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High Upside Fantasy Football Players 2025: Who's This Year's Brock Bowers?

Did you know that just drafting Brock Bowers last year gave you a better than one-in-three chance of reaching your league’s title game?

According to ESPN fantasy league data, 35% of teams with Bowers made it to the championship.

Bowers was a ninth- or 10th-round pick in fantasy drafts last summer and wound up leading all TEs in scoring.

That’s the power of high-upside fantasy football players.

Upside is (Almost) All That Matters

Landing safe contributors and draft-day values is nice. But you win your league by pinpointing the handful of players who smash expectations with season-tilting fantasy totals.

Think Bowers, Chase Brown, and Brian Thomas Jr. last year.

Targeting players with that kind of upside, especially in the middle and late rounds, is a critical part of the best way to draft.

Who are the High-Upside Fantasy Football Players to Target in 2025?

Let’s look at our ceiling projections.

The high-upside fantasy football players listed below aren’t necessarily those with the highest raw ceiling projections. They’re the ones whose ceilings most outpace their ADPs. Because real league-winners live where massive upside meets minimal cost.

High-Upside Quarterbacks

Justin Fields, Jets

Ceiling projection: 375 fantasy points

Rushing is the Shortcut To QB Upside

Rushing production is a key upside driver at QB. 

21 QB have hit 500+ rushing yards in a season over the past five years. 14 of them finished top-7 in fantasy points per game.

Only Lamar Jackson Beats Fields In This Key Stat

Few QBs are better bets for rushing production this season than Fields. His career average of 50.2 rushing yards per game ranks second among QBs over the last four seasons, trailing only Lamar Jackson.

That rushing helped Fields turn in a QB7 finish in points per game in 2022. He’s scored as a top-5 fantasy QB in 29% of his career outings.

The rushing production is a lock. If Fields can elevate his passing production a bit in New York, he could deliver a top-5 fantasy finish this year.

Beware of the New Injury

Just before we were set to publish this article, Fields left Thursday's practice on a cart with a toe injury. The cart's always scary, but early word points to the issue not being too serious.

We'll obviously stay on top of the situation and pass along any pertinent fantasy football news.

Caleb Williams, Bears

Ceiling projection: 364 fantasy points

Upside Hid in the Rookie Wreckage

Not much went right in Chicago last year. Williams was part of the problem, taking too many sacks and struggling to throw downfield. He finished outside the top 20 QBs in fantasy points per game.

But even in the rough debut, Williams flashed his fantasy upside. He delivered five top-6 fantasy finishes, more than Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, or Bo Nix.

Williams displayed his high-end passing skills in spurts. He registered four 300-yard games, plus outings of four and three TDs. And he added value with his legs, ranking seventh among QBs in both rush attempts (82) and yards (483).

The Ben Johnson Boost

Williams got a colossal coaching upgrade this offseason, with HC Ben Johnson  moving in. Johnson just got done leading the Lions to their third straight top-5 finishes in points and total yards.

This Offense Will Run Through Williams

Those Detroit offenses were run-centric. But the Bears look built to throw. 

The backfield is thin, but the pass-catching corps features WRs D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, plus rookies Colston Loveland (Round 1) and Luther Burden (Round 2).

Chicago also remade the interior of its offensive line this offseason, adding reliable Gs Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and C Drew Dalman.

Williams now has the supporting cast and playcaller to unlock his full skill set. The arm talent is legit. The rushing is real.

Add it all up, and Williams has top-6 fantasy upside in 2025.

Drake Maye, Patriots

Ceiling projection: 362 fantasy points

A Promising Debut in a Dumpster Fire

Maye did well in a bad situation last year. Playing with the league’s worst combination of skill-position and offensive-line talent, the rookie ranked 15th among QBs in fantasy points per game across his 10 full outings. He finished top-12 at the position in five of those 10 games.

Upgrades Elevate the 2025 Ceiling

Maye’s environment has improved dramatically heading into Year 2.

