2025 NFC EAST DIVISIONAL PREVIEW

Joseph Harlow

WELCOME TO THE FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 NFC EAST DIVISIONAL PREVIEW!

Today, we’re going to be taking a look at the four teams in the NFC East and telling you who the players are you should invest in for IDP fantasy football in 2025 and/or those you should potentially avoid.

Now, before we start going position by position, let’s break down the ins and outs of each team from this past season!

***Also, stats & info from all of our divisional previews are sourced from the following outlets: PFF, Fantasy Points Data Suite, FantasyData, FTN, & NFL Next Gen Stats.***

Now that we’ve seen where these teams left off in 2024, let us preview where their players at different positions can either help or hurt your fantasy football teams in 2025!

Quarterback

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & QB4)

After an electric rookie season, Daniels hopes to repeat in 2025. The Commanders upgraded the offensive line in an effort to keep the budding star protected. Daniels’ rushing upside puts him into elite territory, with almost 900 yards as a rookie. He may need to rely on his legs more in 2025, if the Commanders are unable to come to terms with WR Terry McLaurin. Daniels is a very good passer, not just a rushing threat, which combines a high floor with a high ceiling.

If the receiving corps does end up improving with Deebo Samuel and McLaurin’s return, Daniels will be elite. He drops to behind QB4 with the uncertainty and pessimism for a sophomore slump by the Commanders as a whole.

Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (FIF Consensus & QB3)

Despite genuine concerns about his ability as a passer and overall field general, Hurts has been a true QB1 in each of his four starting seasons. He is a threat with the ball in his hands, accumulating 52 rushing TDs over that same span. Add in an upper echelon OL (at worst) and elite skill players, and you have an even higher ceiling and floor to pair with his profile. Hurts will not lead the league in passing, but a low turnover rate and 10+ rushing TDs all but guarantee it, and you have a locked-in top-6 QB.

He slides ahead of Daniels in my rankings due to the stability of the situation, though both are in the same tier. Combining high aDoT with low turnover-worthy play rates gives Hurts massive passing upside, worthy of a top-round selection.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & QB8)

The Cowboys’ signal caller is one of the most over-hated players in the league. His aggressive passing can lead to clusters of INTs (6 in a 3-game stretch in 2024), but also TD flurries (30+ in 3 consecutive full seasons). CeeDee Lamb is a star, and the addition of George Pickens complements both the WR and QB perfectly. He adds a vertical threat that was desperately missing recently, giving an even higher ceiling to Prescott.

Prescott’s health has been a concern, with 26 games missed over the past 5 seasons. The health has dropped his rushing prowess, but he is in the top (fantasy) tier of non-Burrow pocket passers. With no running game and an atrocious run defense, the Cowboys will be slinging the rock around the yard all season. 

Russell Wilson, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & QB30)

Wilson will start the year for the Giants, but how long of a leash will he have? He was QB14 when he played last season, still showing some upside with five multi-TD games. With a worse support system around him, Wilson may appear on the floor more often than on the ceiling in 2025. Outside of Malik Nabers and some interesting young pieces in Theo Johnson, Tyrone Tracy, and Cam Skattebo, there is not much on this offense. Add in a poor offensive line, and we may see some more regression in 2025. He is a fine fill-in if starting as we approach bye-weeks, but Wilson should be avoided in most formats as Dart nips on his heels.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & QB33)

The biggest question with Dart is when he gets his chance. There are a few natural spots in the schedule where he could come into the lineup, but we will not know until we know. Dart has performed well thus far in the preseason, but that is not entirely indicative of regular-season success. Dart is an incredibly raw (though experienced) prospect who has a long way to go before being ready to run an NFL offense fully. In a Superflex league, he is an interesting flier if you can afford to wait on him.

His athletic ability and toughness would keep him interesting, even if he is not quite there as a consistent field general and passer. Weeks 5, 7, and 15 are the most logical breaks for Dart to debut as of now!

Best Value at QB

The trio of for sure starters are all rated as top-10 QBs this year, making it hard to find a value. If you have extreme confidence in any of the Giants’ QBs, then they would be the value! However, Prescott is the best value here, being in tier 3 with legitimate blow-up potential. He has alternated excellent and poor fantasy production, with last year being a down year.

With the improvements in the receiving corps and fall of the running game, he is a popular pick to finish as one of the top non-rushing QBs. Even with its popularity, the Star on the helmet lowers his perceived value, keeping him outside the top 100 overall players based on current ADP.

