2025 Fantasy Football Breakouts: Players Ready to Explode
Fantasy football breakouts are often fueled by a mix of talent, opportunity, and timing. However, sometimes, even elite talent can go underappreciated when the situation fails to cooperate. That’s exactly what’s happening with two of the most overlooked breakout candidates heading into 2025.
Why Kenneth Walker and Josh Downs Are Prime Fantasy Football Breakouts
Both players have already shown flashes of high-end production. Now, with significant changes in their offensive situations, each has a clear path to finally converting raw talent into consistent, elite fantasy football output in 2025.
Josh Downs: Elite Talent, Finally Getting His Due
If you’ve been paying attention to the numbers, you already know… Downs is one of the most overlooked wide receivers in football.
The third-year wideout out of UNC quietly put together a highly efficient season in 2024. Despite inconsistent quarterback play and limited scoring opportunities. Ultimately, here is how his sophomore campaign stacked up:
- 72 receptions on 102 targets
- 803 yards
- 5 touchdowns
- 84.8 overall PFF grade (12th among all WRs)
- 85.1 PFF receiving grade (11th among WRs)
- 40 first downs (led the Colts)
- 53.3% success rate on targets
- 69.75% separation rate (6th-best in the NFL)
These aren’t just “solid” metrics—they’re elite considering the QB play. Downs consistently created space and moved the chains, proving himself as a technician in the short and intermediate game.
Flacco Fueled a Flash of His Ceiling
The real eye-opener came when Joe Flacco took over at quarterback late in the year. In those seven games with Flacco under center, Downs averaged:
- 6.3 receptions
- 68.6 yards per game
- 10.9 yards per catch
- 3 touchdowns
That stretch included a standout performance against Pittsburgh, where he torched the Steelers for 8 catches, 82 yards, and a touchdown, earning a 90.5 PFF grade for the game. If you project those numbers over a full 17-game season, he would have finished with 107 receptions, 1,166 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns
In PPR scoring, that translates to 266 fantasy points. Impressively, that was good enough to finish as WR8 overall. That would have placed him between Terry McLaurin (WR7 with 268 points) and CeeDee Lamb (WR9 with 263 points). More importantly, this is the level of fantasy football upside I’m talking about.
Overall, with competent quarterback play, Downs showed he could be a volume-heavy, high-efficiency asset in both real life and fantasy football.
2025 Outlook: A Controversial QB Upgrade
It’s disgusting to admit it. However, the Colts’ offense is better with Daniel Jones than it was with Anthony Richardson.
While Richardson brought raw athleticism and theoretical upside, he struggled to stay healthy and consistently deliver the ball to his playmakers. Jones, for all the criticism, is a more polished passer. He was also a scapegoat for the NFL’s worst offensive roster in the National Football League suffering behind a crumbling offensive line, a nonexistent receiver group, and a mismanaged scheme.
In Shane Steichen’s offense, Daniel Jones has a chance to finally operate in a quarterback-friendly system with real weapons, including Downs, who thrives on timing routes, separation, and route precision.
Jones doesn’t need to be elite. He just needs to deliver the ball on time. And that’s all Downs requires to produce WR2-level fantasy numbers in 2025.
Kenneth Walker III: A Star Waiting to Detonate
Kenneth Walker enters his third NFL season at just 24 years old, and despite missing time in 2024, he’s already proven he can perform at a high level. Over his first two years, he averaged the following:
- 223 carries
- 950 rushing yards
- 8.5 touchdowns per season
Walker’s statistical floor has been impressive considering he’s dealt with touch-sharing and injuries. Even so, when he’s on the field, he’s consistently produced. Ultimately, he’s producing fantasy football numbers when he’s out there.
- RB18 in 2022
- RB19 in 2023
- RB27 in 2024 (despite missing six games)
But the surface stats don’t tell the whole story. According to Pro Football Focus, Walker earned a 91.2 rushing grade in 2024. Ranking third among all NFL running backs. Overall, that’s elite company.
The Shift That Changes Everything: Passing Game Usage
The biggest knock on Walker heading into 2024 was his role in the passing game. Over his first two seasons combined, he saw just 72 targets and ran routes at a sub-15% target-per-route-run clip. However, that all changed last season.
In just 11 games, Walker drew 53 targets and posted a 24% target-per-route-run rate, tying him with top-tier receiving backs like Bucky Irving. That kind of leap in receiving involvement is the difference between a two-down grinder and a three-down fantasy weapon.
Seattle’s Offense is Now Built Around Walker
The Seahawks are in the middle of a dramatic offensive overhaul. Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett are all gone. The team didn’t aggressively address the wide receiver room, and they spent a first-round pick on offensive lineman Grey Zabel.
Oh, and let’s not forget. The Seahawks spent a fifth-round pick on 270-pound Alabama fullback/te Robbie Ouzts. Clearly, they’re gearing up to pound the rock this season. That being said, this offense is going to run through Walker.
Walker’s skill set also happens to align perfectly with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who comes from a coaching tree known for featuring running backs in outside zone concepts. Kubiak’s offenses have produced RB finishes of RB10 and RB1, and his backs have averaged a 12.7% target share, well above league average.
If Walker stays healthy, he’s positioned for a massive breakout season in a revamped offense that fits him to perfection.
The Bottom Line on Walker
The injury history is a fair concern, but the upside is undeniable. You rarely get a chance to draft a back this explosive, this young, in an offense designed to feature him in the fifth round of fantasy drafts. If Kenneth Walker stays on the field, he’s not just a good pick—he’s a league winner in 2025.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Miss the Breakouts
Both Kenneth Walker III and Josh Downs are entering Year 3 with elite athleticism, proven efficiency, and a much-improved offensive setup.
- Walker now owns a clear bell-cow role in a Shanahan-style offense.
- Downs has a quarterback upgrade and a route-running skill set that makes him quarterback-proof.
Each player is currently flying under the radar in fantasy football drafts. However, the writing is on the wall. Don’t be late. These are two sleeping giants. And 2025 is the year they wake up.
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