Successfully identifying breakout candidates in fantasy football is a quick way to unlock a greater ceiling for your team. In most cases, it creates excellent depth on the bench and provides fantasy managers with players that they can rely on in lineups. In worst-case scenarios, the players are roster churners, so you can move off your bench to find another potential breakout player.
Which player on each team is poised to break out in fantasy in 2025? Read below to find out. And as always, use PFSN’s Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator to find out where these breakout players can be drafted to stack lineups.
Arizona Cardinals: Trey Benson, RB
Picking Marvin Harrison Jr. here after a solid but unspectacular rookie season (885 yards and eight touchdowns) felt like cheating, so instead, we’ll go for a deeper cut as a fantasy breakout, running back Trey Benson.
Benson struggled to get on the field as a rookie, carrying the ball 63 times for 291 yards and a touchdown while catching all six of his targets for 59 yards. The health of James Conner (16 games played for the first time in his career) and a late-season ankle injury kept the rookie from making an impact in 2024.
However, there has been a steady drumbeat of positive news throughout the summer that Benson, who won’t turn 22 until July, can make a bigger impact as a second-year runner.
Benson has a few paths to a breakout season in 2025. He could naturally see more work in Arizona, with Conner being a viable cut candidate after the 2025 season ($8 million cap savings). The veteran could also regress to his norm regarding injuries (13 or fewer games played in five of eight seasons), giving Benson more opportunities to be on the field.
Any production from Benson this season will be better than what he had in 2024. However, there’s an opportunity for him to establish himself as one of the up-and-coming running backs in the NFL.
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr. QB
Michael Penix Jr. didn’t see the field much as a rookie but made three starts over the final weeks last season. The results were relatively mixed (58% completion percentage for 737 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions).
Still, the essential thing was that Penix showed in flashes that his arm strength could maximize the downfield capabilities of Drake London and Darnell Mooney. The rookie had a top-10 finish among fantasy quarterbacks in Week 18, finishing with 25.0 points after throwing for 312 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a rushing score.
Hello. pic.twitter.com/wXcS9iOzeD
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) June 26, 2025
Atlanta has a strong offensive line (even without Drew Dalman at center) and a potent rushing attack with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to help keep pressure off Penix in his first full season as a starter. Weapons like London, Mooney, Kyle Pitts, and Ray-Ray McCloud also give Penix plenty of options in the passing attack.
If he can limit mistakes and let his playmakers make plays, Penix could have an excellent fantasy season with Atlanta.
Baltimore Ravens: Rashod Bateman, WR
Fantasy managers have been waiting to see what Rashod Bateman could do at the NFL level since he was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. A series of injuries limited Bateman to just 93 receptions for 1,167 yards and four touchdowns in his first 34 career games.
We finally got a full season from Bateman in 2024, and the results were largely positive. He caught 45 of 72 targets for 756 yards and nine touchdowns and emerged as a potent deep threat and consistent red-zone target. Bateman finished fourth in the NFL in yards per reception (16.8), taking 24.4% of his targets for 20+ yards. He also led Baltimore in end-zone targets (10), converting seven for touchdowns.
The Ravens rewarded Bateman with a three-year, $36 million contract extension this offseason. He still has plenty of competition for targets in Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews (among others), but 2024 showed how Bateman’s dynamism could help the Ravens’ offense continue ascending. That leaves him with an excellent chance to break out entirely in 2025.
Buffalo Bills: Ray Davis, RB
Ray Davis played a minor role in the Buffalo Bills’ backfield as a rookie, handling just 113 carries for 442 yards and three touchdowns while adding 17 receptions for 189 yards and three additional scores.
Davis was relegated to backup duties thanks to James Cook’s best season as a professional. Still, we did see the rookie earn extended playing time at different parts of the season. Davis made the most of his two games with a 50+% snap share as a rookie, racking up 35 carries for 161 yards and adding five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Cook is currently mired in a contract dispute with the Bills (he did attend mandatory offseason workouts), and Buffalo has not seemed willing to meet his demands. Meanwhile, Davis had a strong summer and is poised to see more work in Year 2.
If Cook gets injured in 2025, Davis will be the biggest beneficiary. Even without that injury, Davis could see his role expand to a complementary piece instead of a pure handcuff next season.
Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, WR
Xavier Legette’s rookie season with the Carolina Panthers was unremarkable. Legette played in 16 games, catching 49 of 84 targets for 497 yards and four touchdowns. He was buried on the depth chart behind Jonathan Mingo, Adam Thielen, and Diontae Johnson to begin the season, but Legette started to show flashes of his potential in Week 6.
From Weeks 6-14, Legette averaged 5.8 targets and 3.3 receptions per game while accruing 281 yards and three touchdowns. Legette was moved around the WR positions as a rookie, but he had his best showings when Carolina could use him as a vertical outside receiver. The issue was that the Panthers didn’t have anybody on the depth chart to let him play his best role.
the world is down on Xavier Legette
but one of the best parts of his game is using strength at the top of his route on outside breakers to generate space pic.twitter.com/8DyxTSeAAJ
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) May 18, 2025
That all changed when the Panthers drafted Tetairoa McMillan in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. McMillan is a true outside X receiver, allowing Legette to play his optimal role as a stretch receiver with gadget capabilities. Legette may lose out on targets with McMillan on the roster, but his target efficiency should offset that dip.
A rookie can’t be a breakout (because we don’t have a production baseline yet), making Legette the Panthers’ best breakout candidate in 2025. The passing offense took strides in 2025, and Legette can be the yards-after-catch weapon to help Bryce Young underneath.
Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR
The Chicago Bears’ offense disappointed in 2024. However, nobody in that group disappointed more than rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who caught just 54 of 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns in his first season.
It wasn’t shocking when Odunze struggled to earn targets over established veterans like DJ Moore (140) and Keenan Allen (121). However, Odunze’s inability to connect with quarterback Caleb Williams derailed his season.
Odunze was primarily used as a field stretcher in his first season, ranking top 15 among wide receivers in average depth of target (13.8, 11th), deep targets (23, 11th), and air yards (1,398). Unfortunately, he and Williams connected on just 21.7% of his downfield passes. That gave Odunze the second-most unrealized air yards (917). He also tied for fifth in red-zone targets (17) but caught just three passes.
New Bears head coach Ben Johnson has a history of optimizing his offense to make sure players are put in situations to succeed. That, combined with the belief that Odunze and Williams can work on timing to make more plays, makes the Chicago WR the most likely player in this offense to break out in 2025.
Cincinnati Bengals: Andrei Iosivas, WR
There aren’t many offensive players who haven’t broken out already. However, one player who could do it in 2025 is third-year receiver Andrei Iosivas.
Iosivas made the most of limited opportunities last season with the Cincinnati Bengals, catching 36 passes (61 targets) for 479 yards and six touchdowns. He was at his best in the red zone, catching five of nine passes.
The Bengals led the NFL in pass rate over expectation (PROE) in 2024, passing 8.2% more than expected. That volume typically goes to Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins, but we have seen a third receiver (historically, Tyler Boyd) have good weeks.
Iosivas has done enough to earn Joe Burrow’s trust in the passing attack and should continue to see his role expand in his third season.
Cleveland Browns: Cedric Tillman, WR
If Cedric Tillman had stayed healthy last season, he likely wouldn’t have qualified as a “breakout” in 2025. The second-year receiver was on his way to irrelevance again in 2024 (three catches on five targets for nine yards in Weeks 1-6), failing to log a snap share above 36% in the first six weeks. However, everything changed for him after the Cleveland Browns decided to trade Amari Cooper.
From Weeks 7-12, Tillman caught 26 of 44 targets for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Tillman also had a three-week stretch (7-9) where he was the WR2 in fantasy, averaging 22.2 PPR points per game. Unfortunately, he suffered a concussion in Week 12 and didn’t return for the rest of the season.
Tillman will enter 2025 healthy and is penciled in as Cleveland’s WR2 alongside Jerry Jeudy. In 2024, we already saw that Tillman could dominate targets and put up big fantasy points in a similar situation; he just needed to stay on the field to do it.
Dallas Cowboys: Jaydon Blue, RB
We’ll break the “no rookies” rule here for a breakout, considering most of the Dallas Cowboys’ skill players have already had significant seasons. Thus, the most likely Cowboys player to break out in 2025 is running back Jaydon Blue.
Blue, a fifth-round pick out of Texas, was buried on the Longhorns’ depth chart until 2024. However, he flashed his playmaking ability in his final season, handling 134 carries for 730 yards and eight rushing touchdowns while adding 42 receptions for 368 yards and six more scores.