Running Back

Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles (FIF Consensus & RB3)

Since 2010, only 13 players have had 375+ touches in a season. Of that group, eight essentially regressed the following season, four had slightly worse seasons, and one is Saquon Barkley from last year. So history suggests that Barkley will not repeat a historic season, which… yeah, I mean, it was historic! However, how worried we should be is uncertain. Barkley still is in tier-1 of RBs this year, no matter how you slice it. With the elite options around him (and the emergence of Will Shipley as RB2), Barkley should see fewer touches.

Still, if Barkley has 80% of 2024’s production, he would have been RB4. The floor and ceiling are massive as long as he stays healthy. Take him at RB1 if you want, though the workload concerns are real enough to make some other RBs reasonable selections.

Tyrone Tracy Jr, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & RB29)

Tracy had a solid rookie season in New York, finishing as RB26 with just over 1,100 total yards and 6 TDs. Through camp, it seems that Tracy has held off the banged-up rookie Cam Skattebo to start the season. He wore down at the end of the season, taking a full workload for the first time. He excels best in a timeshare, where he can maximize his efficiency and athletic ability. The former receiver is currently an RB3/Flex play, with receiving upside. If Cam Skattebo starts eating into Tracy’s role, we could consider lowering Tracy’s. However, if Tracy separates himself, he could sneak into the mid-RB2 range. 

Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & RB31)

We mentioned with Dak Prescott (and, as a spoiler, will with the receivers) that there is no running game in Dallas. Here we see why. The one-time elite prospect has suffered multiple severe injuries that have sapped his athleticism, yet Javonte Williams is the RB1 in Dallas. If we had confidence that Williams would hold off Miles Sanders and Jaydon Blue for the whole season, we may be able to put Williams into the borderline RB2 tier. However, this is not the case. In 2024, Williams’ fantasy success was spearheaded by his receiving game, with 52 catches.

Rookie Jaydon Blue projects best as a pass-catcher and big-play threat, putting the (albeit minimal) upside for Williams into further precariousness. For now, Williams can be a deeper flex play with the hope that he maintains the role and falls into the endzone often.

Cam Skattebo, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & RB47)

After a dominant run through the inaugural college football playoff, Skattebo entered the NFL with a great deal of hype. He fell to the 4th round as a result of limited athleticism, making his NFL role murky. Landing in the backfield with Tyrone Tracy has led to an interesting camp battle. Skattebo has lost ground in the battle due to his injury. His profile as an all-around back in the receiving game makes him an enticing prospect, though. Where will he fit in this backfield?

Tyrone Tracy is a former WR so should see more of those reps. Skattebo is a difficult player to select now, as he will start 2nd or 3rd on the depth chart in a bad offense with a poor OL. Keep an eye on practice reports, but feel free to avoid them in drafts.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & RB30)

One of the hottest names on the block is the rookie known as Bill. Croskey-Merritt was a 7th-round pick after the NCAA took away his eligibility following the first week of the 2024 season. The lack of a high-level film dropped him in the draft, despite being a talented player. The explosive runner adds an element they were sorely missing last season, even if he is only a 2-down player to start.

JCM’s 36 career receptions and poor blocking technique (though he is willing!) will make it hard for him to take 3rd down reps from the next player on the list early on. Even as an early down player, he has the explosive upside to sneak into back-end RB2 range if he truly takes the role over.

Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & RB39)

In his first year away from San Diego/Los Angeles, Ekeler had a fine season in D.C. He finished as RB36 after totalling 733 yards and 4 TDs. He split rushing and receiving yards evenly, racking up 35 catches in 12 games. These numbers are far from exhilarating, but they do show a baseline that can be useful during the fantasy season. Reports indicate that Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez will take over the early down role, with either of them likely to retain Ekeler in the 3rd down role.

He is an excellent outlet for a young QB, keeping the reception floor high. In a limited role in 2024, Ekeler achieved his highest efficiency since becoming a part-time player with the Chargers. That should continue, giving a low-end flex play that you can feel good about during bye week and injury situations.

Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & RB56)

With nothing in the RB room, the Cowboys hope their young speedster can carve out a role this season. Blue was never a full-time player at Texas, but showed enticing explosiveness and 3rd down ability. In 2024, Blue tallied 41 receptions to pair with a 10% explosive run (10+ yards) rate. Blue’s size will not allow him to be a true team RB1, but the hope is that he complements Javonte Williams into a fantasy asset. If he can become similar to early-career Aaron Jones, Blue could be a steal in drafts. However, he is now behind Williams on the chart and does not expect to have a high snap share.

Keep an eye on his snaps; once they start to tick up, they may not stop!

