2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: The Importance of the Middle Rounds
Most fantasy football managers obsess over the first or final rounds of their fantasy football drafts. They pour endless research into their Round 1 picks, or into discovering the next great late-round sleepers (i.e. the next Puka Nacua or Kyren Williams).
Yet, it’s actually the Mid Round Fantasy Football Breakouts that truly determine titles.
While less sexy, navigating the middle rounds of your fantasy football draft and finding the right 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts is where you will make or break your season.
Take a look at the following charts of “Top Advance Rates” in Underdog’s Best Ball Mania (via RotoViz) from 2021-2024. These are all the players with 25% or higher “Advance Rate”:
2021:
2022:
2023:
2024
A total of 95 players had advance rates of 25% or higher since 2021. A whopping 47 of those (49.4%) were middle round Fantasy Football Breakouts, falling in the Round 4 to Round 10 range (37 to 120ish). Whereas your draft slot often determines if you land those Round 1 guys (i.e. Ja’Marr Chase in 2024, Tyreek Hill in 2023, Austin Ekeler in 2022), the real edge has historically come from nailing those mid-round selections and finding the right Fantasy Football Breakouts.
Here’s a breakdown of Ten 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts I feel strongly about. These players are drafted in the 40 to 120 ADP range, and I believe each can explode in 2025.
For over 30 more 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts, as well as Round-by-Round strategy, targets, and fades check out The Wolf’s 2025 Fantasy Football Guide! Support a small fantasy brand & dominate your draft.
2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: Quarterback
Drake Maye (NE-QB) – ADP = 128, QB16
If a true Jayden Daniels level of “Unicorn Fantasy Football Breakout QB” emerges in 2025, Drake Maye would be the best bet.
No, this is not just my Patriots homerism. Unlike, say, Justin Fields, Maye does have the arm talent to emerge as a Josh Allen style passer – Allen was Maye’s most common “ceiling comparison” as a prospect.
Everything was stacked against Maye as a rookie. His line was, by far, the worst in the league. His weapons were similarly the worst in the league – Pop Douglas is a great No.3 / slot specialist, but should not be any team’s true No.1 WR. Worst of all, the Patriots’ play-calling was completely inept.
Despite all this, in Maye’s full games, he averaged 18.7 FPPG, which would’ve been QB11. This excludes a Jets game he got hurt after raking in 11.5 FPs in one quarter (45 FPs pace). Maye still delivered a 75th percentile accurate throw rate, and certainly passed every eyeball test.
In 2025, everything has improved. The Line is still problematic, but new arrivals Will Campbell, Morgan Moses, Georgia’s Jared Wilson, and maybe Garrett Bradbury are all honestly better than a single lineman the Pats trotted out in 2024. This line will still be outside the Top-20, but it’s at least capable. Throughout the 2025 Preseason, they’ve held up mostly well.
Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs is already back and tearing up camp. Rookie WR Kyle Williams looks like a stud so far. Pop Douglas has taken his game to new heights. Is it the best supporting cast in the league? No, but it’s 10,000x better than what Maye was throwing to last year.
Then stir in the playcalling. Say what you will about Josh McDaniels’ as a head coach, but the man knows offense. In his last OC stint, he coaxed a playoff berth and Pro Bowl season out of Mac Freakin’ Jones, who went for 3801 yards and 22 TDs and a 10-7 record. After I visited joint practices vs. the Commanders, I couldn’t have been more impressed with the scheme. WRs & TEs were running wide open, and Maye was hitting them in stride for huge YAC gains. Life just seemed way easier.
When he first returned to New England this offseason, McDaniels emphasized Maye has “got great size, really athletic…I’m interested to see how that develops. Like, is he gonna be a little bit of a runner like Josh Allen was in Buffalo? I don’t think he’s quite as big as Josh is, but guys like that that have those kinds of attributes, you can use them to run the football too…I’m interested to see when he plays if he becomes a little bit more of a dual-threat guy or if he’s just a pocket passer and a big, tall, strong guy in the pocket”
Recently in camp, McDaniels emphasized his desire to get Maye rolling on more designed runs, which could be absolutely massive:
“I mean, he had [421] yards rushing last year on no designed runs,” McDaniels said of Maye’s running ability. “The reality is those loose plays are hard to predict when they come up.”
