RADIO
There are always quarterbacks who outperform their ADP every fantasy season. During the 2023-24 season, C.J. Stroud, Jordan Love, and Baker Mayfield all broke out. All three quarterbacks were going outside the top 23 at the quarterback position in drafts but finished as a top-11 quarterback or better at the end of the season.
That was no different during this past fantasy season, as four different quarterbacks broke out. All four of these quarterbacks weren't going high in fantasy drafts and were often drafted as backups in one-quarterback leagues.
So, which four quarterbacks broke out during the 2024-25 season? Let's dive in and find out what this might mean for these players next year.
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QB Jayden Daniels
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was a popular sleeper pick in the middle rounds due to his rushing upside. Daniels ran for 1,134 rush yards and 10 touchdowns in his final season at LSU. As a result, the potential was always there for the rookie quarterback to be a consistent fantasy option in his first year.
However, very few people predicted Daniels to have this elite of a season. He finished as the QB5 in all formats while averaging 21.5 fantasy points per game. On top of that, the rookie won many fantasy managers their leagues after he averaged 30.8 fantasy points per game from Week 12 to Week 17.
Jayden Daniels with one of the greatest rookie QB seasons we will ever see:
🫡 12-5 regular season record
🫡 37 total TD (reg. season + playoffs)
🫡 Led @Commanders to the NFC Title game for the first time in 33 years pic.twitter.com/QbWQptNTBA— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
It was truly a spectacular year for Daniels, who arguably had the best rookie quarterback season in NFL history. He also turned out to be one of the best value picks in fantasy. He went from being drafted as the QB13 in fantasy drafts to appearing on 16.3 percent of championship rosters in ESPN leagues.
Following that dominant rookie campaign, Daniels will now be one of the top fantasy quarterbacks selected in drafts next season. He showed in his first year that he can be a strong fantasy option, and his rushing will give him a high fantasy ceiling each week. There's a good chance the 24-year-old will be the third or fourth quarterback picked in 2025 fantasy drafts.
QB Sam Darnold
When Sam Darnold was named the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, not many fantasy managers even thought twice about drafting him. After all, Darnold hasn't finished higher than the QB25 in fantasy in his career. Therefore, his QB31 ADP made sense entering the 2024-25 campaign.
However, he proved everyone wrong this past season and broke out in a big way. With a great offensive-minded coach (Kevin O'Connell) and a top wide receiver group (Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison), Darnold took his game to new heights in 2024. He also became a solid QB1 option in fantasy throughout the year.
Darnold finished as the QB9 while averaging 18.8 fantasy points per game. His QB9 finish was higher than Kyler Murray (QB10), Patrick Mahomes (QB11), and Justin Herbert (QB12) this year. Additionally, the Vikings quarterback finished as a top-10 fantasy option in nine of 17 games. So, he really had a nice fantasy season in 2024.
DARNOLD JETTAS 52-YARD TD 🚨
📺: #ATLvsMIN on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/ZywUjIuoD4— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024
It remains to be seen, though, where Darnold will play next season. With the 27-year-old entering free agency and J.J. McCarthy returning from his knee injury, there likely isn't a spot for him to start in Minnesota. As a result, there's a strong chance that he will start somewhere else in 2025.
QB Bo Nix
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was another rookie signal-caller who broke out in fantasy in his first year. Although Nix got off to a slow start and scored under 14 fantasy points in three of his first four games, the former Oregon product was a consistent fantasy quarterback the rest of the season.
From Week 5 to Week 18, Nix was the QB5 and averaged 21.4 fantasy points per game. During that span, the rookie finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback six times while scoring above 18 fantasy points in nine of those 13 contests. That strong 13-game stretch helped the 24-year-old finish as the QB7 on the year.
Nix's rookie campaign really went under the radar because of how historical Daniels' rookie season was. But the Broncos quarterback emerged as a low-end QB1 option for most of the year and helped some fantasy managers win a championship. Nix scored 21 fantasy points in Week 16 and 22.8 fantasy points in the fantasy championship.
As a result, Nix will likely be drafted in the QB8 to QB12 range next season, which is a lot higher than where he was going last year. He was drafted as the QB23 in most drafts with an ADP of around 192.
QB Bryce Young (Second Half)
Those who took a chance on Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young in Superflex formats were likely not happy with his production early in the year. He threw three interceptions with zero passing touchdowns in his first two games before being benched for Andy Dalton in Week 3. But after that benching, Young was a much different quarterback.
From Week 8 to Week 18, Young was the QB12 in fantasy and averaged 18.6 fantasy points per game during that span. He was also an even better fantasy option following the team's Week 11 bye, as he averaged 21.2 fantasy points over the final seven games. So, in a way, the second-year quarterback broke out in the second half of the season.
While Young wasn't a set-it-and-forget-it quarterback option during these weeks, he was a quarterback fantasy managers could rely on in a good matchup. That came into play when he scored 23.6 fantasy points against the Buccaneers in Week 13 and 27.1 fantasy points against the Cardinals in Week 16.
Bryce Young today:
275 total yards
5 TOUCHDOWNS
0 turnovers
HE IS HIM pic.twitter.com/6b8NzAvoTJ
— The Cat Shack (@NCCatShack) January 5, 2025
Now, even though Young showed a ton of growth and broke out in the second half, he likely won't be a high quarterback selection in drafts next season. He still has a lot to prove, and the Panthers need to continue to surround him with talent on the outside. But if the 23-year-old plays like he did at the end of the year, he can turn out to be a value pick in 2025 fantasy drafts.
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