Best Value at RB

ADP has caught up on rookie Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt, leaving him out of the conversation. With this, the JCM’s teammate becomes the best value at the position. Ekeler has lost multiple steps, but remains a reliable pass-catching weapon while adding value on the ground. He will not win you your league, but he can help keep you afloat if/when the season becomes difficult!

Wide Receiver

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & WR2)

The question with Lamb is whether he should be fantasy’s WR2 or 3 entering the season. With upgrades at secondary targets and a healthy Dak Prescott, Lamb overtakes Justin Jefferson (due to the rookie QB). Lamb has been elite in fantasy, finishing as a top-8 WR for three consecutive seasons, including WR1 overall in 2023. He has been a top-4 WR with Prescott healthy while earning a top-5 target total in the past 3 seasons. Having George Pickens to take some attention away will open up the field for Lamb to have a more efficient season. Lamb would be a reasonable selection at 1.01 this season, if you are averse to RBs and think Ja’Marr Chase will regress!

Malik Nabers, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & WR6)

Nabers had an electric rookie season, with 1,200 yards on a whopping 170 targets. 2nd most targets league-wide in your rookie season is not too shabby! The Giants have upgraded at QB, with Russell Wilson taking over for Daniel Jones (insert heavy and angry sigh from this Colts fan). Wilson has fed his top target throughout his career, which should make Nabers a high-end volume play at the very least. As a non-believer in Jaxson Dart, the back-end of the season concerns me, though Dart also will not hesitate to force the ball to his top receiver.

Nabers is electric with the ball in his hands, giving more YAC ability than a lower aDOT would typically allow. If Wilson and the Giants can push the ball farther downfield, a top-3 season is not out of the question for the Sophomore receiver!

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (FIF Consensus & WR5)

Brown has been one of the hardest WRs to rank for fantasy over the course of his career. He is a no-doubt top-5 NFL WR, but has always been on a heavily run-first offense with flawed QBs. However, he has finished as WR5, 7, and 18 (with 4 games missed) in three seasons with the Eagles. He has averaged 8.5 targets and 85+ yards/game in Philadelphia, giving him a massive ceiling.

If we project the Eagles to pass more in 2025 to preserve Barkley, then we must elevate Brown. He had a 17-game pace of 126/87/1,411/9 in 2024 with one of the run-heaviest offenses in the league. That was WR10 on a PPG basis, which should only rise if he is healthy and at full strength.

Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & WR15)

Everyone, take a deep breath. McLaurin has re-signed with the Commanders! The 30-year-old WR is coming off his best season, where he finished as WR6 on the back of 13 TDs. This number will likely regress in 2025, as the Commanders’ offense’s historic efficiency does (due to the law of averages). McLaurin remains an easy WR2 with significantly higher upside if the time off does not hinder his start. The connection with Jayden Daniels is very real, so we should see the 6th straight 1,000+ yard season.

As the clear top target and only actual threat, McLaurin will see a massive target share. Age, the holdout, and expected TD regression (25 total TDs in previous 5 seasons) drop McLaurin to WR2 territory, but he clearly has top-6 potential.

George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & DB28)

Pickens is one of the biggest shots being taken in 2025. Many, including my Ride or Dynasty co-host Jameson Hutchison (@Jamesonrulez), have him as the breakout player of the season, as he pairs with Dak Prescott alongside CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. Pickens was incredibly volatile in his time with the Steelers, averaging 58/947/4 in three seasons. His on-and off-field… activities have caused his fantasy performance to be unpredictable as the team’s WR1.

Now in Dallas and in a contract year, Pickens has less pressure and attention on him, while he is incentivized to behave at his best. Pickens is a significant deep threat and ball-winner who perfectly complements Dak Prescott’s aggressive nature and CeeDee Lamb’s inside-out style. Being the team’s WR2 keeps him in fantasy WR3 range, but there is massive upside in this profile.

DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles (FIF Consensus & WR28)

Smith is in the conversation of being the top WR2 in the league. Unfortunately for his fantasy outlook, he happens to be on a team that is massively run-heavy with a top-3 NFL RB. Smith has averaged 7.32 targets over 3 years with A.J. Brown, though that number has dropped in each season. His talent gives him a solid floor, but Barkley, AJB, and Hurts’ legs lower the consistent ceiling.

If any of the stars miss time due to injury, Smith skyrockets into WR1 territory (yes, even if Tanner McKee takes over at QB). Smith may not be the ideal WR2 for your team, but the floor of a great player tied with elite upside if things break right (for him) makes him a worthwhile selection there.

Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & WR44)

Samuel finds a new home in Washington after six up-and-down years with San Francisco. Kliff Kingsbury’s horizontal spread offense is a good fit for him, where he can use electric athleticism to rack up YAC as an outlet for Jayden Daniels. Samuels’ injury history is a concern, with much of the past half-decade spent hampered. There is concern that those injuries will finally catch up to him, sapping the athletic ability that has made him a difference maker.

