Before we start digging into what’s ahead for 2025, let’s look back at 2024 observations and thoughts. Where was I wrong? Where was I right?
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne is a good place to start. His dismal season wrecked several of my teams. I happily drafted him in the second round everywhere I could get him. Good gosh, did his career go into reverse in 2024 – 558 rushing yards and two total touchdowns, 39 catches for 254 yards. Lord knows how many fantasy teams that about-face destroyed. Related to that, I also was wrong about his backfield mate, Tank Bigsby. I could have easily drafted him as a handcuff to Etienne, but I never did. I always bypassed him for someone else. Having Bigsby – 776 rushing yards and seven touchdowns – could have helped lineups with an Etienne problem. So that was another poor decision, especially since I’m a big handcuff advocate.
I was right about RB Joe Mixon. The Bengals essentially gave up on him, and the Texans pounced on him. The only negative for Mixon was dealing with some injuries and missing some time. Other than that, he was great – 1,016 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.
I was wrong about Chargers RBs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. I thought Dobbins would never be able to rebound from all his leg injuries and amount to anything. And I thought Edwards would flourish in Jim Harbaugh’s ground attack. I was wrong on both counts. Dobbins defied medical logic and rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Gus Bus spent a lot of time injured or on the sideline and finished with 365 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
I was right about the Colts’ Anthony Richardson. You just can’t rely on him as your fantasy QB. He’s either injured or erratic or both. He’s not remotely close to being a top-12 QB – 48 percent completion percentage, 1,814 passing yards and eight passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions.Anyone who ranks him inside their top 12 QBs in 2025 needs a brain scan. He did have 499 yards rushing and eight touchdowns, but you can have him. No thanks.
I was absolutely wrong about Rams RB Kyren Williams. Dude is a stud. I didn’t have him on any of my teams in 2024, so I missed out on 1,299 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns.
I was somewhat right about Rams WR Puka Nacua. He really wasn’t worth a first-round draft pick, but not because of what he brings to the table when he’s healthy. His time on injured reserve knocked his value down considerably, but he’s clearly a target monster when healthy. He missed six games and still finished with 79 catches for 990 yards and four total touchdowns.
I was massively wrong about Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard. In drafts, I paid zero attention to that name when it was on the board. I wanted no part of him. That turned out to be a very stupid outlook since he wound up with 1,195 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns. Also, ignoring Hubbard didn’t have anything to do with Jonathan Brooks, whom I also paid no attention to since I generally don’t want any part of a guy coming off major surgery.
I was right about the Lions’ Sam LaPorta. He’s a top-12 TE going forward, but those who drafted him in the second or third round were left holding the bag. LaPorta had 60 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s solid production out of the TE position. But as a second- or third-round pick. Nope. Not that early.
I continue to be very wrong about Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. For some reason, I keep thinking he’s a mirage of some sort, that the glass slipper is going to fall off. I don’t think I’ve ever had him on any team I’ve ever had. That’s horrendous thinking on my part. I missed out on 115 catches for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns. Slap me upside the head.
Others might disagree, but I was right about Justin Fields, even though Mike Tomlin robbed us of the opportunity to see what Fields could do for an entire season.Fields started the Steelers’ first six games – 66 percent completion percentage, 1,106 passing yards and five touchdowns, just one interception, 289 rushing yards and five more touchdowns. Then 36-year-old Russell Wilson came back from his injury, and that was that. What if Fields had stayed in there?
I was right on the money about Titans WR Treylon Burks, who appears to be on pace to go down as one of the most disappointing draft picks in NFL history – four catches for 34 yards in 2024. Who has the guts to still think he’s going to be something? Not me.
I was right about the Steelers’ Najee Harris. I’ve always liked him. Always had him on several of my teams since he came into the NFL. Others have become disillusioned with him, but I’ve always stuck with him. He’s a solid RB. I believe in him and will continue to do so – 1,043 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2024.
I was wrong about RB Antonio Gibson. The Patriots signed Gibson to a three-year deal worth more than $11 million. Did they get their money’s worth? Hardly. Did any fantasy manager profit by spending a late draft pick on him? Nope. He looked like a good handcuff to Rhamondre Stevenson. By Week 10, Gibson wasn’t worth a fantasy roster spot – 538 rushing yards and one touchdown.
I was right about the Eagles’ Dallas Goedert. Picked him up in a lot of drafts in the middle rounds. Seems like a lot of folks felt he was washed up. Sure, he missed some time due to injury, but when he played, he was a was a decent start, especially since TE production was all over the map in 2024. He finished with 42 catches for 496 yards and two touchdowns.
I was wrong about Brian Robinson. Austin Ekeler coming to Washington didn’t really hurt Robinson. In fact, they made an excellent tandem. They complemented each other, and Robinson, despite injury issues, has really become a very reliable fantasy RB. He finished with 799 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Ekeler chipped in with 367 rushing yards and four touchdowns, plus 35 catches for 366 yards.
I was right about RB Khalil Herbert. He got lost in the Bears’ backfield shuffle. Then he was traded to the Bengals and quickly fumbled away his opportunity in Cincinnati. Pretty much a totally lost season for him – 130 rushing yards and one touchdown.
I was wrong about WR Gabe Davis. I thought he might be able to become something with Jaguars. I thought he would become a key target for Trevor Lawrence. Davis was considered boom or bust with the Bills, but in Jacksonville, unfortunately it’s the latter – 20 catches for 239 yards and two touchdowns in an injury-shortened 2024 season.
I was right about Browns RB Nick Chubb. Coming back from major knee surgery, he wasn’t worth drafting.He was awesome in his day, but those days are gone. He finished with 332 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
Lastly, I was wrong about the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs. He’s another guy I don’t think I’ve ever had. He and David Montgomery have quickly become one of the greatest RB tandems in NFL history. They’re not Jim Brown and Ernie Green. But they’re every bit as good as Batman and Robin, although I think they prefer Sonic and Knuckles. Gibbs’ numbers were astounding – 1,412 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, plus 52 catches for 517 yards and four more touchdowns. Montgomery added 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. I did have Montgomery on some of my teams, but ghosting Gibbs was just plain dumb.
🏈 Leagues Forming Now at DataForce Fantasy Football! 🏆
Think you’ve got what it takes to dominate the draft?
Join the competition, build your dream team, and crush your league.
Draft smarter. Win bigger. Only at DataForceFF.com