4 Must-Have Players to Draft (2025 Fantasy Football)
Quarterbacks and tight ends don’t always get the same love in fantasy football as running backs and wide receivers, but as the two onesie positions, they can be just as important. The following is a list of my must-have fantasy football players, given their average draft position (ADP), projections and opportunity.
Must-Have Fantasy Football Draft Targets
Let’s dive into some players I’m targeting in fantasy football this draft season.
Must-Have Quarterbacks
Drake Maye (QB – NE)
With the hype surrounding Caleb Williams, the leap to stardom for Jayden Daniels and the ascension of Bo Nix, Drake Maye’s rookie season has largely been overlooked. I was high on Maye as a prospect, and his rookie season accentuated the traits that make him an appealing fantasy football bet.
On the surface, Maye’s rookie season box scores are unremarkable, but it’s important to note that the third overall draft pick dealt with the second-highest pressure rate among all quarterbacks (37.3%) and faced the second-most quick pressures, trailing only Joe Burrow, who notched 124 more dropbacks. Simply put, the Patriots rolled out a historically bad offensive line that supported the worst expected yards per carry in the NFL, while the lack of playmakers further challenged the rookie.
Still, Maye’s 66.6% completion percentage was good enough for the sixth-best mark of all time among rookie quarterbacks. His 64.1% pressure completion percentage was the fifth-best mark of the season, while he delivered the 11th-most money throws in the league. Perhaps the biggest confirmation we got from Maye is that he is a runner. He finished seventh in rushing yards per game, and his nine yards per scramble beat Daniels’ mark of 8.1. He scrambled on 10.8% of dropbacks, second only to Daniels, but bested the Commanders’ rookie in explosive run rate — 37.8% to 27.1%.
Maye only threw downfield 32 times with Kayshon Boutte, Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper leading the way in downfield targets. With all due respect to Henry and Hooper, two tight ends should not be in the top three of this category. Even if Stefon Diggs is not the same player he once was, he should open up the offense, while rookies Kyle Williams and TreVeyon Henderson add a speed element that’s been lacking. Josh McDaniels returning as the team’s offensive coordinator will be a boost for Maye as well, who has an outside shot of finishing as a fantasy QB1.
Justin Fields (QB – NYJ)
We don’t need to love Justin Fields, the NFL quarterback, to believe in Justin Fields, the fantasy football asset. There is a lot to love about Fields for fantasy. In his six weeks as Pittsburgh’s starter last season, Fields delivered QB6 overall numbers. His rookie season was the only year Fields failed to register as a QB1 in points per game, as he was QB12 and QB6 in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
It may or may not qualify as his best supporting cast in his career, but Fields will line up in the backfield with Breece Hall and will be looking Garrett Wilson‘s way often, both of whom are top players at their respective positions. Fields’ value is primarily proven out through his rushing, however, as his 50.2 rushing yards per game are the third-best mark among quarterbacks all time, while his 1,143 rushing yards in 2022 are the second-most for a quarterback in a single season.
With Tyrod Taylor expected to be the only other quarterback on the Jets’ roster, there’s little risk of him being benched this season. The runway is clear for this Jet to deliver through the air and on the ground.
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL)
The Cowboys’ franchise quarterback is now healthy after missing the second half of last season due to a hamstring strain. Prescott is being drafted as a high-end QB2 despite finishing as a QB1 in points per game in six out of nine seasons. He has not finished worse than QB16 since his rookie season. In the last healthy season we got from Prescott (2023), he finished second in MVP voting and was the QB4 while throwing for over 4,500 yards and tossing 36 touchdown passes.
In one of the biggest moves of the offseason, the Cowboys acquired star receiver George Pickens, giving Prescott a legitimate No. 2 WR, something they’ve lacked over the last three seasons. In 2021, the last time Dallas had two high-level receiving targets in Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, Prescott posted his highest passing touchdown total of 37 and threw for 4,449 yards in 16 games.
Prescott has covered up many warts for the Cowboys’ offense over the years, but he’s proven to be one of the best in the game when he has the weaponry on his side. Pickens excels at hauling in deep balls down the sideline, a throw Prescott excels at. He’s consistently among the league’s best in deep ball completion percentage, hovering around 50%. Pickens’ presence alone will help open up the field for Lamb and Jake Ferguson, and vice versa.
New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has often prioritized a running game with a heavy dose of play-action passes, but has also featured a load of downfield passes, as he did when he let Russell Wilson cook in Seattle. Given the talent in the passing game, weaknesses in the running back room and his experience under Mike McCarthy in Dallas, the best bet is that Schottenheimer will let Prescott cook this season.
Caleb Williams (QB – CHI)
Perhaps the most obvious quarterback breakout candidate, and for good reason, Caleb Williams will join forces with one of the best play-callers in the NFL. Ben Johnson joins the Bears after aiding Jared Goff to fantasy finishes of QB6, QB7 and QB10 over the last three seasons. Goff is a former number one overall draft pick and proven NFL quarterback, but his physical traits cannot match those of Williams.
As tough as last season was with Williams finishing as the fantasy QB16 overall and QB21 in points per game, he also finished seventh in money throws with the most deep ball attempts in the NFL and the second-most air yards. The rookie struggled with his timing, but he also suffered the sixth-most drops, a problem that was addressed by the Bears this offseason.
With Keenan Allen out the door, Chicago will rely on a bigger role from Rome Odunze, but the additions of Luther Burden and Colston Loveland give them a deeper complement of pass-catchers and playmakers. Johnson’s play designs will provide more space and allow for a quicker release from Williams, a breath of fresh air after taking 68 sacks last season.
Not only do I expect Williams to improve his game in the pocket, but Johnson will be able to take advantage of Williams’ mobility as well. He finished seventh in rushing yards among quarterbacks last season and is capable of more with an increased priority. If anybody can help Williams reach his ceiling, it’s Johnson.
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