PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out! Below, Wyatt Bertolone writes about the 2025 NFL Draft Winners and Losers.
After an exciting three days, the 2025 NFL Draft is now complete. Each year, the draft has far-reaching impacts on fantasy football for the good and the bad. Today, I’ll discuss some of the draft’s biggest winners and losers.
Winners
Bryce Young (QB) Carolina
The Panthers have made a lot of moves over the last couple of years to try to surround Bryce Young with talent, but it’s been mostly a failing effort. They’ve especially struggled when drafting wide receivers. Entering the draft, it made sense for them to try and find help for Young early, but it would have also made sense for them to use the 8th overall pick on defense. Ultimately, the Panthers went with Tetairoa McMillan, finally finding a number one receiver for Young that he can grow with.
Bryce Young‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
McMillan is a big, rangy wide receiver who can move across the formation and excels after the catch for a player of his size. Perhaps his best trait for what he’ll bring to the Panthers is that he can line up at the X position and routinely beat press coverage, something the team has been missing. Bryce Young looked like the prospect we thought he would be over the second half of 2024. In 2025, with McMillan by his side, Young will continue to grow.
Drake Maye (QB) New England
The Patriots did exactly what a team should do when they found their franchise quarterback, added weapons, and offensive linemen.
Over the first two days of the draft, the Patriots selected the best offensive tackle in the draft in Will Campbell, explosive playmaking running back TreVeyon Henderson, a polished route runner in Kyle Williams, and their future center in Jared Wilson. Just like that, Drake Maye‘s surroundings aren’t so bad. The skies have opened, and the future is bright.
Drake Maye‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
In 2024, Drake Maye had the worst situation for a rookie quarterback to go into. The offensive line was dreadful, and his weapons were, well, not weapons. Still, in the 10 games Maye started and finished, he averaged 17.4 PPG. Additionally, with New England having a new staff, he now has a competent offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels. McDaniels catches a lot of flak for his attempts at being a head coach, but when he’s been a coordinator, his offenses have always performed well. Maye is a top 12 quarterback for 2025.
Chase Brown (RB) Cincinnati
Almost all incumbent running backs were looking over their shoulders entering the NFL Draft. As a day three pick, Chase Brown was at risk more than the average running back despite his impressive 2024 season. But Brown escaped the draft unscathed. The only running back the Bengals drafted was Tahj Brooks in the sixth round, who isn’t a threat. Zack Moss remains on the roster, and although they split time to start 2024, that won’t happen in 2025. This is Brown’s backfield.
Chase Brown‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Chase Brown won’t get quite the same workload he got during the second half of the season, as now the Bengals need to think about the whole year, but it will be substantial. Brown is effective in all areas of the game, and he warrants the opportunities he gets. In games without Zack Moss in 2024, Brown averaged 20.6 PPR PPG. With the slightly lessened workload, that PPG will come down, but he still projects quite well. Brown is an RB1 for 2025.
D’Andre Swift (RB) Chicago
Like Chase Brown, D’Andre Swift couldn’t have felt too comfortable. Most experts were mock drafting the Bears to take a running back highly. We know new head coach Ben Johnson loves the running game and has a history with Swift that isn’t too encouraging.
Despite that, the Bears left the draft without adding anyone of concern. Their only addition to the position was Kyle Monangai in the seventh round. Now we can have much more confidence in Swift.
D’Andre Swift‘s Advanced Stats & Metrics profile
With only Roschon Johnson to compete with last year, D’Andre Swift earned the majority of the backfield opportunities. Johnson could only earn short-yardage opportunities and pure pass-blocking work over Swift. Ben Johnson being in town means the situation could change, but why would it? Johnson doesn’t do anything else better than Swift to warrant it. Swift now projects to be a low-end RB2 with potential for more, depending on how good the offense ends up being.
