Fantasy football hot takes for Malik Nabers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and more

New York Times

15 hours ago

If you're looking for a little spice with your fantasy football analysis, you've come to the right place. We asked our fantasy football crew (writers and editors) to share one hot take for the 2025 season. The working definition here for hot take is a statement that you at least kinda, sorta believe — it falls a little short of a bold prediction. The guidance was that you don't need to believe it with every fiber of your being, but perhaps with roughly 50% of those fibers.
What came forth were a lot of takes on Jaxon Smith-Njigba and other young wide receivers around the league. Don't sprint to the draft room with these takes, but understand that anything — anything — can happen in a given fantasy football season, and chasing ceilings is a good time.
Andy Behrens: Jaxon Smith-Njigba will lead the NFL in receptions, and not by a small margin. He's about to finish as the overall WR1. Not bold enough, maybe? The league's first 150-catch receiver?
Mike Hume: Counterpoint: Absent the TLC of Kevin O'Connell, Sam Darnold spirals into oblivion in Seattle and JSN finishes outside the Top 30 receivers in total fantasy points despite coming off the draft board at WR14 to start the season. Sorry, Andy.
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Jake Ciely: Jayden Higgins is the second-best rookie wide receiver, behind only Tetairoa McMillan. C.J. Stroud was still great when throwing to Nico Collins while under pressure, so while we'd love a better offensive line, having a second receiver with ability/style similar to Collins will help Stroud rebound. And, if Stroud gets back to 4,000+ yards and throws 25+ touchdowns, Higgins will be a Top 30 wide receiver.
Dalton Del Don: Malik Nabers breaks the all-time targets record and is frequently drafted as fantasy's No. 1 player in 2026. Bonus: George Pickens finishes as a Top 10 fantasy wideout.
Brandon Funston: Buoyed by ROY-caliber play from QB Cam Ward, receiver Calvin Ridley catches 100 passes for the first time and ties his career-best with 10 touchdowns.
KC Joyner: With Lions' new OC John Morton living up to his promise of sending more passes in his direction, Jameson Williams will make the jump to high-end WR2 status and could even end up as a low-tier WR1.
Jay Felicio: Thirty-year-old Aaron Jones' production falls off a cliff, and newly acquired Jordan Mason proves the start of 2024 wasn't a fluke. Mason completes a hostile takeover in Minnesota, handling the majority of backfield work on the way to a mid-RB2 finish.
Brad Evans: Speedy rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden becomes the Chosen One in Matt LaFleur's offense, compiling at least 75 receptions for 1,000+ yards and 7-9 TDs in a WR2-caliber inaugural campaign.
Michael Salfino: Given the lack of an alpha in the Packers' wide receiving corps, the George Kittle-like Tucker Kraft matches his career totals in 2025 — 110 targets, 81 catches, 1,062 yards, 9 touchdowns.
Jess Bryant: Tyler Warren has a Top 5 TE finish with over 888 yards receiving and 8+ touchdowns (says the Magic 8 Ball).
Tyler Warren down the sideline from Daniel Jones!
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— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025
Jacob Robinson: The Cardinals win their division thanks in part to Kyler Murray's Top 5 QB finish and career-high 850 rushing yards.
Scott Engel: Braelon Allen will rush for 9 TDs, and Breece Hall will get traded. While Hall is with the Jets, Allen could become a lesser version of David Montgomery. If Justin Fields wasn't a running threat near the goal line, I would predict even more TDs for Allen.
Brandon Funston, Part 2: With all due respect to Andy Behrens and JSN, Drake London finishes as the WR1, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to finish a season with at least 125 catches, 1,500 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
(Photo of Jaxon Smith-Njigba: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
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