4 Breakout Quarterbacks for 2025 Fantasy Football

Sport: NFL

Identifying breakout players for Fantasy Football before the season begins can give you a significant advantage in your leagues. Targeting players who are expected to thrive in your Redraft drafts or trading for them in Dynasty Leagues can provide you with the competitive edge necessary to win a championship. If you’re familiar with my content, you know my goal has always been to help you “Play 2 Win.” This article aims to support you in achieving that objective by highlighting my favorite Fantasy Football breakout quarterbacks for 2025.

Many Fantasy Football terms are defined differently, so I need to clarify what I mean by a breakout. Your definition, my definition, and the definition of countless others for a Fantasy Football breakout may have some similarities, but can also be looked at completely differently at the same time. I define a breakout as a player who can take a substantial leap in Fantasy Football production or a player who can have an immediate Fantasy Football scoring impact, which in either case is a major positional advantage in lineups for a given year. 

Last season, Baker Mayfield, Jayden Daniels, and Sam Darnold were some quarterback breakout examples for Fantasy Football. For 2025, I have four names for you that I am confident will break out at the quarterback position and give you a league edge. Let’s get it!

4 Breakout Quarterbacks for 2025 Fantasy Football

1. Caleb Williams, Bears

The Chicago Bears selected Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of USC, as a prospect who totaled 10,082 passing yards, 93 passing touchdowns, 966 rushing yards, and 27 rushing touchdowns through three seasons. Caleb finished his rookie season averaging 15.3 Fantasy PPG (points per game), which ranked 21st, but we did see some noteworthy flashes:

• 562 passing yards ranked seventh (volume)
• Four weeks with over 300 passing yards
• Finished #2 in air yards and #1 in deep ball attempts (via playerprofiler)
• Seven weeks of multiple passing touchdowns
• Four weeks ranging from 44-70 rushing yards
• 483 rushing yards ranked seventh
• Six weeks of 19+ Fantasy Points
• Five weeks of 22+ Fantasy Points

The Bears had arguably the best offseason of any team in the NFL. First off, Ben Johnson, who was the former Lions Offensive Coordinator, was hired as the new Head Coach. The Lions ranked second in total yards and first in total points in 2024.

The Bears then attacked their poor Offensive Line, adding former All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, former Pro Bowl guard Jonah Jackson, center Drew Dalman, and drafting Ozzy Trapilo in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

New weapons in rookie tight end Colston Loveland (first round) and rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III (second round) were added to DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift. So do the math – significant coaching change, major OL changes, added weapons to an already stellar core = a sophomore breakout for a very talented Caleb Williams.

2. Drake Maye, Patriots

The New England Patriots selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. As a prospect, Maye produced 8,018 passing yards, 63 passing touchdowns, 1,209 rushing yards, and 16 rushing touchdowns as a dual-threat quarterback. As a rookie, Maye played the majority of 10 games with flashes that included:

• 282 passing yards in Week 11
• Five weeks with over a 70% completion percentage
• 95 rushing yards in Week 9
• 421 rushing yards ranked ninth
• 17 total touchdowns
• Six games with 18+ Fantasy Points
• Three weeks with 20+ Fantasy Points

The Patriots hired former Tennessee Titans Head Coach and former Patriots player Mike Vrabel as their new Head Coach.

New England also attacked their poor Offensive Line by adding Garrett Bradbury (C) and Morgan Moses (OT,) then drafting stud Will Campbell (OT) in the first round then Jared Wilson (C) in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots signed veteran producer Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal, drafted pass-catching running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round, then drafted field-stretcher Kyle Williams in the third round. As a dual-threat quarterback with upside, Maye gets boosts in coaching, protection, and weapons for his sophomore year, which should lead to his breakout for Fantasy Football.

3. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence played in just 10 games last season due to a concussion and AC joint injury. Lawrence’s rookie year was a rough one, but in 2022 and then 2023, he did go on to pass for 4,113 and then 4,016 with 25 then 21 passing touchdowns in those seasons. Lawrence in 2023 averaged 17.3 Fantasy PPG (#13) and 17.9 (#12) the year prior,r which shows Fantasy relevance. None of these numbers pop as a “big” year, but 2025 can be just that.

Brian Thomas Jr., as a rookie last season, earned 133 targets and caught 87 of them for 1,282 receiving yards paired with 10 receiving touchdowns. BTJ proved to be the missing upside receiver the Jags have been in desperate need of. Jacksonville added Patrick Mekari (G), Robert Hainsey (C), Chuma Edoga (OT), and Fred Johnson (OT) to the Offensive Line this offseason while also drafting Wyatt Milnum (G) in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Jaguars traded up in the 2025 NFL Draft to the second pick to draft Heisman-winning, unicorn hybrid wide receiver/corner mix Travis Hunter. If Hunter plays a majority of the wide receiver roles and is who he was at Colorado State, there is a chance he and BTJ are one of the league’s future elite duos. Dyami Brown was a solid depth wide receiver add, Brenton Strange is a promising young tight end, and rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten will compete in the backfield. 2025 could finally be the year we see TLaw excel to expectations.

4. J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

The Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy produced 6,226 passing yards and 49 touchdowns as well as won a National Championship during his three seasons at Michigan. McCarthy, unfortunately, suffered a torn meniscus during preseason, which meant missing his entire rookie season. Sam Darnold turning his career around in McCarthy’s absence to throw for 4,319 passing yards had 35 passing touchdowns was encouraging to see in the Vikings system in 2024.

McCarthy steps into a dynamic offense of playmakers:

• Justin Jefferson (former first-round talent) is coming off of his third season with over 1,500 receiving yards and his second season with 10 touchdowns
• Jordan Addison (former first-round talent) has produced 875/911 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns in the last two seasons
• TJ Hockenson (former first-round talent) has two seasons over 900 receiving yards, with both coming in the last two seasons he played over 10 games
• Aaron Jones, in his first season with the Vikings in 2024, rushed for 1,138 yards, caught 51 balls for 408 yards, and scored seven total touchdowns.

McCarthy reminds me a lot of the 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy, as a very competent passer who needs to just make the throws and get the ball into his weapons’ hands. Will Fries (G), Ryan Kelly (C), and Jordan Mason (RB) were significant offseason additions, and Minnesota also drafted Donovan Jackson (G) in the first round and added Tai Felton (WR) in the third round. The opening year could be a Fantasy significant one for McCarthy.