It's never too early to look ahead, and we're already starting to plan for the 2025 Fantasy season. That's right, it's not even the Super Bowl yet, but we're already getting ready for the next Fantasy campaign.
With that in mind, here is the first look at our early 2025 top 25 overall rankings. We're well aware that a lot could change with free agency and the NFL Draft.
But based on what just happened with the 2024 season, as well as what we think could happen this offseason, here are the top 25 overall rankings for 2025 from members of our CBS Sports staff.
Jamey Eisenberg
1. Ja'Marr Chase
2. Bijan Robinson
3. Saquon Barkley
4. Justin Jefferson
5. Puka Nacua
6. Jahmyr Gibbs
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown
8. CeeDee Lamb
9. Nico Collins
10. De'Von Achane
11. Malik Nabers
12. Brian Thomas Jr.
13. Bucky Irving
14. A.J. Brown
15. Brock Bowers
16. Drake London
17. Rashee Rice
18. Derrick Henry
19. Kyren Williams
20. Chase Brown
21. Josh Jacobs
22. Trey McBride
23. Christian McCaffrey
24. Jonathan Taylor
25. James Cook
My No. 1 overall is . . . : I struggled with Chase vs. Robinson, and I will likely flip-flop them several times between now and August. The hope is Chase gets a long-term deal, and we don't have to worry about any contract issues in training camp. It also is worth monitoring what happens with Tee Higgins as well. While Robinson was a stud in 2024 and averaged 20.1 PPR points per game, Chase was an absolute monster in winning the Triple Crown with 127 catches, 1,708 yards, and 17 touchdowns, and he averaged 23.7 PPR points per game. If Chase and Joe Burrow are healthy and ready to go in training camp, Chase should be the No. 1 overall pick in any PPR format.
Player or players who just missed the cut: This is the range for the top two quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, but I would not draft them in this spot. Instead, the next player ranked for me is Ladd McConkey. As we saw in the playoffs, McConkey is a star after he caught nine passes for 197 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. But he also averaged 17.2 PPR points per game during the regular season, and he should continue to improve in his sophomore campaign. We'll see if the Chargers add another pass catcher of significance this offseason to compete for targets with McConkey, but I love the idea of drafting him in early Round 3 in all leagues.
Dave Richard
1. Ja'Marr Chase
2. Bijan Robinson
3. Justin Jefferson
4. Puka Nacua
5. Malik Nabers
6. Saquon Barkley
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown
8. Jahmyr Gibbs
9. Nico Collins
10. De'Von Achane
11. Kyren Williams
12. Brian Thomas Jr.
13. CeeDee Lamb
14. A.J. Brown
15. Rashee Rice
16. Derrick Henry
17. Josh Jacobs
18. Christian McCaffrey
19. Chase Brown
20. Bucky Irving
21. Breece Hall
22. James Cook
23. Ladd McConkey
24. Brock Bowers
25. Mike Evans
My No. 1 overall is . . . : I landed on Chase because he's posted at least 20 PPR points per game in 2022 and 2024 and did average over 20 PPR points in 2023 when Joe Burrow was healthy. There's no sign of him slowing down. Better yet, he might speed up -- if the Bengals keep him and move on from Tee Higgins, then he could be in position to really dominate. Case in point: Chase has played eight games over three years with Burrow and without Higgins. In those eight, he averaged 11.3 targets per game, 18 non-PPR points per game, 22.2 half-PPR points per game, and an astounding 26.4 PPR points per game. He wasn't consistently great -- two huge outliers from 2023 and 2024 boosted those averages -- but he should develop that desired consistency over the course of a season. Let's just hope he doesn't hold out come July.
Player or players who just missed the cut: I think we'll continue to see quarterbacks get pushed down due to supply and demand, but a run on the elite quarterbacks will happen once Round 3 kicks in. The running backs I'd expect to see go around the 2-3 turn include Alvin Kamara and Jonathan Taylor. And the receivers I'd expect to see go around the 2/3 turn include Evans, Tyreek Hill, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Tee Higgins. The only tight end I'd expect to see go near the 2/3 turn, besides Bowers, is Trey McBride.
Heath Cummings
1. Ja'Marr Chase
2. Justin Jefferson
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Jahmyr Gibbs
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown
6. Saquon Barkley
7. Malik Nabers
8. CeeDee Lamb
9. Puka Nacua
10. Nico Collins
11. Kyren Williams
12. De'Von Achane
13. Brock Bowers
14. Trey McBride
15. Brian Thomas Jr.
16. A.J. Brown
17. Derrick Henry
18. Tee Higgins
19. Joe Mixon
20. Josh Jacobs
21. Terry McLaurin
22. Christian McCaffrey
23. Ladd McConkey
24. Mike Evans
25. George Kittle
My No. 1 overall is . . . : Chase is a 24-year-old wide receiver who just scored more Fantasy points and more Fantasy points per game than any other non-QB in Fantasy Football. I'm not sure what the case against him would be. He'll still have Joe Burrow and they may lose Tee Higgins. Chase has played four seasons in the NFL, and his 17-game pace is over 100 catches, over 1,500 yards, and 13 touchdowns. That's an average season for him, which is remarkable.
