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It’s never too early to plan for the upcoming fantasy football season. One of the best ways to get a jump on your league mates is correctly identifying which players are set up for breakout seasons. Nailing some fantasy football breakouts can be the difference between hoisting your league’s championship trophy or performing some embarrassing punishment.
But where do you begin when it comes to identifying potential breakouts? One way to do so is by targeting players with high upside and later-round fantasy football sleepers. These are the kinds of players who can propel you to a fantasy football title because when they hit, they usually hit in a big way.
Make sure you follow RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are five early fantasy football breakout candidates for 2025 fantasy football leagues.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings (redraft)
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- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers
Kraft enjoyed a fine sophomore season in 2024 as he posted a 50-707-7 line. It culminated with a PPR TE10 finish.
What a catch by Tucker Kraft for the TD!
📺: #HOUvsGB on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/5cpzRJLlEj— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024
With fellow tight end Luke Musgrave injured for the majority of the year, Kraft flourished as the team’s TE1. He even continued to function as the lead tight end once Musgrave returned healthy. Following Green Bay’s playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Matt LaFleur praised Kraft’s improvement and stated his desire to further incorporate him into Green Bay’s offense.
Tucker Kraft Could Have Bigger Role In 2025 https://t.co/gwfiVJgXzX
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) January 28, 2025
With the Packers lacking a true alpha WR1, they may choose to make Kraft a more prominent part of the passing game. The third-year tight end is very affordable in drafts, as evidenced by his Underdog ADP (Average Draft Position) of 119.8 overall.
If you are planning to wait on a tight end in your draft, Kraft should be the top name on your list. He's got a great rapport with Jordan Love, and his head coach wants him more involved in the offense. Sometimes, spotting a breakout candidate is really that simple.
Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Many analysts are ready to write Odunze off as a bust due to poor advanced metrics and per-route data. However, Chicago’s offense was so bad in 2024 that it’s not fair to judge anyone based on what we saw.
Odunze’s rookie year is a case where we must take all that data and flush it down the toilet, as it’s not a fair representation of his play. This is still a highly talented receiver who knows how to get open against NFL defenders.
Caleb Williams' AND Rome Odunze's first career TD!
📺: #CHIvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/u0ICGLXCz7— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
Chicago has hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as its head coach. Johnson successfully turned around Detroit's offense and helped make Amon-Ra St. Brown one of the best receivers in the league.
Odunze is oozing with talent, and Johnson will know how to maximize his strengths. He's a great bet to outperform his rookie season and should easily post career highs across the board. Just make sure you don't miss out.
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
We’re going right back to the well with this one. Rice was a popular breakout pick last season. It looked like things were on the right track, but then disaster struck. Rice suffered a serious knee injury in a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was later revealed he tore his LCL and was ruled out for the season.
Chiefs place WR Rashee Rice on injured reserve. pic.twitter.com/TuZ9sSaklw
— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2024
He only played in three games last year, but Rice’s advanced metrics will leave you salivating. Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, Rice posted an elite 35 percent targets per route run (TPRR) as well as a remarkable 3.47 yards per route run (YPRR). These are very high marks and scores like these indicate a high likelihood for fantasy football success. A monster season could be coming for Rice.
Mahomes ➡️ Rice, what a connection!
📺: #CINvsKC on CBS/Paramount
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/5jkq5qhePc— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
Rice is expected to make a full recovery from his injury, but his place on our list is tentative as he awaits word from the NFL on a possible suspension due to an off-field incident last spring. Should he be hit with a significant suspension, then we will update his place on our list. Until we hear otherwise, though, Rice is looking like a classic Year 3 breakout candidate.
With Travis Kelce mulling retirement, Rice could potentially take over as Patrick Mahomes' top receiver. If Rice plays the full season, a 100+ reception campaign is a real possibility, and he could emerge as a PPR cheat code. There are many reasons to be excited about Rice’s 2025 season.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
While his raw stats disappointed last year, Walker still posted some strong advanced metrics. Among 46 backs with 100+ carries, Walker finished:
First in Missed Tackles Forced Per Attempt (MTF/ATT), per Fantasy Points Data Suite
Third in PFF Elusive Rating
Fifth in PFF Rushing Grade
Ninth in Missed Tackles Forced (MTF), per Fantasy Points Data Suite
10th in Yards After Contact Per Attempt (YACO/ATT), per Fantasy Points Data Suite
All aboard the K9 train 🚂 pic.twitter.com/dCv6sT9IWr
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 8, 2024
This is still a highly talented player. Some of his efficiency metrics have not been great, but this can partially be attributed to Seattle’s poor offensive line play over the years. A bad offensive line can skew running back efficiency metrics, and a good line can help. Look no further than Saquon Barkley this past season for proof of that statement.
Walker received plenty of volume in 2024, even with a new coaching staff in place. This indicates he is the preferred back over third-year pro Zach Charbonnet. The addition of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak might be what unlocks the next level of Walker’s game in 2025. Kubiak has stated that he plans to put a lot on Walker's plate this upcoming season and that they are expecting big things from the fourth-year back.
Walker has posted strong advanced metrics in key areas and has a top-5 upside if things break right for him. He's also playing for a new contract. The extra motivation of playing for a huge bag of money never hurts. Walker should be a priority running back target in the early rounds of fantasy football drafts this year.
Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Williams' rookie season was not quite what fans and fantasy football players wanted to see. The rookie showed some flaws in terms of holding the football too long and not adequately sensing the pass rush. He would be sacked a league-high 68 times as a result.
This was a rough start for Williams, but there were bright spots. He only threw six interceptions against 20 touchdown passes and ran for 489 rushing yards. It was good to see him bring some rushing upside to the table as well. What was exciting, though, was that Williams showcased some unique playmaking ability throughout the season.
This throw by Caleb Williams 🔥
📺: #MINvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/bdDgz6r0Bx— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024
The main appeal behind Williams as a breakout candidate is the fact Chicago hired former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as the new head coach. The previous coaching staff failed Williams in a big way last year.
Johnson helped turn around Jared Goff’s career following an unceremonious exit from the Los Angeles Rams. Williams is more physically gifted than Goff, so it will be fun to see what Johnson can do with this type of player.
The situation remains strong for the sophomore signal-caller. He’s surrounded by plenty of playmakers and now has one of the best offensive minds in the game as his head coach.
We should expect to see major statistical improvements across the board. It's realistic for gamers to expect Williams to finish as a QB1 in 2025. If you’re someone who prefers to wait on a quarterback, then Williams is an ideal target on draft day.
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