasions.
The team is also getting a much-needed fresh start with Aaron Glenn at head coach and Justin Fields under center. Of course, a new regime brings a level of uncertainty for any player and Glenn's suggestion that the team could use all three of their backs (Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis) has fantasy managers worried.
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That seems overblown to me.
There's no doubt Hall is the most skilled and accomplished member of this depth chart. He'll also be led by Glenn and new OC Tanner Engstrand, who are coming from a Lions organization that had success using multiple backs.
Other fantasy managers are wondering whether a rushing quarterback like Fields will help or hurt Hall's production. There's definitely a trade-off there, with Fields handling more carries than previous Jets' passers and potentially stealing some goal-line work, but he's also been among the annual league leaders in checkdown rate and his presence will draw defensive attention away from Hall. People had similar fears about Saquon Barkley with Jalen Hurts or Derrick Henry with Lamar Jackson; look how that worked out.
Another possible area of improvement for Hall are the three first-round picks on the offensive line, including a pair of tackles taken in the top 15 in the past two drafts. Rookie right tackle Armand Membou, who excels as a run blocker, could be a huge boon for Hall's efficiency.
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Hall's 2025 Fantasy Outlook: Hall has the third-easiest schedule in my upcoming Fantasy Strength of Schedule Matrix, which should help facilitate a bounce-back season. He's a worthwhile target as a high-end RB2 with legitimate RB1 upside if he can win over the new coaching staff and reestablish himself as the engine of New York's offense.
Redraft Ranking: RB14 (3rd Round)
Jayden Reed, WR, Packers
Reed might be the most challenging player to break down on this list. He's a quality receiver in a good offense who adds value as a runner and has shown flashes of being a star. But will he ever get there for fantasy purposes?
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As a top-50 pick, Reed instantly earned a role in Matt LaFleur's offense and finished as the WR23 as a rookie, scoring 10 total touchdowns (eight receiving, two rushing) and adding 119 yards on the ground despite only seeing the field for 56% of Green Bay's snaps.
There was plenty of room for growth and the expectations entering his sophomore campaign were sky-high. One fantasy manager who shall remain nameless (possibly the author of this article) attempted to trade for Reed in almost every format.
Early returns were excellent, with Reed averaging WR14 fantasy stats through the first nine games of 2024 while seeing an increase in playing time up to 66%. But after the Packers' Week 10 bye, his numbers fell off a cliff — topping 50 yards just once the rest of the way and dropping down to 60% of the snaps. He was the WR62 during that final eight-game sample and finished as the WR38 in fppg on the year.
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The reality is that Reed's role in the Packers' offense is mainly as the third receiver and, until he gets used in more two-receiver sets, fantasy stardom will continue to elude him.
The decision to draft Matthew Golden in the first round only complicates the issue, as he joins Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Christian Watson (when healthy) on the outside. That's not even mentioning tight end Tucker Kraft, who the team has talked up repetitively this offseason.
Green Bay is part of a growing group of passing attacks that are content spreading the ball around and not relying on any one pass-catcher to champion its cause. When it works, it's a great real-life approach but one that fantasy managers despise.
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Reed's 2025 Fantasy Outlook: Reed is the rare WR4/flex who has the potential to reach WR2 value — and perhaps even WR1 fantasy production if his role increases. That makes him tempting in the seventh round and beyond, but I tend to go in different directions when on the clock in that range of drafts.
Redraft Ranking: WR43 (7th Round)