WELCOME TO THE FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 NFC SOUTH DIVISIONAL PREVIEW!
In a world where death and taxes seem to be the only constants, there’s something else that has rang true for several years now in the NFL.
Don’t tell us as fans of the division, but it’s been a few years now since the NFC South has been anything more than well … fine.
This isn’t the same division it was in the early-to-mid 2010s, when the Payton Saints were at their peak, Ryan was slinging the rock to Julio, and Cam was dabbing on the NFL on the way to a monolithic fantasy football season.
This is a division that, frankly, is a ship lifted by a few tides here and there.
For fantasy purposes, this is a rundown of what to expect in that regard.
The division has some value; it has some name power. But, ultimately, you’ll find most of your value in a few teams that will ultimately raise the profile of the division as a whole.
Rising tides, remember?
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
Michael Penix Jr. (FIF Consensus: QB24, Rhett’s QB25)
Name a bigger boom-or-bust quarterback in fantasy football in 2025? I’ll wait …
Michael Penix Jr. emerged as Atlanta’s starter in the final three weeks of the 2024 season and was, well, fine. Not bad. Not good. Just … fine. And that’s OK. Because the thing that makes Penix such an intriguing late-round quarterback heading into this season is the potential flashed in the very small sample size.
In Weeks 17 and 18, Penix had 73 attempts and 864 air yards according to PlayerProfiler. While the completion percentages in both of those weeks were only acceptable (54.3 and 55.3 percent), the sheer amount of passing volume and his obvious connection with Drake London in those final two weeks leaves a lot to be excited about.
I’m not going all-in with Penix, but cautious optimism in an elite offense isn’t a bad thing. He’s a streamer in 1-QB formats, a low-end QB2 in SuperFlex formats, and a stash in dynasty leagues.
But intriguing? Absolutely …
Bryce Young (FIF Consensus: QB22 & Rhett’s QB22)
There are certain players I’m willing to die on the hill for. Jahmyr Gibbs. Jonnu Smith. Ladd McConkey. And yes, Bryce Young.
The first two years have been rough for the former No. 1 overall pick. Year one with a bad coach is a wash. And most of year two with so-so weapons can’t be accounted for either. But, heading into year three, the rubber seems to be finally hitting the road.
There are solid metrics that say Bryce can deliver above his current QB22 spot and perhaps be a high QB2. Carolina’s 2.1 plays per minute were top 10 in the NFL, Young’s 8.8 air yards/attempt were sixth in the league, his deep ball is underrated, and he started to come on late in the year with three QB1 finishes in the final six weeks.
Dave Canales knows quarterbacks, and Young finally has a true alpha in Tet McMillan. I can’t quit him.
Sorry, everyone.
Tyler Shough (FIF Consensus: QB34 & Rhett’s QB1 in his heart but unranked as of now)
In a division most consider a dumpster fire for quarterback play, in rolls a second round QB with a fully guaranteed contract who could potentially be asked to save a sinkng ship.
Tyler Shough … this is your life.
But, for as dire as the Saints’ situation is, and as poor as the perception of Shough is … let’s be honest here and make a big IF sandwich.
IF Tyler Shough had been a 22-year-old prospect … IF Tyler Shough didn’t have an injury history a mile long … IF Tyler Shough had more than one meaningful season of college production … we’re talking about a first-round prospect in this year’s NFL Draft.
Yes, none of those things happened … but there’s a path, a bleak one, but a path … where this works out and Tyler Shough becomes an above-average NFL quarterback.
However, none of that will happen this year, and it’s a true stay away until proven otherwise.
Baker Mayfield (FIF Consensus: QB6 & Rhett’s QB6)
Speaking of Dave Canales … Baker might be his greatest reclamation project.
From the scrap heap to the elite, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find any set of fantasy football rankings where Baker falls out of the top eight quarterbacks.
After a career year where he finished as the QB4 in fantasy points/game, Baker is back. He’s got a unicorn running back, one of the most underrated receivers of all-time, and a stockpile of weapons.
