Fantasy football is always filled with surprises after a long offseason spent projecting how players will perform. Numerous changes occur during each NFL offseason, forcing fantasy managers to adjust to new personnel and schemes while attempting to assess whether or not hype on a specific player from a team’s local beat reporter is warranted.
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Let’s look at some of the most surprising fantasy football performances, both good and bad, through the early portion of the 2025 NFL season. We’ll start with the positives, which has to be the resurgence of quarterback Daniel Jones with the Indianapolis Colts.
Jones is currently QB2 in fantasy football, averaging 26.2 half-PPR points per game. Only two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback, sits above Jones in this key metric.
The Colts’ QB1 has a 71.4 percent completion rate with nearly 600 passing yards. Jones has led the Colts to a 2-0 start, including a thrilling walk-off win against the Denver Broncos in Week 2.
Rome Odunze has emerged as Caleb Williams’ favorite target in first-year head coach Ben Johnson’s offense. Odunze was selected by the Chicago Bears alongside Williams in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, taken off the board as a top-10 pick.
Instead of DJ Moore, who many fantasy managers expected to garner most of the passing targets, Odunze has a blistering 29.4 percent target share. In Week 2, Odunze made the most of his team-high 11 targets, converting them into seven receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
Odunze is currently WR4 in fantasy points per game with 20.5. Only Malik Nabers, Puka Nacua, and Amon-Ra St. Brown rank higher.
With Chicago facing another potentially disappointing season, their second-year wideout should continue to get volume. Odunze will yield high-end production as a bona fide WR1 in fantasy football.
The Dallas Cowboys revamped their backfield this offseason, along with their head coach and wide receiving corps. Trading star edge rusher Micah Parsons made headline news for a while last month, but it’s overshadowed how effective running back Javonte Williams has played as the Cowboys’ RB1.
Williams is the RB2 in fantasy football, averaging 20.7 fantasy points per game, second behind Buffalo’s James Cook. He’s logged a 74 percent snap percentage, a 66 percent rush share, and is attached to one of the most explosive offenses in the league.
There’s no doubt Williams is returning huge value as a high-end fantasy RB1 after sliding down most draft boards. He’s become more heavily targeted by Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, while recording at least 15 carries in each matchup, leading to three total rushing touchdowns.
The Houston Texans have not had a good start to their 2025 campaign. As a result, the team’s stagnant offense has left wideout Nico Collins with minimal production on the field.
Collins was a first-round draft pick in fantasy football based on his dominance in 2024. However, through the first two weeks, the Texans’ WR1 has only had one explosive play, which came on an opening drive touchdown reception against Tampa Bay.
Despite getting 14 targets from QB C.J. Stroud, Collins has six total receptions this season. He has not gone over 52 receiving yards and is suffering from playing in an offense ranked 32nd in the NFL for points scored per game.
Jacksonville’s new era under head coach Liam Coen has had a lot of good things happening. The Jaguars’ second-year wideout, Brian Thomas Jr., who had a strong rookie campaign with QB Trevor Lawrence last season, is coming off a horrible outing against Cincinnati.
Drops plagued Thomas during the team’s Week 2 road loss to the Bengals. Thomas only hauled in four receptions for less than 50 yards and zero touchdowns.
In Week 1 against a porous Carolina run defense, Thomas scored an 11-yard rushing touchdown against Carolina in Week 1. The 2024 23rd overall draft pick has not found the end zone as a pass-catcher in 2025.
