With Week 6 now within the books, we’re now formally a 3rd of the best way via the 2025 NFL season and now is an effective time to take inventory of among the greatest breakouts in fantasy soccer up so far. And it might be an understatement to say that there’s been loads of them all through the league this yr.
There’s no higher feeling than when a participant that you just drafted in a later spherical finally ends up instantly exceeding preseason expectations. Or maybe a man that you just took a flier on off the waiver wire started paying dividends that you just couldn’t have foreseen. Whether or not it’s good foresight or simply flat out luck, a key issue of any fantasy title run is hitting on these picks and a few of them are most likely single handedly carrying your lineups as we converse.
Under, we’ll check out among the greatest breakout performers in fantasy soccer thus far by evaluating their common draft place earlier than the season to their present place rating following Week 6. We’ll use half PPR rankings for reference.
Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Present Fantasy Rating: QB7
Present Stat Line: 71.1%, 1,502 Passing Yards, 8 Passing TD’s, 3 INT’s, 4 Speeding TD’s
The largest shock of the 2025 NFL season thus far has been Jones’ profession resurrection in Indy and I feel it’s protected to say that nobody noticed this coming. Simply 11 months after being benched and later minimize by the Giants, “Indiana Jones” has the Colts sitting atop the AFC with a 5-1 file in a yr the place many believed they’d end someplace close to the underside.
The veteran has the perfect success charge amongst beginning QB’s within the league for the time being and it helps that he has the mix of an offensive line that’s really defending him and an early MVP candidate in Jonathan Taylor to lean on within the backfield. That’s made for some high quality fantasy performances for “Danny Dimes” and we’ll see if that holds up because the Colts schedule will get harder over the following month.
Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Present Fantasy Rating: RB5
Present Stat Line: 476 Speeding Yards, 5.2 YPA, 5 Speeding TD’s, 22 Receptions, 83 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving TD
Dallas took a flier on Williams by signing him to a one-year deal within the offseason and he’s develop into a key piece to one of the explosive offenses in your complete league. The previous Bronco has been a dependable power on the bottom and at the moment finds himself within the high 5 in classes like EPA per rush and yards after contact.
One other noteworthy factor is him being one of many simpler red-zone backs within the league this season and it takes stress off Dak Prescott and firm figuring out that Williams might be relied on at any time when they get inside the 20. The Cowboys will almost certainly be concerned in lots of extra shootouts down the stretch, opening the door for extra nice fantasy efforts out of the veteran.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Present Fantasy Rating: RB12
Present Stat Line: 472 Speeding Yards, 5.8 YPA, 2 Speeding TD’s, 12 Receptions, 104 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving TD
Dowdle didn’t even start the season because the Panthers’ beginning tailback and in just some brief weeks, he’s instantly shot up the fantasy soccer boards. The veteran was backing up Chuba Hubbard via the primary month of the marketing campaign earlier than he bought his likelihood to begin after Hubbard went down with a calf harm. And boy, did he take full benefit of the chance.
He posted back-to-back 30+ level performances in video games in opposition to the Dolphins and the Cowboys, combining for 389 speeding yards, 84 receiving yards, and two touchdowns complete in each outings. The latter sport was private for him contemplating that Dallas let him stroll this offseason in favor of the aforementioned Williams and he was capable of again up his pregame trash speak. He’s supplied a sudden spark to a beforehand lifeless Carolina squad and there’s a chance that he can stay their starter transferring ahead. Buckle up.
Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
Present Fantasy Rating: RB10
Present Stat Line: 338 Speeding Yards (4.1 YPA), 5 Speeding TD’s, 20 Receptions, 155 Receiving Yards
Skattebo is like if the Tasmanian Satan began taking part in soccer and his recognition grows with every passing week. The fourth-round rookie again out of Arizona State has completed a bit of little bit of all the things from speeding, to receiving, to throwing sick blocks in move professional and his reckless abandon has rapidly made him a fan favourite amongst Giants followers. And he formally launched himself to the viewing public at massive along with his three-touchdown efficiency in opposition to the Eagles final Thursday night time.
The combo of him and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has all of a sudden breathed some life into the struggling franchise and we’ll see if they will preserve the momentum going as they attain the halfway level of the season.
George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Present Fantasy Rating: WR3
Present Stat Line: 32 Receptions (16.4 Y/R), 525 Receiving Yards, 6 Receiving TD’s
Fantasy managers understandably pegged Pickens as a WR2/excessive Flex choice of their drafts with the concept CeeDee Lamb would get high billing within the Cowboys’ offense. After all, Lamb’s ankle harm pressured Pickens into the WR1 position and man, he’s been unimaginable. The previous Steeler has scored at the very least one landing in every of their final 5 video games and has two 130+ yard performances in that stretch.
