When fantasy managers draft players who break out the same year, they have a huge advantage over their opponents. Getting a round-one-talent player in the fourth, fifth, sixth, or later rounds is a massive boost for your team.
The difficult part is figuring out who these breakout players are going to be. And that is exactly what my job is. Here are my top four breakout candidates in 2025 fantasy football!
Kenneth Walker (SEA)
ADP 45 – RB 16
Through three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, we still have yet to see a fully healthy season from Kenneth Walker. In 2024, he played in just 11 games, putting up some very unappealing fantasy numbers. Fantasy managers were dissatisfied with Walker unless they had backup running back Zach Charbonnet to fill the hole he left in lineups.
Despite his health struggles and disappointing 2024 season, I am still fully in on Walker in 2025. When he is on the field, he showcases elite talent, posing as a bell-cow running back for Seattle. And the touchdowns are always there; through three seasons, he has never had fewer than eight total TDs.
This being said, the floor for Walker is already established. But the more promising aspect of Walker is that the upside is there as well. In 2024, Walker received more receiving work than in his previous two seasons despite playing in four fewer games. His 53 targets were a career high by a fair margin. If Walker keeps this up, he has top-five running back potential.
Lastly, Seattle is bringing in Klint Kubiak as their offensive coordinator for 2025. Kubiak has been notorious for running the ball down teams’ throats, previously working with superstars Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara. I sense that Kubiak is going to want to lead a run-dominant offense, simultaneously getting Walker involved in the passing game.
The biggest thing Walker’s success comes down to is his health. If he can be on the field for just 15 games, I have no doubt in my mind he has the upside to finish as a top-five running back. Banking on injury is playing scared, and I am all in on Walker in 2025.
Jameson Williams (DET)
ADP 58.1 – WR 27
Having players on your fantasy roster who are a part of the Detroit Lions feels awesome. You have the studs– Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and even David Montgomery. However, the one guy who is overlooked in this dominant offense is Jameson Williams.
Williams is going into his fourth season, and the stars are aligning for him to truly break out. He had a phenomenal season last year as the second option for Detroit, and I believe there is much more in the tank. Going for 1,001 receiving yards with seven touchdowns is great; however, his ceiling is much more than that.
Yes, his fantasy production might be capped by St. Brown, LaPorta, and Gibbs, but some offseason changes might help Williams. For starters, the departure of Ben Johnson and the addition of John Morton will only boost Williams’s volume.
Morton was previously the passing game coordinator for the Denver Broncos, and rookie Bo Nix led that Denver offense that passed the football downfield much more than Detroit did in 2024. Because of this, I believe Morton is going to bring along this downfield focus to Detroit, and I expect Jared Goff to be passing deep much more in 2025.
This is where Williams thrives. He is a phenomenal deep-ball threat, and if he is going to get more looks this way, the fantasy output will increase. Not only is he great downfield, but Williams is awesome over the middle as well. Think of a quicker, twitchier Jaylen Waddle. We saw what Waddle is capable of; now imagine what he can do if he has more space.
The biggest kicker of all of this comes down to where Williams is being drafted. Going after guys like Zay Flowers and Xavier Worthy (both of whom I have as bust candidates for 2025), Williams is being massively undervalued. There is a strong shot that Williams will explode in 2025, and I am all for it.
Josh Downs (IND)
ADP 103.7 – WR 48
Josh Downs’ career has been significantly capped by the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback play. The man is a great receiver who has proven he can do great things on the field, but Anthony Richardson has yet to display that he can support a fantasy-relevant wide receiver.
However, the future for Downs is looking great. As of right now, it seems like newly-acquired quarterback Daniel Jones is on a great pace to win the QB1 battle. If this is the case, Downs is in for a breakout year.
While having Jones behind center may not seem very appealing, he was able to support Malik Nabers last year to a WR1 level. In the eight games Nabers played with Jones, he averaged 17.4 PPR points per game, a mark that is incredible considering how dysfunctional that offense was.
Now, I am fully aware that Downs may not be as skilled as Nabers, but this proves that Jones is capable of supporting a WR1. Downs will end up being the WR1 in this Colts offense, and if Jones is behind center, Downs will have a career year.
The most eye-catching aspect of Downs, though, is where he is being drafted. If his ADP stays around 100, I will be drafting Downs every single time. He managed to rack up 107 targets last year in one of the worst offenses in the league. With the quarterback play improving in 2025, the odds of this mark increasing are high.
Downs had five top-12 finishes in 2024. I firmly believe that with Jones slinging him the ball in a (most likely) constant negative game script, this number will drastically increase. Do not be surprised if Downs breaks out in 2025 and finishes as a top 20 fantasy receiver.
Marvin Mims Jr (DEN)
ADP 134.1 – WR 57
For my last breakout candidate, I have Marvin Mims of the Denver Broncos. This one is much more of a long shot, but I believe there is a good chance Mims can have a career year in 2025.
For starters, this Denver offense was awesome in 2024. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix proved that he can lead the Broncos to a very strong offense, and for the most part, the receiving room is wide open. Devaughn Vele has yet to do anything drastic, and it is undefined how rookie Pat Bryant will play a role in this offense.
I am more worried about Bryant in terms of Mims’ fantasy output due to his day-two draft capital, but I think Mims can take advantage of the vacated targets in 2025. If the entire offense wants to take a step forward, a second receiver needs to step up behind Courtland Sutton, and Mims is in the prime position to do so.
I am a strong believer in Sean Payton, and I trust that he is going to develop Mims into a receiver who can take on a bigger role in 2025. All in all, that is what this offense is truly lacking. They need someone besides Sutton to play a larger part in this offense.
With Nix only getting better as a quarterback, I believe that Mims is ready for an explosive season, and if you can get him at his price of WR57, I am all in on that value. I expect Mims to leap into the fantasy-relevant category in 2025.