Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall-of-Famer Bob Harris and Gary Davenport have over 50 years of experience as fantasy football analysts and three Football Writer of the Year Awards between them. They know their stuff—or at least that's what they tell themselves.

The offseason keeps rolling on, and while the 2025 NFL Draft has begun to grab the lion's share of attention from fantasy managers (especially those in dynasty formats), we're still less than a month into free agency. There's a lot of veteran talent still looking for work.

Of course, there have also been dozens of fantasy-relevant signings. A QB swap in Seattle. A new lead back in Los Angeles. A not-so-small fortune was spent on wide receivers. And at tight end, um, well…hey, how about Evan Engram heading to Denver?

As they do from time to time in the offseason, Harris and Davenport have once again put their heads together—this time to break down the biggest fantasy hits and misses of 2025 in free agency.

In other words, Harris has valuable information to impart, and Davenport has, you know, stuff.

First Up, the Quarterbacks

The NFL's Quarterback Carousel has gone or quite the spin the past few weeks—and we haven't yet hit the NFL Draft. Which quarterback's fantasy prospects for 2025 were helped the most by free agency, and which took the biggest hit?

Harris: Assuming we don't get a surprise move -- like an Aaron Rodgers signing -- J.J. McCarthy is a winner. Yes, the 10th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft is unproven, but he'll play with one of the league's best receivers in Justin Jefferson and under Kevin O'Connell, who just helped Sam Darnold to a career year that earned him a big payday in Seattle.

In addition to Jefferson, the Vikings field a stacked group of skill players: Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones. They committed over $300 million in contracts in the first 10 days of free agency and traded for Jordan Mason, a solid complement to Jones.

Still, Jefferson and O'Connell are the biggest factors.

Jefferson has caught passes from Kirk Cousins, Sean Mannion, Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Darnold -- and produced at a high level through it all, especially under O'Connell's leadership these past three seasons.

McCarthy's initial QB18 spot in the 2025 Footballguys Draft Projections reflects these advantages.

Meanwhile, Darnold enjoyed a bounceback year in 2024, playing MVP-level football in Minnesota. He posted career-best numbers -- likely for the same reasons McCarthy stands to succeed.

I like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ken Walker III, and Cooper Kupp, but Seattle's offensive line (30th in Footballguy Matt Bitonti's 2024 rankings) is a genuine concern. While Darnold reunites with play-caller Klint Kubiak from their 2023 stint in San Francisco, the environment isn't as favorable as what he had with the Vikings.

Also worth noting: Darnold's three-year, $100.5 million contract is effectively a one-year, $37.5 million deal with team options for 2026 and 2027. Could Darnold give way to Sam Howell by December if the Seahawks plan to move on? Darnold's QB24 projection bakes in that possibility.

Davenport: As usual, Harris wrote much of what I would have (better than I would have written it). But there are a couple of other names worth mentioning here.

It's not hard to call Justin Fields' move to the New York Jets a "win" for fantasy managers, if only because it gets Fields back on the, well, Field as an NFL starter again. Over his six-week stint as the starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, Fields was sixth among quarterbacks in fantasy points. The year before, he was ninth in fantasy points per game with the Chicago Bears.

This writer (perhaps stubbornly) still believes that we haven't seen Fields' best as a passer in the NFL. The Jets admittedly aren't a good team, and the passing-game weapons are rather "meh" behind Garrett Wilson. But Wilson and Fields balled out together at Ohio State, Fields' ability to rack up fantasy points with his legs is a big-time plus, and a team that will trail with regularity isn't necessarily a bad thing for fantasy managers.

Garbage time, baby.

So far as losers go, can we please just stop with Aaron Rodgers? At this point, I don't know that his seemingly inevitable signing with the Steelers is even a good thing for the team. How long has it been since Rodgers looked like a four-time MVP? How is a quarterback who is all about precision and timing going to mesh with two improvisational receivers in George Pickens and DK Metcalf? Never mind the constant circus that now follows Rodgers everywhere—a circus he appears to rather enjoy.

I can't believe I'm writing this, but a not insignificant part of me believes the Steelers might actually be better off just rolling out Mason Rudolph under center. Seriously. Rodgers is going to wreck Mike Tomlin's stretch of non-losing seasons in the Steel City—and the fantasy value of Metcalf and Pickens.

Running It Back(s)

It has been something of a quiet year at running back in free agency—most players who have hit the road have done so on relatively modest deals. Which back's fantasy value has been helped most by the offseason so far, and who wishes they could go back in time?

Harris: Ben Roethlisberger was heading into his final season when the Steelers drafted Najee Harris in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Over the next three years, the team cycled through five different quarterbacks and three offensive coordinators.

"It was just a team where we lost Ben. We lost a lot of O-line," Harris said. "We just didn't know anything on offense, really. We didn't have any identity. We had a young guy coming in at quarterback. I was young. The team was young. I really didn't have nobody to almost learn from on the offensive side."