The Cowboys’ backfield is wide open. Javonte Williams has averaged just 3.65 yards per carry since tearing his ACL in 2022, while Miles Sanders is coming off two seasons in Carolina, totaling just 939 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.
Blue will be the most explosive option in Dallas’ backfield and could take over pass-catching duties as soon as Week 1. From there, getting him a bigger role over Sanders or Williams may not take much.
Denver Broncos: Marvin Mims Jr., WR
The Denver Broncos’ offense has plenty of young players, but the one who came on strongest to end 2024 was second-year receiver Marvin Mims Jr.
Through 10 weeks, Mims was having another pedestrian season as a pass catcher (11 receptions for 69 yards and four carries for 34 yards). But starting in Week 11, Mims began getting more opportunities to generate explosive plays.
The result was 28 receptions on 33 targets for 434 yards and six touchdowns in seven weeks. Over those seven weeks, Mims ranked as the WR23 (15.5 points per game), with three top-12 WR finishes during that time.
BO NIX WITH AN ABSOLUTE LASER TO MARVIN MIMS JR. FOR A 51-YARD TOUCHDOWN 😱
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/Co4ubT1ded
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 28, 2024
Mims faces plenty of competition in the passing attack in 2025, thanks to Denver adding Evan Engram and rookies Pat Bryant and RJ Harvey to a receiver group that returns Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin.
However, Mims is also the only real threat for explosive plays in this offense and should have a consistent weekly role, even if it is just as a gadget player.
Detroit Lions: Isaac TeSlaa, WR
The Detroit Lions’ core offensive pieces (Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery) have all broken out. So, the most likely breakout default is rookie third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa.
Many were surprised when TeSlaa came off the board within the top three rounds, but Detroit believes that his high-effort play will translate to the NFL. It certainly helps that the 6-foot-4, 214-pound TeSlaa ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
The Arkansas product was a modest producer during his final two seasons with the Razorbacks (62 receptions for 896 yards and five touchdowns) and will hopefully have a greater impact in the pros.
TeSlaa likely needs one of Detroit’s better weapons to get injured and get a consistent role as a rookie, yet he’s one of the only players on this offense without a breakout heading into 2025.
Green Bay Packers: MarShawn Lloyd, RB
2024 was a lost season for Marshawn Lloyd due to injuries. The third-round pick played just 10 snaps, handling six carries for 15 yards with one reception for three yards in his lone game of the season.
Lloyd was drafted to complement Josh Jacobs, but his absence allowed Jacobs to significantly impact his first season (337 touches for 1,671 yards and 16 total touchdowns).
The Green Bay Packers didn’t add anybody to their backfield this offseason, signaling a belief that Lloyd can still make a significant impact in Year 2. Head coach Matt LaFleur has never shied away from splitting his backfields. Jacobs also has a history of soft tissue injuries, making it even more important to reduce his workload to keep him healthy.
Lloyd will clearly complement Jacobs in Green Bay’s offense, but that can be a lucrative role for fantasy managers in 2025, especially if Jacobs misses time after handling over 300 touches in 2024.
Houston Texans: Jayden Higgins, WR
The Houston Texans added several well-established veterans this offseason, but their most likely breakout star is second-round draft pick Jayden Higgins. Higgins entered the 2025 NFL Draft after catching 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns in his final season at Iowa State. The rookie also had an excellent draft process, measuring 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds and running a 4.47 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Houston’s offense desperately needs a reliable weapon across from Nico Collins in 2025 since they will be without Stefon Diggs (free agency) and Tank Dell (injury). Those two accounted for 26% of Houston’s targets despite playing eight and 14 games, respectively.
Higgins has the size and speed to open the field and the draft capital to suggest he will be on the field during two receiver sets in Week 1. He may start the season slowly, competing with Collins and Christian Kirk for targets, but Higgins has all the tools necessary to be a weekly fantasy receiver by the end of the year.
Indianapolis Colts: Adonai Mitchell, WR
Adonai Mitchell was a popular sleeper in 2024 after being selected in the second round by the Indianapolis Colts. Mitchell was coming off a strong 2023 at Georgia (55 receptions for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns) and had a shocking performance at the NFL Combine (6-foot-2, 205 pounds with a 4.34 40-yard dash).
