2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Quarterbacks List Led by Caleb Williams and Drake Maye

Michael Fabiano | May 9, 2025

Caleb Williams finished 16th in fantasy points among quarterbacks in his rookie season. / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The term “breakout” has different meanings for different people in the world of fantasy football. Some prognosticators believe it’s simply a player who will outperform his draft position. Others think it’s an already established player who emerges into a regular fantasy starter after never having reached that sort of status previously in his NFL career.

In my opinion, both definitions are true, but with a caveat.

I don’t see a player as a breakout if he’s already likely reached his “statistical ceiling” in his career. For example, Bo Nix isn’t a breakout candidate to me. Why? Well, he finished as the seventh-best fantasy quarterback last season. So, unless you’re predicting that he’ll be in the top three next season, I wouldn’t feel comfortable predicting him to “break out.”

Could Nix be labeled as a potential bargain in 2025 drafts? Sure, but to call him a breakout player is a bit weak. I also think rookies can be breakouts, as we saw last year with Jayden Daniels, who emerged as a stud without ever before producing in the NFL.

With that in mind, here are five breakout quarterbacks to target somewhere in the middle to late rounds who could have career-best seasons in 2024.

Top 200 Redraft Rankings | All Breakouts: RBs | WRs | TEs

2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Quarterbacks

Caleb Williams, Bears: Williams wasn’t bad in his rookie season, but he was inconsistent from a statistical perspective. The good news is the Bears added help on the offensive line, adding Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson to protect Williams. The team also drafted speedy slot man Luther Burden III to replace Keenan Allen, so Williams is in a good spot to have a breakout campaign in his second year.

Drake Maye, Patriots: Maye showed flashes of potential as a rookie, scoring 17-plus fantasy points six times in 13 games (12 starts). He also averaged 41 rushing yards in the 10 games he played at least 43 snaps, which projects to almost 700 yards over a full 17-game slate. The Patriots added offensive line help for Maye, most notably rookie Will Campbell, and new weapons in Stefon Diggs, TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams. I can see Maye finishing in the top 12 among fantasy quarterbacks this season.

Michael Penix Jr., Falcons: Penix Jr. will open this season as the starting quarterback in what figures to be an explosive Falcons offense. He has a solid offensive line in front of him and an array of weapons, including Bijan Robinson and Drake London. Fantasy fans saw a glimpse of his upside in his final start of his rookie season, as Penix Jr. threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Panthers. He has breakout potential.

J.J. McCarthy, Vikings: McCarthy projects to take over the reins of what is a very field-general-friendly offense in Minnesota under head coach Kevin O’Connell. The system is so effective that it helped Sam Darnold, previously a fantasy bust, become a top-10 signal-caller a season ago. With bananas weapons in the passing game like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson at his disposal, McCarthy is in a great spot to shine.

Cam Ward, Titans: Ward was the first pick of the NFL Draft. Noted for his skills as a passer, he was one of the nation’s most accurate signal-callers last season. Ward can also make plays when the pocket breaks down, rushing for 204 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. That doesn’t mean he’ll be Jayden Daniels, but Ward is mobile. He’s well worth a late-rounder who could be one of the season’s best fantasy bargains in redraft leagues.