Most Impactful Landing Spots in the 2025 NFL Draft

Most Impactful Landing Spots in the 2025 NFL Draft

Some players may not be rated as highly as others going into the weekend of the annual NFL Draft. That may be for skill reasons or because of other off-the-field matters. What we do know is that a certain player’s value can immediately jump based on the team that drafts them. 

Not all teams will draft on need all of the time but when you have a few openings on your starting lineup, a player taken where a lineup hole exists gives them a decent boost in fantasy value. 

Here, I have picked out a few “glaring” holes on teams that WHEN (not IF) that team selects a player at that position, they will become an even more coveted player on the fantasy landscape. Whether it’s the offense style or the quarterback running that offense that will give them the boost, you will want a share of their potential production come the start of the regular season in September. 

A lot can happen between when a player gets drafted to their NFL team, then to when they get drafted onto your fantasy team, followed by the start of the regular season 4 months after they get selected! That cannot take away from the immediate fallout of where these players get selected into a position where they could be effective from Day 1.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 teams/positions that will give a player an instant value bump if they get drafted to that team:

10. Carolina Panthers - WR

The second half of the 2024 season gave hope to Panthers fans as well as HC Dave Canales that the progression of QB Bryce Young started going in the right direction. They seem to have the offense running at a respectable rate and the team was winning close games. Now, the Panthers can feel a bit more comfortable building around Young and providing him with a better receiving corps. They drafted TE JT Sanders last year and looks primed to be a role player for Carolina. The WR room can make improvements that includes 2nd year WRs Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker as well as their leading receiver from 2024: 34-year old Adam Thielen (35 at the beginning of the ‘25 NFL season) If they go and get a high-pedigree WR  early in the draft, he may not make an immediate impact but would more than likely get an opportunity early on.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR

The Jags hit big on 1st round WR Brian Thomas Jr last year. Like, BIG. He finished as WR4 in PPR leagues as a rookie and that was mostly with a backup QB as Trevor Lawrence hit the IR midseason. Apart from BTJ, the Jaguars receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired. They lost previous veterans in Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram in free agency which leaves them with a lot of unproven names and failed breakout candidates (i.e. Gabe Davis). If Jacksonville doesn’t feel confident in guys like Dyami Brown or Brenton Strange, they have a chance to snag another guy on Day 2 of the NFL Draft that is sure to gain attention if picked to join the boys in Duval.

8. Indianapolis Colts - TE

I feel like many people peg this spot to be a bit higher, but let’s cool off on that. Remember, the Colts don’t have a polished passer behind center. Anthony Richardson is one of the worst passing QBs in the league and Daniel Jones doesn’t give us much more hope… BUT, if there was a stud TE up the middle of the field to act as that “safety blanket” to get an easy completion that the Colts haven’t had in, dare I say, decades? Indy has a group of young studs at WR, but their ceiling is capped by Richardson’s development. The addition of a tight end that commands attention will help all aspects of their team as well as become an immediate difference maker to this Colts offense.

7. Los Angeles Rams - WR/TE

Exit Cooper Kupp, enter Davante Adams. Two aging stars head to new teams where Adams joins the youngster Puka Nacua in LA. Apart from the two of them, they seem to be lacking some serious pass-catching acumen. Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee battle injuries as well as a low target share, while guys like Tutu Atwell haven’t grown into their roles they were drafted for. Matthew Stafford could push for the Rams brass to get another weapon for him in order to make one more serious playoff push over the next two years before his contract expires and Stafford contemplates retirement at age 38. If the Rams get that extra pass-catcher, they are likely to fight for targets but there’s only two bonafide targets that are sure to be ahead in the pecking order so the opportunity will be there in a high-powered offense.

6. New York Jets - WR/TE

Well this is awkward… The Jets were in need of a pass-catcher last season. They tried addressing it with Malachi Corley but he hasn’t quite developed yet. They also lost their starting TE in Tyler Conklin as well as Davante Adams (see Rams above). New projected starting QB Justin Fields currently has only former Buckeye teammate Garrett Wilson and veteran Allen Lazard as previous starters to throw to. Gang Green is almost assuredly selecting a rookie offensive skill position player early on and he will be set up for immediate production. 

5. Dallas Cowboys - RB/WR

Oh… Yeah, awkward again. Another team that failed to address their gaping holes for our fantasy football purposes. Dallas declined to take a high-end RB or WR in last year’s draft and opted for RB Rico Dowdle (who ended up doing well) and WRs Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert (not as good). Dowdle is now in Carolina and Dallas then signed mediocre fantasy back Javonte Williams and fallen-from-grace Miles Sanders. Neither present a huge challenge, and Dallas could opt to run with them this season. Same with their WR corps that added only Jonathan Mingo at last year’s trade deadline. There isn’t too much competition at these positions, but will the Cowboys address these openings early on in the draft? Who knows…

4. Las Vegas Raiders - RB

It’s widely known that the Raiders ranked 32nd in rushing last season to no one’s surprise. Zamir White was a disaster and Alexander Mattison tried his best (yet still remains a career backup). After addressing their QB need by trading for Geno Smith in the offseason, the glaring need was focused on RB and it wouldn’t be any surprise for the Raiders to take a talented ball-carrier early on in the Draft. There would be no one in their way to the top of the depth chart after Mattison left in free agency to Miami. Be on the lookout for who goes to Vegas.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers - QB

A QB? Why wouldn’t this be first on the list? Well, it’s not guaranteed that this person would start out of the gate for Pittsburgh. They would need to compete with the Steelers’ prodigal son, Mason Rudolph. It’s likely that the Steelers draft a passer in this year’s draft since they haven’t yet pulled the trigger on Aaron Rodgers. Even if the Steelers drafted one, who knows how early they will take him? I guess that shouldn’t matter, but regardless of who they pick, they would be getting a solid supporting cast of pass catchers in George Pickens, DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth as well as a young, developing offensive line. Getting a young QB in fantasy that starts right away, especially in dynasty, is gold.

2. Denver Broncos - RB

Another team that has less than stellar rushers in their backfield is the Mile High team. They let Javonte Williams walk in free agency and decided to keep team favorite Jaleel McLaughlin and 2nd year back Audric Estime to fight it out. I would find it hard to believe that HC Sean Payton would like to run with just these two in order to make it further into the postseason than last year. Taking a RB early would give the Broncos another young stud and that back would presumably be the favorite to land the starting rushing duties out of training camp. In an up and coming offense, this is a premium spot to watch.

1. Chicago Bears - RB

The Bears offense was less than spectacular last season. I think they are starting to have a vision though. Adding HC Ben Johnson from Detroit could bring a whole new offensive identity to the team. You know how the Lions brought success with the two-RB system? I feel that if the Bears wanted to do that, they need to get a bruising back in the draft to go with their shifty pass-catching back in D’Andre Swift. When they do add that running back (yes, WHEN) we could see that dynamic shift positively for the Bears’ offense that we saw when Johnson took over the offense in Detroit. That RB that the Bears choose to pick should be a must-get in dynasty drafts as they will look to be a focal point for seasons to come in Chicago.