Unfortunately, Mitchell spent his rookie season buried behind Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs. When Mitchell got opportunities, Anthony Richardson frequently missed him (NFL-worst 50.9% catchable target rate). Despite that, Mitchell did get separation at a high level when he was on the field.
Daniel Jones seems to be in the lead to start for Indianapolis in 2025, leading to more accurate passes (yes, it’s true!). Mitchell was buried as a rookie, but his ability to get open underneath with speed to break big yards after the catch gives him a skill set that nobody else has in Indianapolis. He could break out easily in 2025 as long as he can earn more snaps.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Dyami Brown, WR
Dyami Brown was in the middle of another underwhelming season in 2024 through Week 12. The veteran receiver had 16 receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown while playing just 37.8% of Washington’s snaps.
A Week 13 injury to Noah Brown, though, allowed Dyami to see an expanded role to close the season, and he made the most of it. Dyami Brown put up just 14 receptions for 137 yards in the final four regular-season games but showed enough to earn a bigger role in the playoffs.
And he was excellent in Washington’s three playoff games, catching 14 of 18 targets for 229 yards and a touchdown.
JAYDEN DANIELS’ FIRST CAREER PLAYOFF TOUCHDOWN IS TO DYAMI BROWN
pic.twitter.com/JmOKQgdp5Z— 🚀 DC Rising 🚀 (@DC__Rising) January 13, 2025
That game helped Brown earn a one-year, $10 million contract from the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Now, he’s the clear third target behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, but Brown will be on the field in three-receiver sets. The veteran also earned rave reviews throughout the summer for his route running and explosiveness.
Jacksonville is widely viewed as an ascending offense under new head coach Liam Coen. Brown seems to have a consistent role in the passing attack, which would give him ample opportunities to put up the best season of his career.
Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, WR
Xavier Worthy began his rookie season as a gadget player and deep-shot specialist for the Kansas City Chiefs, but his role expanded late in the season. The Chiefs were desperate for a playmaker to emerge after losing Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown to injury (plus Travis Kelce looking his age), and the 2024 first-round pick delivered.
From Weeks 12-17, Worthy’s offensive snap share jumped to 75.1%. He averaged 8.3 targets, 5.8 receptions, and 55.2 receiving yards over those six weeks (15.3 PPR points per game during that stretch).
Worthy’s strong play continued into the playoffs, catching 19 of 21 passes for 287 yards and three scores throughout the postseason.
Worthy will face plenty of target competition in Year 2, but he has the speed to take any opportunity into the end zone. He proved as a rookie that he’s more than a deep threat and could easily earn a bigger role for a Chiefs team hunting for explosive plays.
Las Vegas Raiders: Dont’e Thornton Jr., WR
Ashton Jeanty feels like cheating here since the rookie running back is already being drafted as a first-round pick. So instead, we’ll look at another rookie drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders, Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Thornton’s college production was subpar (65 receptions for 1,426 yards and 10 touchdowns in 47 career games), but he made a name for himself during his final season at Tennessee, averaging 25.4 yards per reception.
Thornton’s draft stock then exploded after he measured in at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds while running a 4.30 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
The rookie was getting reps with the first team throughout the summer thanks to his ability to threaten opposing defenses vertically. The Raiders have two excellent weapons underneath (Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers), but they need to add a vertical component to their offense. New quarterback Geno Smith had the ninth-best completion percentage on 20+ yard passes in 2024 (39.0%).
If Thornton can continue his strong summer into training camp, he can earn a significant role in Las Vegas’ offense as the team’s deep threat. That could make him fantasy relevant quickly, even as a boom-or-bust Flex play.
Los Angeles Chargers: Tre Harris, WR
The Los Angeles Chargers don’t have many veteran breakout options on their roster, so their pick will be 2025 second-round pick Tre Harris.
Harris was a solid wide receiver in 2022 for Louisiana Tech (65 receptions for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns) and in 2023 for Ole Miss (54 receptions, 985 yards, and eight touchdowns) before erupting in 2024. He was limited to just eight games last season with a lower body injury, but still caught 60 passes for 1,030 yards and seven TDs.