It sounds like McDaniels is at least open to using Maye more as a rusher – Cam Newton averaged a career high 9.1 rush attempts under McDaniels. Last year, the Pats called only 7 TOTAL designed runs for Maye, despite him leading all quarterbacks in YPC (7.8). He ranked second in scramble rate, ranked second in scramble yards per game with 31.3.
Yet, Maye averaged 0.1 fantasy points per game on design runs. Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen were all at 3.5+. Jalen Hurts was at 7.4. The NFL’s leader in YPC was at 0.1 FPs on designed runs!
Maye’s 18.7 FPPG look even better with all this in mind. He can seemingly only go up from here with improved line, playcalling, and weapons. Maye looked phenomenal in the Training Camp I visited, carving up the Commanders in joint practices. Maye’s rushing usage will determine just how high his value skyrockets– but Unicorn Upside exists.
Drake Maye presents as my top 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout QB Candidate and a massive mid-to-late round fantasy buy. He is my QB8 (+8 ECR!) and 87th Overall Player (+31) in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
Justin Herbert – ADP: 115, QB14
Could Justin Herbert tap into his inner Josh Allen in 2025 and become a bonafide league-winner?
Appearing on the Dan Patrick show, Herbert said: “”What I respect about him [Josh Allen] is he’s able to run power between the tackles. He’s able to take the hits and deliver the hits.” Herbert then went on to say he wants to do more of that in the offense this season.
Over his career, Herbert has averaged only 243.4 rush yards and 2.6 Rush TDs per season on just 58.6 attempts. Comparatively, Allen averages 591.7 yards and 9.3 TDs per season, including 27 rushing TDs across his last 2 years under Joe Brady. The two seem quite far apart in rushing upside.
Yet, consider: Herbert is actually a superior “timed athlete” than Allen (per FantasyPoints):
Perhaps he’s just never given it a real shot! If anyone could squeeze some Konami Upside out of Herbert, though, it’s Greg Roman. Colin Kaepernick, Tyrod Taylor, and Lamar Jackson all had insane rushing totals under Roman. Granted, they are different rushing beasts than Herbert, but Roman does know how to scheme up his athletic QBs and maximize their legs.
Roman noted the upside in dialing into Herbert’s legs more, saying: “I think we’ll see Justin Herbert use his legs a bit more this year. He can really affect the game with his legs. It creates so much stress on the defense when you have to defend that. That was off the table most of last year [because of the foot/ankle injury]. We’ll have some QB-driven run game stuff available.”
This comes after Herbert rushed for the most yards in his career under Roman (306), despite playing through right plantar fascia injury, left ankle sprain, left quad, right high ankle sprain. Imagine if he can hit 500+ yards and 6-8 TDs on the ground?!
As he got healthier, Herbert started tapping into his legs more. He ranked third in scramble yards from Week 8-on. And only Lamar Jackson has more runs of >25 yards over the last two years, although other QBs like Jalen Hurts have over 2X as many carries as Herbert.
According to Jim Harbaugh, who treats Herbert like he’s the second-coming, Herbert “put on 20 lbs of good, lean muscle mass. I expect really good things from him. He has no weakness to his game.” Harbaugh also added: “Justin’s work ethic motivates me every day. I get out of bed knowing that I have to rise up to his level. It’s up to the rest of us to aspire to that level.”
By all accounts, Herbert looks lights out in Early Camp. The team also made some massive weapons upgrades by adding Tre Harris in Round 2 and Oronde Gadsden in Round 5. Perhaps most important, the offensive line has been further beefed up, and the Chargers have gone from 21st in 2024 PFF’s Line Final grades to now ranking 10th (+11, third most improvement).
