The Ringer Fantasy Football Show: 2025 Fantasy Football Awards

Date: December 31, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck
Episode Theme: The trio looks back on the 2025 fantasy football season, giving out their annual "Fantasy Football Awards": discussing MVP, LVP, breakout players, coldest and hottest takes, best quotes, what aged well/worst, iconic moments, and everything that made this fantasy year memorable.

Overview

This episode is a fast-paced, hilarious, and comprehensive wrap-up of the 2025 fantasy football season. The hosts hand out tongue-in-cheek awards that sum up the highs, lows, and oddities of the year, while mixing in deep analysis, memorable stats, offbeat trivia, and their signature banter. Whether you won your league or finished last, this is a recap for everyone who loves fantasy football’s drama and unpredictability.

Major Segment Guide

| Segment/Event | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Entering the Awards Show, MVP Discussion | 04:27–24:09| | Least Valuable Player (LVP) Award | 24:15–33:01| | What Aged the Best | 33:23–42:13| | What Aged the Worst | 42:18–47:40| | Dion Waiters Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year | 50:35–54:25| | Biggest Leap (Most Improved Player) | 54:38–58:44| | "It's So Over" & "We're So Back" of the Year | 59:00–70:31| | Smarter Moves: Must-Draft Player for 2026 | 74:09–78:21| | Overacting Award: Fool’s Gold Performance | 78:42–86:07| | Quote of the Year/Announcer Moment of the Year | 86:10–101:26| | Name of the Year / Best Old-Timey Name | 101:34–107:49| | Most Obvious Mistake (Deadest Dove/Do Not Eat) | 108:14–109:07| | Rewatchable Play of the Year / Most Memorable Play | 109:07–110:35| | Worst Coach Moment of the Year | 110:55–111:53| | Unanswerable Question | 112:01–112:51| | Kyle Pitts Death Valley (Nadir) Award | 113:20–118:09| | Stat of the Year | 118:13–118:59| | Email of the Year / Life Lesson | 119:12–121:25| | Who Won/Lost the Year? | 121:29–126:12| | Hottest Take of the Year | 126:26–131:59|

Key Discussion Points & Notable Insights

Fantasy MVP: Who Defined 2025?

Christian McCaffrey vs. Puka Nacua (and the case for Trey McBride)

• Christian McCaffrey is crowned the 2025 Fantasy MVP: "You went out on a limb to take him and it fucking paid off. He played every game, and was the RB1 in both total and per-game points. He delivered when it counted most—no playoff dud." – Craig [14:38]
• Puka Nacua dominates the WR conversation: "Basically every other game he had double digit points. He was the foundation of your team." – Danny Kelly [05:32]
• Trey McBride receives special mention: "The only tight end you could have drafted and just set it and forget it. The gap between him and #2 is the same as #2 and #23." – Heifetz [16:20]
• Notable Play: The almost-legendary Puka catch on MNF. "That was a catch, spiritually a catch." – Danny Kelly [08:19]
• Sleeper MVP: Bijan Robinson, led most title-winning teams in Yahoo public leagues due to his championship week heroics. [20:36]

Least Valuable Player (LVP)

• Lamar Jackson clinches LVP: "He ruined your life this year. For the second half, you got nothing, nothing. He abandoned you in your time of need." – Kelly [28:01]
• Error-prone, hurt, and destroyed fantasy hopes down the stretch.
• Sympathy runners-up: Justin Jefferson (unsittable and underdelivered, killed you for two months) [29:21], Brian Thomas Jr. (massive sophomore disappointment).

What Aged the Best?

• The “Coaching Hype Cycle” paid off: Ben Johnson, Liam Coen, Mike Vrabel all lived up to the advanced buzz and made their teams (and players) fantasy gold. [33:28]
• Tight End tiers are real (McBride gap); Bears O-Line narrative; and the podcast’s own "Do Not Draft" episode proved eerily accurate ([40:59]).
• Epic prediction: "Mike Tomlin is going to say something like ‘we can’t eat soup with forks, we need spoons’ ... then they signed Adam Thielen, a 2018 Pro Bowler!" Superfan tweet [35:25] wins the category.

