2025 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Preview
2025 Las Vegas Raiders Preview Perhaps no team needed a total cultural change as badly as the Las Vegas Raiders. Mission accomplished. Enter first-time general manager John Spytek, the former assistant GM in Tampa and an integral part of Tampa’s top-5 2025 NFL Draft haul. On the sidelines, the Raiders hired a proven coach in Pete Carroll. Collectively, the new regime feels like their rebuild began last season, and 2025 is prime for a new era. Refreshingly, an era of optimism. The first order of business for the club was trading for Carroll’s former quarterback, Geno Smith. Smith quietly threw for a career-best 4,320 yards and a 70.4 percent completion rate in 2024. He will bring much-needed stability to a woefully inadequate position since the franchise released Derek Carr ahead of the 2023 season. Smith is unlikely to post top-10 fantasy numbers with this supporting cast, but he can be a reliable streamer with week-to-week QB upside. No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty profiles as the next great RB1 for years to come. Jeanty is a three-down workhorse with elite tackle-breaking ability, strong contact balance, and superb vision. He led the nation in yards after contact twice, including a record-shattering 1,970 in 2024. And the fit couldn’t have been better. The Raiders had very little depth in the backfield, assuring Jeanty will get all the work he can handle on his compact frame. Instant first-round RB1. WR Jakobi Meyers finished as the WR20 after setting career-best marks in targets (129), receptions (87), and receiving yards (1,027). Meyers once again proved to be a savvy mid-round draft value but remains a WR2 masquerading as a team’s WR1. The 2025 NFL Draft brought more depth to a receiving corps needing a youth infusion. Second-rounder Jack Bech is a favorite of the dynasty football community with sticky hands coming off a Senior Bowl MVP performance. Bech can also be employed all over the field. Fourth-rounder Dont’e Thornton is huge (6-5, 214) and is a dark horse to push Tre Tucker for playing time. Brock Bowers burst onto the scene, breaking the rookie reception record and becoming the second consecutive (after Sam LaPorta) first-year player to lead the tight end position in fantasy scoring. His 153 targets were third in the NFL, and he caught fewer than three balls only once.. And he didn’t just make an impression on fantasy managers, but also on his new signal-caller Smith, who told The Athletic that Bowers “is one of the best tight ends in the league already, and I still think he’s got so much room to improve. A big part of my job is to help him do that.” Bowers was a league winner last season and will be the top-ranked tight end in every format. Fantasy Grade: C QB Smith, Geno, LVR [QB1] Reunited and it feels so good. When the Raiders plucked Pete Carroll out of retirement, one of the first orders of business for Carroll was to engineer a trade for his old quarterback, Geno Smith. Carroll recognized the potential in Smith in Seattle. In two years together, Smith posted QB5 and QB19 numbers. Last year, without Carroll, Smith threw for a career-high 4,320 yards and thrived throwing the ball 20-plus yards, a staple of Raiders’ offenses. Smith brings stability and leadership to a young Las Vegas roster and projects to quietly be a solid QB2. ADVICE: Underrated QB2 who can be a decent streaming option week-to-week. RB Jeanty, Ashton, LVR [RB1] Here are the categories that Ashton Jeanty led in FBS in 2024: attempts (313), rushing yards (2,287), TDs (28), yards after contact (5.42/att.), missed tackles forced (125), first downs (106), and breakaway yards (1,247). These world-class metrics are indicative of how dominant Jeanty was at Boise State and why he’s considered the best incoming rookie rusher since Saquon Barkley. And as luck would have it, Jeanty landed in the perfect spot as Pete Carroll’s next Marshawn Lynch. Jeanty is a three-down workhorse who could lead the league in touches in his first season. ADVICE: Every bit worthy of a first-round selection in every fantasy format. RB Mostert, Raheem, LVR [RB2] ADVICE: Aging veteran won’t see much of a role playing behind Ashton Jeanty. Mostert is relegated to a handcuff role for fantasy managers lucky enough to land Jeanty in Round One. WR Meyers, Jakobi, LVR [WR1] Sleeper Jakobi Meyers was one of fantasy’s unheralded stars last season. Meyers had 10 games with nine or more targets, eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time, and finished as the WR20 overall. Meyers had the most targets (126) without a drop in the league last season. Since moving to the Raiders, Meyers has run 69.8 percent of his routes from the perimeter after being used inside in New England. However, a new coach, a first-round running back, and added target competition are obstacles that will make repeating those outstanding numbers challenging. ADVICE: Remains an underrated value in the middle rounds who provides a steady source of targets and receptions. WR Bech, Jack, LVR [WR2] Sleeper Jack Bech’s older brother, Tiger Bech, was killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year’s Eve. Jack, wearing his brother’s No.7 jersey, then won Senior Bowl MVP with a walk-off TD grab. In addition to that inspirational moment, Bech has good size (6-1, 214), sticky hands, outstanding ball tracking skills, and uses leverage well. He had a 62/1,034/9 season at TCU in 2024 that resulted in Second-team All-Big 12 accolades. Bech also landed in a great location with a Raiders’ offense that needed a youth infusion. Bech profiles as a reliable possession receiver. ADVICE: Bech’s hands, ability to create space, and opportunity make him one of the top late-round sleeper wideouts. WR Tucker, Tre, LVR [WR3] ADVICE: Tucker has made strides in each of his two seasons. He’ll enter camp as the Raiders’ No. 2 but will face stiff competition from rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. WR Thornton, Dont’e, LVR [WR4] Super