Losers
Shedeur Sanders (QB) Cleveland
No player has seen his stock fall more during the NFL Draft than Shedeur Sanders. It used to be a real conversation whether Sanders vs Cam Ward for QB1 in the class. Now, Ward was drafted first overall and Sanders fell to the fifth round. Leading up to the draft, we started to hear rumors that Sanders bombed his interviews and that his attitude/personality was a problem. The validity of those rumors is hard to say, but they certainly seem to be more true than not now. Ultimately, teams decided Sanders wasn’t good enough of a prospect to want the possible distraction he brings.
Shedeur Sanders‘ Advance Stats & Metrics profile
It’s difficult to have faith in Sanders now. Quarterbacks drafted on day three rarely find success in the NFL. Those who have, like Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy, are the exception. It’s worth noting however, that Sanders isn’t the average day-three quarterback. Prescott and Purdy weren’t expected to be drafted early. Sanders was. Hopefully, for Sanders, this will humble him. Sanders can still bounce back from this. The Browns’ quarterback depth chart shouldn’t be hard to climb if he’s got his head on straight. Regardless, you can’t have any real faith that Sanders will be relevant for fantasy in 2025 unless we see serious changes.
Najee Harris (RB) Pittsburgh
After signing a one-year $9 contract with the Chargers, built up with incentives, Najee Harris wasn’t as safe as he may have seemed.
It was expected that the Chargers would draft a running back at some point due to the weak depth chart after Harris, but a first-round one wasn’t foreseen by anyone. They had more pressing needs than selecting a running back that early. The Chargers selected Omarion Hampton 22nd overall, and now Harris is in trouble. Hampton is a younger, much more athletic version of Harris.
Najee Harris‘ Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Najee Harris, who’s known for his reliability and consistency, isn’t dynamic enough of a player to hold off Omarion Hampton. Certainly not for the entire season, or even half a season. Harris very well could hold down the fort to start the season as Hampton gets his feet wet, but make no mistake, this will be Hampton’s backfield sooner rather than later. After singing with the Chargers, Harris’ hype and price grew greatly. Now Harris should be valued just above the top handcuffs, as that’s what he will eventually become.
Cole Kmet (TE) Chicago
Even though he hasn’t been a big difference maker, Cole Kmet has been a valuable tight end over the last three years as a streaming option. With Kmet’s solid play and fairly expensive contract, tight end didn’t seem to be a high priority for Chicago. That was wrong. The Bears used the 10th overall pick on top tight end prospect Colston Loveland, who is a dynamic receiver. Then, the Bears also added falling Luther Burden III in the second round, adding another weapon for Kmet to compete with. It’s hard to find a path with relevant opportunities for Kmet now.
Cole Kmet‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
If there’s any real hope for Cole Kmet, it’s that the Bears plan to make Colston Loveland their big slot receiver, and Kmet will remain the in-line tight end. Then we’d need the Bears’ passing offense to be so elite that it can support multiple weapons (there’s still DJ Moore and Rome Odunze to worry about, too). Finally, we’d still need others around him to fail for Kmet to warrant even being draftable. The chance of all of this happening is low. Kmet is undraftable in 2025.
Jaylin Noel (WR) Houston
Jaylin Noel was a favorite wide receiver prospect of many going into the NFL Draft. He has solid route running and elite athleticism, which allows him to routinely create separation. He’s capable of playing inside and out, but does most of his damage out of the slot. From either position, he can attack all levels of the field, though. Going in the third round isn’t much of a surprise, but going after the likes of Isaac TeSlaa and Pat Bryant is. Being drafted by the Texans, who already drafted his Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins, and now have a crowded wide receiver room, seriously hurts his projection moving forward.
Jaylin Noel‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
It’s important to remember that the order in which players at the same position get drafted isn’t always an indication of talent. Teams don’t look for the same things in players every time. So there’s some glimmer of hope there. But Jaylin Noel has a lot of competition to get past. We know Nico Collins will get his as the alpha in the offense. The Texans traded for Christian Kirk for a tiny price, but he’s a solid NFL wide receiver. Then we have the aforementioned Jayden Higgins. It’s important to bet on talent first, so you shouldn’t be completely out on Noel, but his projection is much weaker now.
Dynasty rookie drafts are ongoing, the biggest best ball tournaments are dropping, and redraft leagues aren’t too far away. Be prepared.
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