Latest news with #contractyear
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
These 6 players are seeking a new NFL contract — will that boost their fantasy football performance in 2025?
Special to Yahoo Sports An old fantasy football theory is that players perform better when they are heading into the last year of their contract. A couple of summers ago, the great Brandon Niles did an in-depth analysis of this phenomenon to assess if it held up — you can read it here. Today, I will be adding the information we know about the 2024-25 NFL season to that data in order to identify potential contract-year gems for this upcoming fantasy football season. Advertisement [Visit 4for4 for more fantasy football analysis] Recap: Does the contract-year bump exist? Here's a TLDR on what Brandon took away from looking at contract year data from 2015 to 2022: Quarterbacks: Younger quarterbacks heading into contract years tend to see a jump in production, while older contract-year quarterbacks do not as they are typically journeymen or close to the end of their careers. Running backs: Certain running backs have excelled in contract years, but situation and volume tend to be far better indicators of success than contract status. Wide receivers: Receivers experienced the biggest jumps in production during their contract years. Most successful contract-year receivers were in stable situations (safe depth chart position, continuity in the offense, etc.) Tight ends: There is a smaller sample size for tight ends compared to the other positions, but contract-year tight ends' success is more closely tied to opportunity than anything else. Overall, contract-year status isn't a stand-alone indicator of whether a player will be productive in fantasy or not. It is best used as a tiebreaker when deciding between two players to draft. Contract-Year Players from 2024 Quarterbacks Let's first take a look at how contract-year players performed last season to see if our rules still make sense. Note that in the tables below, I did not include players who were given a contract extension during the season (like Dak Prescott) or cut after the season ended (like Aaron Rodgers). Contract-Year QB Performance, 2024. (Chart by Darnold sticks out as a perfect contract year leap example. 2024 was essentially a make-or-break year for Darnold's career, as if he struggled as the Vikings' starter he likely would not have been a starting QB again. Instead, Darnold threw for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns as the overall QB9 in fantasy, and was rewarded with a 3-year, $100.5 million contract from the Seahawks in the offseason. Darnold fits nicely alongside Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones and other younger QBs who saved their careers in a contract year after a rough start. Wilson and Fields are a unique case because they split time together as the starter in Pittsburgh, but both of them played well enough in their reps to earn a deal as the starter elsewhere (Wilson with the Giants, Fields with the Jets). Running Backs Contract-Year RB Performance, 2024. (Chart by The 'middle class' of running backs in the NFL is in a weird spot. In years past, a player like Rico Dowdle would have been immensely rewarded for his 2024 breakout season. After entering the season with less than 400 career rush yards, Dowdle stepped up as the Cowboys' starting RB and ran for 1,079 yards, adding 249 through the air. But, Dowdle did not have much of a market at all in free agency, and signed just a 1-year, $6.25 million contract with the Panthers and will split time with Chuba Hubbard next season. Similarly, Najee Harris ran for 1,000 yards for the fourth consecutive year in his age-26 season, but only received a 1-year, $5.25 million contract from the Chargers, who went on to draft running back Omarion Hampton in the first round. Advertisement [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Because of the replaceability of running backs compared to other positions, teams have realized they are better off drafting an inexpensive rookie running back rather than paying a starter like Dowdle or Harris, who aren't elite. Moving forward, I think this means that contract-year running backs could become even more important to keep an eye out for, as several of them might truly be playing for their jobs as starters. Wide Receivers Contract-Year WR Performance, 2024. (Chart by It was a generally successful year for contract-year wideouts in 2024. Despite both of them tearing their ACLs halfway through the year, Chris Godwin and Stefon Diggs played well enough in limited time to earn multi-year deals in March. Higgins, after being on the franchise tag for two consecutive years, also put together a great season and earned a 4-year, $115 million extension with the Bengals. Godwin and Higgins' success