We all know Herbert can sling the rock with the best of them, and the way last year’s training camp injury hampered him to begin 2024 should not be overlooked. Herbert attempted just 22.8 pass attempts per game through the first four weeks. For context, the Eagles threw the fewest times per game at 25.7. Herbert was just the QB27 through four weeks – behind Gardner Minshew, Deshaun Watson, Daniel Jones to name a few. He found himself on many Waiver Wires after the lackluster start.
After the Week 5 Bye, that number spiked all the way to 31.8 pass attempts per game – not a massive number, but significantly, and Herbert rose to the QB9.
So we’ve got more rushing upside than ever before and a weapons upgrade for last year’s QB9 once he was fully healthy, but he’s going as the QB13-15? Herbert has a strong case to be THE best QB Value in all of 2025 Fantasy.
Justin Herbert is another phenomenal 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout QB Candidate. He is my QB13 (+1 ECR!) and 104th Overall Player (+4 in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: Running Backs
RJ Harvey (DEN-RB) – ADP51, RB21
Every year, Rookies make up a large portion of Fantasy Football Breakouts. One of the best 2025 Rookie RB Breakout Bets is RJ Harvey.
A converted QB, RJ Harvey didn’t get true bell-cow usage until his junior season. Once the backfield was his, all Harvey did was lead the Power Conference in rushing touchdowns over this span (38 total, +5 more than next-closest) while racking up 1,654 YFS in 2023 and 1,844 in 2024. His career YFS per touch (7.05) is 2nd best since 2017, tied with Dalvin Cook.
Harvey is also as elusive as they come– per FantasyPoints’ Scott Barrett: “among all RBs this past decade to play exclusively in Power Conferences (min. 425 carries) — Harvey ranks 4th (0.33), behind only Bijan Robinson (0.39), Bucky Irving (0.36), and David Montgomery (0.35).” Pretty solid company to keep!
Harvey also led this elite RB class in explosive run-rate (21%) – something Sean Payton emphasized when they drafted Harvey surprisingly high at 60 overall– the only other RBs Payton has selected in the first two days were Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara. Both Bush and Kamara saw 100 targets as rookies, a mark no RB has reached the past 2 seasons.
“Harvey—[he] was kind of our pet cat throughout the process. His running style, he’s dynamic, really good vision, really good instincts, really good contact balance, highly explosive. We thought maybe he had the best vision in the draft. You see the plus-10s, I think he leads everyone with plus-10 runs. Home run ability… We feel like he can improve in the pass game. He wasn’t featured there, but we really liked this [running] back.”
With 4.4 speed, insane acceleration, and elite contact balance, Harvey indeed should be a nightmare for opposing defenses in Payton’s scheme, which is an RB Goldmine:
- Since 2013, Payton-led offenses have ranked Top-5 in RB Target share in every season:
- In 17 seasons, Payton’s backfields have ranked Top-2 in total fantasy points a whopping 12 times (70%).
- Payton has directed 120+ passes to his RBs 12 times since 2006, when he became a head coach — this has happened just 32 total times in that span (& Payton is TWELVE of them!).
- In 17 years, he has NEVER ranked outside the Top-5 in expected receiving points to RBs.
Even just last season, with complete CRAP in his backfield, Payton targeted his RBs 22% of the time, which ranked fifth in the NFL. Payton steadily funnels high-value volume to his RBs, and now has two talents in Dobbins and Harvey that should capitalize (unlike Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin).
Consequently, Payton’s offenses have long-supported 2+ RBs in fantasy. In 2017, Alvin Kamara was the RB3 and Mark Ingram was the RB6. He has had TWO Top-24 RBs from the same backfield four different times. Payton’s RB2’s have averaged 13.4 PPR FPs over the course of his career!
As such, I am not worried about JK Dobbins – in fact, Dobbins is ALSO a strong 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout RB target in the 90-110 price range. Both Denver RBs can eat in this scheme.
And if you needed any more convincing, here’s Harvey’s quads:
Harvey slides in at 56th Overall on my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board (+5 ECR).
