Will the Green Bay Packers Grab an Alpha?
The Green Bay Packers had a solid year #2 with Jordan Love at the helm. Their offense is very talented, with many very good players littered throughout the offense. The age-old question begs to be asked once again, “Will they grab an alpha wide receiver in the first round?” Their pick does not seem to foster an opportunity to do that, so they would have to trade up. Their new stud at running back, Josh Jacobs, basically begged for the brass in Green Bay to do it during free agency, but to no avail. They need an alpha, Christian Watson, who has shown signs, is hurt for most of the upcoming season, and Jayden Reed is a really good #2 receiver. Tucker Kraft is the closest thing to an alpha receiver in Green Bay, and he is streaky in the receiving game.
DK Metcalf and George Pickens Need a QB
It seemed like the Steelers did not want Russell Wilson back at quarterback after a way-too-familiar exit to the playoffs in Pittsburgh. They have not won a playoff game in a long time, and it’s getting frustrating in Pittsburgh, and not just for Pirates fans, but the Steelers fanbase is also running out of patience too. DK Metcalf and George Pickens both may have a low tolerance for not being able to have a solid quarterback. Right now, they will 100% need an upgrade. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are currently their very underwhelming 1-2 punch.
All of the speculation here at Blitz Sports Media is on the possibility of Aaron Rodgers landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I tend to agree, but that does not mean they can’t take a QB in the draft. Odds are, they will most likely take at least one quarterback, maybe not high, but one to fill out the depth chart. BUT where it could get interesting is if either they trade up for, or Shedeur Sanders falls in their lap late in the first round. That may be a hindrance for Rodgers to land there, but the rumor is that Mike Tomlin likes what Shedeur has to offer.
Giants Bolster O-Line
The Giants‘ pick at number three overall in this year’s NFL draft could be the most pivotal pick influential pick for the rest of the draft. It seems to be Cam Ward then Travis Hunter as the chalk 1st and 2nd overall picks, which makes sense, but the Giants have an interesting case for a lot of different players. Abdul Carter and Shedeur Sanders are the most popular second picks for them to take. While Abdul Carter seems to be the best option, as they just signed two of the most intriguing quarterbacks to fill out their depth chart in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
With those two quarterbacks coming in the mix, I like for them to trade down a few spots and grab some more capital for later in the draft and pick up an offensive lineman to protect their new Quarterbacks. Armand Membou out of Missouri or Will Campbell out of LSU are the two best O-Line prospects on the board. They could also select Abdul Carter and keep their third overall selection and draft some dart-throw O-lineman later in the draft.
Now, I do not think that they need to draft the O-Line to help their two old quarterbacks in Wilson and Winston. Yes, that would be a byproduct, but the real reason is so that they can have time to throw the ball to Malik Nabers. We saw what he could do throughout his rookie season, and this guy is an X-Factor. He has no better veteran duo, other than maybe Joe Flacco, to sit back and chuck the ball to him. If the Giants get help on the offensive line and have time to get the ball in the hands of their best player, Nabers might be the WR1 overall this year.
Tyler Warren
I think Tyler Warren will be the best pass catcher to come out of this draft when it is all said and done. With a lackluster receiver class (compared to recent years), he stands out. The only issue is where he will end up. He has been classified to go all over the board. In our final Blitz mock draft 4.0, he went to the Colts at pick 14. This is similar to last year when Brock Bowers got selected by the Las Vegas Raiders at pick 13. I think he may even go a little earlier than that. Teams like the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets have expressed interest in the tight end prospect.
Tyler Warren will become a top-five tight end next year as long as he has a half-decent quarterback at play. He will make any offense around him better, but I am excited to see where he lands, because that destination will have ripples throughout the fantasy football landscape in this 2025 season.
Running Backs – Jeanty, Dallas, Vegas, & Denver
It is no secret that running backs rule the 2025 NFL Draft class, headlined by none other than Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State. His landing spot is most anticipated, but we cannot forget about Omarion Hampton and the Ohio State combo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. These four guys all could potentially go within the top-45 picks, which would be quite a blast from the past.
The draft class being so heavy on running back could not have come at a better time, with 2024 some coining as “The Year of the Running Back”. We may see them taken higher because of this emergence last season.
Three teams that I want to see grab one of the top four guys are the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, and Denver Broncos. These three all took slight steps back or forward offensively last season and I think that an explosive young running back could put them over the edge. From a fantasy perspective, if these guys head to one of these three, I will be very excited about their 2025 outlook.
Will Patrick Mahomes get some Help?
The Chiefs made it back to the Super Bowl once again in the 2024-25 season, but they did it limping to the finish line. They have the best quarterback and head coach in the league, so at times, they looked dominant, but they struggled (as much as you can struggle for a 15-2 record) throughout the 2024-25 season.
My question is, will Patrick Mahomes ever return to an elite fantasy QB? The last two seasons have been a wash from a fantasy perspective. It has been frustrating for most owners as they have looked to push him back into the Top 5 once again. The Chiefs tagged Trey Smith and added others on the offensive line. Rashee Rice is coming back from a major injury, and Xavier Worthy does not quite look like a true #1. Isiah Pacheco looks like that injury did a lot more to his explosiveness than we ever thought possible, and Kareem Hunt is not the answer long-term. So what is the answer?
Well, two of the problems are going to have to be solved in-house. Wide receivers with Rice and Worthy seem like the most logical option there. Running back could probably be solved later in the draft. A top pick does not need to be used for a running back with how deep the class is. O-Line is where I think they could use some serious help. With time, I think Patrick Mahomes could return to a top fantasy QB. From a fantasy perspective, we would love the Chiefs to get back to a high-volume passing offense, but unlikely.
Closing
These are my top fantasy football storylines heading into the NFL Draft. Excited to see what comes true and what doesn’t. Send me a message on X @HenryJacksonFF, I want to hear the top storylines you’re excited for heading into this year’s draft.
