The 2024 fantasy season is at an end. How’d you do? Did you get the title? Are you re-building? No matter how your season finished, the day after its over your quest for a title in 2025 begins. That starts in the off-season. Dynasty fantasy football is a 365-day-a-year endeavor. To get you started, I’m offering one player for each team I’d be looking to stash this off-season. Today, it’s the AFC Teams. Teams appear below in alphabetical order.
Baltimore Ravens: Rashod Bateman, WR
About: When Bateman got an extension this past off-season, it raised eyebrows. Despite his First-Round draft capital, we hadn’t seen much from Bateman on the field. But the Ravens still believed. And the 2024 campaign rewarded that belief. Through Week 17, Bateman is having a career year. He has 64 targets and 40 receptions for 680 yards and eight touchdowns. He looks like a strong contributor to the Ravens that could be flex worthy in your fantasy lineup. I’m holding him.
Buffalo Bills: Ray Davis, RB
About: I liked the Davis pick in this year’s draft, and we’ve seen him produce in flashes. James Cook is still the lead back, and Josh Allen is still the team’s best goal line back, but we’ve seen what Davis can do when given the chance. Davis has 368 yards and three touchdowns on 98 carries this season. It will be fun to see what he can do in the future, especially if the Bills decide not to give Cook a long-term deal.
Cincinnati Bengals: Andrei Iosivas, WR
About: The Bengals are at a crossroads this off-season. Ja’Marr Chase wants a new contract. Tee Higgins is coming off the Franchise Tag and wants a long-term contract. And the team needs some pieces on defense. So, what’s going to happen? We don’t know. The Bengals seem to want Higgins and he said he wants to be back, but can they get a deal done? If they don’t, who takes over? One of the options is Iosivas, who has flashed at times in 2024. He has 34 receptions for 467 yards and six touchdowns. He’s not going to replace Higgins’ production, and the team still has Jermaine Burton and an off-season to work. But, for now, Iosivas is a player I’m stashing.
Cleveland Browns: Cedric Tillman, WR
About: The season hasn’t gone as the Browns hoped. They also haven’t ended well for Tillman, who has been dealing with a concussion since Week 13 that landed him on IR. But, for the second-year receiver, we got an indication of what he can do in the aftermath of Amari Cooper being traded. He finished the season with 29 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns. The Browns have Jerry Jeudy returning and questions at quarterback, but I like Tillman’s potential.
Denver Broncos: Marvin Mims, WR
About: Mims didn’t do much his rookie year. With Jeudy and Tim Patrick gone, the assumption was a big leap in year two. We didn’t get it. And yet, the young receiver has picked up his game of late. Through 17 weeks he has 34 receptions for 452 yards and four touchdowns. But he’s stepped up as the Broncos fought for a playoff spot. I like his potential to step forward with Bo Nix in year three.
Houston Texans: John Metchie, WR
About: The Texans have some receiver questions for 2025. Stefon Diggs is a free agent. Tank Dell is recovering from a massive injury that likely makes him a long shot to play in the 2025 season. That leaves a void alongside Nico Collins. Metchie was a Second-Round pick in 2022. He missed his rookie year due to illness and played sparingly in 2023. But in 2024, when called upon, he’s stepped up. He has 22 receptions for 230 yards and touchdown. He’s worth a stash this off-season.
Indianapolis Colts: Alec Pierce, WR
About: When the Colts took Adonai Mitchell in the 2024 NFL Draft after snagging Josh Downs in the 2023 NFL Draft, it seemed to spell the end for Pierce. But a funny thing happened—2024 ended up being the best season for Pierce. The third-year receiver became a deep threat and a contributor in a wildly uneven passing game. He has 35 receptions for 767 yards and six touchdowns. Heading into a contract year in 2025, I suspect Pierce could shine again. He’s a player I’m stashing.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Mac Jones, QB
About: Jones washed out with the Patriots and ended up being traded to Jacksonville to be a backup. He is a free agent after the season. The Jaguars have committed to Trevor Lawrence, but his injury in 2024 allowed Jones to make some rehab starts to show he could lead a team. There are likely to be some openings this off-season, making Jones an interesting QB stash.
Kansas City Chiefs: Noah Gray, TE
About: Travis Kelce probably isn’t done yet. But when he is, the Chiefs might have found a successor. Gray got a contract extension from the Chiefs early in 2024 and spent the season showing why. Gray has 39 receptions for 439 yards and five touchdowns. He’s been a valuable contributor and looks like he could have an even brighter future. He’s a hold.
Las Vegas Raiders: Ameer Abdullah, RB
About: The Raiders are a dumpster fire, but we’ve seen one interesting contributor arise in the backfield. Abdullah was once a highly touted prospect whose career never quite turned out as expected. But he’s been great for the Raiders down the stretch, rushing for 311 yards and two touchdowns on 66 carries, catching 40 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. There will be changes this off-season for the Raiders, but Abdullah is worth a stash this off-season.
Los Angeles Chargers: J.K. Dobbins, RB
About: What would Dobbins have left? After several big injuries, that was the question going into this season and a reason he got just a one-year deal. But Dobbins has responded with 842 yards and nine touchdowns through Week 17. He might not be the long-term answer for the Chargers, but he’s going to be part of the attack for someone in 2025. He should be rostered.
Miami Dolphins: Jaylen Wright, RB
About: De’Von Achane is the starter in Miami, and he held up well throughout the 2024 NFL Season. But Miami will need depth. I don’t see Raheem Mostert back, and we’ve already seen Wright surpass Jeff Wilson as a rookie. Wright might not have made a big contribution in 2024, but his time is still coming. Hang on to him.
New England Patriots: Kayshon Boutte, WR
About: If nothing else, the Patriots found their quarterback of the future in 2024. Drake Maye looks like a franchise guy. But who is going to catch passes for him? One of those who has stepped up is Boutte, who had 36 receptions for 472 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots still need a true No. 1, but I like what I’ve seen from Boutte enough that I’m stashing him this off-season.
New York Jets: Braelon Allen, RB
About: It raised eyebrows when the Jets drafted Allen since they already have Breece Hall. And yet, we’ve seen at times that they can work well in tandem. It’s not an under-statement to say the Jets’ 2024 season has been a disaster. Hall has struggled with injuries and just plain struggled at times. Changes are coming this off-season. But Allen has shown flashes this season and is worth a stash heading into 2025.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Calvin Austin III, WR
About: The Steelers’ receiver depth behind Georgie Pickens essentially doesn’t exist. The team will have to make some additions this off-season for sure, and it’s still a question whether Russell Wilson is back at quarterback. But Austin has stepped up when called upon this season. He has 36 receptions for 548 yards and four touchdowns in his second season. I like him as a stash moving forward.
Tennessee Titans: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR
About: The Titans’ offense needs work and a quarterback. That will likely be addressed this off-season. But who catches the ball? Calvin Ridley is the team’s No. 1, but we saw DeAndre Hopkins traded and Treylon Burks isn’t the guy. He’s not even a guy most weeks. In their stead, we’ve seen Westbrook-Ikhine step up. He has 28 receptions for 447 yards and nine touchdowns. Yes, nine touchdowns. He’s worth a stash as the Titans work to build up that offense around a new signal caller in 2025.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
