Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know all about the phenomenon known as the Fantasy Footballers’ “My Guy” episode. It’s been in fantasy football lore since its inception in 2015. If you need all the visuals, here’s the YouTube link:
Each year, we hand our writing staff the mic and let them call their shot on one player they believe in above all others. This season, our crew has delivered some of the sharpest, most forward-thinking work you’ll find, and now it’s time to see where they are planting their flag. Jump on Twitter, show them some love, and share your own 2025 pick using #MyGuy in your tweet.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Even though WRs typically break out in Year 2, we have seen several rookies emerge in recent seasons. What do they have in common? They were either highly productive in college (Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr, and Puka Nacua) or displayed elite efficiency when given the opportunity (Ladd McConkey). Tetairoa McMillan stands out as he checks both boxes, entering the NFL with one of the most complete production profiles. For context, his draft profile ranks in the 94th percentile in experience-adjusted production, 99th percentile in EPA per Target, and 99th percentile in Success Rate. In other words, he was one of the most dominant college WRs in his three seasons at Arizona. Coupled with the opportunity for elite volume in Dave Canales’ offense, McMillan should easily outperform his 5th-round ADP and become an immediate contributor for fantasy managers.
-Marvin Elequin (@FF_MarvinE)
George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
When I’m looking for a “My Guy,” I want someone who can really level up from where he’s being taken in drafts, and George Pickens checks a lot of those boxes for me this season. Pickens’ move to Dallas this offseason pairs him with easily the best QB he’s played with since entering the NFL and on a team who is much more interested in throwing the ball. He is going from Pittsburgh, which didn’t even throw the ball 500 times last season, to a Cowboys team that finished third and eighth in passing attempts in the last two seasons. While there should be some concern about Pickens’ ceiling playing alongside CeeDee Lamb in Dallas, over the last 10 years, there have been nine pairs of teammates to finish as top-15 WRs together in the same season. The QBs of those teams finished with an average of 4,219 passing yards and 31 TDs, and the average Baller projection for Dak this season is 4,424 passing yards and 31 TDs, so the passing volume should be there to support both WRs. To top it off, when Dak and CeeDee went nuclear in 2022 to bring fantasy championships to many, Brandin Cooks was the team’s WR2 and a direct beneficiary and was on pace for a WR18 finish that season. Given his current ADP at the 6.02 and the WR29 off the board, if Pickens levels up, he will be a game-changer on fantasy rosters this season.
-Kurt Mullen (@KurtKnowsBest)
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
While I was ready to take the grimy route and make Travis Etienne my “My Guy” this season (I remain grossly in on him), the player I chose instead offers the perfect blend of value and upside that deserves the nod. The 2024 rookie WR class was legendary, delivering multiple elite fantasy seasons. This year’s group may lack the same hype, but exciting talent remains. Last season, late-round fantasy picks like Brian Thomas Jr. and Ladd McConkey became top fantasy scorers and league-winners. Emeka Egbuka has the opportunity and skill set to do the same in his rookie year with Tampa Bay. Egbuka posted two college seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit TDs, pairing consistent production with refined route running and a high football IQ. With Chris Godwin recovering from injury and Mike Evans nearing the twilight of his career, Egbuka could step in immediately as a key contributor in a high-powered offense. A first-round pick who has been turning heads in training camp, Egbuka is currently going at the back of the 10th round in drafts. That is tremendous value for a player with legitimate breakout potential. The blend of opportunity, talent, and draft-day price makes him one of the most appealing picks in fantasy football this season.
-Joe Beldner (@JoeBeldner)
Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans
It’s almost too easy to leave your draft with Calvin Ridley. He’s being drafted as the WR29 in full PPR. Last season, he finished as the WR28, and that was with Will Levis under center. Even in that situation, Ridley led the entire NFL in unrealized air yards, meaning the opportunities were there; it was just that the connection and target accuracy weren’t. Now, enter Cam Ward, who has an absolute cannon for an arm and insane accuracy. We’ve seen this story before: Terry McLaurin and Courtland Sutton both saw their fantasy breakouts once paired with legitimate first-round QB talent. Ridley’s still a route-running technician and a red-zone weapon, and for a “30-year-old WR,” he’s got way less mileage than most after missing time with injuries, mental health, and suspensions. With Ward under center, his ceiling is way higher than people are drafting him at.