Zach Charbonnet – ADP 99, RB36
I am in LOVE with the Seahawks new running game. New OC Klint Kubiak has brought the hyper-efficient Kubiak Zone Blocking Scheme to Seattle, and thus far this preseason, the results have been massive. No matter who is in the backfield, the Seahawks have been gashing opponents on the ground throughout the 2025 Preseason.
Dating back to his dad Gary Kubiak and Mike Shanahan, the Kubiak zone-rushing offense has made heroes out of zeroes for nearly 20 years (think: MIke Anderson Olandis Gary, and Steve Slayton topping 1000 yards & posting Top-15 RB seasons). When explosive talents are featured, 1800-2000 yard ceilings are opened (Terrell Davis, Clinton Portis, Arian Foster to name a few) and they break fantasy
I LOVE Ken Walker. Despite a much higher price tag (42 overall), Walker is also a phenomenal pick as the likely starter and more explosive player. But his injury concerns cannot be ignored. Walker missed 6 game last year and at least 2 in every professional season, and has already been in-and-out of practice throughout 2025 Training Camp.
Enter Zach Charbonnet.
Even without the efficiency boost of the Kubiak Zone Scheme, Charbonnet was a monster as a starter last year:
He was on pace for 312 touches (54 rec), 1706 YFS, and 17 TDs – good for 19.2 FPPG. This would’ve ranked as THE RB2 on the season!
If he can do that in last year’s pass-happy attack, imagine how Charbonnet would fare as the every-down RB in Kubiak’s offense? The handcuff upside is astronomical. In just one preseason drive, Charbonnet ripped off 9 attempts, 45 yards, and 1 TD, knifing through the defense and reading the holes perfectly.
Yet, beyond his handcuff upside, Charbonnet may present some standalone value. The Seahawks coaching staff has been enamored with Charbonnet’s work ethic and consistency. With Walker routinely missing practice, Charbonnet has soaked up first-team reps, and some are now speculating he may not hand the job back over.
When asked about the skills of an elite running back, Klint Kubiak said: “”No. 1 is intelligence. No. 2 is longevity or just availability. Guys that are available for the whole game. The best backs that I’ve been around are super smart … Our top two guys are doing some really good things, but Charbonnet, his mental approach to the game is extremely impressive. He does not flinch. If he ever has a question, you know you didn’t coach it good enough because he is that on it. Really been impressed with him.”
This leads ESPN Beat Brady Henderson to speculate “ Between the on-field evidence and off-the-field comments, all indications are that Zach Charbonnet is going to have a significant role in the Seattle Seahawks’ backfield this season…While no one with the Seahawks has publicly acknowledged that the RB1 job is up for grabs, Walker’s ongoing availability issues and the way Charbonnet continues to impress the organization suggests that Seattle’s backfield could be more of a timeshare than a typical starter-backup arrangement.”
At minimum, a “1A, 1B” situation seems to be brewing. Yet, with ongoing injury concerns, the current staff may be ready to hand the keys over to the more dependable Charbonnet. Even HC Mike Macdonald couldn’t help gushing:
“Zach, he’s just a stud,” Macdonald said. “He’s just everything you want in a person and a football player, that’s him….He just does it every day. Same person, great spirit, strong as an ox, does everything right. I mean, what do you want from a football player? Zach Charbonnet.”
Meanwhile, on Walker, Macdonald noted: “At some point you’ve got to do it on the field so you feel confident to go out there and execute at a high level and play your best football…that’s something that we’re working through.”
Ultimately, it would likely require a Walker injury for Charbonnet to be a TRUE League-Winner. Yet, between Walker’s injury history, Charbonnet’s impressive track record as a starter, and this scheme, I expect Charbonnet to be an absolute force at multiple points this year. Plus, Charbonnet should offer some legitimate standalone value in a 60/40ish split, proving to be the ultimate “handcuff with benefits” and a prime 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidate.
