Jakobi Meyers is one of those guys who has consistently been a victim of bad circumstances. Sure, he had one season with Tom Brady, but since then, his best situation came with one-year wonder Mac Jones.
I’ll say it again. Mac. Jones.
And yet, Meyers has seemingly gotten better each year, consistently increasing his fantasy output despite what is going on around him. He is coming off his fourth straight season at a Top 30 wide receiver, yet is still being drafted as WR40 on Underdog Fantasy. Disrespect!
That must be because last year was a down season for him, right?
Jakobi Meyers 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
A Look Behind
Wrong! Jakobi Meyers had his best fantasy season in 2024, finishing as the WR18 in PPR formats, 22 spots ahead of his current draft slot amongst wide receivers. That was with a combination of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Meanwhile, the Raiders had one of the worst coaching situations in the league, which constantly put them in bad situations.
Despite all of this, Meyers still managed to pump out 86 catches, 1,027 yards, and four touchdowns on 129 targets. That was all while competing with rookie phenom Brock Bowers. But the ADP suggests the fantasy community does not believe Meyers is poised to repeat that performance. Is that because of how the Raiders managed their off-season?
So the Raiders Got Worse, right?
When this type of drop happens, most would suspect it is due to the situation. Surely, the Raiders must have signed a bum quarterback or lost a key offensive line piece or potentially downgraded at coaching.
But no, they started their off-season by going and signing Geno Smith. Say what you will, but Smith is a top half of the league quarterback and is certainly an improvement over Minshew, O’Connell, and Ridder, even if the three of them stood on each other’s shoulders and became a super quarterback.
Oh, and that was after they signed likely Hall of Fame coach Pete Carroll.
But here is the rub and where I suspect fantasy managers are getting scared off: the NFL Draft.
We broke down the Raiders in our latest episode!
Too Much Talent?
The Las Vegas Raiders may have come away with the biggest steal of the NFL Draft.
Jack Bech.
Jokes aside, the Raiders drafted an elite running back prospect in Ashton Jeanty and then filled out their draft with Bech, who is definitely gaining hype in the fantasy streets. But the combination of Jeanty and Pete Carroll is where the concern for Meyers arises.
The 2024 Raiders were one of the pass-heaviest teams in the league, ranking fourth in overall pass attempts. They paired that by running the ball less than anyone in the NFL except for the New York Jets. Yikes.
With that in mind, it is fair to assume that Meyers is unlikely to repeat as the WR18 in 2025. Having a quality running back and a run-minded head coach will certainly reduce overall pass volume. And yes, Bech is likely to get meaningful targets, but that is more of a concern for guys like Tre Turner. But how bad can it truly get for Meyers?
Meyers is Worth Drafting at ADP
If we assume that the Raiders return to a league-average pass rate, that would reduce their overall pass volume by just under 15%. If we then reduce Meyers’ 2024 targets by 15%, we would estimate approximately 110 targets, just more than his 2023 mark.
How did 2023 go, you ask? Meyers was the WR24 in PPR formats. That is in part because he had a career-high eight touchdowns. But even the year before, when he had even fewer targets and touchdowns, he ended as the WR38.
In fact, Meyers has not finished outside of the Top 30 since he scored his first career receiving touchdown. If you realize why that is funny, kudos. If not, it’s important you know that Meyers did not score a single touchdown in his first two seasons in the NFL.
Regardless, Meyers has demonstrated that he is a consistent top-30 fantasy receiver, with the potential to finish in the Top 20. Perhaps there are indeed reasons to lower his value from 2024, but WR40 is a far cry from his potential, especially with a much-needed quarterback upgrade. I am buying Meyers anywhere I can get him.
The series is just getting started, but this link will take you to the rest of our 2025 Look Inside team previews.
A Look Inside the Las Vegas Raiders
Editor’s Note: While this article focuses on Jakobi Meyers in fantasy football, we don’t want to leave you hanging on the rest of the team. Here is a quick look at the other fantasy-relevant Raiders from Josh Hudson.
Geno Smith
In two of his last three seasons, Geno Smith has completed over 69% of his passes and thrown for over 4,000 yards. And he’s averaged 34 pass attempts or fewer in each of those three seasons. Even with Pete Carrol now running the show and running the football will be a priority, Smith has the track record to be an upside QB2 who can elevate the weapons around him.
Ashton Jeanty
If you’re scared because Jeanty largely beat up on inferior opponents in college, don’t be. He ran all over Oregon, too. His biggest challenge will be learning pass blocking schemes — he’s terrible at it — and deciding which hole through the line he wants to score from this time. While his current RB4 price tag might be his ceiling, it’s likely he finishes inside the top 10 this season.
Jack Bech
There were plenty within the fantasy football community who comped Jack Bech to Adam Thielen. And it fits. He has the build and skill set to play the “big slot” that Chip Kelly liked to use during his time in Philly. And with Jakobi Meyers in the last year of his contract and Tre Tucker moonlighting as Mighty Mouse, Bech will have a chance to carve out a role. How soon is the question. If you spend a late-round pick on him, there’s a good chance you drop him in the 1st month.
Tre Tucker
I’ll bet you didn’t know Tre Tucker had 81 targets last year. The investment in Bech (and Dont’e Thornton) likely means Tucker won’t see anything close to that number of targets in 2025. Chip Kelly has traditionally favored bigger WRs, and that certainly isn’t Tucker. Leave him on waivers.
Dont’e Thornton Jr.
By the time he edits this blurb, you’re looking at Ryan Weisse’s next favorite late-round target in fantasy football drafts. Thornton is 6’5″, 200 lbs, and ran a 4.30 40 time at the Combine. He has the size and speed to play the X in Kelly’s offense, and he gets down the field in a hurry. That threat alone will create running lanes for Jeanty and underneath routes for Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. How quickly he matures will determine his rookie worth. Better target in best ball drafts, but a name to know if he pops in 2025.
Brock Bowers
He’s the TE1 after having the greatest rookie TE season in NFL history. The only real worry is if Jeanty potentially steals red zone TDs. He’s a top 20 pick in fantasy drafts. Don’t overthink it.
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