If you won a fantasy football championship in 2024, we extend our congratulations, while also knowing that thoughts are already turning to the 2025 season. Not long after receiving your trophy, the countdown to the 2025 draft season begins in the mind.
Before looking ahead to next year with our early 2025 fantasy football rankings, we do have to recognize the tremendous breakout campaign of Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, while also telling you where he may be drafted next summer.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Fantasy Football Spotlight: A Top 10 WR Finish
As anticipated by many fantasy football analysts, Jaxon Smith-Njigba delivered as a prime fantasy football value draft pick in 2024. In the preseason, we highlighted him as a fantasy WR4 draft pick who could significantly outperform his Average Draft Position of 45 at wide receiver in PPR leagues. He was consistently drafted in the eighth or ninth round in most leagues.
Displaying the abilities to challenge defenses at all levels with his crafty techniques and versatility as a pass-catcher, "JSN" soared into must-start territory as a fantasy option during the second half of the season. In what should be remembered as his true breakthrough fantasy performance, Smith-Njigba finished as the No. 1 WR in fantasy football for Week 9 with 37 PPR points against the Rams. He caught seven passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns.
JSN left no doubt that he had arrived as a fantasy standout in his next game, with 10 receptions on 11 targets for 110 yards vs. San Francisco for 21.8 points. From Weeks 9 through 9 through 16, JSN finished with 18-plus fantasy points six times in seven games. He caught five of his six TD passes for the season during that span.
Through 17 weeks, which most fantasy football leagues count for their regular season and playoffs, Smith-Njigba totaled 96 receptions for 1,121 yards and six TDs, finishing as the No. 7 WR in fantasy football for the 2024 campaign with 247.7 PPR points. He placed ahead of highly-drafted WRs such as Garrett Wilson, Mike Evans, A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill.
JSN averaged 15.5 points per game, which was top 15 overall. That sort of showing firmly places him in the high-end fantasy WR2 conversations for the 2025 season. He will be widely selected as a top 12 to 15 WR, likely in the late second to third round range in many '25 drafts.
As Seahawks fans well know, Smith-Njigba went on to tie the franchise record for receptions in a season with 100. Per PlayerProfiler.com, he finished seventh among WRs in Yards After Catch, with 477, and was seventh in Juke Rate, JSN was also second in Route Win Rate, an advanced statistic that measures every route run by a receiver, and determines if he gained enough separation to be considered open.
When peering ahead to the 2025 fantasy football season, it's clear that Smith-Njigba is going to be an integral part of core fantasy roster builds in the early rounds of seasonal drafts. JSN will model as an outstanding fantasy WR2 pick to give you a prime duo to start the draft, or he can function as a No. 1 fantasy WR if a running back is drafted first.
Fantasy Football Draft Rankings: Early Top 25 for 2025
Here's an early look at our top 25 PPR players for the next season. Rookies will be added to our revised rankings later this year. Highlighted statistics are for 17 weeks of the 2024 season.
- Ja'Marr Chase:Was the only WR to average over 20 points per game in 2024, at a 23.6 clip.
- Saquon Barkley:Coming off a historic season in which he outscored the No. 2 RB by nearly 40 points.
- Justin Jefferson:Gives you peace of mind in fantasy football as a bankable high-end WR1.
- CeeDee Lamb:A consistently dominant No. 1 WR who is in the prime of his career.
- Puka Nacua:He has clearly taken over as the prime pass-catcher for the Rams.
- Bijan Robinson:Certified himself as a top 3 fantasy RB in 2024.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown:The No. 1 receiver on the NFL's best offense.
- Jahmyr Gibbs:Finished as the No. 2 RB in fantasy football in 2024. Gibbs can spur your fantasy team to a win in any week with his immense upside.
- Malik Nabers:Expect him to settle in as an annual top-level fantasy WR1 in 2025.
- Brian Thomas Jr:Came through with the most impressive season for a rookie WR, finishing fourth overall.
- De'Von Achane:Confirmed that he was an authentic No. 1 fantasy RB in '24.
- A.J. Brown:A comfortable WR1 pick late in the first or early in the second round.
- Nico Collins: We still have not seen his best season yet, even though Collins is now considered a true fantasy WR1.
- Tyreek Hill:He might prove to be a value pick in the second round next season.
- Derrick Henry:Another excellent season at age 31 would be no surprise.
- Josh Jacobs:Rushed for a career-high 15 TDs in an outstanding first year with Green Bay.
- Drake London:He could bust out for the best season yet while working with Michael Penix Jr. over a full schedule.
- Bucky Irving: A dazzling runner as a rookie who should provide consistency and upside in Year Two.
- Kyren Williams:The engine of the Rams offense is an ideal second-round pick if you draft a WR first.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba:*More TD receptions next season can only elevate his fantasy appeal.*
- Lamar Jackson:Jumped to a new career high in TD passes (41) in '24, rendering Jackson as the ultimate fantasy QB weapon.
- Josh Allen:Has rushed for 27 TDs over the past two seasons.
- Ladd McConkey: Finished as a top 12 fantasy WR in his rookie season.
- Brock Bowers:After an outstanding rookie year, Bowers is set for a long career run as an elite fantasy tight end.
- Christian McCaffrey:We know what he provides fantasy-wis
