Fantasy football rankings 2025: Breakouts by model that predicted Jayden Daniels’ big season
Bryce Young, Jalen McMillan and Pat Freiermuth aren’t names that many will be rushing to grab in 2025 Fantasy football drafts, but perhaps they should be, as each was dynamite to close out last season. Each of the three ranked among the top six in positional Fantasy points over the last five weeks of 2024, giving them an opportunity to be among the top 2025 Fantasy football breakouts. While McMillan now has to contend with the returning Chris Godwin, and Freiermuth has Jonnu Smith in the way, Young has a clear path to finally realize his potential as a top overall pick.
It was really the last three weeks of the season that clicked for Young as he had 10 total touchdowns and zero turnovers over that stretch, compared to 11 of each over the first 15 weeks. No one’s expecting him to play perfect, turnover-free ball every week, but anything close to that production would have him greatly outperforming his Fantasy football projections. Before crafting your 2025 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2025 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last year, the model accurately predicted that Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels would comfortably outperform his ADP (QB13). The result: Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns with only nine interceptions and added 891 rushing yards with six more scores on the ground to take home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He finished as QB5 in CBS Sports PPR leagues and was a great addition to Fantasy football lineups.
The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020, nailing Jonathan Taylor’s monstrous season in 2021 and correctly predicting C.J. Stroud would take a step back in 2024. Additionally, it’s called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2025, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Fantasy football breakouts
One of the 2025 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting: Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange. Entering his third season, Strange posted a 40-411-2 stat line last year as a part-time starter behind Evan Engram. The two-time Pro Bowler has since moved on to Denver, leaving Strange as the starter, and Trevor Lawrence clearly likes throwing to the position. Just two years ago, Engram’s 114 receptions were the second-most in NFL history by a tight end in a single season.
There’s now a new coaching staff in Jacksonville, but HC Liam Coen also favors the position. Both Cade Otton (2024) and Tyler Higbee (2022) had 600-plus receiving yards in Coen’s two seasons as an NFL playcaller. Strange was a second round pick from the tight end factory of Penn State, so he was a highly touted prospect. This year provides his first opportunity to put his abilities on full display as a 2025 Fantasy football breakout, according to the model.
Another potential breakout that SportsLine’s Fantasy football rankings 2025 have identified: Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman. Coleman caught just 29 passes as a rookie but showed big-play ability, ranking third in yards per catch among receivers with 50+ targets.
Coleman did enough in terms of production that the Bills didn’t make it a priority to add to the pass-catching group this offseason. He’s a former first-round pick who now has a year of experience under his belt and Josh Allen throwing him the football, making him a prime candidate to have a breakout season. SportsLine’s model is projecting Coleman to outperform fellow receivers like Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp and Michael Pittman, identifying him as one of the top 2025 Fantasy football breakouts to target on draft day. See which other Fantasy football breakouts 2025 to pick here.
How to find proven 2025 Fantasy football rankings
SportsLine is also extremely high on a rookie running back to make an immediate impact. The model ranks this player as a top-10 option ahead of more established stars like Christian McCaffrey and Bucky Irving. You can only see who it is, and the 2025 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.
So which 2025 Fantasy Football breakouts should you target, and which RB shocks the NFL with a top-10 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2025 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Jayden Daniels’ breakout rookie season, and find out.
2025 Fantasy football ADP
(PPR, via CBS)
1. Ja’Marr Chase (1.82)
2. Bijan Robinson (2.48)
3. Saquon Barkley (3.11)
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (4.21)
5. Justin Jefferson (7.22)
6. CeeDee Lamb (7.33)
7. Derrick Henry (9.35)
8. Christian McCaffrey (10.34)
9. De’Von Achane (10.38)
10. Ashton Jeanty (12.91)
