No time is more critical for taking in news and information than during training camps. Week 1 is in the books with pads coming on this week, we'll get a chance to learn even more. Dive in as we break down the biggest fantasy updates and what they mean for your upcoming drafts and dynasty rosters!
Tight-Ends
Elijah Arroyo, Seattle Seahawks:
Noah Fant's release suggests that Seattle may be comfortable with Elijah Arroyo as their primary pass-catching tight end. Arroyo excelled among rookie tight ends in key receiving metrics and is likely to see significant snaps both in the slot and in line. He is trending up and should be locked in as a top 24 fantasy tight end in fantasy. He should finish third in receiving yards this year, but could compete for second in yards if Cooper Kupp declines in his advanced age.
Ornade Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers
Gadsden has had a strong training camp since the Chargers reported on July 17th. He has showcased his skills as a receiver this month while receiving passes from Justin Herbert. On Friday, he demonstrated his effectiveness as a run blocker, a skill he consistently displayed during his time at Syracuse. While Gadsden's talents as a receiver have become clear during training camp, showing proficiency in run blocking would significantly enhance his chances of earning more playing time. He is a valuable addition to dynasty leagues and a name to keep in mind for redraft leagues as the season progresses.
Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
Tyler Warren is an offensive asset in every conceivable way. Warren had a standout season at Penn State in 2024, where he recorded over 1,000 receiving yards and made significant contributions in both the running and passing games. During training camp, he threw a touchdown pass earlier in the week and has received positive feedback regarding his catching ability from both coaches and the media. Warren is already being drafted as a top 10 tight end, usually around the end of the eighth round. It wouldn’t be surprising if he ranked as the second most valuable fantasy player in Indianapolis by 2025 behind Jonathon Taylor.
Running Backs
Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings:
It is becoming increasingly evident that Minnesota's backfield will likely see a nearly even split between Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason this year. Jones is expected to be the preferred receiving option among the two backs, while Mason may emerge as the primary goal-line choice. Last season, Jones accounted for 71 percent of Minnesota's carries inside the opponent's five-yard line, resulting in three touchdowns that made up eight percent of his fantasy production. If Mason takes over all goal-line carries, it could drop Jones to a low-end RB2 in fantasy. Fortunately for drafters, Jones is currently being selected as the RB25, while Mason is being picked as the RB35. These average draft positions (ADPs) can be viewed as baseline values for both running backs and should be leveraged by fantasy managers.
Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins
Wright was a rookie darling for the 2024 season. Many fantasy managers had high hopes for him in a Miami offense that rewards explosive players. However, Wright finished third in team rush attempts behind Raheem Mostert last year. With Mostert now in Las Vegas, the RB2 position is up for grabs. Since OTAs, Wright has been making a name for himself as he competes against Alexander Mattison and rookie Ollie Gordon for the job. It's important to manage expectations regarding the stand-alone fantasy value of Miami's RB2, as De'Von Achane is expected to receive the majority of work. Nevertheless, if Wright secures the RB2 role, he could feed families should he get the opportunity to start.
Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans’ running back situation is still uncertain, but Devin Neal's performance with the first team and Cam Akers' fumble during training camp provide some clarity. Akers has been a journeyman, while Neal, drafted in the sixth round, rushed for over 1,000 yards in three consecutive years at Kansas. Other backs like Kendre Miller, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and rookie Marcus Yarns are in the mix. The competition for the RB2 spot could lead to solid RB3 production, but this hinges on the efficiency of the Saints’ offense, which currently looks shaky.
Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Brashard Smith has been a standout player during the first week of Kansas City’s training camp. He has already been working with the first team on multiple days, catching passes out of the backfield from Patrick Mahomes. Additionally, he has been working as a primary return man on kickoff installs, just as Isiah Pacheco did during his rookie year. Kick return duties are a skeleton key for seventh-round picks to earn roles on offense. Smith has work to do to advance up the depth chart, could become one of the best late-round running back values this offseason.
Jacorey Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Dan Quinn praised Croskey-Merritt's skills on Friday saying, "It's the violence of the cuts. He can get his shoulders square and move downhill quickly." Many consider Croskey-Merritt to be a better pure running back compared to Washington’s current starter, Brian Robinson. It’s reasonable to predict that Croskey-Merritt could start the season as Washington’s RB2. Even if he forced an even split with Robinson, Croskey-Merritt’s ceiling would be limited by Deebo Samuel’s utilization as a rusher. However, Robinson is in the final year of his rookie deal and has not done enough to warrant a contract extension, which opens the possibility for Croskey-Merritt to eventually take over as the RB1 in 2026.
