Fantasy football breakouts are often the difference between winning your league and finishing in the middle of the pack—and 2025 is loaded with prime candidates ready to smash their ADP. From dual-threat quarterbacks like Drake Maye to volume-heavy runners like Kaleb Johnson, savvy drafters have plenty of upside targets to circle late in drafts. Add in rookie tight end Mason Taylor stepping into a starting role with the Jets, and you’ve got a group of under-the-radar players poised to deliver league-winning value this season.
QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye enters his second NFL season with all the tools fantasy managers crave in a breakout quarterback—size (6’4”, 220 lbs.), mobility, arm strength, and now, finally, an improved supporting cast. After a dazzling sophomore campaign at North Carolina in 2022 (4,321 yards, 38 TDs, 698 rushing yards), Maye's production dipped slightly in 2023, but he still showcased the dual-threat traits and pocket poise that made him a top-3 NFL Draft pick. He’s adept at making throws on the move, especially when rolling left, and he consistently manipulates defenders with his eyes to create windows downfield—an advanced trait for a young passer.
Maye flashed early in his rookie year with New England, throwing for 282 yards and 2 scores in Week 11 and finishing the season with a solid 66.6% completion rate and 421 rushing yards (7.8 YPC). While he battled through a weak supporting cast—the Patriots’ wide receivers ranked second-to-last in fantasy scoring—he still managed 13 starts, gaining valuable reps and showing flashes of high-end QB1 potential. His running ability offers a safe weekly floor, and his poise under pressure suggests a big leap is coming.
The Patriots retooled their offense this offseason, drafting blue-chip linemen Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, signing veteran center Garrett Bradbury, and overhauling the skill positions with explosive rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson and WR Kyle Williams, plus Stefon Diggs. With a much stronger infrastructure, Maye has a clear path to surpass 4,000 total yards and 25+ touchdowns. Currently QB15 in high-stakes leagues, Maye is a high-upside fantasy sleeper with low-end QB1 potential and weekly top-10 finishes if everything clicks.
RB Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
After a promising freshman year at Iowa, Kaleb Johnson battled through an injury-riddled 2023 before erupting in 2024 with a dominant 1,537-yard, 21-touchdown campaign on 6.0 yards per carry. He added versatility to his game with a career-best 22 catches for 188 yards and two scores, showcasing growth as a receiving threat and solidifying his reputation as a high-volume, power-driven back.
At 6’1”, 225 pounds, Johnson blends size, patience, and vision to carve up defenses—not just as a bruiser, but as a rhythm runner capable of wearing opponents down over four quarters. While his 4.57 speed doesn’t threaten secondaries in the open field, he excels in short-yardage and goal-line situations, where his physicality and balance shine. He’s still a work in progress in pass protection and isn’t yet a third-down mainstay, but his early-down profile fits perfectly in Pittsburgh’s offense. The Steelers selected him in the third round with the clear intent to make him their primary rusher following Najee Harris’ departure.
With minimal competition for touches and a run-heavy scheme, Johnson projects for 250 carries, 1,200 yards, 7+ touchdowns, and around 25 receptions—making him a strong RB2 candidate with top-20 upside. Currently ranked as RB26, he’s a mid-round sleeper who could easily outpace his ADP and become a weekly lineup fixture in 2025.
WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
Keon Coleman showed flashes of stardom in his rookie campaign, and with a full offseason to get healthy and develop chemistry with Josh Allen, he’s primed to explode in Year 2. Despite missing four games with a wrist injury and operating in a deep-threat role, Coleman still posted a blazing 19.2 yards per catch, reeled in 12 plays of 20+ yards, and delivered a pair of eye-opening performances (4/125 and 5/70/1) before getting hurt. While his 50.9% catch rate and inconsistent usage revealed some rookie growing pains, the flashes were impossible to ignore—he's a big-play weapon with red-zone upside written all over him.
In college, Coleman built a WR1 resume across stints at Michigan State and Florida State, racking up 1,506 yards and 19 touchdowns in just 34 games, including five 100-yard outings and double-digit TDs in 2023. At 6’4” with elite ball-tracking and contested-catch ability, he profiles as a true jump-ball artist—think a young Marques Colston with a dash of Mike Evans’ physicality. While his 4.6 speed limits his separation, he wins in tight coverage, thrives vs. zone, and has the size to dominate on fades and back-shoulders. With Buffalo restructuring its WR room around role players and speedsters, Coleman has a clear path to becoming Allen’s go-to alpha in the intermediate and vertical game.
Currently going off the board as a WR5, Coleman is a draft-day steal waiting to happen. If he refines his route-running and sees an uptick in target volume, a 70/1,000/7 stat line is well within reach—and those numbers would obliterate his current ADP. He’s a classic second-year breakout candidate with WR2 upside and league-winning potential in best ball and redraft formats.
TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets
Mason Taylor enters the NFL with one of the most complete resumes among rookie tight ends, blending early-age production, athletic upside, and a high-volume college role that screams breakout potential. Over 38 games at LSU, Taylor hauled in 129 passes for 1,308 yards and six touchdowns, capped by a career-best 55/546/2 line in 2024 while playing in the SEC’s most pass-heavy offense (534 attempts). His career 10.1 yards per catch highlights his short-to-intermediate usage, but his quickness and body control made him a reliable weapon over the middle and a trusted safety valve for multiple quarterbacks.
Taylor’s NFL readiness is aided by his age—he just turned 21 last month—and his athletic profile. He clocked a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash (top-tier for his position) and crushed the bench press with 28 reps at 225 pounds, showcasing both burst and strength. While he needs refinement in route pacing and physicality as a blocker, Taylor has natural hands and a knack for making tough grabs in traffic—traits that should translate early at the next level. His ceiling will rise quickly with NFL coaching, particularly as he sharpens his route tempo and leverage usage at the top of his breaks.
Taylor steps into a wide-open tight end room in New York, and with Justin Fields under center, there's reason to believe he can immediately carve out a meaningful role. Fields leaned heavily on Cole Kmet in Chicago—feeding him 123 targets over the past two seasons—and Taylor profiles as a similar safety net with more athletic upside. With a clear path to the starting job and a history of dependable production, Taylor offers a solid TE2 floor with sneaky TE1 breakout appeal, especially in tight end premium leagues.
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