5 Fantasy Football Losers from NFL Free Agency

The busy, meaningful parts of NFL free agency are in the rearview, with the process approaching its third wave and the NFL draft exactly one month away.

5 Fantasy Football Losers from NFL Free Agency

Per usual, oodles of players found new teams, and others re-upped with their existing squads.

And because of some of those transactions, a handful of players became fantasy football “losers” — newcomers slid in and stole some soon-to-be playing time.

Listed alphabetically, these are five fantasy football losers from free agency.

1. Rashod Bateman (WR)

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Why He’s a 2025 Fantasy Loser:

Bateman represented an undercover PPR flex-spot savant in 2024, though nobody really cared because few consistently started him, and Zay Flowers always grabs all things Ravens WR headlines. He finished as WR40 last year, which means he should’ve graced your flex spots from time to time.

Now, though, Baltimore also has DeAndre Hopkins in the house, who won’t rekindle his old ways but will do just enough to damage Bateman’s targets. He tabulated 756 receiving yards in 2024 and could still be close to nibbling at 1,000. Hopkins in his way doesn’t help.

2. Aaron Jones (RB)

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Why He’s a 2025 Fantasy Loser:

The Vikings pulled off a trade masterclass, sending maligned offensive guard Ed Ingram to the Houston Texans for a 6th-Round draft pick during free agency’s first week. Then, Minnesota shipped that same 6th-Rounder to San Francisco for 49ers running back Jordan Mason.

Mason for Ingram should be studied.

Along the way, Mason situated himself for a handsome RB2 role in 2025, almost certainly assured to eat into Jones’ workload. Truth be told, Jones shouldn’t have tallied the highest touch load of his career last year; the Vikings should’ve managed that better.

Now Mason is in the Twin Cities to perhaps eventually split all touches with Jones.

3. Anthony Richardson (QB)

Team: Indianapolis Colts

Why He’s a 2025 Fantasy Loser:

Speaking of the Vikings, Minnesota allowed Daniel Jones to skedaddle via free agency, and he’s a Colt. There, Jones will battle Anthony Richardson for the QB1 post at training camp and in the preseason.

While Jones isn’t a star-studded passer, he might have the juice to dethrone Richardson — awful news for Richardson SuperFlex managers.

4. Rashid Shaheed (WR)

Team: New Orleans Saints

Why He’s a 2025 Fantasy Loser:

For about a week, the Saints’ wide receiver room was shaping up as “the big two,” with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

But last week, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis signed Brandin Cooks. Derek Carr will probably develop a rapport with Cooks — that’s what Cooks does — jettisoning Shaheed to familiar WR3 territory on New Orleans’ depth chart.

Same ‘ol, same ‘ol for Shaheed at WR3.

5. Kimani Vidal (RB)

Team: Los Angeles Chargers

Why He’s a 2025 Fantasy Loser:

Vidal was a deep-deep sleeper in Dynasty drafts — and that’s where he’ll stay after the Chargers signed Najee Harris.

Harris isn’t electric or dynamic, but he is consistent, and that’s just what the doctor ordered for Jim Harbaugh. He’ll be enough to keep Vidal on the bench after an offseason where he could’ve theoretically been tabbed for RB1 snaps.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the Minnesota Vikings, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.