It’s a no-brainer… Baker Mayfield is a guy you can draft comfortably and plug and play every week. Don’t overthink this one.
Best Value at QB
Don’t let the poor overall stats from 2024 fool you. Bryce Young came on strong late in the season and posted consistent QB2 finishes throughout the second half of the season. He’s being drafted in the second half of redraft leagues as of now and, with the addition of Tet McMillon at wide receiver, is poised for a third-year breakout.
Running Back
Bijan Robinson (FIF Consensus: RB1, Rhett’s RB2)
He shifty … he quick … but most important, he thicc.
He’s (almost) everybody’s RB1 with an elite production profile and an offense that feeds him a ton of volume. I’m not spending much time on the guy most people have at the 1.01.
If you’re reading this article, you know what Bijan Robinson is. He’s a must-have Infinity Stone. Now, go be Thanos and collect this one ASAP.
Chuba Hubbard (FIF Consensus: RB19 & Rhett’s QB18)
If there was a guy I couldn’t have been more wrong on in 2024, it was Chuba Hubbard. I bought the Jonathan Brooks hype and faded Chuba because of a history of inefficiency and a 2023 where he averaged 3.8 yards per carry on 238 attempts.
He showed what he can be in 2024 with a career year where he got volume in both the running and pass games.
Chuba Hubbard is an incredible zero-RB lead back. He’s a dead zone guy with juice and volume. He’s even better as an RB2 in a hero build. With a fifth-round ADP, it’s late enough to be a value but early enough to be an impact guy.
I love his ADP and have admittedly grown to love the player.
Alvin Kamara (FIF Consensus: RB16 & Rhett’s RB16)
In most cases, 30-year-old running backs who lost a step four years ago don’t do it for me.
But Alvin Kamara is an exception because he will get fed. No matter what.
Few backs in league history can boast five 70+ catch seasons in a seven-year career. He remains a dead zone and PPR darling despite the lack of juice he possesses these days.
What you’re getting in Kamara these days is predictable. Boring. Vanilla.
Which is to say he’s exactly the type of dude most fantasy teams need in their lineups every week to provide a floor of scoring.
Bucky Irving (FIF Consensus: RB8 & Rhett’s RB5)
Ohhhhhhhh baby … Bucky Irving gives me the same levels of excitement a young Kamara did.
Quick. Explosive. Efficient. There’s not a lot you can hate about Bucky heading into 2025.
He finished as the RB13 … playing less than 50 percent of snaps for the season.
Yes, they ramped him up in the final two weeks of the season. It’s irrelevant in the grand scheme of last season.
What we know is this … Bucky Irving will still share time with Rachaad White. He will not hold the entirety of this backfield. But if his snap share gets to 60 percent this season, he’s a guy who absolutely has it in him to finish as the RB1 overall.
Best Value at RB
Bucky Irving
It’s always been Bucky. The efficiency monster was an absolute dominant force with over 1400 yards in his rookie season while playing fewer than 50% of snaps for the season. He’s going to share passing work with Rachaad White. But, if that snap share creeps to the 60 percent range, he’s got RB1 overall upside.
Draft him with confidence.
Wide Receiver
Drake London (FIF Consensus: WR9, Rhett’s WR7)
A consensus WR1 coming off a career year with a quarterback who seems to love him as a player? Sign me up!
It’s not just that Michael Penix Jr. appears to LOVE London, it’s the fact that London averaged 13 targets per game in the three games he started. It’s the top three numbers in targets, red zone targets, air yards, and target rate. It’s being top 10 in target share and snap share. It’s being top 15 in slot snaps and top 10 in Expected Fantasy Points/Gm, unrealized air yards, and receptions.
Take whatever metric you want … Drake London has something to say; he’s a smash this year.
