It is usually acknowledged that sizable progress is anticipated from gamers of their second NFL season. Nevertheless, final season was such a banner 12 months for a lot of rookies, is it an excessive amount of to anticipate improved manufacturing from a few of them as we put together for our 2025 fantasy soccer drafts?
ESPN Fantasy Soccer analysts Matt Bowen, Daniel Dopp, Liz Loza and Eric Moody talk about lots of the most intriguing sophomores under. Who’s undervalued in fantasy drafts? Who’re the favored breakout candidates? How will a pair of NFC North signal-callers reply to intense scrutiny in Yr 2?
Undervalued
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
James Conner did one thing in 2024 that he had not been capable of do within the earlier seven seasons of his professional profession: He suited up for 16 video games. Whereas the 30-year-old working again did endure a proper knee harm in Week 16 (which he tried to play by the next week), he proved to be a constant producer for fantasy managers. That does not imply Benson, Conner’s backup, will not have utility in 2025, although. An influence runner with 97th percentile velocity, Benson was the second again chosen in final 12 months’s NFL draft. Coach Jonathan Gannon has already intimated that Benson would doubtless have a bigger function in his second marketing campaign, which is sensible given Conner’s harm historical past and Benson’s ability set. With the fourth-easiest power of schedule amongst RBs (in accordance with Mike Clay) and presently being chosen 158th general in ESPN fantasy drafts, Benson is likely one of the highest-upside backups on the place. – Loza
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Maye did not have the most effective rookie season from a uncooked numbers perspective, however should you look slightly deeper, you possibly can see why there’s purpose for optimism heading into Yr 2. Not solely did he ship six video games of not less than 17 fantasy factors, he completed sixth amongst QBs in dashing yards per sport. These wheels must be on full show once more in 2025, however this time he won’t want to make use of them as a lot. Stefon Diggs joins the receiving corps as veteran presence, and there is pleasure round rookie third-round WR Kyle Williams as effectively. Maye actually wants to wash up his errors after ending his rookie season with 16 turnovers towards 17 whole touchdowns, however he has the potential for low-end QB1 upside in 2025 because of his dashing flooring and new-look offense. – Dopp
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Pearsall is WR46 in 2025 drafts, however he scored 17 factors or extra in three of his seven video games performed as a rookie. Plus, in Weeks 17 and 18, he had 14 receptions and averaged 23.8 fantasy factors. An in depth route runner who can present a vertical push in one-on-one matchups, Pearsall may even get alternatives in Kyle Shanahan’s system on in-breaking ideas off play-action, which result in large performs. With Deebo Samuel Sr. now in Washington and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a knee harm, Pearsall has upside as a possible quantity goal in one of many NFL’s most closely schemed offenses. – Bowen
Breakouts
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Harrison was the No. 4 decide in 2024, giving him optimum breakout potential in his second season. He completed 2024 because the WR30 however ranked third in finish zone targets (18), ninth in air yards (1,518) and twentieth in whole targets (116). A poor 59.3% catchable goal fee restricted his upside. With improved QB play from Kyler Murray and a transparent WR1 function, Harrison has top-15 fantasy potential in 2025. – Moody
Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Odunze averaged solely 8.5 PPG as a rookie, as he completed with 54 receptions (on 100 targets) for 734 yards and three scores. In the event you look nearer on the tape, although, Odunze began to develop extra nuance to his route tree over the second half of the season. He has the bodily instruments and vertical capacity, plus he’s now working with an upgraded Bears offense and playcaller in Ben Johnson. I anticipate quarterback Caleb Williams to play at a better degree and with a larger sense of calm underneath Johnson, and that can open the door for Odunze to provide breakout numbers. – Bowen
Underneath the microscope
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Repeating a historic season is not straightforward, and that is precisely what Bowers is making an attempt to do. Solely two tight ends in NFL historical past have topped 112 catches in a season, a quantity Bowers hit final season as a rookie. As well as, solely six tight ends have seen the outrageous quantity of 150-plus targets in a season. It isn’t that I haven’t got Bowers ranked because the TE1 heading into the season. I do. However issues are very totally different in Las Vegas this season. Whereas he does have a significantly better QB in Geno Smith, he additionally provides a high-volume teammate in rookie RB Ashton Jeanty, who must be the focus of this new Pete Carroll offense. Jeanty is projected to have greater than 340 touches, which may actually affect Bowers’ stat line. He could be hit by regression in 2025 and nonetheless be the TE1. – Dopp
Caleb Williams. QB, Chicago Bears
The Bears’ brass went all-in on Williams, intent on making final 12 months’s No. 1 decide the town’s eventual savior underneath heart. Williams flashed at numerous factors as a rookie, ending inside the highest eight fantasy producers on the place on 5 separate events. Inconsistent play (and playcalling), nevertheless, resulted in a largely underwhelming season, throughout which Williams was held to single-digit fantasy totals in seven video games. Heading into Yr 2 with a very revamped offensive line, the addition of two extremely touted rookie move catchers (Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III) and Ben Johnson’s artistic genius, Williams’ scenario has markedly improved. He’ll must put up top-10 positional numbers to contemplate the experiment successful. – Loza
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy enters 2025 because the Vikings’ beginning QB after lacking his rookie 12 months due to a knee harm. Regardless of having performed zero NFL snaps, he’ll be requested to steer a pass-heavy offense during which Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins every completed prime 12 in fantasy factors per sport underneath head coach Kevin O’Connell. With elite playmakers reminiscent of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, together with an upgraded offensive line, McCarthy is in a robust offensive setting. His collegiate manufacturing and mobility place him as a breakout candidate to regulate. – Moody