2025 Preseason Pro: Jody Smith (Free)
NFL training camps are underway. That means the fantasy football draft season has finally arrived! Our annual Flagship Feature is called Preseason Pro. This 2025 Preseason Pro: Jody Smith introduces the exclusive insight you can find only at FullTime Fantasy. Here at FullTime Fantasy, we’ve assembled the very best high-stakes players in the world: many of the Top 10 World-Ranked high-stakes players, and one of the top RANKERS in the country — to help you win your Fantasy Football league. No one else in the industry can provide you with this type of information. Additionally, we host the Fantasy Football World Championships, and these players are gracious enough to lend us a hand in promoting the very best content in the industry. Each of them is putting their reputation on the line for all to see and is providing us with their: ONE Top Sleeper, ONE Breakout, ONE Bust ONE Comeback, and ONE late-round Stash & Cash. to help you with your upcoming draft. However, it’s only one per category! They don’t know what anyone else has submitted, so you’re getting the genuine gut check from the best players in the world. High rollers have offered some of them hundreds of dollars for this kind of private advice. And that’s just one opinion. Here you’re getting no less than SEVEN, and Preseason Pro continues to be the elite product of the fantasy season. This year’s Preseason Pro picks are included FREE with your FullTime Fantasy Membership! What makes their opinion so worthy? Simple. They win. Year in and year out, they’re winners. While some may ask, “Why would they help me?”, there is no question that when their pride and integrity are on the line, they step up and make bold calls to help others. When we have questions on Sunday, this is who we call. We’re essentially bringing our high-stakes connections to FullTime Fantasy. When your league is on the line, who do you trust? A magazine that contains out-of-date news? No. Those days are over. Not all experts are considered equal. Starting with Jody Smith, who has more than 15 years of content experience. Jody was also previously Fantasy Pro’s Most Accurate Rankings Expert, and he’s fresh off a No. 2 overall finish in last year’s draft accuracy. Additionally, Jody topped the betting leaderboards in 2020 and holds a top-10 overall ranking for multi-year accuracy. He’s consistently been one of the best in the business for a long time! Finally, Jody recommended Hunter Henry as his late-round stash & cash last August, and Henry posted overall TE11 numbers, making him one of the top values. Let’s see who Jody picks in his 2025 Preseason Pro. JODY SMITH (below) – ADAM KRAUTWURST – IAN RITCHIE – SCOTT ATKINS – ANGELOS LILAS — BREAKOUT — Kenneth Walker (RB) Seattle Seahawks It was hard to narrow this down to one single breakout player for 2025. So as a bonus, I chose one position player and a pair of second-year signal callers. At running back, Ken Walker is already a well-known name in the fantasy community. Last year, he was RB12 in PPR points per game, but missed six games due to oblique and leg injuries. But when he played, Walker was the staff’s preferred backfield option. Zach Charbonnet only averaged four carries in games that Walker started and finished. Per FantasyPoints Data, Walker led all running backs with 0.50 missed tackles forced per attempt, ranked third with 70.9% of his yards coming after contact, and was RB8 in expected fantasy points per game. Those tell the story of an explosive player whose breakout ability has already been displayed. Walker’s involvement in the passing game last season was also encouraging. Despite playing just 11 games, he snagged 46-of-53 targets. He’s going to be the featured back in a Klint Kubiak offense that resulted in Alvin Kamara leading all running backs in targets per game last season.🚀 Seattle’s O-line is a concern, but first-round OG Grey Zabel will be a good fit as a pulling guard in Kubiak’s versatile system. A healthy Walker is top-5 upside and can readily be drafted in the 4th round. I also love J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye as sophomore quarterbacks with breakout potential. I was high on McCarthy last year, but his season was over before it began. We saw how Kevin O’Connell’s offense, which has ranked top-6 in passing in every season, led to a career resurrection for Sam Darnold. Now it’s McCarthy who has the keys to O’Connell’s offense, and we’re starting to see some of his potential in camp. Drake Maye is a dark horse to lead all QBs in rushing. Despite playing in just 10 full games, Maye ranked 9th among QBs last season with 421 rushing yards. He’s also got