Tetairoa McMillan (FIF Consensus: WR30 & Rhett’s WR40)
An elite college profile. A situation where he immediately has WR1 usage, an emerging quarterback, and head coach. A consolidated target tree.
We’ve got nothing to say whether Tet McMillan will be good at professional football. But with a 90th percentile showing in both college dominator rating and target share, and a breakout age before age 20, and an 80th percentile speed score, the measurables say that McMillan is equipped to take on the NFL.
With the way Carolina’s offense is built, it screams that Tet will have a first-year showing of 130 targets. His ADP being in the fourth round suggests someone who, once again, shows significant upside and faith from the fantasy football community.
There’s a lot to like here.
Chris Olave (FIF Consensus: WR31 & Rhett’s WR29)
Olave is coming off an injury, has a new head coach, and an uncertain quarterback situation. So why am I above consensus on him?
Simply put … when Olave is healthy, he is going to be hyper-targeted in this offense. With Olave and Kamara each being threats to eclipse 100 targets when healthy, it makes no sense not to see Olave as a value.
Proceed with caution, because there are warning signs. But, it’s a profile that is interesting enough for me to take shots on at value.
Mike Evans (FIF Consensus: WR16 & Rhett’s WR16)
Old faithful. Old reliable. One of a kind.
They don’t make them like Mike Evans anymore. And with the Godwin questions surrounding his second operation, it’s no wonder that he’s once again being targeted as a top-20 receiver.
I hear the Emeka Egbuka chatter, loud and clear. I do. But, Tampa knows what they have here. Evans is still an elite separator and has all of Baker’s faith.
If healthy, the streak continues, and I see no scenario where Evans doesn’t retire as a Buccaneer. He’s meant too much to the franchise. Draft with confidence because, once again, he’s a value.
Best Value at Wide Receiver
This is a position in this division ripe with value. I’m comfortable drafting any of these guys at current ranking, but London is the one guy who I know has WR1 overall upside. His connection with Penix down the stretch was unreal and should roll into this season as well.
Tight End
Kyle Pitts (FIF Consensus: TE17, Rhett’s TE15)
Another year of questioning whether Kyle Pitts will finally get it together after a breakout rookie season.
Is it a confidence thing? Is he not very good? None of us can pinpoint it.
But our latest narrative is that he’s Penix’s golf buddy, so the Clubhouse Corollary is alive and well, and hope springs eternal again with Pitts.
Bottom line, though Pitts is more of a boom-or-bust pick than he is a slam dunk. If you’re taking him, you’re either punting the position or you’re taking him as an upside second at the position.
But as it’s been for years, I’ll believe it when I see it.
Ja’Tavion Sanders (FIF Consensus: TE28 & Rhett’s TE26)
J.T. flashed at times last year. But he’s in no way rosterable and is a streaming option until he proves otherwise, especially with the drafting of Tet McMillan.
New Orleans: Juwan Johnson (FIF Consensus: TE29 & Rhett’s TE31)
The Saints paid him like a mid-level tight end, and that’s what Johnson is on his best day.
There’s an interesting athletic profile. But if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s not going to happen. Another stream is a desperate option in this division.
Cade Otton (FIF Consensus: TE22 & Rhett’s 18)
Otton has flashed at times. He’s had TE1 weeks. He’s got some of Baker’s faith. But with the drafting of Egbuka, the emergence of Bucky, Mike Evans being who he is, and Rachaad White even taking some targets, it’s another TE2/Streamer in this division.
Is anyone noticing a theme?
Best Value at Tight End
Does anybody remember the scene in “Home Alone” where Kevin finds the picture of Buzz’s girlfriend? That’s the outlook of NFC South tight ends. It’s an avoid-at-cost situation. But if you need a late-round tight end, you can do worse than Cade Otton. He flashed some big games last season and is the most dependable of the bunch.
Thanks for taking the time to read the FANTASY IN FRAMES’ 2025 NFC SOUTH DIVISIONAL PREVIEW! You can follow me at @RManuelSports 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.***
