Hill, 31, certainly isn’t the lone big name on this season’s list of fantasy bounce-back candidates, but he might be one of the most likely to return to his level of former statistical greatness. Prior to managing only 81 receptions for 959 yards and 6 TDs last season, Hill had hauled in 119 receptions for over 1,700 receiving yards in consecutive seasons (2022-2023). He boasts three seasons with more than 100 catches (from 2021-23) and has six seasons finishing among the top-seven PPR wide receivers and six seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Expect a healthy, motivated Hill to produce numbers more commensurate with his record-setting 2023 season, when he led the league in yards per route (3.85) and piled on the touchdowns (13). Mike Evans, Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins are the only active wide receivers with more receiving touchdowns, and they are all older than Hill. With a healthy Tagovailoa, a rejuvenated offensive line and an innovative offense led by coach Mike McDaniel, Hill appears to be a notable fantasy bargain going outside the top 30 in ESPN live drafts. Expect a return to WR1 performance.
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: 2023’s No. 6 QB regressed some in 2024, certainly in part because of the health of others surrounding him. Purdy still performed at a high level, finishing third in yards per attempt and more than doubling his rushing production. The 49ers were quick to make a longterm investment in Purdy, hardly forgetting his monster 2023 season. Purdy has the skills to be a safe QB1 option, but he sure isn’t being drafted that way.
Justin Fields, New York Jets: While Fields was the No. 6 QB in 2022, since then he hasn’t received much of a chance to show that season was legitimate. The 2023 Chicago Bears were a mess in many ways and, last season in Pittsburgh, Fields was benched in favor of Russell Wilson despite averaging 18.9 PPR points (QB6) through six starts. Fields is an elite rushing QB and if the Jets let him do his thing, another top-10 QB season lurks.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: Prescott has been featured in this annual column before. After finishing as fantasy’s No. 2 QB in 2019 and missing most of 2020 due to injury, Prescott returned to fantasy relevance in 2021. While Prescott is returning from a torn hamstring suffered in Week 9 last season, he was the No. 3 fantasy QB in 2023. OK, so Prescott isn’t the most consistent performer at QB, but WRs CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens give him one of the top duos in the sport to target.
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: Year 2 of “The Stroud Experience” frustrated myriad fantasy managers who expected a repeat of his historic rookie campaign. It didn’t happen, but perhaps Stroud never had a chance behind a pitiful offensive line, suffering 52 sacks. The line should be improved in 2025, and Stroud gets to target both Nico Collins and exciting rookie Jayden Higgins.
Running backs
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers: Fantasy’s dominant non-QB for the 2022 and 2023 seasons burned both the 49ers and fantasy investors last season, as a preseason calf injury delayed his debut – not for mere weeks, but until Week 10 in November. McCaffrey ended up participating in only four games and at an ordinary level, scoring nary a touchdown. McCaffrey will not be the No. 1 pick in 2025 drafts, but many will fade him in early rounds due to the extreme risk of potential missed games. McCaffrey has played in double-digit games in just two of the past five seasons.
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks: Walker’s third NFL season disappointed, as he missed six games due to lower body injuries. He did perform quite well in his 11 games, averaging 16.5 PPR points per game, and played his largest role yet in Seattle’s passing game. Zach Charbonnet lurks and he catches passes as well, but Walker is the better player and should get a chance to return to safe RB2 production.
Breece Hall, New York Jets: Hall’s third NFL season also failed to progress as expected, as he fell short of 1,000 rushing yards and saw a decrease in receiving targets. The Jets offense was a relative mess around Hall, and only time will tell if Fields can stabilize it. A healthy Hall should be a RB1 option, but an atypical rushing QB might complicate his typical fantasy production.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs: Pacheco emerged as a solid RB2 option in his second NFL season, but a broken fibula in Week 2 ruined his 2024 campaign. Even when Pacheco returned in Week 13, he did not run with the same ferocity and was barely a factor in the passing game. The Chiefs have other options, but Pacheco should earn a chance to repeat his 2023 season.
Wide receivers
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs: Rice enjoyed a big rookie season with Patrick Mahomes in 2023 and started the 2024 season with even more impressive numbers. He then tore his right LCL in Week 4, ending his season. A healthy Rice offers significant upside, even with talented options surrounding him, but fantasy managers should also prepare to deal with a potential suspension due to prior off-field matters.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins: Things didn’t go so well for Waddle in Miami last season and challenging QB play was only part of the issue. Waddle finished with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career, and his target share dropped precipitously. He scored only two touchdowns and investors must hope for improvement back to prior levels.
Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: A reliable, 1,000-yard receiver in both of his first two NFL seasons, Olave missed nine games in 2024 dealing with concussions, and it is reasonable to worry he might miss more games in the future. The Saints are retooling with a new offensive system, new coaches and new quarterbacks, but a healthy Olave should still be fantasy relevant.
Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks: Fantasy’s top player in 2021 has struggled to stay on the field since, missing 18 games over the past three years. Now he moves to Seattle, and will attempt to replace DK Metcalf. You shouldn’t expect Kupp to return to his prior WR1 glory, especially in an offense with the emerging Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Still, Kupp was productive when healthy last season.
Deebo Samuel Sr., Washington Commanders: Like Kupp, Samuel has moved on after many years in a productive offense, with questions about his durability. Unlike Kupp, Samuel was never a major target option with the 49ers, and part of his value was tied to his rushing opportunities – something that may not exist in Washington.
Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots: Another high-profile receiver who is changing teams, Diggs now joins his fourth NFL organization. Diggs had six consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards and was on pace to continue that streak in 2024 before tearing his right ACL in Week 8. The Patriots coveted a star WR for Drake Maye to target, and a healthy Diggs is a fine fit.
Tight ends
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings: Hockenson’s 2024 season was delayed until Week 9 as he recovered from an ACL tear. Fantasy managers who waited for TE1 production got something else. Hockenson averaged fewer than 50 receiving yards per game and scored nary a touchdown. However, he was a top-six fantasy TE in three of the past five seasons so fantasy managers can certainly hope for elite production again in 2025.
Evan Engram, Denver Broncos: Engram caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four touchdowns for Jacksonville in 2023. However, that version of Engram never emerged in what was a truncated 2024 season. He reached 50 receiving yards in only one of his nine games played, scoring just one touchdown before shoulder surgery ended his season prematurely. He is expected to handle a key role in Denver’s offense.
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