I have Charbonnet 75th on my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board (+24 ADP), as well as the RB26 (+10 ADP) on my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
Zach Charbonnet = The Ultimate Handcuff with Benefits in 2025 Fantasy
D’Andre Swift – 59 ADP , RB24
I have never been a huge D’Andre Swift guy, and it’s never really burned me. However, that’s changed in 2025, mainly for one reason: Ben Johnson.
The Lions ranked 1st in both expected FPs & actual FPs as a backfield in back-to-back seasons, and Swift seemingly has this whole backfield largely to himself in 2025.
The Bears shockingly only added 7th rounder Kyle Monangai, who’s a great sleeper himself, this offseason. JK Dobbins was lingering, as was Nick Chubb. Yet, the Bears held strong, confident in their depth.
Following cut day, the Bears only have Swift, Monangai, and Roschon Johnson on the roster. Sure, they may be clearing space for another arrival. But as it stands, Swift is the only Chicago RB healthy for week one.
In his Preseason Debut, Swift was the clear featured RB, too, hitting 71.4% of snaps, 64% of routes, and 78% of the carries with Caleb Johnson:
More importantly, the Bears also boast the most improved offensive line in the NFL according to PFF – they finished 24th in 2024 grade, and now rank a shocking 4th (+20) after trading for perennial Pro Bowler Joe Thuney and the mauling Jonah Jackson, while signing the No.1 Free Agent center in Drew Dalman to secure the interior.
Many speculated Ben Johnson hated Swift after he was traded out of Detroit when Johnson was the OC. According to sources, it was really Deuce Staley who had a problem with Swift. Johnson has praised Swift routinely, saying: ““He is a fierce competitor, and that’s what I love about him…When the lights are bright, you’re going to know exactly what you’re going to get. If you tell him that you’re going to need one yard, four yards, whatever that is, he’s going to find a way to put his shoulder down and move the pile and get that done for you.”
According to Marquee Sports, Swift’s “putting in the work to be physically ready for a heavy workload. With the running back room staying the same, he’ll be in line for one. While I’ve always been wary of Swift due to his injury history, he has grown on me as a tougher-than-expected runner that’s always been a huge plus in the receiving game.
I expect Johnson to maximize Swift’s efficiency and production, and a vastly improved line to provide Swift a ton more space, where he is most dangerous. There’s very real Top-10 upside if Johnson’s run game can approach his incredible Detroit success.
I have Swift at 57th Overall (+ 2 ADP) & RB22 (+3 ADP) in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings.
If you’re enjoying this content, consider supporting The Wolf by purchasing his 2025 Fantasy Guide, filled with many more breakouts and the Round-by-Round Game Plan to dominate in 2025!
2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: Wide Receivers
George Pickens– ADP: 60, WR25
George Pickens feels like Tee Higgins at 40+ picks cheaper. I’ve always thought Pickens is a baller. He can get deep, win contested balls, and is sneaky solid with the ball in his hands, too.
Through three years, Pickens has been held back by his environment – both QB play and Arthur Smith’s horrendously run-obsessed scheme.
In fact, the Steelers ranked 29th, 29th, and 16th in pass attempts through Pickens’ three seasons. Meanwhile, his QBs have been a carousel of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph.
No wonder Pickens struggled with consistency and got frustrated!
In 2025, Pickens is now in Dallas, where he could go ballistic. Dak Prescott is miles ahead of any QB Pickens has caught passes from. Sure, CeeDee Lamb is the true No.1 WR here, but Pickens should feast on secondary coverage.
Plus, even as the No.2 option, Pickens could easily top his career-high 107 targets considering Dallas will throw it 600+ times in 2025. I honestly think they could be the NFC Version of the Bengals with an abysmal defense that forces the offense to chase points weekly.
In 2025 Training Camp, Pickens has been a star, and HC Brian Schottenheimer has been gushing. Some bits of praise include:
- “Ability to track the football is uncanny”
- “When he’s not doubled, he’s really open”
- “Great with our ability to move him around… to maximize him, he can’t just play one spot.”