-Brittney Foxworth (@Bfoxworth07)
Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants
I get it, it’s hard to put your faith in a Day 3 RB who didn’t see much playing time until the player in front of them got hurt. But Tyrone Tracy Jr. got the starting RB job in New York in Week 5 last year and didn’t give it up, flashing potential out of the gate with 129 rushing yards on 18 carries in his first start. From Week 5 until the end of the season, Tracy finished as the RB16 in half-PPR formats. He played WR in high school and most of college, making him one of the most reliable pass-catching RBs in the league. So even if the Giants are playing from behind, which we imagine might happen often this season, he won’t be phased out (he averaged nearly four targets a game from Week 5 on). The Cam Skattebo fanfare has overshadowed Tracy. Good. Please keep it that way. Tracy truthers like myself can select him late in drafts and find weekly RB2 production for a fraction of the price.
-Dan Lovi (@LoviSports)
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Trey Benson has become a forgotten man in fantasy circles, but many were high on his potential with third-round draft capital in the 2024 NFL Draft. There was a clear (at least on paper) path to playing time last year, with an aging James Conner on a contract year ahead of him. 2024 proved to be an anomaly of RB health, however, as Conner set career highs in touches, rushing yards, and scrimmage yards, while staying on the field for a full 16 games (the first time in his career he’s achieved that status) – earning himself a contract extension in the process. Entering 2025, Cardinals beat reporters are claiming Benson has added seven pounds of muscle, while still maintaining his “explosiveness.” Head Coach Jonathan Gannon has echoed these sentiments, adding that he envisions the team with “two RB1s,” signifying a decreased workload for Conner in 2025. At 6’2″, 220 pounds with a 4.39 40-yard dash, Benson carries a three-down skillset that could and should translate directly to the NFL level. Currently being taken at RB48, he is a low-risk option that offers potential league-winning upside in the second half of the season.
-Nick Beaudoin (@DynastyBode)
RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos
With the 60th pick in the draft, Sean Payton got his RB1. We know rookie RBs have a history of making an instant impact in fantasy, and Harvey gets to start his career behind PFF’s second-highest-ranked offensive line. The RB room looks crowded, sure, but Harvey should establish himself as the lead guy in an ascendant offense. Plus, Sean Payton offenses LOVE to get the ball to RBs. Denver ranked first in RB target share in 2024, and Payton’s New Orleans teams ranked in the top 5 every year from 2014 to 2021. Harvey’s ADP sticks him in the RB dead zone, but I’m banking on him bucking that trend and giving me an RB2 at worst with league-winning upside toward the end of the season.
-AJ Passman (@AJPssman)
Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings
The expectations around Jordan Mason are pretty uninspired. I get it; he’s the RB2 in Minnesota, he’s playing behind the established veteran (Aaron Jones), and he’s not super sexy. But I am not sure I see a player more guaranteed to far exceed his current ADP (RB36). Aaron Jones is 31 years old, and he is coming off a season where he played 17 games and a career-high 255 attempts. The Vikings wanted Mason – they traded two picks to acquire him (the second being a pick swap next year), but it’s clear that the Vikings and Kevin O’Connell wanted him and intend to use him – probably creatively, given O’Connell’s history of strong offenses. Mason’s stock could go through the roof if Jones misses significant time, which is probably likely after a heavy 2023 workload. There are very few players who excite me in the 10th round, and Mason is one of them, so I am finding him on my teams often.
-Nate Henry (@NateHenryFF)
Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets
Fields was the QB7 in Weeks 1-6 last year when he served as the starter in Pittsburgh. He had a down year in 2023, but still posted five top-5 finishes at the position in just 13 games played. He was the QB6 in points per game in 2022. In summary, when Fields starts, he produces for fantasy. Cheat code alert: His rushing (50.2 yards per game over his career) gives him a solid floor, and he’s capable of a week-winning performance with 28.9% of his finishes inside the Top-6 going back to 2022. The Jets have adequate weapons in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall out of the backfield and an above-average offensive line. I’m not expecting huge things out of the Jets this year, but luckily for us, they don’t have to win to score fantasy points. The best part: Fields costs you an 11th-round pick. I like his upside better than the other QBs (Love, Stroud, Maye) going in that range. He also looks pretty darn cool in a Jets uniform.
-Parker Hagen (@ParkerHagen)
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
There is an elite tier of 4-5 fantasy QBs this season, then a plethora of others with top ten upside. It may be tough to remember, but we have seen that upside from Tua Tagovailoa, and it wasn’t that long ago. He led the NFL in passing yards in 2023 and finished as the QB9, despite Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane combining for 24 rushing TDs. Last season felt like a trainwreck for Tua, but he finished as a top-ten QB in five of his 11 games played, and his 17-game pace was 4,400+ passing yards. Of course, the elephant in the room here is Tua’s concussion history. There’s also the possibility that Tyreek Hill has gone off his rocker. However, as the QB22 in ADP and still surrounded by speedy playmakers, the reward far outweighs the risk when drafting Tua in the double-digit rounds. If I don’t get one of the elite QBs, I’ll draft two later-round QBs with upside, and one of them will be Tua.
