The NFL Offseason can shift team personnel greatly with the combination of Free Agency, trades, and the NFL Draft. The easiest position to be impacted by these events is the quarterback, who leads the offense but ultimately has to work with the surrounding pieces around him. The coaching, offensive line, running backs to balance the offense, and pass-catchers are four categories that can elevate or limit a quarterback’s production ceiling. Those four categories are not “created equal” from team to team.
After analyzing the moves made this offseason so far, it is clear that some quarterbacks are certainly “winning” this offseason. Having an offseason that improves a situation can translate into a coming season with more statistical production. So while a situation changes for the positive, it can elevate the production possibility for a coming season, which can mean rising in the Fantasy Football world. Here are five quarterbacks who fit this domino effect narrative.
The 5 Biggest QB Winners of the NFL Offseason for Fantasy Football
1. Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
Offseason additions:
- Ben Johnson, Head Coach hire
- Jonah Jackson, G: traded from the Los Angeles Rams for a 2025 sixth-round pick
- Joe Thuney, G: traded from the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round pick
- Drew Dalman, C: signed a deal for three years, $42 million
- Colston Loveland, Michigan TE: 2025 NFL Draft round one, pick 10
- Luther Burden III, Missouri WR: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick seven
- Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College OT: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick 24
The Bears bringing in Ben Johnson this offseason was massive. Johnson had a 36-15 record as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator. The Lions produced the second-most total yards in 2024 and the third-most in 2023. The biggest concern for the Bears was that offensive line, which was heavily attacked through the offseason via free agency, trading, and the NFL Draft. Chicago loses veteran Keenan Allen in free agency, but historically productive wide receiver DJ Moore, former 2024 first-round wide receiver selection Rome Odunze, and reliable tight end Cole Kmet remain. Loveland plays like a big wide receiver from the tight end spot, and Burden is an all-around playmaker with the ball in his hands. D’Andre Swift is also a running back with solid pass-catching qualities. So with an improved o-line, on an offense led by Coach Johnson, Caleb has all of Swift, Moore, Odunze, Burden, Loveland, and Kmet to utilize.
Caleb Williams flashed as a rookie last season with four weeks over 300 passing yards, seven weeks of multiple passing touchdowns, four weeks over 40 rushing yards, and five weeks over 22 Fantasy Points. This offseason, Caleb gets the upgrades to all of coaching, protection, and weapons. The first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has all of the tools to truly live up to his expectations as a prospect in year two. I am going to be bold here, but I truly believe with Williams’ skillset, dual-threat abilities, coaching, and weapons, he has top-five Fantasy Football upside in 2025.
2. CJ Stroud (Houston Texans)
Offseason additions:
- Lake Tomlinson, G: one-year deal worth $4 million
- Cam Robinson, OT: one year worth $14.5 million
- Christian Kirk, WR: traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2026 seventh-round pick
- Jayden Higgins, Iowa State WR: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick two
- Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota OT: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick 16
- Jaylin Noel, Iowa State WR: 2025 NFL Draft round three, pick 15
Following a fantastic rookie season throwing 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns, Stroud regressed to 3,727 and 20 passing touchdowns despite playing two more games and throwing 33 more passes in 2024. The addition of added protection along with some more weapons give Stroud a great opportunity to bounce back to rookie season numbers. The Texans lose Stefon Diggs in Free Agency, and Tank Dell suffered a terrible knee injury this past season, so the additions of three pass-catchers is a boost. Kirk produced 1,108 yards back in 2022. Higgins is a big receiver who brings a physical presence through the air along with playmaking, and Noel brings a ton of speed and explosiveness. Nico Collins has proven to be an alpha wide receiver, and Dalton Schultz is a reliable tight end, so these additions are padded surroundings for Stroud.
Stroud’s 18.7 Fantasy points per game (PPG) ranked seventh as a rookie in 2023, but his 13.7 Fantasy points ranked 28th in 2024. The offseason moves should put Stroud back on the path to being more like his rookie season self for Fantasy purposes. Surrounding pieces had an impact on Stroud’s sophomore slump, but in 2025, I think we see Stroud back as a low-end QB1 for Fantasy Football.
3. Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
Offseason additions:
- Mike Vrabel, Head Coach hire
- Garrett Bradbury, C: two-year deal, $9.5 million
- Wes Schweitzer, G: one-year deal, $1.55 million deal
- Mack Hollins, WR: two-year, $8.4 million deal
- Morgan Moses, OT: three-year, $24 million deal
- Stefon Diggs, WR: three-year, $69 million deal
- Will Campbell, LSU OT: 2025 NFL Draft round one, pick four
- TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State RB: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick six
- Kyle Williams, Washington State WR: 2025 NFL Draft round three, pick five
- Jared Wilson, Georgia C: 2025 NFL Draft round three, pick
Drake Maye played 10 full games last season as a first-round selection by the Patriots, in a situation that featured a terrible offensive line and one of the worst receiving cores in the NFL. Maye flashed his dual-threat abilities with examples such as 282 passing yards in Week 11, three passing touchdowns in Week 6, and 95 rushing yards in Week 9. Maye finished as a top-12 Fantasy quarterback four times. Tight end Hunter Henry led the team last season in targets (97) and receiving yards (674).
