geno smith
Getty
Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith.
The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback play last year was tough to watch throughout the majority of the 2024 NFL season, which prompted the organization to aggressively acquire QB Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks this offseason.
Despite the low expectations many still have for the Raiders’ offense entering the year, one NFL writer believes Geno Smith could be considered one of the top signal callers in the league by the end of the 2025 NFL season.
Raiders QB Geno Smith Predicted to be a Top 10 QB by the End of the 2025 NFL Season
Despite stringing together three straight seasons with 3,600+ passing yards and 20+ touchdowns, Geno Smith’s name is rarely mentioned as a top 10 option at the quarterback position across the league.
Well, Tashan Reed of The Athletic believes that could change by the end of the 2025 NFL season.
“Smith hit this level in 2022, but his production took a step down in each of the two last seasons. With Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Amari Cooper in tow, he has plenty of weapons at his disposal on offense,” wrote Reed. “Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly seems to have grown since his last stint in the NFL, and the offensive line could be good enough to get by. The Raiders are playing Smith below-average quarterback money, so this coming to fruition would be a big win for them.”
Admittedly, determining what a top 10 quarterback is can be subjective to the analyst. The criteria can be vastly different based on who you ask, but the idea of Smith jumping into the top 10 quarterback discussion wouldn’t be that crazy if Smith manages to recapture the production we saw from him in 2022 — where he threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdown passes.
Jason Katz of Pro Football Sports Network believes there is a stigma attached to Smith from his days with the New York Jets that he simply can’t shake no matter how well he plays.
“Maybe this is one of those “debating no one” situations where everyone actually agrees with me, but it feels as though Smith doesn’t get the credit he deserves. The stigma of being a failure for the first eight years of his career is hard to erase. But Smith is a different player now — a better one. He’s unquestionably one of the 32 best quarterbacks walking the planet,” wrote Katz.
If Smith can elevate this team from the basement of this division and push them into the playoffs with exceptional and efficient play in 2025, then there is a chance pundits will begin to give him the respect he deserves.
Could Geno Smith be a Sleeper Fantasy Football Option at the QB position in 2025?
If Smith outperforms the low expectations many have for the Raiders’ offense in 2025, does this make him worth selecting in your fantasy football draft? If you ask Katz, then probably not.
“Smith’s ADP is downright disrespectful at QB25. Quarterback is very deep this year, and there are a lot of players outside the top 12 who could crack that top 12. It’s why I, too, have Smith ranked at QB25,” added Katz. “There is quite literally a 100% chance you see Smith’s name pop up multiple times this season as a weekly streamer. Will he graduate to an every-week starter? It’s certainly in his range of outcomes. But there’s no need for fantasy managers to make him their QB1.”
The lack of reliable weapons at wide receiver in a run-heavy offense don’t exactly suggest Smith will be the next fantasy football star at quarterback in 2025.