The week after the conference championship games is always a bit slow in terms of NFL and fantasy football news. So, as the NFL does during this “dead week,” it’s a good time to celebrate greatness on the field. The league does that with the Pro Bowl Games, so I’ll be doing the same as it pertains to fantasy football.
I discussed my All-Sleeper Team earlier in the week, so today I’ll cover the players who busted out in the stat sheets at the highest statistical levels with my 2025 All-Breakout Team. These newfound fantasy superstars helped countless fans reach their league’s postseason and, in many cases, win a fantasy championship.
QB: Drake Maye, Patriots: Maye finished the 2025 fantasy season ranked second in points among field generals, throwing for 4,203 yards with 30 touchdowns while rushing for 409 yards and another four scores. Maye also scored 20-plus fantasy points nine times, including four games with at least 25. His 21 points-per-game average during the fantasy season was only 1.8 points fewer than Josh Allen's 22.8!
RB: Chase Brown, Bengals: Brown had a slow start to the season, as he averaged a modest 10.1 points in his first seven games. He went off in the stat sheets after that, though, as he posted 18-plus points in all but two of his final nine games in the fantasy season. What’s more, Brown averaged the fourth-most points among backs from Weeks 8-17. In all, he ranked eighth in points during the fantasy season.
WR: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks: Smith-Njigba was easily the biggest breakout wide receiver in fantasy football. After posting 253 points in 2024, JSN went off for 119 catches, 1,793 yards (both Seattle franchise records), 10 touchdowns and 359.9 points (also a franchise record). The Ohio State product is now a surefire projected first-round pick in 2026 fantasy drafts as one of the top-five wideouts in the league.
TE: Tucker Kraft, Packers: You might not agree with this since Tucker played only eight games, but was he good in those contests. He averaged 14.7 points per game in that time, which ultimately tied him with both George Kittle and Brock Bowers (only Trey McBride averaged more points). An argument can be made for Tyler Warren to be in this space, but Kraft was much better in the stat sheets when he played.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fab's 2025 All-Breakout Fantasy Football Team Led By Drake Maye, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