What Aged the Worst?

• The “Tush Push” – roundly rejected by midseason ("I don’t think anything turned on anything as much as the Tush Push, this season.") – Kelly [42:34]
• Jags trading two firsts for Travis Hunter (when Jacoby Myers was all they needed) [43:31]
• Colts trading future picks, then imploding [45:39]
• Cowboys/Chiefs/Anthony Richardson excitement – all fizzled badly.

Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year

• Michael Wilson, Cardinals WR: "For the final two months, you added a receiver better than anyone but Puka Nacua. He was tied with JSN—never happens." – Heifetz [51:13]
• Others: Trevor Lawrence (late/waiver QB hero), Parker Washington, Harold Fannin Jr. (TE), Rico Dowdle (hot hand RB).

Biggest Leap (Most Improved Player)

• Drake Maye, Patriots QB: From promising prospect to possible league MVP and 1-seed: "All we talked about was Drake Maye as a sleeper, and he shattered it." – Heifetz [54:38]
• JSN (Jaxon Smith-Njigba): Emerged as a Top 5 WR [55:57]
• Caleb Williams: Rebounded from “bust” rookie year to franchise hope.

It's So Over / We're So Back of the Year

• It’s So Over: Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Fields, Kyler Murray – "Stop the count." – Horlbeck [60:15]
  Tua is widely expected to lose his job; Fields was continually outperformed by backup-level QBs. Also: The end of this "Chiefs era" (the "Travis's version"/Taylor Swift era is over).
• We’re So Back: Christian McCaffrey, Patriots as a franchise, and shocker—Kyle Pitts ("He had the best fantasy game by a TE ever, back to No. 2 at the position.") [66:00]
• Ultimate 'Over and Back': Jalen Hurts: "No one has been over and back more than Jalen Hurts." – Heifetz [70:22]
• Most Back for the Bit: Pitts, for podcast lore

Smarter Moves: Must Own in 2026 Drafts

• JSN: "I fell in love with this man. The Seahawks’ game plan is JSN—it’s comforting." – Craig [74:09]
• Drake Maye: "I'm going to do everything I can to get as much Drake Maye as I can next year." – Kelly [74:56]
• Derrick Henry: "At some point you just stop worrying and learn to love the indestructible running back." – Heifetz [75:50]

Overacting Award: Fool’s Gold Player of 2025

• Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals QB: "He was the QB4 for half the season and he’s not that good. That’s it." – Craig [86:07]
• Joe Flacco: Another strong year as the perennial performance ‘mirage’ [81:49].

Quotes & Announcer Moments of the Year

Best Player/Coach Quotes

• "He's a hoe and I want that known." – Shelby Harris on Jauan Jennings [90:49]
• Mike Tomlin on Joe Flacco trade: "Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me." [87:10]
• Bryce Hall: "Teams shoot themselves in the foot and then we come back and shoot ourselves in the head." [89:05]
• Devin McCourty's fumble-pile advice: "Close your mouth, close your eyes, squeeze your butt cheeks." [91:43]

Announcer Moments

• Chris Collinsworth: "You know, my dad’s name was Abraham Lincoln." [100:05]
• Eric Collins: "DOWDLE! Look at this, still on his feet!" [96:18]
• Gus Johnson (on Mendoza): "Mendoza ... in trouble ... UNBELIEVABLE!" [96:57]

Additional Fun & Recurring Segments

Name of the Year/Best Old Timey Name [101:34]

• Cub Buck, Jug Earp, Buzz Nutter, Fish Brosmer.
• Shout-outs to historical NFL oddities, e.g. Dick Hammer and Psycho Hedrick—testament to the pod’s love of quirky football culture.

Most Obvious Mistake (Deadest Dove/Do Not Eat Award) [108:14]

• Craig: "I fell for the Steelers might not go 9-8."
• DK: "I thought Bryce Young might actually be good."
• Heifetz: "I fell for the Giants would not go 2-10."

