2025 NFL Draft Wish List: NFC East

Our 2025 NFL Draft wish list series rolls on with the NFC East, The Cowboys, Commanders and Eagles all have clear starting quarterbacks in place for the 2025 season, and the Giants have inked three different veterans to contracts in the last few weeks. Some need more help than others when it comes to having big-time playmakers in the backfield and passing game.

Given the varying firepower already in place on each of the NFC East offenses, there should be an emphasis on defense on each team’s 2025 NFL Draft wish list. They should all still respectively add fantasy-relevant offensive pieces later this month. Which players and when will determine how much an investment fantasy managers should be making into them.

(Stay tuned for the full NFL Draft Wish List series: AFC East | AFC North | NFC North | AFC South | NFC South | AFC West | NFC West)

2025 NFL Draft Wish List: NFC East

New York Giants

• First pick: 1st round, 3^rd overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 8

There seems to be a consensus top three players in the 2025 NFL Draft. They are quarterback Cam Ward (Miami), defensive end Abdul Carter (Penn State) and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Colorado). That doesn’t mean these three will be the top-three selected, let alone in that order. If they are, the Giants are in a fantastic position to land whoever’s left with the third overall selection.

General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are both on the hot seat; a hot couch, if you will. Signing both quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson is a further indication of this. It could also indicate the Giants believe Cam Ward won’t be available at third overall, and they’re not willing to bet their jobs on quarterback Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado.

The Giants’ 2025 NFL Draft wish list should begin with landing Travis Hunter. He has made it very clear he intends to play on both sides of the ball at the next level. Hunter would immediately be the best cornerback on the Giants in an NFC East full of extremely talented opposing wide receivers. On offense, he doesn’t have to be the top receiver with Malik Nabers already in place. This duo would be a top-five pairing in the league sooner rather than later.

Assuming the Giants don’t draft a quarterback with their first pick, they may very well do so at 34^th overall. If so, it’s possible the Giants trade up from 34 back into the first round in order to secure a fifth-year option onto said quarterback’s contract down the road. It’s a sticky spot for a front office drafting for their jobs this season while also balancing the potential for long-term success.

As far as other wish list players, drafting a running back is another big need, especially for fantasy football purposes. Neither Tyrone Tracy Jr. nor Devin Singletary eclipsed 200 carries in 2024. Though Tracy came on late in his rookie season, and finished with a 192/839/5 rushing line, he’s still not a true, proven lead back. Tracy is a wide receiver converted to running back who played just one college season at the position. He rushed just 113 times upon making the switch in 2023.

The Giants have drafted eight total running backs since 2013. Just one of them (Saquon Barkley, second overall in 2018) was drafted in the first three rounds. The Giants have four top-100 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft including two third-round picks (65^th and 99^th overall). A running back like Dylan Sampson (Tennessee) is a wish list pick with that latter selection. Sampson is coming off an eye-opening senior season with a 258/1,491/22 rushing line.

Dallas Cowboys

• First pick: 1st round, 12^th overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 10

Jerry Jones claimed to be “all in” when approaching last year’s free agency period and the 2024 NFL Draft. This year, he emphasized being “selectively aggressive” addressing team needs before the draft so that Dallas may be free to draft the best players available when on the clock.

Most of Dallas’ 2025 free agency activity has been centered around the defense. They’ve added players such DE Dante Fowler Jr., DE Payton Turner, DT Solomon Thomas and LB Kenneth Murray. They also extended DT Osa Odighizuwa among others.

The 2025 NFL Draft wish list for the Cowboys is also a wish list for fantasy football. Although Dallas signed running backs Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, they’re both joining the team on one-year “prove it” deals. Williams’ contract has a max value of $3 million with just $1 million guaranteed. Sanders isn’t even guaranteed to make the final roster with just $167,500 in guaranteed money on a max deal worth $1.3 million.

Boise State’s Heisman candidate running back Ashton Jeanty is at the top of the wish list, but no guarantee to make it to the Cowboys at 12^th overall. A running back is more likely in play for Dallas at 44^th or 76^th overall.

