As the sun starts to shine brighter, heralding the arrival of a new NFL season and the NFL Draft, a familiar excitement begins to build within the hearts of fantasy football enthusiasts everywhere. Our team of esteemed fantasy football experts has come together to cast our collective gaze upon the gridiron horizon, searching for those elusive early breakout candidates who could catapult your fantasy team to the top of the leaderboard.
In the ever-changing landscape of fantasy football, identifying potential stars before they rise to prominence is the name of the game. It’s a quest filled with twists and turns, requiring keen insight, a deep understanding of the sport, and just a touch of that so-called “gut feeling.” So, buckle up, fire up your draft boards and cheat sheets, and dive into the top fantasy football early breakout candidates our featured experts have selected.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
Early Fantasy Football Breakout Candidates: Running Backs
Which RB has the best shot of having a breakout year in 2025 and why?
Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT)
“Najee Harris is gone and the Steelers don’t have a second-round pick in this year’s draft. Warren will likely be the true No. 1 RB in the Pittsburgh backfield after flashing the last several seasons. Steelers general manager Omar Khan believes Warren is a starter-capable player. Mike Tomlin thinks he is a three-down back. Fantasy football doesn’t have to be hard.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Assuming he can make it through the NFL Draft unscathed, the easy answer here is Jaylen Warren. Last year, his season was destroyed by knee and hamstring issues, but if we rewind to 2023, Warren proved capable of carrying the mail for Pittsburgh. In 2023, he was in the top 10 in yards per touch, explosive run rate, missed tackles forced per attempt and yards per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. Warren looks primed for a monster breakout season.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Trey Benson (RB – ARI)
“Trey Benson is a prime breakout candidate this year. If you need to know why, I can summarize in two words: James Conner. The sophomore Benson is the direct handcuff to what has typically been one of the most fragile running backs in the NFL. Last season was the first time in his career that Conner did not miss multiple games. Considering he is seven years into that career and has missed three or more games on most occasions, it’s a solid bet to place on his handcuff to eventually take over as the lead back for the Cardinals. Conner will turn 30 years old this season. With Benson being only 23 with under 100 NFL touches under his belt, he is certain to be fresh and explosive when called upon. Scoop him up now at RB36 in the expert consensus rankings (ECR).”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
Ashton Jeanty (RB – Boise State) & Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA)
“The no-brainer answer is Ashton Jeanty. He is an explosive, three-down back, who is also an adept receiver. Ringo’s comp is LaDainian Tomlinson. If you’re looking for someone further down the draft list, don’t forget about Jaylen Wright. He takes over for Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in the Dolphins’ running back by committee (RBBC), both of whom are no longer in Miami. Like Jeanty, Wright is an explosive threat to score every time he touches the rock. Honorable mentions include Kaleb Johnson, Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, Bhayshul Tuten and Montrell Johnson.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Tank Bigsby (RB – JAC)
“Pick a rookie, any rookie. But if we’re barred from the rookie running back candy store and limiting this to veteran backs, I’ll vote for Tank Bigsby. Arguably, Bigsby had a semi-breakout last year, but there’s reason to believe we’ll get the full monty in 2025. Bigsby shares work with Travis Etienne, but Bigsby was the far superior runner last season. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry; Etienne averaged 3.7 yards per carry. Bigsby averaged 3.74 yards after contact per carry; Etienne was at 2.48 yards. Bigsby forced 46 missed tackles last season; Etienne only forced 17 missed tackles. Bigsby averaged 0.74 rushing yards over expected per carry (which ranked ninth in the league); Etienne averaged negative 0.28 rushing yards over expected per carry. Granted, Bigsby doesn’t offer much pass-catching potential. But if new head coach Liam Coen can jump-start the Jacksonville offense, Bigsby could be one of the prime beneficiaries.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“Tank Bigsby was better than backfield cohort Travis Etienne in 2024, by every metric. Coming into 2025, Bigsby has a real shot to win this job outright. Bigsby’s situation has improved drastically in Jacksonville with the arrival of a new coaching staff led by Liam Coen, who oversaw the rise of Bucky Irving a year ago in Tampa. That situation is very similar to the situation that now exists in Jacksonville, and one Bigsby could reap the rewards from. If Bigsby can show his effectiveness on the ground in comparison to Etienne, and garner red zone opportunities, he will easily outperform his average draft position (ADP) and have a breakout season.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
“Jordan Mason has found himself in a very interesting situation on one of the league’s best teams. Despite this draft class being loaded with running back talent, the Vikings went out of their way to acquire Mason from the 49ers. Although they could still draft a back, it would seem unlikely after re-signing Aaron Jones. As a result, Mason finds himself as the lone back behind the 30-year-old Jones, who has an injury history. There is a good chance Mason is the lead back for at least a few games this season and could make a case to be the Vikings’ running back of the future.”
– Ellis Johnson (FantasyPros)
“For a breakout to occur, you need two things: Talent and opportunity. Jordan Mason received opportunities last year for the 49ers with Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve (IR). He now has a chance to carve out a bigger role in Minnesota. Last year, Mason ranked 10th in yards after contact per attempt, 14th in missed tackles forced per attempt and third in rushing yards over expected per attempt (minimum of 90 carries). The Vikings brought back Aaron Jones and the two should form a formidable pair. Mason should rotate in and see the goal-line work, but his real value lies with Jones’ potential to miss games. Jones averages two games missed per season and has shown signs of decline after turning 30 in December. Any injury to Jones means Mason gets instant workhorse volume, and volume equates to fantasy points.”
– James Emrick-Wilson (Armchair Scouting)
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