The Patriots hit heavy on the protection for Maye heading into 2025, which was key in supporting their future star quarterback. TreVeyon Henderson is a dynamic running back who is both explosive as a runner and a pass-catcher, who will add a ton to the backfield that also features Rhamondre Stevenson. Stefon Diggs is coming off an injury, but he has a history of heavy production, which can make him a reliable outlet for Maye. Kyle Williams is a big-play threat that the Patriots have been missing. Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots player himself, returns to the organization as a Head Coach, having a 54-45 record back with the Titans through six seasons. Maye has top-10 Fantasy Football upside in 2025 due to his team improvement,s along with the dynamic dual-threat skillset we saw in 2024.
4. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
Offseason additions:
- Najee Harris, RB: one-year, $5.25 million deal
- Mike Williams, WR: one-year, $1.5 million deal
- Mekhi Becton, G: two-year, $20 million deal
- Andre James, C: one-year, $1.17 million deal
- Tyler Conklin, TE: one-year, $3 million deal
- Omarion Hampton, North Carolina RB: 2025 NFL Draft round one, pick 22
- Tre Harris, Ole Miss WR: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick 23
With Jim Harbaugh as the Head Coach in year one with the Chargers last season, Justin Herbert produced 3,870 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 306 rushing yards (career high), two rushing touchdowns, and 17 Fantasy PPG (#14). Ladd McConkey had an extremely impressive rookie season as a second-round selection, producing 1,149 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Tre Harris should be an excellent complement to slot receiver McConkey as more of a big-play, field-stretching playmaker for Herbert. Herbert had a connection with Mike Williams from the past, which we may see again in flashes as well. Omarion Hampton brings a solid balance of power and speed as a productive back who should keep defenses honest with Najee Harris, who is a consistent 1,000 rushing yard producer. Mekhi Becton is a huge addition to the offensive line.
Harbaugh was thought of as a run-first coach, and seeing the combination of Hampton and Harris might further emphasize that, but keep in mind, Herbert threw the ball 504 times last year. Herbert started his first three NFL seasons with over 4,300 passing yards and his first two seasons with over 30 passing touchdowns. Herbert also averaged over 22 Fantasy PPG the first two years of his career. While we have not quite seen this referenced early NFL Herbert the last two seasons (13 games played in 2023 was an impact), I think we can see him in 2025. This Chargers offense continues to grow and evolve, which boosts Herbert at the end of the day. Herbert again has top-12 upside for Fantasy Football in 2025, which is something he did not have in 2024 and 2022 on a PPG basis.
5. Justin Fields (New York Jets)
Offseason additions:
- Justin Fields, QB: two-year, $40 million deal
- Chukwuma Okorafor, OT: one-year, $1.33 million deal
- Josh Meyers, C: one-year, $2 million deal
- Josh Reynolds, WR: one-year, $2.75 million deal
- Armand Membou, Missouri OT: 2025 NFL Draft round one, pick seven
- Mason Taylor, LSU TE: 2025 NFL Draft round two, pick 10
Justin Fields served as a starter for the Steelers for the opening six weeks last season, finishing with a 4-2 record during that time. Fields flashed with examples such as 312 passing yards in Week 4, two passing touchdowns in Week 5, 55+ rushing yards through half of those weeks, two rushing touchdowns in Week 4, and 32 Fantasy Points in Week 4. Back as a Chicago Bear, Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns back in 2022 and finished with over 18 Fantasy PPG in both 2022 and 2023.
Fields lands in a new home with the Jets, with only veteran Tyrod Taylor in his quarterback room as competition. The Jets avoided adding a quarterback in the draft, which was ultimately a plus for Fields. Breece Hall has caught 57/76 passes the last two seasons as an outlet for Fields, and Fields reunites with his former Ohio State teammate, Garrett Wilson, who has produced over 1,000 receiving yards the last three straight seasons. Mason Taylor should lock down the tight end role as a rookie, who is the first 100-reception + 1,000-yard tight end in LSU history. Fields checks the boxes of being a locked-in starter, reuniting with his former college teammate, having a pass-catching running back, drafting an outlet tight end, and adding protection brought in. Fields has always had major Fantasy Football upside because of his rushing ability, so we should expect him to have top-10 upside in 2025, with weeks producing top-five upside at times. Yes, I am being that spicy.