- “Him and CeeDee need to be interchangeable”
- “Instincts are uncanny for finding zones, sitting in windows.”
- “One-on-one – you have a 70/30 chance it’s going to work, excited to gameplan for that.”
Pickens has also been adding more YAC opportunities to the menu in Dallas, too:
As is, Pickens is already in the best situation of his career. However, if Lamb were to ever miss time, Pickens would be in the Weekly Top-10 WR conversation as Dak’s Number One.
Overall, Pickens is my 52nd Overall Player (+8 ADP) in my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board. Pickens also ranks WR26 (+2) in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings. He is a phenomenal 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Candidate.
Ricky Pearsall – ADP 82, WR36
The Kyle Shanahan 49ers Offensive Machine is going to churn no matter who is out wide. With Deebo Samuel traded, Brandon Aiyuk out for the foreseeable future, and even Jauan Jennings currently out with a calf injury, Ricky Pearsall has a sizable path to True WR1 duties in this offense (well, behind George Kittle).
We’ve already seen glimpses of Target Hog Upside with Pearsall, too.
To close 2024, Pearsall posted a 10 tgt, 8 catch, 141 yard, 1 TD day (28.7 FPs, WR7), followed by 8 tgts, 6 rec, 69 yards, and 1 TD (18.9 FPs, WR14). It seemed like the 49ers were giving him a real “tryout” to show if he could be an Alpha, and Pearsall passed with flying colors (as the team proceeded to clear house at WR in the offseason).
Pearsall was regarded as a Top-3 route runner within this impressive 2024 class–one who caught everything thrown his way. He’s incredibly shifty, with a 96th percentile 3-cone drill.
At the time, he was a “luxury” Round 1 pick for the 49ers. Many speculated he was Deebo’s “Heir Apparent” for his ability to generate YAC once the ball was in his hands. In college, Pearsall also had a 21-253-5 TD rushing line to hammer home his Deebo-like versatility. Now Samuel’s gone, and Pearsall will have every opportunity to feast in this ultra-valuable role.
If Pearsall can pick up where he left off (the WR5 over his final 2 games), he will be among the best values in all of fantasy. Throughout the early preseason, he seems to be doing exactly that.
Pearsall has played only 1 drive, but on it, he was the passing game engine. Pearsall posted 4 targets, 3 receptions, 42 yards, logging 81% snaps, 88% routes, and 57% tgts (0.57 TPRR). Good for an insane 6.0 YPRR
Brock Purdy also said he expects Pearsall to take a massive leap after a full offseason together. Remember, this man got SHOT and had to miss a ton of time to begin his rookie career. This led to some issues with timing and trust, which Purdy explained:
“In our offense there’s usually steps, timing, you’re breaking at a certain angle. Ricky was raw with his talent. He had to learn our system, our timing, where I’m throwing the ball. He’s got a lot of shimmy, which is great and we need that against man coverage to create separation, but there were times he had to learn that he can’t take a couple more steps and then break out. I need him there now. I need to get the ball out now. We had a couple of those moments… That’s part of getting into the NFL and learning the system, and a quarterback and receiver talking and getting to know each other. It has gotten better for sure. Towards the end of the season last year you saw Ricky come out of his shell and play within our system, and timing.”
Betting on the ambiguity of the 49ers pass-catchers remains one of the best plays of 2025, and I have no issues rostering all of Kittle, Jennings, and Pearsall to see how it shakes out, especially with Brandon Aiyuk out until at least Week 6. As of now, Pearsall seems like the best WR option, capable of absolutely smashing his ADP.
I have Pearsall +21 spots higher than his ADP on my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board. This is a perfect combination of individual talent + QB Play + Play Calling Guru — an elite recipe for a Fantasy Football Breakout.
Jameson Williams – ADP 65, WR29
Jameson Williams already had a mini breakout in 2024, leaping from the WR74 to the WR25 in FPPG while topping 1,000 yards.