a strong arm and will be helped exceptionally by the additions of Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, and a vastly improved offensive line. Both of these second-year QBs will contend for QB1 fantasy production and can be drafted in the mid-to-late rounds of most fantasy drafts. — SLEEPER — Jakobi Meyers (WR) Las Vegas Raiders Another season, another year of Jakobi Meyers being overlooked on draft day. He’s been a top-25 wideout in back-to-back seasons and got significant upgrades in coaching and at quarterback. Yet Meyers is still being drafted outside of the top-40 wide receivers, well into the middle rounds. At that point in drafts, Meyers is the ideal fantasy WR3 for managers who already have targeted a tight end/quarterback, and have both backfield spots occupied. Taking WR/WR to open the draft and targeting Meyers in that range allows for a deep weekly lineup. Meyers isn’t flashy, but he’s averaged over 13 fantasy points in three straight seasons. Last year, with arguably the worst quarterback play in the NFL, Meyers posted his first 1000-yard campaign. He absorbed 129 targets in 15 games, even with TE Brock Bowers setting NFL records. Now, the Raiders have made significant changes for the better. Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly will be a boon for an
2024 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Preview
2024 Las Vegas Raiders Fantasy Preview Rumors ahead of the 2024 NFL draft speculated that new head coach Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders were in the market for a rookie quarterback after experimenting with Jimmy Garappolo and Aiden
Rumors ahead of the 2024 NFL draft speculated that new head coach Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders were in the market for a rookie quarterback after experimenting with Jimmy Garappolo and Aiden O’Connell last season. Unfortunately, they were unable to land the targets in which they coveted. Fortunately, though, they brought in a quarterback via free agency who has plenty of what Pierce is looking for in Gardner Minshew.
Wherever Minshew goes, a rookie quarterback is sure to follow. Last year, the Colts drafted Anthony Richardson after signing Minshew. Technically, Jalen Hurts was an Eagle before Minshew, but the Jaguars did draft Trevor Lawrence to replace Minshew in Jacksonville.
Minshew needs to get the credit he deserves. In 37 career starts, over 49 games played, he has thrown more touchdown passes (59) and fewer interceptions (24) than the generational Trevor Lawrence. That is the kind of production from the quarterback position Davante Adams was not getting from Garappolo or O’Connell last season.
Regardless of whoever lines up under center, Adams is a wide receiver you can trust when selecting at the start of the second round of your fantasy drafts. While the 31-year-old receiver is entering his 11th season, he is still producing. Adams has posted five 1000-yard seasons over the last six years, including 1,144 yards on 103 receptions in 2023. All that production resulted in a fantasy WR11 fantasy finish a season ago.
After Adams, it becomes interesting. Jakobi Meyers had some excellent fantasy value as a flex option heading into the draft. However, the Raiders’ selection of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers puts a cap on Meyers’ fantasy potential entering the 2024 season. Last year, Meyers averaged 13.1 fantasy points per game. But with Bowers’ ability to play in the slot, it’s hard to envision Meyers having that kind of success when asked to line out wide.
Bowers will likely be better for the Raiders than he will for your fantasy teams. In three seasons at Georgia, he finished with 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns on 175 passes. Bowers is an excellent complement for Adams, as he finished last season with 56 receptions, six touchdowns, and 714 yards after returning in October from ankle surgery.
RB Zamir White finds himself well-positioned to have a top-15-caliber season at the running back position. From weeks 15 through 18, White would average 23.3 touches while churning out 114.3 per game, finishing as the RB12 in fantasy over that stretch. White also would finish sixth in yards after contact per attempt, 13th in explosive run rate, and 17th in success rate. White is an intriguing mid-round target.
Quarterbacks
QB GARDNER MINSHEW – BYE WEEK FILL-IN
The Raiders plan to have Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell compete for the team’s starting role this summer. “That’s the plan, to have both those guys really compete through the offseason program, but more so in training camp, and we’ll see how it plays out,” said GM Tom Telesco. Minshew is considered the favorite to win that role. He was slightly more effective than O’Connell and signed the contract of a player expected to start. Regardless of who wins, Las Vegas will be a run-first offense under Antonio Pierce and Luke Getsy. The Raiders QB spot should be avoided until there is some clarity. ADVICE: Only draftable in deep Superflex leagues.
QB AIDAN O’CONNELL – LOW POTENTIAL
ADVICE: O’Connell passing metrics were very similar to Gardner Minshew last season. He’ll be given every opportunity to beat out the newcomer in the preseason. The ceiling isn’t very high, but whoever wins the Raiders’ starting job can be a weekly streamer…