Ezekiel Elliott logged back-to-back seasons of 300-plus carries for the Cowboys in 2018 and 2019. Since then, only Tony Pollard (252 in 2023) has eclipsed even 250 carries for the Cowboys. Either of the Ohio State running backs, Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson, would rise up fantasy rankings if selected by Dallas. Henderson is a home run hitter, but Judkins would be more likely to push for 250-plus carries with solid production even as a rookie.

At 12^th overall, the Cowboys could target just about any position. The top of Dallas and fantasy football fans’ wish lists should be a wide receiver, either Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) or Matthew Golden (Texas). They each bring something different to the table. Simply put, McMillan has the size while Golden has the speed.

CeeDee Lamb has averaged 163 targets per season since 2022. The Cowboys’ “WR2” has averaged 78 targets in that span. Dak Prescott needs another weapon. If the Cowboys really want to be “selectively aggressive,” they’ll make a massive move up the board to draft Travis Hunter.

Washington Commanders

• First pick: 1st round, 29^th overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 5

It’s alarming at first to see that the Commanders only have five total picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, they acquired left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. in separate trades involving some of their previously assigned picks. For the most part, Washington is running it back with a majority of their 2024 roster after a stunning NFC Championship appearance last season.

Samuel is a welcomed weapon to Jayden Daniels’ arsenal, but he is only under contract for the 2025 season. Washington still lacks long-term, reliable pass catchers. Terry McLaurin, Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey are the only wide receivers from the 2024 season who are returning in 2025.

As of now, the backfield is the exact same, but Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols are all set to be unrestricted free agents next offseason. These three backs account for 60% of the 2024 Commanders’ rush share and 90% of their running back rush share.

The Commanders hold the 29^th and 61^st overall selections but do not pick again until 128^th overall in the middle of the fourth round. They may look to add additional assets by trading back once or twice from these positions.

If Washington stays put, selecting a running back or wide receiver with either or both of their first two selections would be significant for fantasy football purposes. Selecting a running back as high as 29^th, or the more likely 61^st pick, would indicate moving on from Robinson next March.

Washington has its top-five tacklers in 2024 returning in 2025, but the team should focus on adding an edge rusher with their first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. They need a player that can go get the quarterback. They’ll face Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and (probably) Russell Wilson in six of their 17 games this season specifically. Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M), Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) or James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) should be on any Commanders fans’ 2025 NFL Draft wish list.

Philadelphia Eagles

• First pick: 1st round, 32^nd overall
• Total first-rounders: 1
• Total selections: 8

The Eagles will be looking to reload rather than rebuild in the 2025 NFL Draft. Philadelphia has its core group of offensive assets, including those up front on the line, under contract already for the 2025 season and beyond.

The big story of the Eagles’ offseason is the exodus of starters and key rotational pieces from their Super Bowl winning defense. Through free agency, trades and retirement, the Eagles lost DT Milton Williams, DE Josh Sweat, DE Brandon Graham, CB Darius Slay, S C.J. Gardner-Johnson and others.

The last time the Eagles won the Super Bowl, they traded out of the 32^nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. There is a greater need for a “day one” player on the defensive side of the ball this time around. Any of the edge rushers mentioned above on the Commanders’ wish list should also be on the Eagles’ 2025 NFL Draft wish list. Selecting a safety such as Malaki Starks (Georgia) or Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) would also fill a huge hole. The Eagles have never drafted a safety in the first round, but there’s a first time for everything.

For fantasy football purposes, the backfield is set, while A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith remain the clear top-two receivers. It’s yet to be seen if tight Dallas Goedert will actually play for the Eagles in 2025. The 30-year-old tight end is a proven, productive pass catcher entering the final year of his contract and remains a rumored trade piece.

The Eagles using their second- (64^th) or third- (96^th) round pick on a tight end is very possible if Goedert does end up on the move. Mason Taylor (LSU) would be a rookie replacement that plays very similarly to Goedert.