In his final season, Harris posted 5.2 yards per route run, which is an absurdly high number for any receiver. However, a limited route tree (and gimmicky passing offense) kept him out of this class’ top tier of WRs. Still, a strong Combine (6-foot-2, 205 pounds with a 4.54 40-yard dash) pushed him up draft boards.
The Chargers are searching for a proper complement to Ladd McConkey in the passing attack. Quentin Johnston was fine in 2024 but still struggled with drops, and Joshua Palmer left the team in free agency. Harris can carve out a significant role as a rookie in an efficient passing offense with an excellent young quarterback.
Los Angeles Rams: Jarquez Hunter, RB
The Los Angeles Rams’ skill-position groups all feature a lot of veteran talent. One of the few players on offense who can even have a breakout season is rookie RB Jarquez Hunter.
Los Angeles used a 2024 third-round pick on Michigan’s Blake Corum, who was immediately seen as a threat by many to Kyren Williams’ volume. Instead, Corum logged just 58 carries for 207 yards and suffered a broken forearm in the season’s final game.
Stylistically, Corum is more of a handcuff to Williams than a complementary piece. That makes Hunter, the team’s 2025 fourth-round pick, so interesting.
MORE: PFSN Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator!
The Auburn product was excellent, and he had an expanded workload over his final two collegiate seasons. He carried the ball 346 times for 2,110 yards and 15 touchdowns while adding 39 receptions for 273 yards and a score.
Hunter averaged 6.2 yards per touch on bad Auburn teams in 2023 and 2024. More importantly, though, Hunter adds a speed element (4.44 40-yard dash) to the backfield that Williams and Corum don’t possess. That complementary skill set could allow Hunter to see a solid workload as a rookie.
Miami Dolphins: Jaylen Wright, RB
Many fantasy analysts expected Jaylen Wright to make an immediate impact as another explosive runner in the Miami Dolphins’ backfield last season. Instead, the rookie produced just 68 carries for 249 rushing yards and three receptions for eight yards.
Meanwhile, De’Von Achane had a high-volume role as a runner (203 carries) and as a receiver (78 receptions on 87 targets). In the backfield hierarchy, Wright was also behind Raheem Mostert (85 carries).
Mostert is no longer in Miami, giving Wright the runway to Miami’s backup RB spot in Year 2. Wright will still have competition in the backfield (Alexander Mattison and Ollie Gordon II), but those players have more power-based running styles and will likely be in short-yardage roles.
Wright can carve out a role in Miami’s backfield with Achane healthy. He also has league-winning upside if Achane gets injured in 2025.
Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Mason, RB
Jordan Mason got an expanded role at the start of 2024 thanks to Christian McCaffrey’s injury. From Weeks 1-5, Mason averaged 21.0 carries per game, 107.2 rushing yards, and scored three touchdowns. He averaged 16.6 fantasy ppg during that stretch despite offering almost no pass-catching upside.
Unfortunately, injuries significantly limited Mason’s role for the remainder of the season and eventually shut him down for the final four weeks.
The Jordan Mason touchdown managers were waiting for!
He has 93 yards and a TD so far! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lhubclHsVx
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) September 10, 2024
This offseason, Mason was traded to the Minnesota Vikings to complement Aaron Jones. The Vikings will give Mason a greater opportunity than he would have had in San Francisco to be fantasy-relevant.
Jones had a career-high 306 touches in his age-30 season after spending most of his career in split backfields. Minnesota tried to find other backs to give him breaks, but none were good enough to see significant touches.
Mason will now get a share and have the advantage of running behind one of the most improved offensive lines in the NFL.
New England Patriots: DeMario Douglas, WR
The New England Patriots made several additions to their offense during the offseason to try and give Drake Maye a chance to develop. These moves should allow third-year wide receiver DeMario Douglas an opportunity to break out next season.
Douglas has already been successful in the NFL, especially considering that he was a sixth-round pick in 2023. Through two seasons, Douglas has caught 115 of 165 targets for 1,182 yards and three touchdowns. He’s a slot-specific receiver who has had to separate on his own, given the lack of talent in New England.
The Patriots added Diggs and Mack Hollins during free agency and drafted Kyle Williams to upgrade New England’s subpar WR room. While each of these players is more capable of taking targets from Douglas, they will also force defenses not to key on the slot receiver.
If Douglas can improve his efficiency as a receiver, he can have a bigger impact in both real-life and fantasy football. His rapport with Maye could be helpful, especially early on.
