X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Biggest Positional Needs For All 32 NFL Teams - NFC South Series

Adam Thielen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

John breaks down the biggest positional needs for each NFC South team -- the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The NFC South was arguably the worst division in football in 2024. Each division plays a total of 12 interdivisional games, and in each of those games, one team must win unless there is a tie. There were no ties in NFC South divisional games this past season.

Since the division had a combined record of 28-40, and 12 of those games in total were interdivisional, the conference's combined record against non-NFC South opponents was 16-28. That's just a 36 percent win percentage, which is awful.

So, it makes sense that these teams have a ton of needs. Let's break down the biggest needs for these teams -- the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Atlanta Falcons

Edge-Rusher

The Falcons are in desperate need of an edge defender or other pass-rusher who can generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. This position was a big need for them last year, too, but rather than take one with their early pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they opted to select quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta's sack percentage was just 5.09 percent in 2024 -- second worst in the league to only the New England Patriots. While it had an improved stretch of games from Week 13 to Week 17, where it averaged 4.25 sacks per game, in Weeks 1-11, it had just 10 sacks. That's less than one per game and isn't acceptable. This is the clear top priority for this team.

Cornerback

The second-most glaring need is at cornerback, which is funny because it's been an issue for the Falcons for many seasons (just like pass-rusher), yet they still haven't solved it. Nobody said Terry Fontenot was a good general manager, and it wouldn't be surprising if they didn't address this issue. Maybe they'll draft another tight end in the first round.

CB Dee Alford running around like he had no clue where the ball was, where the opposing receivers were, who was on what team, or that he was playing a football game should drive this point home. Maybe this time, Fontenot will listen, but I fully expect the Falcons to have a terrible secondary yet again in 2025.

Defensive Line

Speaking of defense, the interior defensive line needs to be beefed up as well. The run defense is middling to bad every year, and while they were around average this season, it was in large part due to teams being able to throw so easily against them. They ranked bottom-10 in points allowed per game and got gashed regularly on both the ground and through the air.

 

Carolina Panthers

Edge-Rusher/Defensive Line 

It seems like most teams need this position, so it's no surprise that the Panthers do as well. They lacked a good interior defensive line last season as well; that was largely due to the injury to defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who picked up a season-ending injury in Week 1.

Without Brown, they were dead last in yards per rush attempt allowed. They were also bottom-5 in sack percentage. More depth along the interior and a legitimate pass-rusher would work wonders for this maligned defensive line overall.

Wide Receiver 

Even if WR Xavier Legette takes big strides in his game in 2025 and wideout Jalen Coker becomes an undrafted free-agent gem, this team will still need help at the position. Adam Thielen will turn 35 before the 2025 season starts, and his 2024 season was seriously disrupted by injuries.

Expecting Coker to develop into a reliable WR2 isn't something an NFL front office should count on. It would be nice if it happened, though. They need more depth at the position overall as well. Thielen is close to aging out, and if either Coker or Legette disappoints next season, Carolina will be in deep trouble.

It will be crucial for the development of quarterback Bryce Young as well. Last season, Carolina invested heavily in the offensive line, and that paid off, as it wasn't much of an issue in 2024. The pass protection was solid, and the run blocking was even better.

Cornerback

If you gather from reading this piece that NFC South teams all have pretty bad defenses, you'd be right in your assessment. Of particular note is how three of the four teams have awful secondaries. The Panthers are no exception, as they allowed an absurd 7.2 yards per pass attempt in 2024, fifth most in the league.

They made former OC Shane Waldron and the Chicago Bears look good. That's a big indictment.

Quarterback 

I'm not quite convinced that QB Bryce Young is the long-term answer here. He was horrible in his first two games, then was benched and outperformed by backup Andy Dalton. When Young returned, he had a nice stretch of games against an array of terrible defenses.

These featured two games against a Buccaneers squad severely damaged by injuries to the secondary, a Kansas City Chiefs team that could barely defend an entire side of the field against the pass without cornerback Jaylen Watson, and games against the Falcons and Arizona Cardinals, both losing teams in 2024.

Young also had plenty of rushing scores during that stretch, and his pace simply won't be sustainable for a QB of his size. His "resurgence" seems to me more like a confluence of a few flukes and just mediocre play. Against good, disciplined defenses, he will likely be exposed in 2025.

The game against the Philadelphia Eagles was perhaps the only exception ... sort of. The Panthers lost that contest, and Young managed just 191 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception. But the fact the game was close implanted the "wow, Young almost beat the Eagles" idea into a lot of peoples' heads, so they may be shocked if Young faceplants again to start 2025.

