As fantasy football draft season inches nearer and nearer, it is time for our annual predictions of sleepers, busts and breakout gamers. Interpretations of the phrases can fluctuate for every, however listed here are the definitions for our functions:
• Sleeper: A participant who’s being missed and can outperform his common draft place (ADP) in 2025.
• Bust: A extremely regarded participant who will underperform in 2025, relative to his ADP/rating.
• Breakout: A participant who will put up career-best numbers in 2025 and make a huge effect.
Stephania Bell, Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Daniel Dopp, Tyler Fulghum, Eric Karabell, Eric Moody and Field Yates every contributed a sleeper and a bust for the key offensive positions, in addition to one breakout candidate. You’ll find their picks under, in addition to their evaluation and insights on a number of gamers they felt most keen about in every class.
Editor’s observe: This story will likely be up to date all through the preseason.
Leap to: Sleepers | Busts | Breakouts
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Sleepers
Cockcroft: Whereas we have seen nothing but from J.J. McCarthy at this stage, as he missed his total rookie season recovering from a number of knee surgical procedures, he’s in one among his place’s greatest conditions by which to succeed. Coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme closely favors quarterbacks, with the place averaging 17.8 fantasy factors per recreation (that is 302.4 in a 17-game season) in his three years within the function. And McCarthy has one of the gifted teams of receivers, led by Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, with whom to work.
Bowen: At 6-foot-1, 224 kilos with straight-line acceleration and imaginative and prescient, Kaleb Johnson is a simple match for the surface zone scheme in Pittsburgh. He had 21 rushes of 20 or extra yards final season at Iowa — the second most within the nation behind Ashton Jeanty — and he can put up receiving numbers on swings, screens and unders. Johnson will share the backfield with Jaylen Warren, however the early-down quantity in a run-heavy offense can push him into the RB2 ranks.
Karabell: Some would possibly fade Travis Hunter in fantasy due to concern with potential snaps as a two-way participant, however the Jaguars appear extra probably to make use of him on offense reasonably than at cornerback. Hunter presents instant WR2 upside, with a reliable QB in Trevor Lawrence and a legit WR1 in Brian Thomas Jr. drawing extra consideration, and at an odd fraction of the fee in line with early ADP figures (Thomas 19.0, Hunter 68.6).
Clay: The tenth decide in April’s draft, Colston Loveland has a ton of competitors for targets in Chicago, however he very nicely may demand a beneficiant share proper out of the gate, ought to he show the true deal. Working with new coach Ben Johnson and second-year QB Caleb Williams, Loveland actually may work his technique to lineup lock standing throughout his rookie marketing campaign. Rookie tight ends have usually struggled to make 12 months 1 impacts, however instances is perhaps altering, contemplating a first-year participant paced the place every of the previous two seasons (Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers).
Busts
Dopp: Baker Mayfield‘s ADP is between QB6 and QB7, which suggests you are probably drafting him at his ceiling (except you assume he’ll greatest Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson this season). With offensive coordinator Liam Coen now the pinnacle coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the questions surrounding Chris Godwin (harm) and Mike Evans (age), I might reasonably draft somebody with somewhat extra headroom of their worth.
Fulghum: James Cook screams regression candidate in 2025, particularly along with his ADP hovering round RB10 to RB12. Regardless of scoring a mixed 9 complete TDs in his first two seasons, Prepare dinner exploded in 2024 with 18 complete TDs — together with a league-leading 16 on the bottom. With Josh Allen persevering with to dominate goal-line work and second-year RB Ray Davis incomes extra alternatives, Prepare dinner’s landing fee relative to his quantity of touches is just not sustainable.
Yates: DJ Moore is a wonderful participant who has proven himself to be a fantasy star. I am bullish on QB Caleb Williams below Ben Johnson’s tutelage and assume this offense may make a large leap, however Moore’s outlook has me somewhat uneasy. The Bears chosen tight finish Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III with their first two picks within the draft, including two extra pass-catchers to an offense that’s already banking on a breakout yr from second-year wideout Rome Odunze. Whereas it is easy to think about Moore taking up an Amon-Ra St. Brown function below Johnson, it is also doable the offense simply has extra steadiness total, à la Detroit in 2024 (when St. Brown was a barely steadier weekly possibility). Moore and Williams did not construct as seamless a chemistry as I anticipated final season.
