Jakobi Meyers enters the 2025 fantasy football season with a significant upgrade at quarterback, as the Las Vegas Raiders recently brought in Geno Smith. This change is expected to boost Meyers’ touchdown potential, a key factor for his fantasy value. However, the Raiders also bolstered their running back and wide receiver groups by adding Ashton Jeanty and three new receivers through the draft, which could create more competition for targets and limit Meyers’ opportunities in the passing game.
Career Development and Player Performance Trends
Starting as an undrafted rookie in 2019 with the New England Patriots, Meyers initially rotated in a crowded wide receiver room alongside established players like Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, Mohamed Sanu, Josh Gordon, and N’Keal Harry. Edelman’s injury midway through the 2020 season gave Meyers a chance to become the primary slot receiver, where he excelled by leading the team in snaps, routes, targets, receptions, and yards for the rest of that year.
Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Meyers maintained his role as the Patriots’ top receiver but rarely became a red zone focal point and was rotated off the field more often than typical top receivers. His fantasy production reflected these limitations, finishing as the 40th and 30th ranked wide receiver in points per game for those seasons. After signing with the Raiders in free agency, reuniting with former coach Josh McDaniels, Meyers shifted from the WR1 to WR2 behind Davante Adams. Although most of his stats declined initially, Meyers saw less rotation and gained more red zone targets, softening the overall impact. He was the 24th highest fantasy scorer per game that season.
In 2024, Adams played only three games before injury and subsequent trade left the Raiders’ wide receiver group thin. Meyers responded by playing over 90% of offensive snaps in most games, doubled his career 100-yard games from three to six, and consistently posted at least two receptions for 25 yards per game. Despite this workload increase, his fantasy rank improved modestly to only 23rd among wide receivers, largely due to a sharp drop in touchdowns. Of ten end zone targets, merely three were catchable, and one score was nullified by penalty, cutting his touchdown total in half and limiting his fantasy ceiling.
Anticipated Role Amid New Offensive Additions
Meyers’ main rivals for targets include tight end Brock Bowers and the influx of wide receivers drafted by the Raiders. The team invested heavily in offense, selecting running back Ashton Jeanty in the first round, alongside three wide receivers in later rounds. Among these rookies, Jack Bech is expected to be a fixture in most three-receiver sets, with the possibility that Dont’e Thornton Jr. overtakes Tre Tucker on the depth chart. Meyers has typically performed better lined up outside than in the slot, while Bech offers flexibility to operate inside or outside. This dynamic could boost Meyers’ fantasy prospects more than hinder them.
The most significant challenge to Meyers’ route volume may come from Jeanty, as the Raiders aim to improve their historically weak rushing attack. A stronger run game could reduce Meyers’ routes per game, which were among the highest for wide receivers at 38.9 last season. This anticipated cut in receiving opportunities places some uncertainty on Meyers’ total production.
Influence of Coaching Changes and Quarterback Upgrade
The Raiders usher in a new era with Pete Carroll as head coach and Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, both known for successfully integrating a variety of wide receivers into dynamic offenses. This coaching overhaul suggests Meyers should not struggle to remain a relevant part of the game plan, even with an influx of new players. There is, however, an understandable concern that incoming personnel might shift attention away from veteran contributors like Meyers.
Adding to the positive outlook, Meyers will be working with the most accomplished quarterback of his career to date. While Tom Brady, whom Meyers briefly played with during his rookie season, held that distinction previously, his performance declined in his final Patriots years. In contrast, Geno Smith has improved his grading in each of the last two seasons and excels at launching deep targets. Since Meyers tends to run deeper routes than typical slot receivers, this environment could unlock more big plays and enhance his fantasy profile moving forward.
Assessing Meyers’ Fantasy Outlook for 2025
Meyers has focused on maximizing his opportunities throughout his NFL tenure, often outperforming expectations when competition for touches was limited. The Raiders’ revamped offense brings more variables, but Meyers remains the leading wide receiver on the depth chart, solidifying his role as a fantasy starter. Although it is improbable he will finish among the top 10 wide receivers in fantasy points, his volume and role on the team suggest he will continue to deliver consistent, if somewhat volatile, production for fantasy managers.