This might be a bit of an oversimplification here, but you will understand the point being made as you read through the rest of the way. There are a number of fundamental differences between fantasy football and fantasy baseball. In baseball, it’s hitter versus pitcher. Mano y mano. You can analyze a player’s track record and his peripheral stats to understand what kind of hitter or pitcher he is and decide whether or not you want him on your fantasy team. His overall game is independent of his team’s style of play and performance as we’ve witnessed numerous breakout seasons for players on crappy teams. Big home run hitters can still hit a ton of bombs even if their manager has an affinity for small-ball.
In football, it’s not quite so simple. You can have an amazing running back on your hands, but if the offensive coordinator is a pass-happy nut, that running back won’t see as many carries, thus stunting his overall fantasy value. Think about what the Seahawks did to Chris Carson through the first four or five weeks of last season when they had Russell Wilson passing the ball as much as possible. Or if a quarterback has a great arm, a strong, supportive ground game and limited wide receivers, his coach is likely to push a run-first plan of attack. Think Carolina. You’d like to think a coach is going to try and build his offensive game plan around his personnel’s strong suits, but if the team employs an offensive scheme that doesn’t cater to a particular player’s talent, that player’s fantasy value drops.
Conversely, you can have a running back with mediocre talent, but if he’s in a run-heavy offense with a blocking scheme that caters to his strengths, he can soar like Icarus on wings made of wax and feathers. Case in point: C.J. Anderson . He never had the same level of talent as Todd Gurley , but with the Rams’ offensive game plan and the way their blocking scheme was set up, Anderson was able to thrive just as much as Gurley when afforded the opportunity.
Understanding each team’s system is going to be vital for you in both your drafts and your in-season waiver work. Let’s stick with the running backs to illustrate the point further. While drafting Le’Veon Bell had its risks last year, given the hold-out, it wasn’t so far-fetched to believe you could take him early, grab his handcuff and still get rock-solid production. The Steelers utilized a gap-run scheme most of the time last season, a system in which Bell has thrived. James Conner ’s style also fit the run-blocking scheme and while he was never considered to be at the same level of talent as Bell, he was able to find some success within the system thanks to the strength of the offensive line and a system that catered to his strengths as both a runner and pass-catcher.
We’ve actually seen it in a few places over the last couple of years. Damien Williams fared well in the Chiefs system when Kareem Hunt was suspended, Latavius Murray was solid in the absence of Dalvin Cook , and the 49ers backs – Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert – seemed interchangeable when they were healthy. Again, none of the reserve backs were considered better runners than their predecessors, but within their respective team’s system, they did just fine.
With most casual fantasy football owners not understanding how vital this knowledge is, you can absolutely dominate your competition. A firm knowledge of systems will allow you to make better choices as to which handcuffs to draft, which wide receivers and tight ends will be expected to thrive and even which defenses you want to stream each week. Don’t be dumb enough to just look at player names and depth charts. You should look at the personnel, for sure, but you also need to study the coaches, the coordinators and the style of game they like to run.
In order to better equip you for both your drafts and in-season efforts, step on over to the Coaches Corner where this Draft Guide will contain a full breakdown of all 32 teams’ offensive and defensive systems. It will prove to be your one-stop shop for team analysis, so get ready to bookmark it.
Player News
Bengals exercised their fifth-year option on CB Dax Hill.
Hill suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 against the Ravens and missed the remainder of the season. We don’t have a current update on his status, but a normal timeline would probably have him set to return sometime in camp or September. He’s a likely PUP candidate. Hill will make $12.6 million in 2026. Frankly, it’s a little surprising that this option was picked up considering how little Hill did right in 2022 and 2023 as he was shuttled back-and-forth between corner and safety. Hill was having a career season before the injury in 2024, finishing with a 68.0 PFF coverage grade.
Seahawks waived QB Jaren Hall.
With Drew Lock and Jalen Milroe added shortly before and during the draft, Seattle’s room had become too crowded for Hall to crack. The 27-year-old started twice for the Vikings in 2023 and threw for 168 yards on 20 attempts, getting intercepted once. He’ll try to find a third-quarterback role elsewhere.
Rams coach Sean McVay said Terrance Ferguson reminds him of Chris Cooley and Travis Kelce.
“Those are big, lofty comparisons, so I’m certainly not saying that he’s those guys yet. But there’s a lot of instincts. He plays with a change of pace when the ball gets in his hands ... When things go off-schedule he shows what a feel he has to find soft spots. … I’m really excited to get him in that tight end room,” McVay elaborated. It’s not clear that Ferguson will have a major role in his first year with the Rams, but with Tyler Higbee heading into the final year of his contract, this sure has the look of a pick that gets handed the starter role in 2026.
The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. thinks that if Jermaine Burton “can straighten out and shift from headache to reliable, there are roles available.”
The Bengals exited the draft without adding receiver help, and Andrei Iosivas was more reliable than spectacular in his second season. Dehner Jr. notes that Burton went through “two evictions, trouble with the law, missed meetings, missed practices, being left off a road trip and healthy scratches” and said Burton is “lucky to even have this opportunity.” The 2024 third-rounder was seen in the building all week during draft weekend and this is likely a make-or-break year for him. He’s not a must-hold in dynasty at this point, but he retains upside.
Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore believes Jack Bech is “a strong candidate to be an immediate starter” for the Raiders.
Often compared to Puka Nacua in the draft process, Bech probably will start out behind Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers in the pecking order for the Raiders. But being an instant starter in a room with no long-term fixtures could make him an interesting best ball dart throw, especially with the quarterback upgrade the Raiders added in Geno Smith. We would not be surprised if Bech were in the fantasy WR3/FLEX conversation towards the back half of the season.
Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander does not project John Metchie III to make the Texans 53-man roster in 2025.
After Houston added Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the draft, the wideout depth chart is getting a little crowded. Alexander had the Texans keep six receivers, and Metchie is projected to be squaring off with Xavier Hutchinson, Braxton Berrios, and Justin Watson for the final two jobs behind Higgins, Noel, Nico Collins, and Christian Kirk. Metchie may be a trade candidate at the roster cutdown entering the final year of his rookie contract. He’s still only 25, but has cracked 50 yards just once in a game in his career.