reinforces the rule that contract-year WRs heavily benefit from situational stability. Advertisement On the flip side, DeAndre Hopkins, Diontae Johnson and Amari Cooper all struggled after moving teams at least once during the regular season. Tight Ends Contract-Year TE Performance, 2024. (Chart by It's hard to say that Conklin and Johnson really made a leap in their contract year, as their production is almost perfectly aligned with their prior expectations. As a whole, tight ends continue to be a difficult position to project contract-year leaps with, mainly because their breakout schedules are much more random than other positions. Potential Targets in 2025 Now, let's examine some players entering a contract year in 2025 and assess if they are potential candidates to make a leap and earn a lucrative new contract next spring. Advertisement As you might have expected, a lot of these names come from the 2022 NFL Draft class, as this will be their fourth season in the league. RBs: Breece Hall, Kyren Williams, Isiah Pacheco Hall and Williams are similar to me in that they have shown plenty of signs that they can be a top-10 running back in the league, but need to put it together for one more season to earn an extension. Hall and Williams will need to fend off younger players who are coming for their jobs, as Braelon Allen (4th round) and Blake Corum (3rd round) were all drafted with the intent to at least share time with the starter. Corum has shown less than Allen so I expect Williams to be safe and steady in fantasy once again, but I would not be surprised if Hall is traded during the season if he gets off to a slow start. Pacheco struggled last season and does not profile as an every-down starter, so I would not apply the running back contract bump rule to him. WRs: George Pickens, Deebo Samuel Sr. If I had to pick one player to experience the contract year leap this season, it would be Pickens. After getting traded to the Cowboys because the Steelers refused to give him the contract extension he desired, Pickens has a lot on the line in 2025. If he thrives in Dallas, he would be set up to receive a huge extension similar to Higgins' 4/115 number either from Dallas or another receiver-needy team in free agency. I absolutely love Pickens' fit with the Cowboys as the No. 2 next to CeeDee Lamb, and a healthy Dak Prescott should make this unit a top-10 offense at minimum. I would boost Pickens up in my rankings because of his contract status and actively pursue him in drafts. Advertisement Samuel is set to be a free agent in 2026 after getting traded from the 49ers to the Commanders in the offseason. This season will be a major inflection point for Samuel's career, as he has shown serious signs of decline playing through various injuries in 2023 and 2024. If Samuel can bounce back to something close to his 2021 form, it would extend the 29-year-old's career by at least a few more seasons. Samuel should slot in nicely as the No. 2 receiver next to Terry McLaurin in an electric Commanders offense, and there is also room for him to get touches as a running back as Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler aren't nearly as formidable threats as Christian McCaffrey was. Fully healthy for the first time in a while, Samuel is a great lottery ticket in fantasy this season who is worth applying the contract year boost to. TE: Kyle Pitts Pitts is a 2021 first-round pick who had his fifth-year option picked up, but we still aren't sure if he belongs as a starter in the league. For seemingly the fifth straight year, Pitts should be in a position to succeed in Atlanta. The Falcons' offensive upside as a whole is higher than previous years, with Michael Penix Jr. showing flashes in limited action last season, and Pitts could very well be the No. 2 or No. 3 option in the passing attack behind Drake London and Darnell Mooney. I fully understand being wary of Pitts after all the times he has hurt fantasy managers, but if there was ever a season to break out, it would be this one. Advertisement The Bottom Line Players entering the final year of their contract have mixed results in fantasy football. Generally, contract-year status should be used as a tiebreaker when deciding between two players instead of the end-all be-all deciding factor. Looking at 2024 data helped clarify the factors that go into a successful contract-year season. This year, there are several potential contract-year leaps to watch out for, namely from George Pickens, Deebo Samuel Sr., Breece Hall and Kyle Pitts. This story originally appeared in its full form on
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders' Brian Robinson Ready For 'Big' Contract Year
Commanders' Brian Robinson Ready For 'Big' Contract Year originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Washington Commanders' running back Brian Robinson Jr. knows that the 2025 season will be a crucial one for him and his NFL future. Advertisement With B-Rob entering the final year of his rookie deal, he knows that he must show that he deserves a contract next season, and he will get ample opportunities to prove he can be "the" guy for Kliff Kingsbury. In each of his three seasons, Robinson totaled at least 700 rushing yards, including a career-high eight rushing touchdowns last year, as he led the Commanders in that category. But this is a new year, and Robinson Jr. is making a promise as he knows he has to take his game up a level. 'I need to take my level of focus up a notch or two,' Robinson Jr. said to JP Finlay. 'Definitely it's a big year not only for me but for a lot of guys around here too, definitely want to stay focused and get ready for a long season ahead of us. Step by step, just attack the process and be ready for everything that comes.' Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) hands the ball to Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (8) during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Northwest Stadium.© Amber Searls-Imagn Images In what is an interesting scenario, Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler or Jeremy McNichols are all out of contract at the end of the 2025 season, so there could be some change coming for the running back room. Advertisement Granted, Robinson Jr. is the lead back, and he needs to put on a show behind Jayden Daniels. Yet to play a full season, 2025 would be the perfect time for B-Rob to do that, surpass 1,000 yards, and earn himself a new contract. Of course, that is easier said than done, but to achieve it, everything starts in the offseason, and Brian has been doing what he needs to do to best prepare himself for a career-defining season as a Commander. And he'll let the chips fall where they may. Related: Hall of Fame Receiver Demands Commanders Pay Terry McLaurin Related: Commanders Rival Gives Love To Jayden Daniels This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Roethlisberger Says T.J. Watt's Absence Could Be 'Bigger Deal' for Coaches
Ben Roethlisberger Says T.J. Watt's Absence Could Be 'Bigger Deal' for Coaches originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Pittsburgh Steelers will expect to have one of the league's better defenses in 2025, headlined by a strong defensive line and an incredibly deep pass rush. Advertisement The engine of that unit is undoubtedly edge rusher T.J. Watt, and, for now, he's away from the team. Watt is entering a contract year, and after Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett received a massive four-year, $160 million deal, the Steelers' star is right to secure an extension. Most assume Pittsburgh will get a deal done and pay Watt handsomely, regardless of whether he clears Garrett's $40 million annual mark. In the meantime, though, his holdout is public, and his presence was missed at minicamp. Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger said Watt's absence could be a 'bigger deal' for the coaching staff than the players on the field. Advertisement "Is it the biggest deal in the world that he's not there, for football, no, I don't think," Roethlisberger said on his podcast. "For the locker room and that kind of stuff, that's going to be the interesting part. Most players don't get too worked up if other guys aren't there because they're like, 'Take care of your business...' I think it's a bigger deal – coaches." Roethlisberger was joined by his former offensive coordinator, Randy Fichtner, to offer a coach's perspective. Publicly, Pittsburgh isn't concerned. But it's understandable that they'd prefer the face of the franchise to be in attendance. "Coaches, you get a little ruffled," Randy Fichtner said. "You get a little ruffled. You want your people there. You want your best players there." Advertisement Watt is coming off an 11.5-sack season, a decline in production that coincided with his age-30 season. Extending pass rushers deep into their 30s is rarely a safe bet, but Watt's play against the run gives him staying power, even if his potency doesn't recover. Head coach Mike Tomlin spoke about Tomlin's absence and expressed confidence in a deal getting done. 'Certainly, we'd like him to be here, but certainly not surprised about where we are,' Tomlin told reporters. 'We've expressed a desire to get the business done. He has as well, and so, we'll continue to work. We've been here before.' For now, there is little for the Pittsburgh faithful to worry about. Until a deal is done, though, Watt's looming extension will remain a key storyline of the Steelers' summer. Related: AFC North Rival Sets Bar for Watt Extension Related: Steelers Boast Top-5 Defensive Trio This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