New Orleans Saints: Kendre Miller, RB
Kendre Miller was a popular sleeper RB during the 2023 NFL Draft process. He was eventually drafted in the third round, leading many to tout him as a potential difference-maker in New Orleans as a complement to Alvin Kamara.
Unfortunately, injuries have derailed the start of Miller’s career. The third-year running back has played just 14 games in two years, handling just 80 carries for 304 yards and two touchdowns while adding 15 receptions for 150 yards.
In his limited work, Miller has averaged 4.8 yards per touch, but injuries led him to fall out of favor with the old New Orleans Saints’ coaching staff. New Orleans hired an entirely new staff, though, ahead of this year, led by Kellen Moore.
Moore has made it clear that Miller will have a clean slate. If he can stay healthy and focused, Miller will finally have an opportunity to show what he can do at the NFL level.
The Saints need him healthy to evaluate their backfield and keep Kamara fresh. Miller should have a role in an offense with plenty of question marks heading into 2025.
New York Giants: Jalin Hyatt, WR
Jalin Hyatt has struggled to find a foothold in the NFL since being drafted in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Through two seasons, Hyatt has just 31 receptions and 435 receiving yards with the New York Giants. He’s suffered through bad quarterback play but also has failed to beat out Darius Slayton for snaps, leading the Giants to re-sign Slayton to a big contract (three years, $36 million) this offseason.
Hyatt will again need to try and carve out a more consistent role in New York’s receiver rotation, especially with Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson expected to start. However, he could finally be paired with quarterbacks who can maximize his speed.
Russell Wilson had the second-best 20+ yard completion rate among quarterbacks in 2024 (46.7%). His backup, Jameis Winston, attempted 34 deep throws on his 296 passing attempts, and rookie Jaxson Dart led the 2025 draft class in 20+ yard throws (81) and average depth of target (12.3).
Hyatt will need to supplant Slayton as the Giants’ deep threat, but New York also needs to start identifying young pieces of the offense that can contribute if Dart proves to be a quality NFL quarterback. For the first time since being drafted, the Giants have a QB room that can maximize Hyatt’s skill set.
New York Jets: Braelon Allen, RB
The New York Jets seem committed to running a split backfield in 2025, which allows Braelon Allen to grow his role in the rushing attack as soon as next season.
Allen handled 92 carries for 334 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie while adding 19 receptions for 148 yards and another TD. Allen’s size and power suggest that he could see his role shift in goal-to-go or short-yardage situations.
The Jets’ backup RB is a perfect power complement to Breece Hall’s explosive rushing game. If the new coaching staff is truly committed to splitting the work in the backfield (remember, their roots are in Detroit’s system), then Allen will be the biggest beneficiary in 2025.
Philadelphia Eagles: Will Shipley, RB
Like many other second-year running backs on this list, Will Shipley was buried behind a player who was extraordinarily healthy and dominated touches in the backfield (Saquon Barkley). Not only was Shipley behind Barkley as a rookie, but he couldn’t jump ahead of Kenneth Gainwell on the depth chart either.
Gainwell left the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, leaving Shipley to compete with A.J. Dillon for the backup role. Shipley’s versatility could give him the nod, though.
The Clemson product was a well-rounded threat in college, handling 526 carries and 85 receptions during his three seasons with Clemson. In college, Shipley also had 3,349 all-purpose yards and 33 total touchdowns.
Shipley is likely a pure handcuff rather than an established part of the offense to start the season, but Barkley is coming off a career-high workload and could use more breaks in 2024. That, plus Shipley’s potential role if Barkley were injured, makes him an ideal breakout candidate next season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Pat Freiermuth, TE
Pat Freiermuth has been good as a fantasy tight end (9.0+ fantasy points per game in three of the last four seasons), even if he’s never had a true breakout. He’s also had at least 60 targets and 78 receptions in those three seasons and has posted an 8.1% TD rate for his professional career.
However, Freiermuth has never had more than 732 receiving yards in a season. Aaron Rodgers’ arrival, though, could change the trajectory of his career.
DK Metcalf is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ unquestioned lead receiver, but nobody else on the team has consistently shown the ability to earn targets at this level. Freiermuth could easily finish second on the team in targets in 2025 while catching passes from a deadly accurate Rodgers.
