Category: American Style Football

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft brought a ripple of surprise — and excitement — when the Green Bay Packers finally broke their age-old first-round WR drought by selecting Matthew Golden. But among fantasy football obsessives, the buzz didn’t stop with the pick. In the latest crossover episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast and Football 301, Matt Harmon, Nate Tice and Charles McDonald broke down exactly why Golden could be the game-changer both the Packers and your fantasy roster need.

Green Bay finally breaks out of character — for good reason

For two decades, the Packers have famously resisted taking receivers in Round 1, and they tend to prioritize big-bodied, outside targets. Golden bucks both trends: he’s a bit lighter than their historic athletic thresholds, and he brings a different flavor to the table than their current WR corps. As Nate Tice put it, this was surprising given Green Bay’s “usual weight thresholds,” but the move immediately made sense once you examined the room around Golden: “The positive is, the rest of the room is so big and can handle all these things. You can drop in a quote-unquote, maybe slightly undersized guy in there.”

The Packers have their big, physical outside presences — think Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson (when healthy) — and Jaden Reed thriving in the slot. This means Golden can be used as a chess piece, opening up combinations Green Bay hasn’t had in years.

Matt Harmon is as bullish as anyone on Golden’s outlook, and he zeroed in on two critical factors for fantasy success:

1) Role and Routes: Golden’s two best routes by frequency and success rate, per Harmon’s Reception Perception, are posts and digs — in other words, big in-breakers. This fits Green Bay’s offense (especially with Jordan Love) to a tee. Harmon stated: “This offense, especially with Jordan Love under center, they want to … drop, use play action or drop back and rip big in-breakers ... Matthew Golden, his route running and separation is best expressed at the breakpoint of those routes in particular.”

2) Defense Dictation: One myth Harmon wanted to bust: the Packers don’t “need a No. 1” so much as they need someone who forces defenses to pay attention and stretch the field. Golden’s speed and route nuance do that — whether he’s flying by safeties or opening the middle for Reed and Doubs. Harmon stated: “Without Christian Watson … you don't have anybody that really stretches out the defense … Golden's going to allow you to do that.”

The Packers are a run-heavy team, yes, but that’s not the whole story. With their spread of talent, defenses can’t double everyone. Harmon notes that Golden can thrive even if he’s not the “WR1” by label. Golden’s skills translate into open targets, and Harmon believes his “toughness at the catch point” has been underrated. With Reed (in the slot), Doubs (as the physical X) and a healthy tight end group, Golden’s Z-receiver skill set will put him in single coverage — a formula for rookie WR breakouts.

Going back to Christian Watson, his constant injuries mean Golden could immediately inherit deep and intermediate work — something previous Packer receivers have turned into fantasy gold. “You're basically replacing Watson. It just comes in a different package," Harmon said.

Every draft class brings “surprise” first-round receivers. But when you zoom in on Matthew Golden’s landing spot, you see the pieces falling into place for a fantasy-relevant rookie campaign:

• Perfect scheme fit for his strengths (big posts and digs).

• Opportunity for targets in a well-constructed, but not top-heavy, WR corps.

• Ability to stretch the field and command defensive attention in ways that unlock the whole Packers offense.

If you’re chasing rookie WR upside in fantasy — and want a player whose skills align perfectly with what his team needs — Matthew Golden is the name to circle. The Packers and your fantasy lineup could both be long overdue for a breakout.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Here’s a recap of the favorite and least favorite Round 1 picks of the 2025 NFL Draft from the latest "Yahoo Fantasy Forecast / Football 301" podcast, based on what Charles McDonald, Nate Tice and Matt Harmon discussed:

Favorite picks of Round 1

McDonald:Mason Graham, DT, Cleveland Browns  

Loved how the Browns traded down, acquired extra draft capital from Jacksonville, and addressed a genuine roster need. There's a lot to like about the fit alongside Myles Garrett and Graham could bring significant pass rush ability.

Harmon:Armand Membou, OT, New York Jets

There's reason to be high on Membou’s aggressive play and tone-setting style. He can be a finishing piece for a Jets offensive line that’s been in rebuilding mode. There's potential for Membou and Olu Fashanu to be dynamic, young bookends and keys to a run-first Jets identity.

Tice:Mykel Williams, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers 

The pairing of Williams with Nick Bosa was perfect — Bosa as the finesse rusher, Williams bringing power and run defense. It's an ideal selection for the Niners’ defensive needs and style.

James Gilbert via Getty Images

Least favorite picks of Round 1

Tice: Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants

None of the QBs in this draft class other than Cam Ward were first-round material. The Giants are in “win now or develop” limbo — stuck with veterans and now asking Dart to step into a questionable situation behind a shaky line.

McDonald:Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers  

Hampton is a fine player, but there's reason to question the value here for the Chargers, who still have glaring needs, especially on the interior offensive line. The Chargers aren’t good enough to justify using a premium pick on a running back and the move doesn’t make their offense materially better.

Harmon: Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts 

A first-round TE is a luxury pick for a team that has needs elsewhere and a questionable QB situation. Warren isn’t an urgent upgrade given the Colts’ receivers weren’t being maximized anyway, and his skills overlap with what the Colts already have on the roster.

To hear more NFL discussions, tune into "Football 301" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

The NFL Draft is always full of twists, debates, and speculation — especially when it comes to backfields that seem crowded on paper. The Los Angeles Chargers, after snagging Omarion Hampton in the first round, now sport an intriguing running back combo with free-agent signing, Najee Harris. Still, after listening to the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast/Football 301 with Nate Tice, Matt Harmon and Charles McDonald, it’s clear: Hampton should seize the lead-back role sooner rather than later.

Let's dive into why.

Hampton fits what Chargers want to do while providing an upgrade in all facets of run game

Charles McDonald put it plainly: “I love the player and in theory, I love the fit with that style of offense, you know, power run game. We're not trying to hide who we are. We're going to give our running back a million carries.” Hampton’s bruising, no-nonsense running style is the exact profile Greg Roman’s run-first offense needs. Where Harris has carved out a niche as a volume plodder, Hampton’s explosiveness and finishing ability add much-needed spark.

The consensus among the crew was that the Chargers’ offensive line — especially the interior — remains questionable. This means they’ll need a back who can create on his own, break tackles and not just rely on perfectly-blocked runs. Hampton’s college tape is full of examples where he churns out yards after contact, something this offense desperately needs: “Even in the Super Bowl ... consistency down and down is not there,” McDonald noted about offensive-line play. “But you know, when you got Saquon Barkley, all you need is to move someone just a little bit. If you have a big block on a Saquon Barkley touchdown run, everyone goes, 'Mekhi Becton great game, great game, great game.'”

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With average run blocking, Hampton’s burst and tackle-breaking make him the better fit to squeeze out value from those tough runs.

Harmon offered a realistic take: “[Najee] Harris is going to get the veteran deference probably in September and, like, he's going to lead the team in carries. But by December, like, Hampton is going to be the guy you want.”  

That progression is familiar: veterans get chances early, but talent usually rises to the top. Harris may hold off Hampton for a bit, but when you look at the combination of vision, burst and power that Hampton brings, you can see a backfield takeover coming. He’s simply too dynamic to sit.

Harmon further noted that the bones of Roman’s running scheme were visible last year despite the talent gap at running back: “I actually just think the backs were a bigger issue than people wanted to make.”  

The implication is clear — swap in a true difference-maker like Hampton, and suddenly, the entire offense could look more cohesive and threatening. Explosive runs, broken tackles and home-run plays become part of the weekly script.

Despite Harris’ pedigree and steadiness, the overwhelming sentiment is that the lead-back torch should (and will) pass to Hampton. It’s not just about who you draft in the first round or who stands atop the depth chart in August, but who gives your team game-changing value, especially behind a shaky o-line in a run-first system.

“By December, Hampton is going to be the guy you want,” Harmon doubled down. And if the Chargers want to maximize their offense — and fantasy managers want a late-season league winner — they’d be wise to get ahead of the curve and ride Omarion Hampton.