Wide Receivers
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Emeka Egbuka has gotten a lot of praise from the coaching staff and his quarterback so far during training camp. Specifically, his consistency and football IQ have been the buzz as Mayfield has become confident in his abilities, not only as a route runner with reliable hands, but in his understanding of alignment and performance from multiple spots on the field. This will open a lot of doors for Egbuka this coming season as he can move around based on the personnel allowing him to maximize his playing time. It is obvious the organization is very excited to have him as coaches are already describing him as a veteran presence.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
Quentin Johnston has been consistently making big plays in training camp and has shown improvement in some of the weaker aspects of his game from last season, specifically his ability tracking the ball and making plays downfield. He scored eight touchdowns last season and was effective after the catch, but struggled to create separation and win contested balls. There have been a number of long scoring plays in camp for Johnston and there will be volume available for him this season but he will need to remain consistent with his catch rate and continue to develop as a downfield threat to open up more of his game underneath.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
John Morton, the new offensive coordinator in Detroit has made it a point to get Jameson Williams the ball in multiple ways. The route-running development Williams has made during the offseason has been noticeable during camp with several big plays going his way. He was top ten last season in yards per target, yards per reception, and fantasy points per target, all while averaging just over two yards of separation and racking up 1001 yards and 8 touchdowns. All of this points to another year of improvement and increased opportunity for Williams.
Marvin Harrison Jr, Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr. spent his offseason putting on weight and has looked explosive so far in camp. Harrison’s rookie season did not quite live up to the preseason hype but was still a solid building block. After a full offseason with a new fitness plan and an already developed chemistry with Kyler Murray, Harrison is in a great spot to make a significant jump in his second season. Harrison was 6th in air yards, 7th in deep targets, and 13th in touchdowns but finished 30th in receiving yards and 37th in receptions. The added weight should help him win more of the contested shots downfield and help improve his consistency as a scorer throughout the season.
Kyle Williams, New England Patriots
Williams is in a great position to earn a consistent role in the offense early, as well as learn from one of the most productive receivers of the past few years. He also has the speed to compete on the outside and potentially take the top off defenses. There will be some competition for his role behind Demario Douglas and Stefon Diggs, but Williams is having a good camp so far and has begun to develop a rhythm with Maye. Aside from Diggs, Williams was the only receiver to catch multiple targets from Maye on day one, and if this trend continues, he has an excellent opportunity to have an impact on this offense.
Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
McMillan is in a great spot going into this year with Carolina and has had a good camp so far. He is being targeted consistently by Bryce Young, and the two are developing a chemistry that should carry over into the season. Young will greatly benefit from the big friendly target that McMillan can provide, and McMillan will be able to operate with some freedom as the other talented receivers on the team will take some attention away from him. He has also been lined up across from Jaycee Horn which has been an excellent opportunity for McMillan to learn about his position from the other side of the ball. Head coach Dave Canales has already expressed his excitement watching the young player and his competitive nature.
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers
Despite only playing a little over half the season and having a catchable target rate of only 37%, Pearsall made the best of his rookie season with the best true catch rate in the league and really developed well as the season went on, totaling 14 receptions, 216 yards, and two touchdowns over the last two games of the year. Depending on how soon Aiyuk can recover, it will be interesting to watch Pearsall and Aiyuk share a field this year as they only had one game together last season. Pearsall is also currently rehabbing a hamstring injury and has been medically cleared, but the team is being cautious with his return at the moment.
Quarterbacks
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Ward has opened up training camp with some mixed results and has faced significant pressure forcing him to work off schedule at times. Although there have been some ups and downs, his teammates have done nothing but praise his character and poise as he settles into his role as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Calvin Ridley stated “It feels different around here” and went on to explain it was because of Ward. The excitement for Ward is palpable, and he should continue to improve as practice continues. There is a good chance Ward is fantasy relevant in almost all formats for the 2025 season, but certainly for superflex leagues.
Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks
Milroe is currently manning the third offense in camp, but is turning heads every day. The coaching staff believes the game is slowing down for him and they think he can really improve as a passer this year. Sam Darnold noted that he is always there early studying and learning whenever he can. Milroe has always been touted for his work ethic and high IQ. 2025 camp should help him improve tremendously as he can take the time and work on his game in a lower stress situation as Sam Darnold will be the starting quarterback in 2025.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy has been mostly sharp in camp so far but had an off day on Thursday. The team is really impressed with his deep ball on display, connecting on some long throws including an impressive 60 yard touchdown to Jordan Addison. It is worth noting that McCarthy appears to look very healthy and will be ready to go as he takes over the QB1 spot in Minnesota. McCarthy is also surrounded by a wealth of talent which should make his first season in the NFL a bit easier to begin. Minnesota is also excited to utilize his impressive scrambling ability into their offense.
Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Jones began Colts camp as the first quarterback out with the offense as Anthony Richardson worked his way in, but it seems the script might be flipping with Richardson starting with the first team on Sunday. Jones started the first few days of camp rough but bounced back with a strong showing on Friday. Jones is locked into a camp battle we will be paying close attention to. Richardson has made some highlight worthy throws to begin camp, so Jones has his work cut out for him as Richardson is the in house option as the Colts spent a high draft pick on him to develop all of his raw talent.
Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
Penix Jr. is drawing praise from all over Falcons camp as we head into the second week. Falcons staff members continue to promote the notion that they want Penix Jr. to be very aggressive with downfield passing. With Penix Jr. given the green light to push the ball downfield, there should be plenty of air yards to go around for Falcons receivers in the 2025 Season. With mostly positive news coming about Penix Jr. from camp, it seems the sky is the limit for the 2nd year quarterback.
Check back later this week for more fantasy takeaways from training camp!