Freiermuth has an opportunity to take a significant step with a veteran QB and will most likely be the Steelers’ second target this coming season. He’s been (and will continue to be) an excellent value toward the end of drafts.
San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, WR
Ricky Pearsall was forced to miss the start of his rookie season after recovering from being shot during the preseason. Pearsall got an opportunity to expand his role, though, as the season went on, and made the most of it, catching 18 of 22 targets for 247 yards and two touchdowns over his final three games.
During that stretch, he was the WR15 in PPR points per game (18.2).
Deebo Samuel Sr. was traded away this offseason, and Brandon Aiyuk is recovering from a torn ACL. Pearsall will have an opportunity to make an immediate impact in 2025 and potentially establish himself into a breakout season.
Seattle Seahawks: Elijah Arroyo, TE
The Seattle Seahawks overhauled their pass catchers this offseason. First, they released veteran receiver Tyler Lockett and traded away Metcalf. Seattle tried to offset those losses by adding Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency. However, rookie TE Elijah Arroyo is the most likely addition that could break out in 2025.
Arroyo was fantastic in his final season with the Miami Hurricanes, catching 35 passes for 590 yards and seven touchdowns. He also dominated the Senior Bowl, consistently flashing his top-end speed and mismatch ability.
Unfortunately, Arroyo has a history of injuries that could stifle his growth at the NFL level. If healthy, he has the makings of a difference-making weapon as soon as his rookie season. Noah Fant will be on the field and limit Arroyo’s chances, but he also has struggled to produce enough as a receiver to hold off the rookie for long.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka, WR
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ pass-catching group is loaded. Mike Evans is coming off another 1,000-yard season. Chris Godwin dominated early in the season (62 targets, 50 receptions, 576 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in seven games) before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. And rookie third-round pick Jalen McMillan also had an impactful first season (37 receptions for 461 yards and eight touchdowns).
All three return to Tampa Bay in 2025. That is why many were shocked that the Buccaneers used their first-round pick on Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka is the top receptions leader in Ohio State history, catching 205 passes for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns in his four-year career.
The Buccaneers’ offense is crowded, but Egbuka should be able to make an immediate impact despite the target competition around him. He’s a savvy route runner with surprising speed (4.45 40-yard dash) and should instantly be on the field for three-receiver sets.
Egbuka has even more upside if Godwin’s ankle is still healing or Evans gets injured again in 2025.
Tennessee Titans: Tyjae Spears, RB
Tyaje Spears battled injuries in his second season, which ultimately allowed free agent acquisition Tony Pollard an opportunity to dominate touches in the backfield.
Spears played in just 12 games, carrying the ball 84 times for 312 yards and four touchdowns while adding 30 receptions for 224 yards and a score. Despite the lesser workload, he became a more efficient runner, improving his success rate as both a rusher (46.4%) and receiver (40.0%) in 2024. In the season’s final weeks, Spears saw an expanded workload and showed why he deserves a bigger role if healthy.
From Weeks 15-17, Spears averaged a 60% snap share. During that stretch, he carried the ball 34 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns, adding 12 receptions on 15 targets for 134 yards and a receiving score. He was the RB5 during that stretch, averaging 20.7 PPR points per game.
the full play: pic.twitter.com/EzYOAdnOJ8
— Justin Graver (@titansfilmroom) January 7, 2024
The Titans’ backfield was meant to be a timeshare between Spears and Pollard, but injuries derailed that plan. If he stays on the field this time around, Spears can break out in 2025.
Washington Commanders: Ben Sinnott, TE
The Washington Commanders’ skill group is littered with established veterans. However, second-year tight end Ben Sinnott is one young player who could break out in 2025.
Sinnott had just a 27% snap share in his rookie season thanks to an excellent year by veteran tight end Zach Ertz. In his limited role, the Kansas State product caught all five of his targets for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Ertz is back with Washington in 2025, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to stay healthy again next season. He had missed at least seven games in his two previous seasons, and last year was just the second time Ertz hadn’t missed a game since 2018.
The TE position historically takes time to adjust to the NFL level, which was the case with Sinnott in his first season. The second-year tight end is a dynamic weapon who can be utilized across the formation. If Sinnott gets to see the field, he could exploit the mismatches created by defenses trying to take away Terry McLaurin and Samuel.
