4 Must-Have Players for Fantasy Football 2025: Target Lamar Jackson

Every season there are guys you must target in fantasy if you want to have a chance at success. There are always circumstances that lead to those players not having success, but usually it's injuries that derail their seasons. We can't sit back and play this game living in fear of injuries and as such we need to go after the players who have proven to be the best in the business. These are four players who are so good that if you came away with two of them, you would be leaps ahead of the competition. 

Must-Have Players For Fantasy Football 2025

Quarterback
Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Yes, I know that people keep putting Josh Allen as QB1 and you should be happy about that. It means that Lamar Jackson is always undervalued. There is not a format invented that Lamar Jackson does not deserve to be taken in the first round—thankfully our ADP tool shows he's going later in single-QB leagues. In 2024, he put it all together en route to being robbed of another league MVP. He threw for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns. Those numbers by themselves are stellar, but it becomes even more impressive when you consider that he went from 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2023 to his numbers in 2024 and he only attempted 17 more passes. That means he was able to be more productive with his completions. All of this before you mention his abilities with his legs. 

He is the reason the game is played differently in the NFL today at that position. General Managers are forcing themselves into prospects at the position because they have convinced themselves that they can do what Jackson can do, but it is a foolhardy proposition. He is one of one. The way he accelerates when he sees an opening, how he can stop on a dime and make people miss in the open field. How he can use his athleticism to extend plays well beyond the reasonable time is impressive and nearly impossible to stop. He ran the ball 139 times for 915 yards and it felt like he was purposely not trying to run the football. 

In 2024, he finished in the top 12 in 16 of 17 weeks. That is amazing consistency when you consider that every defensive coordinator's goal is to stop him. He is the epitome of set it and forget it. A high floor with an endless ceiling. 

Wide Receiver

Malik Nabers, Giants
It's easy to say Ja'Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson if you are talking about receivers who you must have in fantasy, but in only one season Malik Nabers has vaulted himself into that discussion. In fantasy as a receiver, targets are king. Last season, Chase led the NFL with 175 targets, Nabers was right on his heels with 170 targets. He finished his rookie campaign with 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns. He finished as WR7 in half-PPR formats and averaged 14.6 points per game. He accomplished this while playing with three different quarterbacks on a team that felt like they were tanking the season. Most of his completions were short throws which were immediately followed by Nabers being hit. It was not until the final games of the season where Nabers was really able to showcase his open-field and deep-play abilities. 

In the offseason the front office brought in Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and drafted Jaxson Dart to drastically improve the quarterback room. Not only do Wilson and Winston bring experience and veteran savvy, they bring a willingness to drive the ball deep. That is something we did not see enough of in 2024. Nabers will be able to not only showcase his abilities as a short and intermediate pass catcher, but also his deep ball abilities as well. He could see his numbers significantly improve even if he is unable to garner the targets he receives in 2024. 

Early on in training camp, he has been a walking highlight reel. He has been cooking defensive backs and making it look effortless. He is poised for a top-5 fantasy finish in 2025, and fantasy managers would be wise to take him sooner than expected. 

Running Back 

We have heard so many running backs' names thrown around as RB1 this offseason. People believe Christian McCaffrey is ready to retain his position on top. Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs have also been popular names. We have even heard rookie sensation Ashton Jeanty's name brought up in the conversation without ever taking a snap in the NFL. Hardly anybody has been talking about Saquon Barkley. He had a magical 2024, where he hit 2,005 yards rushing and casually turned down the opportunity to try and break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Now many believe that he will face regression in 2025.

The truth is this Eagles team was built to sustain a quality rushing attack. The offensive line was built to move bodies out of the way. 2025 will be no different. The difference is Barkley and his abilities. He can take it to the end zone from anywhere on the field. He can make defenders miss in close quarters, and he is able to accelerate quickly to get away from defenders. If you think his motivation has diminished because he was so successful in 2024 and was paid like one of the best backs in the league, you are sorely mistaken. Barkley is keenly aware of the legacy he wants to build and this is his time. You should expect him to keep his foot on the gas over the next few years as he tries to enter the realm of the immortals. You will want to get on his shoulders and ride for as long as possible. 

Barkley still has two elite pass catchers on the perimeter and a good tight end. This keeps the defense honest and creates rushing lanes for Barkley to run through. Hurts also makes the defense play 11 vs. 11. He keeps backside defenders honest, which gives Barkley more opportunities to cut backside. 

Tight End

Brock Bowers, Raiders
The fantasy talent at the tight end position is top heavy. That means if you want a potentially high-scoring tight end, you will need to pay a premium for them. But what is worth paying a premium for? Although touchdowns can make a tight end finish in elite territory, predicting touchdowns is an inexact science. So you must rely on tight ends who garner a heavy amount of targets. Last season, as a rookie, Brock Bowers led all tight ends in targets with 153. He finished the season with 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and 5 touchdowns. He finished in the top 10 in half-PPR leagues 10 out of 17 games and finished in the top 5 seven of those weeks. His 12.1 half-PPR points were tops.

The argument for Bowers is simple, he's a beast! However, if you want to dig into more of the qualitative reasons that he is the man to have at the position in 2025 then look at the situations of the other tight ends in the top 5 from 2024. Trey McBride was peppered with targets, but with Marvin Harrison Jr. getting a full season under his belt and Kyler Murray committed to running more, will his targets decrease? Travis Kelce contemplated retirement this offseason. As Dana White says, “If you are thinking about retirement, it's time to retire.” That's before we get to his diminishing returns. Jonnu Smith was an unexpected target monster in Miami, but he's in Pittsburgh now with a plethora of other tight ends. Hunter Henry has a new coaching staff, and David Njoku has to figure out who his quarterback is going to be.

Bowers has been upgraded at head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterback, and the running game will be improved. All of these elements make it easy to see why he can grow from his rookie campaign, which is scary for fantasy managers who face him in 2025 and beyond.

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