The Commanders have no depth behind Terry McLaurin, making Samuel an absolute necessity for the progression of their offense. Samuel’s lack of polish as a receiver makes him a limited player, but if the offense clicks with him, he has WR2 potential with an electric young QB and a top-10 level player across from him.

Best Value at Wide Receiver

This is a tough division to find a value in, as all WRs are ranked pretty well. Even with the hype and talent of George Pickens and DeVonta Smith, they are rated as WR2/3s due to being secondary options on their respective teams. The top WR for each team is rated highly, with high-end talent and opportunity. The answer at value probably ends up off this board, so we will give a few names:


Tight End

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (FIF Consensus & TE14)

When healthy, Goedert has remained a solid TE play for fantasy teams. He is the clear third passing option, limiting his outlook; however, he is a steady TE2 play. He has been a safety outlet for Jalen Hurts over the past years, and rises to high-end TE1 play if one (or both) of AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith miss time. The lack of health (17 games missed over 4 seasons) and the fact that he is an easy target drop him out of TE1 range, even if he is a fine bet to end up there.

Goedert is not a comfortable TE1 play for your teams, but is a great flier to have if you opt for a riskier TE1 or need some bye-week/injury relief.

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (FIF Consensus & TE10)

Ferguson is in a similar spot as Dallas Goedert, though a bit more in his favor. He has proven himself to be a rock-solid outlet player who has the favor of TE-loving Dak Prescott. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are above him on the pecking order, but unlike Philadelphia, Dallas does not have a running threat in the backfield or at the QB position. Ferguson has averaged around 6.5 targets/game when playing with Prescott (would have been 7th amongst TEs in 2024). This number should not drop much, even with Pickens, as he is not a volume receiver, and the run game has deteriorated. The Cowboys offense should be incredibly pass-heavy, bumping up all targets, including Ferguson.

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & TE19)

Ertz is not close to the same player he was while in Philadelphia, but he has remained fantasy-relevant. In 2024, Ertz finished top-8 amongst TEs in targets, receptions, and TDs, and top-12 in yards. He is a volume threat only at this point, with some upside in the red zone. No competition was added to this room, so Ertz should continue to see the majority of snaps (barring improvement from John Bates or Ben Sinnott). Similar to the first two names in this section, you may not want to count on the 34-year-old for 17 weeks, but he is a good TE2 to have.

If you face injury and/or bye week issues, Ertz is a safe bet to see 4+ targets (13 times in 2024. With Terry McLaurin holding out and the remaining corps being uninspiring, Ertz may see an even larger target share in 2025 out of necessity.

Theo Johnson, New York Giants (FIF Consensus & TE16)

Johnson is one of my breakout picks for 2025, as he hopes to become the second option on the Giants. He flashed in 2024 while constantly improving his play. In his last five games of the season, he totalled 27 targets with 216 yards. Those are not overwhelming numbers, but they made him a top-20 TE in that span while dealing with atrocious QB play. He has the talent to be a full-time player, with strong blocking ability, plus-athleticism, and receiving skill.

There is a lot of projection here (from Johnson and the QBs), but the Penn State product is trending up. With the uncertainty at QB and his slot in the pecking-order, he cannot be taken as a TE1, but is a fun upside shot if he puts everything together.

Ben Sinnott, Washington Commanders (FIF Consensus & NR)

This is probably a rude one to add, but with some late hype, it felt worthwhile. Sinnott is not ranked on my board due to his position. John Bates is the team’s TE2, while Sinnott is more in an H-back/Fullback type role. He will be on the field often, like last season, but will almost certainly not be a predictable target-earner. He is a cheap flyer in dynasty leagues, but we need to see a semblance of in-line work before targeting him in redraft leagues.

Best Value at Tight End

With a dynamic QB and poor overall receiving room, Zach Ertz is undervalued overall (including by me). The ceiling is not massive for anyone in this division, but Ertz’s floor remains very high with a guaranteed role. Age and the concurrent lack of athleticism hindered his floor, but steady hands will make him a reliable safety outlet for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders’ offense as a whole. He finished 2024 as TE8 based on volume, which should remain true in 2025 as long as he stays healthy.

Thanks for taking the time to read the FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 NFC EAST DIVISIONAL PREVIEW! You can follow me at @JoeLow63 on Twitter/X. Feel free to reach out for any fantasy football questions you might have!

***For more 2025 Fantasy Football Divisional Previews, click here.***

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