Moody: Kansas Metropolis’s Rashee Rice is being drafted as a top-20 WR regardless of main crimson flags. He is coming off LCL surgical procedure and faces a possible suspension (although one is not anticipated in 2025) and severe goal competitors from Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown and Travis Kelce. Rice flashed elite utilization early final season (36% goal share in three full video games), however that manufacturing got here throughout a stretch when Brown was injured and Worthy was nonetheless getting acclimated to the league (RB Isiah Pacheco additionally was sidelined). With simply 4 profession WR1 weekly finishes and no confirmed manufacturing in a full-strength offense, Rice’s ADP carries appreciable threat.
Breakouts
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders: I am going to take the layup. The No. 6 decide in April’s draft, Jeanty is definitely the highest fantasy prospect on this rookie class following a dominant tenure at Boise State. With 33-year-old Raheem Mostert his prime menace for touches, Jeanty is positioned for a feature-back function proper out of the gate in Las Vegas. An elite playmaker with a three-down talent set, Jeanty has the upside to be an elite fantasy soccer working again. — Clay
Drake Maye, QB, Patriots: Maye produced related fantasy numbers as a rookie, regardless of not beginning a recreation till October, burdened by the dearth of any semblance of game-breakers surrounding him and coping with an incompetent teaching workers. That modifications this season, with confirmed WR Stefon Diggs and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels among the many noteworthy additions. Maye provides worth along with his legs and, with somewhat assist, may simply carry out at a QB1 stage. — Karabell
Caleb Williams, QB, Bears: The Bears upgraded Williams’ head coach/playcaller, offensive line and pass-catchers within the draft and free company. With Ben Johnson anticipated to deliver a QB-friendly system that revived Jared Goff‘s profession in Detroit, Williams is poised to grow to be the primary QB in Bears franchise historical past to exceed 4,000 passing yards and/or 30 TDs in a season. Remember about his untapped speeding upside, as nicely (400-plus speeding yards in every of his previous two faculty seasons). — Fulghum
Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs: Rice has already “damaged out,” however he hasn’t proven the consistency we have to see in fantasy. There was concern a couple of suspension to start out this season, nevertheless it seems any potential penalty will likely be pushed again one other yr, which suggests Rice must be proper again to being a top-15 WR. When wholesome, he appeared to take over the function of safety blanket that Travis Kelce has dominated for years on this Chiefs offense, and that function ought to solely develop stronger with one other yr below his belt. Rice is a top-15 WR who has WR1 upside with a WR2 ADP. — Dopp
Rome Odunze, WR, Bears: A top-15 vast receiver in finish zone targets and common depth of goal as a rookie, Odunze ought to emerge as a extra constant member of an enhancing Bears offense in 2025. The arrival of Ben Johnson, in addition to the continued development of quarterback Caleb Williams, ought to solely assist Odunze’s breakout prospects. He’s a large goal with explosive capability and among the many highest statistical ceilings on the place. — Cockcroft
Ladd McConkey, WR, Chargers: McConkey completed prime 20 in receptions and receiving yards as a rookie, so it will probably fairly be argued that he broke out in 2024. However it’s his ultimate seven video games final season which have me most enthused. After posting only one recreation over 80 receiving yards in his first 9 outings, McConkey reached at the least 80 in six of his ultimate seven video games, catching at the least 5 passes in all of them and hauling in three 40-plus-yard grabs (in comparison with only one in his first 9 video games). He is the clear prime receiving possibility with a superb quarterback, and his function and utilization ought to soar even additional this season, giving him top-10 receiver upside. — Yates
Jameson Williams, WR, Lions: Williams had 16 receptions of 20 or extra yards final season, and he averaged 14.4 fantasy factors per recreation, buoyed by 4 video games of 22-plus factors. Regardless of an absence of constant finish zone targets (solely 4 final season), Williams’ electrical play velocity and route deployment can produce breakout weeks in one of many league’s prime scoring offenses. And with a bump in quantity, Williams may leap into the WR2 combine. — Bowen
Keon Coleman, WR, Bills: Coleman has a transparent path to a beginning function in a high-powered Josh Allen offense and final season flashed severe big-play capability as a rookie. Regardless of lacking 4 video games, Coleman hauled in 12 passes of 20-plus yards and averaged 19.2 yards per reception, the third-highest mark within the league amongst gamers with at the least 40 targets. With improved well being and no true backup at X receiver, Coleman is positioned to make a second-year leap. — Moody
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals: Many anticipated Harrison to emerge on the professional scene with a bang, however his underwhelming rookie season landed extra like a thud. After scoring 4 touchdowns in his first 4 video games, Harrison scored solely 4 extra the remainder of the season, and his catch share (53.4%) was lowest amongst all rookie vast receivers. However his expertise and pedigree are unchanged and classes realized from 12 months 1 may go a good distance towards making 2025 his breakout season. Plus, outdoors of Trey McBride, he faces little competitors for targets. — Bell