Most Rewatchable Play (Best Play of 2025) [109:07]

• Clear winner: Jalen Hurts’ "double turnover" play – "That’s an all-timer, that will never happen again. When I’m 65, I’ll remember that play." – DK [109:33]

Worst Coach Moment of the Year [110:55]

• Zac Taylor challenging a DJ Moore catch—turning it into a TD: "You could have done nothing and been better off, pal." – DK [111:17]
• Honorable mention: Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss on the cusp of Playoff.

Death Valley Award (Nadir of Season/Career) [113:20]

• Hands-down winner: Bill Belichick ("Did more damage to his legacy this year than ever imagined.") – DK [115:01]
• Franchise nadirs: Colts (Oregon Trail death), Jets (no INTs), Giants (injuries and misery), Raiders (disaster with Pete Carroll/Chip Kelly).

Stat of the Year [118:13]

• Jets: 0 interceptions in entire season. "They broke the record for any stretch of games over multiple seasons." – Heifetz [118:13]

Email of the Year / Life Lesson [119:12]

• Legendary story: accidental multi-month relationship with stepfather’s ex-wife, pre-internet. "That should be a 90s Michael Douglas movie!" – Craig [120:05]

Winner & Loser of the Year [121:29–126:34]

• Winner: Drake Maye/Patriots ("If you have to pick one, it’s Maye. He’s conquered the internet.") [124:00]
• Loser: Unanimous – Bill Belichick ("Blew a 28–3 lead ... to his own reputation.") [125:07]

Hottest Take of the Year [126:26]

• Craig: "I could throw 28 yards in an NFL game!" [127:09]
• DK: "My dog is more athletic than Secretariat." [129:19]
• Heifetz: "Given 30–40 guys and 30–40 years, I could build Stonehenge." [130:46]
• Carlos: "I hate the moment of Zen on YouTube TV."

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "You went out on a limb to take [McCaffrey] and it fucking paid off." – Craig [14:38]
• "He's a hoe and I want that known." – Shelby Harris [90:49]
• "Teams shoot themselves in the foot, and we come back and shoot ourselves in the head." – Breece Hall [89:05]
• "That was a catch — spiritually a catch." – Danny Kelly (on Puka Nacua) [08:19]
• "I think he is the least valuable player, especially relative to what he's done before and expectations for what he would do when he's on the field." – Danny Kelly (on Lamar) [28:01]
• "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw, don't make a scene, shrug your shoulders and be on your way." – A.J. Brown (quoting the Bible) [120:32]
• "That’s an all-timer. That will never happen again. When I’m 65, I’ll remember that play." – DK (Jalen Hurts double turnover) [109:36]
• "Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me." – Mike Tomlin [87:10]
• "No, it's got to be Belichick. This is the punchline." – Heifetz [125:19]

The Spirit of the Episode

With contagious energy, countless asides, and genuine reflection, the hosts dissect how a bizarre fantasy season proved (again) that football is unpredictable and endlessly entertaining. The show’s tradition of poking fun at itself and the fantasy industrial complex shines through every category, from the seriousness of MVP votes to reminiscing about "Cub Buck" and "Buzz Nutter."

For Everyone: This summary captures all essential storylines, laughs, lessons, and awards, offering a definitive sense of “what mattered” in 2025 fantasy, and what not to forget heading into draft season next year.

Listen For:

• Player award debates and logic, counterpoints, and emotional rants.
• Recurring references to stats, injuries, and the unpredictability of fantasy football.
• Inside jokes, lore, and unusual but clever award categories.
• Intertwining cultural, sports, and meta-commentary (Taylor Swift, The Sopranos, etc.).
• The hosts’ friendly antagonism and wit — even when wrong, they make fantasy more fun.

End of season, end of era, or just another wild ride? As the hosts say: “We’ll do it all again next year — even if, deep down, we know we shouldn’t.”

Summary by The Ringer Fantasy Football Show Podcast Summarizer