 

New Orleans Saints

Offensive Line

The two-game explosion of production from the Saints was short-lived primarily due to injuries along the offensive line completely destroying the entire offense. Center Erik McCoy missed a seven-game stretch starting in Week 4 due to an injury he picked up in Week 3's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and guard Cesar Ruiz missed Weeks 4-7.

What resulted was former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak desperately trying to navigate running an NFL offense with one of the most decimated-by-injury units in the NFL, and were it not for quarterback Derek Carr's sack avoidance skills, it could have been a lot worse.

In addition, tackle Ryan Ramczyk may be on the verge of retiring. He didn't play at all in 2024, and OT Trevor Penning getting playing time was a travesty because he's terrible.

Edge-Rusher

Legendary Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan's days are numbered. He'll be 36 years old when the 2025 season starts. He probably doesn't have a lot left in the tank. As recently as 2022, he was putting up good sack numbers, but in 34 games played in 2023 and 2024, he's mustered just six sacks.

Jordan will go down as the best pass-rusher in the history of the Saints, but all good things must come to an end.

Defensive Line

It's a common theme for NFC South teams. The Saints tied for the third-most yards per carry allowed to opposing rushers last season at 4.9 YPC. The biggest culprit for this was the weak defensive line allowing an absurd amount of yards before contact.

They even made former Broncos running back Javonte Williams look good.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Edge-Rusher 

The Bucs were significantly better at generating consistent pressure and getting sacks than the other three teams were. But they could use some more depth on the edges. Defensive end Calijah Kancey had a nice 7.5-sack season, and LDE Logan Hall racked up 5.5 sacks, but a highly talented pass-rusher would help the team generate more pressure against good offensive line units.

Cornerback 

They weren't an awful team in terms of yards per pass attempt allowed, which is usually the best single metric for determining how good a pass defense is, but injuries to their secondary were brutal for their defense. They'll need to build depth at this position and bring in more young talent.

Offensive Guard

Tampa Bay's offensive tackles played well in 2024, but its interior offensive line is lacking. Now-departed former offensive coordinator Liam Coen helped cover for the deficiencies of the IOL for most of the season, but now that he's gone, if the team doesn't build that position group, it could become at least a minor problem.

It played well this past season as a whole, so this is more of a minor gripe. Overall, Tampa Bay is in much better shape than the other teams, evidenced by it being the only NFC South team that looked even remotely like a contender for the playoffs. So, while the Bucs technically do have positional needs, they don't quite have the massive, gaping roster holes the other teams from the NFC South feature.

I have a suspicion, as do many others, that the Bucs will be the only NFC South team that looks competent at most or all position groups in 2025.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
Detroit Lions

Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday

Bears Draft Luther Burden In Round 2
Buffalo Bills

Bills Move Up To 41st Pick In Trade With Bears

Patriots Add TreVeyon Henderson To The Backfield At Pick No. 38
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Acquire 37th Pick From Raiders, Draft Jonah Savaiinaea

Browns Add Quinshon Judkins To Backfield With 36th Pick
Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks Acquire 35th Pick From Titans, Select Nick Emmanwori

Texans Select Jayden Higgins 34th Overall
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3

Tyler Shough Could Come Off The Board Before Shedeur Sanders
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
Aaron Ekblad

Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
Max Scherzer

Takes Positive Step On Friday
Aleksander Barkov

Questionable For Saturday
Isaiah Spiller

Raiders Waive Isaiah Spiller
Gabriel Landeskog

Set For Larger Role In Game 4
Calvin Pickard

To Start Game 3 For Oilers
Randy Arozarena

Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
MLB

Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
Patrik Laine

A Game-Time Decision Friday
NFL

Several Teams Trying To Trade Up Early In Round 2
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
Salvador Perez

Sitting Out For First Time This Season
Jaylen Brown

Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
Brendan Donovan

Back In Action On Friday
Jimmy Butler III

Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
Coby Mayo

Getting On A Roll At Triple-A
Moises Ballesteros

Riding An 11-Game Hit Streak
Victor Mesa Jr.

Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
Ryan Weathers

To Begin Rehab Assignment On Sunday
Colby Thomas

Heating Up At Triple-A
Emmanuel Rodriguez

Has Quiet Start To 2025
Jeff McNeil

Hitting Eighth In Season Debut
Carlos Prates

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
Anthony Smith

Set For His Final UFC Bout
David Onama

Set For Featherweight Bout
Giga Chikadze

Looks To Bounce Back
Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF