There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that this NFL season is shaping up to be a good one. Multiple large offseason trades have led many people to have high expectations for a lot of players heading into this year’s fantasy football season. Football fan Athena Velazquez ’25 says, “I feel like this season is going to be weird because of how many trades there were this offseason and I’m skeptical to see how these “star players” that got moved from excellent teams to bad teams end up playing.” What does that mean for you and your team though? Hopefully, this overview of 2 teams to acquire players from and 2 teams to trade their players away can help.
Safe Bets :
Kansas City Chiefs – This wouldn’t be a valid conversation without mentioning the Kansas City Chiefs. With reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes at the helm steering the ship, and starting tight end Travis Kelce managing a lot of targets, it’s hard to believe these Chiefs aren’t primed for another Super Bowl. However, the Chiefs are at a distinct lack of a lead receiver which leaves the question, who’s going to have a breakout year? There are many ways to answer that question but after finishing training camp, two receivers seem to be leading the pack. Kadarious Toney who is a talented, injury-prone receiver who has electrifying speed and agility, and Skyy Moore, another young talented receiver with an opportunity to prove himself this year. Travis Kelce will continue to work as the main target for Mahomes, while Isaiah Pacheco runs the backfield. On the other hand, the option for wide receiver for the Chiefs is very much still in the air.
San Francisco 49ers – The San Francisco 49ers seem to have become a team of the past, while still somehow recording two Super Bowl appearances in the past few years. This year is no different, as they traded for Christian McCaffery who is a dynamic and untouchable running back. George Kittle, the Niners tight end, is another mainstay on the 49ers team and a fan favorite for his goofy and fun personality. Last year, his workload decreased with the emergence of Deebo Samuel and McCaffery, but he should see more work this year. However, the person you should target the most is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk who showed flashes of being a star last year and has legitimate potential to be a top-10 wide receiver this year. His smooth mix of route running, speed, and amazing hands gives him the opportunity to create space and catch balls many can’t. Target as many 49ers starters this year as you can, as this offense will most likely work as a well-oiled machine.
Stay Away :
Carolina Panthers – Even with the new additions that the Panthers added such as first overall pick Bryce Young or star running back Miles Sanders, they will not be a good offense and should be avoided. The biggest star on this offense is easily Miles Sanders who was acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles. He benefited mainly from the best offensive line in the league while also being in the best offense in the league. On the Panthers, however, the offensive line is a huge downgrade. Bryce Young is also a rookie and Miles Sanders might finally get tons of work, but it will be very hard to be efficient with such a terrible offensive line. Carolina’s wide receiver core took a huge hit with the loss of D.J. Moore and is now headlined by Adam Thielen who is very old and inefficient. Stay away from anyone on this Carolina offense because they won’t be any good for at least the first 5 weeks.
Arizona Cardinals – To sum it up, this team was projected to go 0-17 by ESPN. That means some of the top sports experts and analysts didn’t think this team would win a single game. Their starting quarterback is Josh Dobbs who has been a 3rd string backup his entire career, since Kyler Murray, the original Cardinals quarterback is out for the season. The only bright spot on this offense comes from 28-year-old James Connor. He is a very efficient runner who will dominate the backfield for the Cardinals while also benefiting from a decent amount of receiving work. Connor has a steady floor and should be the only usable player from this offense. The Cardinals wide receiver core isn’t looking great either after they lost Deandre Hopkins to free agency in 2022. The core is headlined by Marquise Brown who is very injury-prone and inconsistent even with Kyler Murray. With Josh Dobbs starting with the worst offensive line in the league and no good receivers, you need to stay as far away from this Cardinals offense as you can.
Hopefully, this offered you a general guide of who to draft and who to stay away from this year in fantasy football. This season will be nothing like we’ve ever seen before and with those few basic guidelines, you should be able to complete your team and ideally end up winning your league.