Now, Harris finds himself in a much better situation after signing a one-year deal with the Chargers worth up to $9.25 million.

Coming off four straight 1,000-yard seasons with at least six touchdowns each year, Harris is poised to thrive -- especially if the Chargers don't add significant competition to the backfield.

Rico Dowdle, on the other hand, didn't land in such a favorable spot.

Dowdle broke out last season with the Cowboys, rushing for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns while adding 39 catches for 249 yards and three scores. His 1,328 total yards ranked 20th in the league. He ended the year on fire, topping 100 rushing yards in four of his final six games. He finished 2024 as RB23 overall but was RB12 from Weeks 13–18.

Even if Dallas wasn't going to commit to him long-term, it's unlikely Dowdle will get a lead role in Carolina.

He joins a backfield led by Chuba Hubbard, who set career highs across the board in 2024 -- 1,195 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs, 43 receptions, and over 1,300 scrimmage yards. Hubbard's performance earned him a long-term extension as the Panthers' lead back.

What does that mean for Dowdle?

Well, Miles Sanders, a former Pro Bowler, managed just 353 yards from scrimmage and three total scores on 79 touches in 11 games behind Hubbard last year. That's likely the role Dowdle is stepping into.

Davenport: Ouch. Rico ain't so suave.

There's no denying that among free-agent running backs, Harris received the biggest boost in value. The question is going to be how much joining the Chargers will jack up his asking price—it wouldn't be the first time that all the value was sucked from a player by over-eager drafters.

Outside Harris, there's not really a lot to like. But depending on what the Dallas Cowboys do (or don't do) in the 2025 draft, Javonte Williams could be in for a career year. Williams didn't exactly light it up last year in Denver, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry. But Dallas coaxed that career year from Dowdle in 2024 and actually paid Williams slightly more than Dowdle got from the Panthers.

As to the Cowboys also adding Sanders, my response would be, "So?" He's depth. A reserve. It's Williams' job to lose.

It pains me to write this because when he was healthy and at his best, Nick Chubb was a monster—arguably the best pure runner in the NFL. Power. Speed. He had it all.

The problem is that "had" part. After a miserable 2024 campaign where Chubb missed over half the season while recovering from yet another serious knee injury and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry when he was out there, interest in the 29-year-old has been non-existent.

Will Chubb be another offseason removed from that injury? Yep. Will someone sign him? Yep—at this point, the safest bet is probably a return to Cleveland on a "prove it" deal. Here's the cold, hard truth—Chubb looked washed in 2024. And sadly, that's a more likely outcome than a rebound in 2025—no matter where he lands.

Wide Receiver Jackpots

There has been a fortune spent on wide receivers so far, highlighted by Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals becoming the highest-paid non-QB in the league. Which receiver's fantasy managers will be most pleased by the changing circumstances of recent weeks, and who will leave folks with a frowny face?

Harris: Davante Adams turned 32 in December, but you wouldn't know it from his play. He's coming off his fifth straight 1,000-yard season, reaching that mark across three games with the Raiders and 11 with the Jets. He totaled 85 catches and eight touchdowns.

Now with the Rams, Adams joins forces with Puka Nacua to give Matthew Stafford two elite targets in Sean McVay's offense. With Cooper Kupp gone, Adams will have a significant role opposite Nacua in what should be a high-volume passing attack.

Adams has six seasons with double-digit touchdown receptions -- trailing only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Marvin Harrison Sr. in that category.

So, a proven red-zone threat, in a creative offense, with a capable QB? That's checking a lot of fantasy boxes.

That may not be the case in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers traded for DK Metcalf. He'll line up opposite George Pickens under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith -- on a team currently led by Mason Rudolph at quarterback.

Rodgers remains a possibility, but even then, Footballguy Sigmund Bloom notes that Smith's scheme limits both receivers. Add in the boom/bust nature of Pickens and Metcalf, and Bloom warns, "The rollercoaster ride will be nauseating in lineup-setting leagues."

Sure, the Steelers need a spark. Their offense averaged just 14.2 points over the final five games last year. Adding Metcalf could help.

But right now, an offensive implosion feels just as likely as an explosion.

Davenport: Adams wasn't the only aging veteran whose fantasy value was helped by free agency. But whereas Adams posted 1,000 receiving yards even in last year's (relative) mess of a season with the Raiders and Jets, Stefon Diggs is trying to shake off the stink of an ACL tear and the fewest receiving yards of his NFL career.

Was New England handing a 31-year-old Diggs over $21 million a season an overpay born of a bad team desperate to improve the passing-game targets around young quarterback Drake Maye? Quite possibly. Why do I keep asking myself questions? Who knows? But as things stand right now, Diggs could dominate the target share in Beantown. And Maye really wasn't half bad as a rookie.

I love Jaxon Smith-Njigba as an ascending young talent, but swapping out DK Metcalf for Cooper Kupp in Seattle didn't do his fantasy value any favors. Smith-Njigba just went from Geno Smith's safety net to Sam Darnold's No. 1 receiver, while Kupp will likely be the guy running "bailout" routes. Throw in that both receivers are clean-slating their rapport with a new quarterback, and I have a feeling I will like Kupp at ADP more than Smith-Njigba this season.

