Top 5 Players I’m Ready to Call Elite
These guys have graduated from “good” to “great” fantasy football players in 2025.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: JSN’s underlying analytics are terrifying when you look at them and realize he’s on a 2021 Cooper Kupp trajectory. Last season, JSN flashed his upside as a WR1 but this season the handcuffs came off with little to no competition.
- Baker Mayfield: The last two years in Baker Mayfield have been widely attributed to the success of QB whisperers Dave Cannales and Liam Coen, but it’s possible it was the other way around. Baker has turned his last two coordinators into head coaches and he’s doing it again with a new coordinator and still posting elite numbers as well as being an NFL MVP frontrunner.
- James Cook: Cook has posted four top 10 finishes out of his first five weeks and looks to keep the momentum of his breakout 2024 season going forward. The biggest concern for Cook was his abnormally high touchdown rate and low snap percentage: both are remedied this year. Cook has rushed for 5 touchdowns in 5 games and has seen snaps and carries increase since Week 2 (which was a blowout victory where he didn’t play much).
- Garrett Wilson: Somebody find this man a quarterback. Despite being stuck in football hell for three seasons, Wilson continues to impress as the WR6 on the season. He’s had just one game ranked outside of the top 12 at his position with Justin Fields as his QB.
- Bucky Irving: Last year was a magic carpet ride with Bucky Irving. This year around it’s starting to feel more real. Despite missing Week 5 on with an injury, Bucky sits ranked inside the top 20 and looks like a good running back in a great offense. That’s all it takes to create elite fantasy football running backs.
Top 5 Sleeper Nicknames
These are my current favorite sleeper nicknames given to various players.
- Patrick Mahomes: “Mahomies” – A classic. A name that built a legacy and an entire team’s identity.
- Baker Mayfield: “2 Beers 1 TD” – I kinda don’t get it, but it just makes sense. You see Baker and it’s like yeah that sounds about right.
- Dak Prescott: “Dunce Cap” – Of course he has a great year every time I don’t draft him!
- Jordan Love: “Overrated and Trash – FFC West Member” – I love petty and this is the motivation you need for your new quarterback taking over.
- Kenneth Walker: “Marshawn Lynch” – One of my favorite things: pretend one of your players is someone else. It’s like when I spent $84 FAAB on Darius “Malik Nabers” Slayton.
Top 5 Impressive Rookies
These are the five rookies who have impressed me the most in order.
- Tyler Warren: This has to be the most impressive rookie I’ve seen in 2025 so far. Along with his amazing profile as a receiver which has panned out to four out of five top ten finishes at the position, Warren also possesses a higher floor with rushing attempts. Warren has gotten at least one rush in three out of five games, including two goal to go carries from the one yard line, converting one of those for a rushing touchdown. This guy will fly off the draft boards in 2026, especially with the mandatory tight end position returning to BFFL.
- Emeka Egbuka: At some point this guy has to stop catching just touchdowns right? Well wake me up and let me know what time that is because Egbuka has been a revelation, currently ranked WR3 and tied for second in the league with five touchdown receptions. Egbuka has shone in a crowded receiver room and has remained the healthiest and consistent option for Tampa Bay.
- Omarian Hampton: Despite landing on the IR recently, Hampton flashed that first round draft talent in the past two games when the backfield was his alone. The current prognosis is that Hampton will only miss four games and no more due to the nature of his injury, so he will return to his workhorse role soon.
- Ashton Jeanty: There’s no question that Jeanty started the season slow and showed out on a three touchdown explosion in Week 4. However, his ups and downs are tied to the tragedy that is the Las Vegas Raiders and their inept offense. Jeanty’s volume will be enough to keep his floor as a top 15 running back, but creating those explosive plays that almost won him a Heisman trophy in 2024 is what will unlock his potential RB1 overall upside.
- Tetaroia McMillan: This was a rookie I was not very high on, but am wrong about. Tet’s biggest critiques coming out of the college level was his ability to create separation and space with his routes instead of relying on 50/50 jump balls or creating separation at the ball with his size. Tet is ranked just inside the top 30 at WR, but shows great potential to grow as a receiver and is certainly getting his fair share of targets.
Top 5 Early Fantasy MVP Candidates
Self explanatory but this is my fantasy MVP ballot as of Week 5.
- Jonathan Taylor: Probably the most underrated fantasy football star we’ve had for a few years now, but Jonathan Taylor with a competent offense once again rises to the highest level and is currently the RB1 on the season. Even in a bad game where he is held to 86 yards (even in a blowout victory), Taylor manages to find the endzone three times. His durability, usage, great offensive line and supporting cast, and nose for the endzone makes him the early season favorite.
- Puka Nacua: I’ve ranted and raved all year about how much Puka looks like the best receiver in the NFL. Many were worried about his upside playing across from Davante Adams but it actually helped him get favorable matchups and break long receptions on subpar coverage. Puka currently leads all receivers in yardage and is ranked WR1 in fantasy.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown: The Sun God leads the league with six receiving touchdowns on the year and at this point just looks like a guaranteed touchdown a week. It’s actually ridiculous how open he gets on his redzone looks and frequently catches touchdowns in the league’s best offense.
- Bijan Robinson: Currently ranked RB6 after a bye week, Robinson looks primed to make a run at the RB1 crown in the league. Atlanta’s commitment to run the ball plus Robinson’s ceiling plays and work in the receiving game keeps him in my top 5 currently.
- Josh Allen: The defending NFL MVP kicks off 2025 just as he ended 2024, leading the league in almost every metric including total touchdowns with 12 at the quarterback position. No player has a higher ceiling in fantasy football and can solo carry an entire team on his back.
Top 5 Under .500 Darkhorse BFFL Contenders
While these teams are currently under .500, this is my list in order of teams who can make some noise in the second half of the season.
- Jedi Knights: Top to bottom this is probably my favorite roster as I mentioned last week and I think can still finish as the #1 seed. Ladd McConkey found the endzone for the first time this season and it appears all he needed was a change of scenery.
- Elk Grove Spartans: After a bad month, the Spartans answered back with a weekly high score of 126.52 points. Rico Dowdle, the man backing up Chuba Hubbard, put on a career game and now sets his eyes on a revenge matchup against the fantasy friendly Dallas Cowboys.
- Mahomies Deezflated Nuts: It’s frustrating that this team scores a lot of points randomly, but only has one win to their name so far. MD Nuts is 10th in points scored but 5th in points against which is an indicator of terrible luck. The good news is that the roster looks solid and the return of Terry McLaurin will only help improve things.
- Game of Zones: Two wins in a row and watch out for this team. Starting Kareem Hunt on a Monday night was a gutsy call but won the week. And it will be start/sit decisions like this going forward that will continue to help this team.
- Bruce Almightys: This is another case of “I like the roster, but I don’t get why the record is so bad”. I am a huge fan of Judkins and Addison but it feels like this team is missing the big star potential after they traded away Amon-Ra and Brian Thomas Jr.
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