-Aaron Larson (@aalarson)
JJ McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy is the epitome of success. The kid has succeeded at every level, winning high school state championships, dominating college football, and winning the national championship as a Michigan Wolverine, and won’t stop short in the NFL until he replicates his previous success. He has had an entire season to sit back and watch, learning the game at the pro level, taking tips from veterans, and building locker room chemistry. With a stacked offense consisting of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, McCarthy is bound to succeed and have a big first season.
-Sam DiSorbo (@analytacist)
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
I’m more of a film guy than a stats guy, but TreVeyon plays well with both types. When you watch his tape, you see great vision, explosive speed through the hole, top-level shiftiness, and elite pass-blocking. He showed out at the NFL Combine with top-10 performances in the 40-yard dash, vertical, and broad jump. He shared the backfield at Ohio State all four years, which led to more depressed numbers than his talent should have produced. But there is one stat that really impressed me in college: In 2024, Henderson averaged 7.1 YPC on 144 carries (1,016 yards, 10 TDs). Compare that to fellow 2nd Round RB, Quinshon Judkins, who averaged 5.5 YPC on 194 carries (1,060 yards, 14 TDs). Behind the same offensive line, and with the same surrounding talent, Henderson averaged 1.6 MORE YPC than Judkins (the second largest differential among all drafted RBs and their backfield mates). Legal issues aside, most fantasy analysts agree that Judkins profiled as an upper-tier every-down back in this year’s loaded RB draft class – and Henderson left him in his dust at OSU. I believe the floor case for Henderson is the valuable James White / Shane Vereen / Dion Lewis role in Josh McDaniels’ offense (~130 targets per year to RBs over the last 9 seasons); but TreVeyon is a better pure runner than all those backs, and his upside comp is Jahmyr Gibbs.
-Kemper Trull (@kempertrull)
Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
I don’t like to talk in hyperbole, but I think I may be in love with Courtland Sutton heading into the 2025 season. What’s not to like – he finished as the overall WR13 last time out – yet is currently being drafted outside the top-20 at the position. He’s improved year on year every season since 2021 (not bad for a guy approaching 30), his main competition for targets in the Broncos’ WR room comes in the form of Marvin Mims and Devaughn Vele, and oh yeah, he just got paid!
There may only be one guy on the planet who’s more infatuated with the eight-year veteran than I am, and (thankfully for fantasy managers) that’s his QB in Colorado – Mr. Bo Nix. I’m willing to throw out Denver’s first few weeks under Nix as he adjusted to life in the NFL, and plant my flag on his 20.8 FPPG (QB5) from Weeks 5-18 being the “new norm” moving forward, but to get there he’s going to need his number one guy and overall WR10 during that same time-period to step up to the plate once more.
Sutton commanded 25% of team targets last season – the same Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr. and Ladd McConkey, all of whom finished inside the top-12 (Sutton was just 0.1 points behind McConkey on the year) – yet while each of them are being drafted as WR1s in 2025, Sutton is barely hanging on as a WR2, being taken as the 23rd wideout off the board. Make it make sense. With only Evan Engram threatening to take any real work away from him, Sutton feels a lock for at least 130 targets, 80+ receptions, 1050+ yards, and 7+ TDs, and if he hits those numbers (all of which he eclipsed last season), his floor will be WR15.
TL;DR – he’s a fringe WR1 being drafted as a tail-end WR2, and with that $92m contract, Courtland Sutton is my Fantasy Sugar Daddy, sorry, I mean “My Guy” for 2025.
-Paul Marnie (@PaulMarnie)
Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans
Choosing Calvin Ridley as a “My Guy” feels wrong somehow, but I just can’t stop drafting him at his current price. He disappointed many believers last year, but the truth is, his season wasn’t as bad as we want to remember. After a slow start, he took off once DeAndre Hopkins left the Titans, and he led the NFL with a 48% air-yard share. Yes, he had the worst fantasy finish of his career (WR27), but now he is being drafted as the WR30. Calvin Ridley is an expert long route runner, and he just needs a competent QB to turn all those air yards into fantasy gold. First overall pick Cam Ward is an extremely accurate downfield passer, so he might be the key to unlocking Calvin Ridley‘s potential.
-Javier Manzenera (@elmantis)
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Brown had more opportunities per game from Week 9 on than everyone not named Saquon Barkley. The Bengals’ projected win total is 9.5, right at the threshold we want for a top RB, and the depth chart behind him is garbage. With a subpar defense, Cincinnati is going to have to outscore opponents to win, and Brown is game-script proof and was on a season-long pace of 94 targets after becoming the starter. That puts him in the same conversation as CMC, Bijan, and Achane. And yet, you can get him in the third round in most drafts as the RB11 off the board. I would be more than happy to take him as my RB1, combined with two stud WRs in the first two rounds.