I'm also quite interested in seeing where Amari Cooper eventually winds up. Yes, Cooper pulled a Copperfield in Buffalo last year and completely vanished after joining the team mid-season. But he's younger than most of the receivers we have mentioned here, and as recently as two years ago, he set a career-high in receiving yards. Quite a few fantasy managers were burned when Cooper vanished last year. If you believe he still has something left, he will be available at a discount.

Evan Engram and…Bueller?

It hasn't been the most exciting offseason at tight end, but at that position, any change can have a substantial impact. Which tight end's new home portends the biggest dent in 2025, and which did you have higher hopes for this year?

Harris: The NFL is all about creating mismatches. As Denver Post's Luca Evans put it: "Someone big enough to challenge a smaller defender, like a DB, and fast enough to give a linebacker problems." Evan Engram is that kind of player.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton has another term for it: "Joker" -- a tight end or running back who can exploit coverage gaps in the middle of the field. Engram fits the mold. Former NFL receiver Mohamed Sanu, who's trained with Engram for years, described him as "someone that can do things many can't."

In 2023, Engram became just the eighth tight end in NFL history to top 100 receptions in a season, hauling in 114 catches with the Jaguars. Now, after signing him to a two-year, $23 million deal, The Athletic's Nick Kosmider says Payton and the Broncos are betting Engram is the final piece for an offense ready to take off behind rookie QB Bo Nix.

Meanwhile, I'm less enthusiastic about Mike Gesicki staying in Cincinnati.

Sure, his chemistry with Joe Burrow helped him tally 65 receptions and 665 yards -- his best numbers since 2021, when he posted 73 catches and 780 yards with Miami. He added two touchdowns and moved the chains 38 times. But his biggest games came when Tee Higgins was sidelined.

Now that the Bengals have committed $161 million to Chase and another $115 million to Higgins, Gesicki's three-year, $25.5 million deal looks more like an expensive insurance policy for Higgins' occasional soft-tissue issues than a sign of consistent usage.

Davenport: What am I supposed to even say here? Evan Engram was the only truly fantasy-relevant tight end who switched teams, and Harris said all that needs saying there. The best remaining tight end without a job is Gerald Everett, who is an aging fantasy afterthought.

Um, yeah.

With that said, while Juwan Johnson getting over $10 million a season from the cap-strapped Saints (I'm starting to wonder about Mickey Loomis. For cereal) was great for his bank account, it didn't do his fantasy value any favors. The Saints barely averaged 205 passing yards a game in 2024, and I don't know how much better a healthy Derek Carr really makes this aerial "attack."

Johnson barely cracked the top 20 in PPR points per game last year, and he's not going to see a big enough boost in quality targets to get the bump some TE-desperate managers will talk themselves into believing in in 2025.

Plant the Flag

As always, we'll close this column by planting the flag.

Pick a free agent who will make the most of a change in scenery—and reveal why fantasy managers should target them in drafts.

Harris: Justin Fields has flashed fantasy value as a starter despite never averaging even 200 passing yards per game. That doesn't mean he can't throw. Just look at what he did with DJ Moore in 2023. Moore hauled in 76 catches for 1,153 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games with Fields, finishing the season as WR6. Tyson Bagent contributed a bit, but Fields powered that breakout.

But we're all here for the rushing upside. From 2022 to 2023, Fields ran for 40-plus yards in 20 of his 28 starts and topped 100 yards multiple times. As Brown noted, even with limited passing volume, he still finished as a top-10 QB in 15 of those 28 games.

I expect Fields to deliver QB1 production more often than not this season, yet he's currently being drafted as QB20 in Underdog best-ball formats. That Round 12 price tag won't last -- but I'll be chasing him up the ADP board deep into the single-digit rounds.

Davenport: He's right about Fields, you know. If he's available in the QB8-10 range, I'll be mashing that button all summer long. He could be an ideal target for folks looking for the sweet spot between waiting for a quarterback and having a reliable weekly fantasy starter.

I'll regret this before I even finish typing it—in part because Joshua Palmer has the potential to be one of the fantasy hype darlings of the summer and partly because this would hardly be the first summer fantasy managers entered with the "this is the year" mindset with a wideout who has never had even 800 receiving yards in a season.

But Bills general manager Brandon Beane (who, from all indications, is good at his job) gave Palmer a fairly sizable contract. The last I looked, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is also good at his job. Is it certain that Palmer will emerge as the WR1 for one of the league's most potent offenses? No. But it's possible.

What is certain is that the asking myself questions schtick is getting old—at least for this column.

Good thing it's over. Love me some schtick.

Bob Harris was the first ever Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year and is a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame. Follow Bob on X at @footballdiehard.

Gary Davenport is a two-time FSWA Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPSharks.