📊 In my last post, I shared the first machine learning predictions for the 2025 fantasy football season. While the overall leaderboard was dominated by quarterbacks (no surprise given how fantasy scoring works), that’s not how most fantasy drafts play out.
Since most leagues only allow one starting QB, an overall Top 15 doesn’t give you the most useful draft-day insights. Instead, I’ve built position-by-position rankings: the Top 10 QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs for 2025, based entirely on machine learning projections.
🧠 Quarterbacks (QB) – 2025 Projections
The top of the QB board is familiar but with one big surprise. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson form the elite tier, separated by less than two projected points. But the shocker is Baker Mayfield, landing at QB3 ahead of stars like Hurts, Mahomes, and Burrow.
Jalen Hurts and Jared Goff round out the top five, while C.J. Stroud cements himself as a rising star at QB6. Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert cluster tightly in the mid-QB1 range, and Geno Smith sneaks in at QB10, reflecting steady production in Seattle.
👀 Takeaway: Allen and Jackson are safe bets, but Mayfield’s jump to QB3 is the boldest call from the model. With so much depth through QB10, most managers can afford to wait at quarterback.
🏃 Running Backs (RB) – 2025 Projections
This year’s RB board comes with a few surprises. Saquon Barkley leads the way, followed by Derrick Henry, who continues to defy age. The model loves Kyren Williams as RB3 – a breakout projection that vaults him ahead of some established stars.
Rising young talents like Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs join the top 10, while Josh Jacobs and James Cook project as steady mid-RB1 options. Interestingly, Christian McCaffrey slides down to RB7 – still elite, but with workload concerns showing in the model. Veterans James Conner and Joe Mixon round out the list, highlighting the position’s mix of old and new.
👀 Takeaway: Barkley and Henry are still the safest bets, but Kyren Williams’ appearance in the top 3 is the biggest curveball. After the top few names, RB depth is shakier than WR, making elite backs premium draft targets.
🏈 Wide Receivers (WR) – 2025 Projections
The wide receiver leaderboard is led by Ja’Marr Chase, who separates himself with a massive 35-point gap over the rest of the field. Behind him, Amon-Ra St. Brown takes WR2, cementing his role as one of the most reliable high-volume targets in football.
Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb project as strong WR1s, though their totals fall off noticeably from Chase and St. Brown. Veterans like Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill still crack the top 10, showing they remain high-end fantasy options.
Rounding out the list, A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Drake London, and Puka Nacua highlight the mix of proven production and emerging talent.
👀 Takeaway: Chase is in a tier of his own, St. Brown secures elite WR2 status, and the rest of the top 10 is a tight cluster. WR remains the deepest position – but Chase is the one true game-breaker.
🎯 Tight Ends (TE) – 2025 Projections
This year’s TE projections flip the usual script. George Kittle takes over as TE1, outpacing the field by more than 20 points. Trey McBride surges to TE2 after a breakout 2024, while Mark Andrews and Sam LaPorta fill in the next two spots as steady high-end options.
The biggest surprise? Travis Kelce drops to TE5 — still strong, but showing clear signs of regression in the model. Further down, names like Jonnu Smith and Tucker Kraft appear as new faces in the top 10, while veterans David Njoku, Taysom Hill, and Zach Ertz round out the group.
👀 Takeaway: Kittle reclaims TE1 status, McBride looks like the next big thing, and Kelce finally slips out of the elite tier. Drafting an emerging talent at TE could be the difference-maker in 2025.
📈 Draft Strategy Insights
- QBs: Depth through QB10 means you don’t need to overpay early.
- RBs: Scarcity makes the top 5 must-have anchors for your roster.
- WRs: The deepest pool — plenty of elite production even outside the top 5.
- TEs: Top-heavy as always — with Kittle, McBride, and LaPorta offering fresh upside.
📝 Final Thoughts
Machine learning projections won’t catch everything — injuries, breakouts, and coaching changes still shake up every season. But they provide a data-driven foundation for draft decisions. With these Top 10 by position rankings, you’ll walk into draft day with a clear, unbiased picture of the landscape.
🔗 Full code & data: GitHub Repo
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