Player or players who just missed the cut: Alvin Kamara, Jonathan Taylor, and Bucky Irving just missed the cut, but it's not hard to make a case for any of them in PPR. The case against Kamara is his age, the case against Taylor is his offensive environment, and the case against Irving is that he's a Day 3 running back who only had two months of truly elite production. If any of these three running backs hit their ceiling in 2024, those arguments against them will look just as silly as the arguments against Barkley and Henry in 2024.
Adam Aizer
1. Bijan Robinson
2. Ja'Marr Chase
3. Justin Jefferson
4. Puka Nacua
5. Nico Collins
6. Saquon Barkley
7. Jahmyr Gibbs
8. Christian McCaffrey
9. CeeDee Lamb
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown
11. Malik Nabers
12. Brian Thomas Jr.
13. AJ Brown
14. De'Von Achane
15. Brock Bowers
16. Trey McBride
17. Bucky Irving
18. Chase Brown
19. Kyren Williams
20. Josh Allen
21. Lamar Jackson
22. James Cook
23. Josh Jacobs
24. Derrick Henry
25. Breece Hall
My No. 1 overall is . . . : My only concern for Robinson as the No. 1 player in Fantasy is his offense. It's hard to argue against the Eagles, Vikings, Bengals, or Lions offenses, but the Falcons are obviously a question mark. So why Robinson? Well, the Falcons were 20th in scoring entering Week 18, and Robinson was averaging more than 19 PPR points per game. Imagine if their offense takes a step forward in 2025. Plus, have you watched him play? He's incredible. Why Robinson over Barkley? Robinson has 25 more catches than Barkley. Why Robinson over Chase? I still think the elite running back is the most valuable asset in Fantasy.
Player or players who just missed the cut: At some point, I should stop doubting Mike Evans. If I'm ready to buy into Baker Mayfield then I should just buy into Evans being a borderline No. 1 receiver. Evans scored more than 23 PPR points in six games despite missing three games this season. Chase has done that only five times and Jefferson has done that only three times. I also love the lack of target competition for Evans. Age is the only thing holding Evans back. He's the man and deserves Round 2 consideration.
Dan Schneier
1. Ja'Marr Chase
2. Saquon Barkley
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Nico Collins
5. Justin Jefferson
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown
7. Puka Nacua
8. CeeDee Lamb
10. Jahmyr Gibbs
11. Brian Thomas Jr.
12. Malik Nabers
13. De'Von Achane
14. Derrick Henry
15. A.J. Brown
16. Brock Bowers
17. Josh Jacobs
18. Christian McCaffrey
19. Tyreek Hill
20. Jonathan Taylor
21. Kyren Williams
22. Breece Hall
23. George Pickens
24. Joe Mixon
25. Bucky Irving
My No. 1 overall is . . . : Chase is my 1.1 heading into 2025 because of his built-in rapport with Joe Burrow, the opportunity for more volume if Tee Higgins signs elsewhere, his track record, and the anti-fragility argument for taking a top receiver over a running back. Chase has created explosive long touchdowns, he has dominated in the red zone and he has proven to be able to rack up volume. He'll give you some of the highest-scoring weeks on the slate but isn't a boom-or-bust asset. That's what a No. 1 overall pick should be.
Player or players who just missed the cut: Chase Brown belongs on this list if his role from 2024 reprises, but I am skeptical that will be the case. You can also make the argument Bucky Irving belongs on here after his breakout rookie season, or Trey McBride given the state of the tight end position. A strong case can be presented on both fronts.
Jacob Gibbs
1. Ja'Marr Chase
2. Saquon Barkley
3. Bijan Robinson
4. Jahmyr Gibbs
5. De'Von Achane
6. Puka Nacua
7. Justin Jefferson
8. Derrick Henry
9. Bucky Irving
10. Kyren Williams
11. Brock Bowers
12. Nico Collins
13. CeeDee Lamb
14. Amon-Ra St. Brown
15. Malik Nabers
16. Brian Thomas Jr.
17. Jonathan Taylor
18. Josh Jacobs
19. Trey McBride
20. A.J. Brown
21. Christian McCaffrey
22. Chuba Hubbard
23. Rashee Rice
24. Drake London
25. Mike Evans
My No. 1 overall is . . . : There are touchdown regression cases to be made for either Chase or Barkley, and I'm sure I'll make them at some point this offseason. But not today. They're the clear top candidates for 1.1. Bet on great players in great situations.
Player or players who just missed the cut: Speaking of outliers, I imagine we will spend time this summer discussing whether Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or maybe even Jayden Daniels deserve to be bumped up toward the top-20 picks. They certainly have the ability to produce a season that would warrant that type of draft capital, as we just witnessed from Jackson in 2024. If naming one sneaky non-QB who could approach this range, Ladd McConkey is who I'd choose. Depending on what happens during the Chargers offseason, McConkey may profile for a Year 2 breakout into superstardom.