Yet, I believe this was just the beginning of Williams’ ascent, and feel he could ascend as high as the Top-15 in 2025.
New Lions OC John Morton is reportedly emphasizing the vertical game even more, and Williams has been thriving as a result. HC Dan Campebll said Williams has “gotten so much stronger” and “the sky’s the limit,” while Morton expects a “breakout year.”
Where Williams can grow most is his consistency. He was quite boom-or-bust in 2024, with three games above 22+ FPs, but also five below 10 FPs (via RotoViz):
Yet, Williams reportedly embraced “the grind” according to Campbell, who said “No player has developed more as a player and just as a teammate like Jamo has, in really his four years.” This has led Morton to expand Williams’ route tree:
“I knew I could run more routes, but he’s putting me in position to run more routes. I’m getting better with cuts and angles and how to run this route and that route. So I would say, more polished is my route game.”
By all Training Camp reports, Williams has been the hardest player to cover, both by the Lions and by any team they’ve faced in joint practices. Ultimately, Amon-Ra St. Brown should still be the largest target earner here, but with an expanded route tree, Jameson could narrow that gap. Given how deadly Williams is with his looks, he could steady out his weekly floor while raising his ceiling, considering he can break the long one in the blink of an eye.
I am extremely high on Williams, ranking him as the WR19 in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings — a whopping +10 spots on his ADP. I also have him up at 43 overall on my 2025 Fantasy Football Big Board, which is +22 spots above his ADP. Williams has 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout written all over him.
2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: Tight Ends
Tyler Warren– ADP 101, TE10
I’ll get this out of the way now: Tyler Warren is NOT on the level of Brock Bowers, who was featured in this section last year. Quite frankly, few, if any, are.
Still, Warren is an elite prospect. His 2024 season was the stuff of legends, among the greatest in college football history: 104 receptions (135 tgts), 1233 yards, 8 TDs, along with 26 carries, 218 yards, and 4 TDs as a RUNNER!
His 1451 YFS are the most by a TE in Power Conference history, and over 400 more than Brock Bowers in 2022, who was next closest. His receptions and targets also rank 1st, as do his first downs (67) and YAC (693 – most of any player in 2024, including WRs). His 2.77 YPRR is bested only by Bowers’ 3.01 in 2021 among Power Conference TEs.
Warren is incredibly versatile; he played 40+ snaps at: RB, QB, Wide, Inline, and Slot. These numbers are ABSURD – especially for a Tight End. Sure, a lot of it was designed and dink-and-dunk. That doesn’t change how voraciously Warren feasted once he had the rock.
He lands in with a Colts team that’s crowded, but not insurmountable. All of Josh Downs, Michael Pittman, and deep threat Alec Pierce are fine. But this is far from an impossible Target Totem Pole to climb atop.
In fact, that’s what Warren has done thus far in camp, with both QBs. Some beat writer hype includes: “It was practically impossible to watch an Indianapolis practice and not notice how often Warren touched the football.” Another reporter gushed, “”Through the first week of camp, Warren has looked the part of a pro, and projections for his rookie season seem to keep increasing with every strong practice he stacks. The Colts have been looking for a game changer at TE for so lon, and the early signs in camp suggest they have finally found it in Warren.”
The hype dates even further back, though. Coach Speak Index compiled all the quotes here, but some standouts:
-GM Chris Ballard: “He can do a lot. He can play multiple spots. He’s got the quarterback background, so he can play in the backfield. He’s a great 50/50 ball catcher. He’s violent after the catch. He brings an element of toughness that I thought we needed to add offensively…I think Shane [Steichen] will find unique ways to use him. He’s one of those guys who’s always open. That’s part of his uniqueness. His hands are pretty rare. I thought he had the best hands of any player in the draft. He’s a unique dude. He’s gonna be able to handle a high volume of whatever we ask him to do.”