He at the moment has the perfect YAC rating based on ESPN’s Subsequent Gen Stats and that means to show easy grabs into massive positive aspects has fueled the quantity’s of what’s setting as much as be a profession yr for the veteran. Lamb’s return seems to be imminent, so we’ll see if that has a detrimental impact on Pickens’ fantasy numbers.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Present Fantasy Rating: WR5
Present Stat Line: 27 receptions (17.4 Y/R), 469 Receiving Yards, 5 Receiving TD’s
Individuals across the Bucs’ group had been raving in regards to the first-round rookie from Ohio State all through coaching camp and he’s instantly lived as much as that hype. With All-Professional veterans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin sidelined for a lot of the season thus far, Egbuka has instantly shined as Baker Mayfield’s high goal and is an early frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Yr.
His seven-reception, 163-yard efficiency in Tampa’s wild shootout victory over Seattle a number of weeks again was a glimpse into how harmful he might be and savvy managers who picked him up within the later spherical of their drafts are actually thrilled along with his manufacturing. He sadly suffered a hamstring harm in opposition to the 49ers this previous Sunday, so his electrical rookie marketing campaign could also be placed on pause for the following few weeks.
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Washington Commanders
Present Fantasy Rating: WR8
Present Stat Line: 34 Receptions (9.3 Y/R), 315 Receiving Yards, 3 Receiving TD’s, 45 Speeding Yards, 1 Speeding TD
Fantasy managers took a wait-and-see method with the veteran Professional Bowler forward of the season and thus far, he’s confirmed to be a superb addition to the Jayden Daniels-led offense in Washington. Whereas he’s averaging lower than 10 yards per reception, he’s made up for that with the amount of screens and brief passes he collects and has 4 video games with at the very least six receptions thus far this yr. That has allowed him to outperform his ADP by a major margin, particularly in PPR leagues.
Samuel has additionally benefitted from Terry McLaurin lacking the final three video games with a quad harm, however he might presumably return when the Commanders go to the Cowboys this Sunday. We’ll see if that dents the previous 49er’s fantasy worth.
Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Present Fantasy Rating: WR9
Present Stat Line: 24 Receptions (14.8 Y/R), 356 Receiving Yards, 4 Receiving TD’s
Tucker’s 539-yard marketing campaign in 2024 apparently didn’t transfer the needle for any fantasy supervisor throughout the board as an ADP within the 100’s amongst receivers implies that he wasn’t even near being drafted in most leagues. So him being a top-10 wideout heading into Week 7 makes him arguably the largest riser in all of fantasy soccer thus far this yr.
The fourth-year wideout has been a constant presence for what has been a mediocre Raiders squad and he put himself on the map in Week 3 when he caught eight passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns in opposition to the Commanders. Even when you take away that load-bearing effort, he’s nonetheless placing up stable numbers and is effectively on his method in the direction of a profession yr. At this very second, he’s nonetheless rostered in lower than 60% of fantasy leagues, so there’s an opportunity that he’s nonetheless sitting in your waiver wire ready to get scooped up.
Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Present Fantasy Rating: TE1
Present Stat Line: 44 Receptions (6.9 Y/R), 305 Receiving Yards, 4 TD’s
It’s becoming that one of many NFL’s high offenses has a number of fantasy overachievers and Ferguson is true up there as the highest fantasy tight finish via the primary third of the marketing campaign. Managers had been typically iffy in regards to the Cowboys pass-catcher after his zero-touchdown season final yr and he’s responded by already placing 4 on the board this season.
Ferguson has a excessive goal share of twenty-two.27% and leads all tight ends with 44 receptions, which is spectacular contemplating that he’s sharing an offense with the aforementioned Pickens. Once more, the Cowboys must preserve airing it out of necessity for the remainder of the season and he might very effectively preserve his spot at No. 1.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
Present Fantasy Rating: TE3
Present Stat Line: 24 Receptions (10.1 Y/R), 243 Receiving Yards, 5 TD’s
Philly’s offense is experiencing a serious id disaster because it approaches the halfway level of the season however hey, Goedert is getting his. Fantasy managers who waited till the later rounds to take the veteran must be happy by what they’ve gotten out of him as he leads each the Eagles and all tight ends usually in touchdowns with 5.
The truth is, 4 out of his 5 catches within the pink zone have been for touchdowns, becoming a member of A.J. Barner and Darren Waller on the high of the listing for the perfect red-zone tight ends thus far this season. Once more, the Eagles receivers could also be shedding their minds over the passing sport for the time being, however Goedert is cruising.
