Fantasy Football Reflections: What Scott Pianowski got right (and wrong) in the AFC during the 2025 season

With the 2025 fantasy football season now complete, it’s important to take stock of what we learned during the year — what we got right, what we got wrong. Today, I’ll do my AFC audit. The NFC audit is also out.

We’ll start in the west and move our way back east.

AFC WEST

Kansas City Chiefs

What I got right: I appreciated that the 2024 success was misleading — the Chiefs outkicked their metrics and point differential by about four wins — and this team was likely headed for a major regression season.

What I got wrong: I didn’t grasp how much of a screaming value Rashee Rice presented. Although Rice ultimately got hurt, he was unquestionably a right answer when he was active.

Los Angeles Chargers

What I got right: Although I did project the Chargers to be a playoff team, I don’t think I read anything right with their fantasy prospects.

What I got wrong: I expected Ladd McConkey’s second half of 2024 to be symbolic of what he might do in 2025, and that was a gigantic miss. I also expected Omarion Hampton to be a smash rookie, something that might have happened had he not been injured, and working behind an injury-ravaged offensive line. I also underestimated what Keenan Allen had left in the tank.

Denver Broncos

What I got right: Courtland Sutton would be a steal at his ADP — his 2024 and 2025 stats are just about identical — and J.K. Dobbins would be a useful “play for now” pick, someone who starts fast but might not have full-season relevance. I also faded Evan Engram all summer, and he didn’t do much.

What I got wrong: I was ahead of the market on Marvin Mims Jr., to my detriment. The Mims breakout I envisioned ultimately belonged to Troy Franklin.

Las Vegas Raiders

What I got right: I was bearish on the Pete Carroll experiment. I suspected Ashton Jeanty would get more receiving work deeper into the season, which he did.

What I got wrong: Nothing major. This looked like a bad team in the summer and it played out as such.

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis Colts

What I got right: Daniel Jones winning the QB job would be a boost for the entire offense. Alec Pierce was a late-round sleeper or early-season FAAB target.

What I got wrong: I didn’t expect Tyler Warren to start as fast as he did, though like several teammates he slumped after Jones got hurt.

Jacksonville Jaguars

What I got right: Liam Coen is a right-answer head coach who would perk up this offense and organization. Trevor Lawrence was a value QB pick. Travis Hunter would struggle in his rookie year.

What I got wrong: I wish I had seen Travis Etienne Jr. as a smash pick, emerging from a nebulous backfield. I coveted Brian Thomas Jr. all summer; he was an enormous bust. I didn’t expect Jakobi Meyers to onboard so seamlessly after a midseason trade from the Raiders.

Tennessee Titans

What I got right: Tony Pollard would be a useful value pick. Cam Ward would show signs of future stardom, despite an ordinary supporting cast.

What I got wrong: I projected Calvin Ridley to have another boring value vet season, but he was a total bust.

Houston Texans

What I got right: C.J. Stroud was a player to avoid. Nick Chubb had little left. The rookie WRs wouldn’t onboard quickly.

What I got wrong: Nico Collins was a mild loss for fantasy, because of injuries. That hurt. My timing on Woody Marks was off for most of ranking season.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

What I got right: Nothing major. I had them going to the Super Bowl, and the Ravens didn’t even make the playoffs.

What I got wrong: I thought this would be the season Zay Flowers had some positive touchdown regression. Flowers was an effective player, but the touchdown column remained light.

Pittsburgh Steelers

What I got right: Aaron Rodgers would cap the upside of the offense. DK Metcalf would be inconsistent. Jaylen Warren would be solid.

What I got wrong: I underestimated Kenny Gainwell all season; he wound up being the MVP of the team.

Cleveland Browns

What I got right: The quarterback room had zero right answers. Jerry Jeudy couldn’t be trusted.

What I got wrong: Although Quinshon Judkins did little down the stretch, he outkicked my expectations in the middle of the year. I also didn’t expect Harold Fannin Jr. to be so impactful as a rookie.

Cincinnati Bengals

What I got right: Chase Brown was a summer value. Cincinnati’s defense would be horrible again, to the benefit of the offense.

What I got wrong: My dreams of a Joe Burrow/Ja’Marr Chase stack were quickly crushed by Burrow’s injury. I also had trouble timing the market after Burrow came back — note the Bengals scored 32 points on the Ravens for Thanksgiving night, then were shut out by the same Ravens two weeks later. Doesn’t make a lot of sense. Cincinnati also scored 45 points one week after the Baltimore shutout — it was that kind of season.

AFC EAST

New England Patriots

What I got right: I had Drake Maye taking a big step forward and Mike Vrabel guiding the Patriots into the playoffs. Two clean hits.

What I got wrong: I didn’t expect Stefon Diggs to be this useful in his age-32 season, off a major injury to boot. I expected TreVeyon Henderson to take over the backfield at some point, which never happened.

Buffalo Bills

What I got right: Dalton Kincaid was one of my most rostered tight ends — he was very good when he played. I didn’t see a breakout season for Keon Coleman.

What I got wrong: I expected a minor regression year for James Cook, and although he lost four touchdowns from the previous year, he also won the rushing title. An unmistakable right answer.

Miami Dolphins

What I got right: I pretended Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t on my cheat sheet, and projected a lost season for Tyreek Hill. Even if Hill had stayed healthy, this passing game was unlikely to support him.

What I got wrong: I misjudged the chances of De’Von Achane smashing despite all the failure around him. He’s a special talent, and he was a league-winning player in 2025.

New York Jets

What I got right: I expected them to be one of the five worst teams in football, a mark they met the entire season.

What I got wrong: I thought the Konami Code could push Justin Fields into fantasy relevance, no matter how mediocre his passing might be. Fields basically forced the Jets to bench him.