-Scott Freymond (@Scotty_snacks)
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Skillset? Check! Draft pedigree? Check! Genetic pedigree? Check! Trey McBride is the only real target competition, and he flourishes in a different area of the field than MHJ. MHJ was grossly misused/miscast in Arizona’s 2024 offense, and it would be irresponsible to deploy him the same way. With an expectation of more diversity in short and intermediate route usage, he should have more targets, especially if schemed properly. 45 uncatchable targets translates to a rough 12 receptions, 170 yards, and ~1.5 TDs of missed opportunities!
-Vernon Meighan (@FFB_Vern)
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Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
I’m cutting straight to the data: Zay Flowers quietly posted a 25.4% target share, 25.3% yardage share, and 1,059 yards in 2024, in a Baltimore offense that ranked 31st (second to last) in pass attempts. Only the Eagles threw fewer. What happens if the Ravens end up with middle-of-the-pack attempts? If the percentages hold firm, he’s looking for a bump in production that makes him a valuable asset to your team, yet you can get him in the early 6th round!
Despite leading the team in every significant receiving metric, he scored a mere four TDs. That is three fewer TDs than the league WR averages project for yardage and receptions (155 yards/11.52 receptions per TD). Meanwhile, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews DOUBLED their expected TD output even though Flowers and Bateman had the same amount of Red Zone Targets (8). Sadly, the most targeted player on the Ravens didn’t get many invites to the Paydirt Party.
Every year, we constantly hear about the players due for negative regression, but what about those due for positive? The team likely passes more, giving Flowers more opportunity to score. Zay would have finished as the WR14 in 0.5 PPR leagues if he had scored the league TD output average last year (four when his output suggested closer to seven).
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The earth laughs in flowers,” and that’s precisely what you’ll be doing on the way to a championship with Zay as your WR 3/FLEX.
-Chris Cash (@ChrisCashMusic)
Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
Sure, I still wouldn’t let Stefon Diggs date my sister, but that does not mean he cannot be my 2025 “My Guy”. Currently going in the middle of the 8th round on Sleeper, the man has been left for dead. Look, I get it, he is an older WR coming off a big injury, but stick with me here. Diggs was looking great before he went down with the ACL injury, averaging eight targets from C.J. Stroud in a full WR room full of talent. Now he heads to New England, where he is the only name in town, just like he likes it. Seriously. You are looking at Mack Hollins or DeMario Douglas as the WR2. Diggs will easily be QB Drake Maye’s WR1, and if you believe that it’s gonna be Maye this year, you know Diggs is along for the ride. According to Warren Sharp, they also have the second-easiest strength of schedule for 2025. A WR1 on his team who has six previous seasons finishing as the WR20 or better, going off the board around pick 100? I digg it.
-Julia Papworth (@juliapapworth)
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Is the late-round QB back? Drake Maye presents a unique opportunity to wait on the QB position and secure a player who can post top-8 numbers at the position without having to pay a premium in ADP. Maye was second in the NFL in scramble yards last year behind only Jayden Daniels, and there are lots of rumblings out of New England about getting Maye involved as a ball carrier near the goal (baby Josh Allen?). If the rushing sticks from last season, Maye’s floor looks quite solid this year, and with an upgraded offensive line, a real coaching staff (no offense, Jerod), and improved weaponry, Maye also has the ceiling to push for top-5 numbers if everything breaks right. I also think the Patriots could be a lot better than most realize, but don’t take my word for it. The oddsmakers out in Vegas have the Patriots with an 8.5 win total. It’s all there for Maye to be the late-round QB pick in 2025.
-Matthew Betz (@TheFantasyPT)
Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts
I want to shoot for the moon at TE. We can easily make a case for Tyler Warren based upon the last 2 seasons of rookie TEs wrecking fantasy. Put that aside and focus on the player and the cost. No receiver (yes, that includes WRs) had more receiving yards versus man coverage last year in college football than Warren. His per-route metrics (30.5% TPRR & 2.79 YPRR) are off-the-charts great, and this Colts team desperately wanted to address their lackluster TE room after they combined for the fewest TE receptions in the league in 2024. He is a free square on ESPN (12th round) and still palatable in the 9th or 10th on Sleeper. Oh, and he also plays the game without fear, so expect some jaw-dropping YAC plays. The “dawg” could not be more prevalent.
-Kyle Borgognoni (@kyle_borg)