-HC Shane Steichen: “Tyler Warren can do it all. He’s physical with the ball in his hands. He gets YAC, he’ll lay the wood on you, he’ll hurdle you. He’s gonna bring a lot to our team, for sure. He’s a big target who plays above the rim. When guys are on him, he’s still open… We’ll have some fun with all the things Tyler Warren is able to do…Tyler Warren is very smart, he picks up things very quickly. He’s been phenomenal so far. His movement skills, great feel, great instincts.”
-OC Jim Bob Cooter: “We’re putting a lot on Tyler Warren’s plate. I think he’s gonna be a very versatile piece for us. We’re gonna try a bunch of different stuff with him, give him a bunch of shots at a bunch of different aspects of playing offensive football. I think he’s gonna do a bunch of it really, really well.”
So everyone in the building is obsessed with Warren, praising his versatility, and promising a high-volume role. Warren has been a target vacuum all Training Camp, and he paced the Colts in preseason targets with the first-team too.
Factoring in his production profile, and Warren is a slam dunk as the highest-upside TE available in Round 10+. He is my TE7 (+4 ADP) in my 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings and my favorite Fantasy Football Breakout candidate at Tight End.
Tucker Kraft – ADP 100, TE10
Kraft had a phenomenal 2024. He led all TEs in broken tackles (15), YAC/reception (9.3) and ESPN’s YAC Score (72), and is now entering his age 25 season – the typical peak for TEs. He also trailed only George Kittle in YPRR with 2.64 – an elite number, especially for a TE. Kraft also ranked 5th in total YAC (456).
Since 2014, only 4 TEs have averaged over 10 yards per target: George Kittle (3x), Rob Gronkowski (1x), Dallas Goedert (1x), and now Tucker Kraft.
Despite the elite efficiency, Kraft finished only as the TE10 in fantasy. Why? A lack of volume. He was TE18 in targets (18), TE26 in Routes (268), TE25 in Route % (53.5%), and TE18 in Recs (50). Honestly, a Top-10 TE finish is quite impressive on that miniscule volume.
Granted, nothing could change, and Kraft would be a relative bargain at his TE12 price tag. Still, if Kraft gets the usage bump his efficiency suggests he deserves, Kraft could break into the elite tier in Year 3.
HC Matt LaFleur said at the end of the year: “I think that’s on us to find him and feature him. When he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him. If there’s an area we have to do a better job on, it’s feature the tight end.”
LaFleur doubled down at the opening of camp, saying of Kraft: “I think he’s just scratching the surface of what he’s going to become. Certainly we have to do a good job of giving him opportunities. He’s been able to show some of the things and he’s really grown as a complete football player, but specifically in the passing game.”
OC Adam Stenavich reportedly said “There were meetings among the coaches in the offseason specifically about how to get the ball to Kraft more often.”
QB Jordan Love is among those clamoring for more Kraft, saying “As coaches, gotta scheme ways to get him the ball. He’s definitely a guy that has that ability to be one of the top pass-catchers in this offense, just his playmaking ability, will be fun to keep finding ways to keep getting him the ball. He’s got that ability to be able to run those 20-, 25-yard routes, get down the field. He’s a really good route runner.”
Perhaps Kraft’s efficiency will drop a bit with more volume. Or maybe he’ll be the next George Kittle, who beat writers have drawn comparisons to.
If I miss on Warren, then Kraft is another high-upside target and prime 2025 Fantasy Football Breakout candidate.
Conclusion: Find those 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts
Finding the right 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts in the mid-round picks can give fantasy managers a significant edge in their fantasy football league. While roster construction and correlation are crucial in Best Ball, so too is identifying and selecting players with “blow-up upside” in the 50-120 ADP range. Since Best Ball Mania’s inception, roughly 50% of “league-winners” have come from this range, so taking stabs at these high-ceiling outcomes, while also trying to stack, correlate, and navigate positional market trends, will help you maximize your 2025 Fantasy Football winnings!
For over 30 more 2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts, as well as Round-by-Round strategy, targets, and fades check out The Wolf’s 2025 Fantasy Football Guide! Support a small fantasy brand & dominate your draft.