The Patriots added veteran Stefon Diggs and rookie Kyle Williams to add juice to the pass-catching corps. They bolstered the offensive line with free-agent C Garrett Bradbury and RT Morgan Moses and first-round rookie LT Will Campbell. Plus, HC Mike Vrabel and OC Josh McDaniels bring stability to the coaching staff.

How much better will New England’s offense be this season? Current Vegas lines have the Patriots implied to score 22.2 points per game. That’d be 5.2 more points per game than last season. No team is expected to make a bigger jump from 2024 to 2025.

It’s all good news for Maye’s fantasy upside.

Rushing Boost Coming This Season?

The rushing potential adds another layer of upside.

Maye averaged 36.3 rushing yards across his 10 full outings last year, the fourth-most among QBs. And almost all of it came on scrambles. He logged just 14 yards on designed runs all year.

Why? The old staff flat-out said they didn’t want to expose him to injury in a lost season. (Fair.)

Don’t expect Maye to turn into Lamar Jackson this year. But this new staff figures to take better advantage of his athleticism. 400-500 rushing yards is within reach, which would give Maye a shot to vault into fantasy’s top 8 QBs.

Other High-Upside QBs

• Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (Ceiling projection: 359 points)
• J.J. McCarthy, Vikings (Ceiling projection: 356 points)

High-Upside Running Backs

Jonathan Taylor, Colts

Ceiling projection: 353 PPR points

This Year’s Saquon?

Taylor gives some 2024 Saquon Barkley vibes: A hyper-talented back whose ceiling could be unlocked by an improved offensive environment.

Taylor didn’t change teams like Barkley. But better QB play might be just as impactful.

Taylor Was THE RB1 for Part of 2024

We got a taste of his upside last season. 

Taylor was fine in games quarterbacked by Anthony Richardson, ranking 11th among RBs in PPR points per game.

But in five games with QB Joe Flacco, Taylor averaged:

• 24.2 carries
• 110.4 rush yards
• 0.8 rush TDs
• 3.8 targets
• 2.2 catches
• 10.6 receiving yards

Taylor led all RBs in both expected and actual PPR points per game in those contests.

Is Daniel Jones the Key to Taylor’s Upside?

If QB Daniel Jones is under center this season -- which looks more likely after Richardson’s spring shoulder issues -- Taylor will project for more carries, targets, and TDs.

He’d have a chance to finish as a top-3 fantasy RB. That’s exciting upside in the back half of Round 2.

Breece Hall, Jets

Ceiling projection: 339 PPR points

There are reasons to be concerned about Hall this year. His efficiency dipped in 2024, and the Jets’ new coaching staff has floated the idea of a backfield committee.

But we’re here to talk upside. And Hall has the talent to deliver top-7 fantasy production.

Hall Already Has Two Top 7 Fantasy Seasons

He’s already done it. Hall finished RB7 in PPR points per game as a rookie and followed that up with a RB6 finish in 2023. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry over those two seasons and was productive in the passing game. In fact, Hall is one of just four RBs with 30+ receiving yards per game in each of the last three seasons (joining Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Austin Ekeler).

Oh, and he just turned 24 in May. That’s right around peak age for RBs, according to our aging-curve research. This guy is a good bounce-back bet in 2025.

Aaron Rodgers Capped Hall’s Ceiling Last Year

The changes the Jets made around Hall boost the odds of a bounce back. 

There’s a brand new coaching staff under defensive-minded HC Aaron Glenn and Lions import Tanner Engstrand at OC. More importantly, they swapped out Aaron Rodgers for Justin Fields at QB. That should turn this from a pass-heavy to run-heavy offense.

Last year’s Jets ranked fourth in pass rate and first in red-zone pass rate, limiting Hall’s volume. Fields has exclusively piloted run-leaning to run-heavy attacks. His three Bears teams recorded pass rates of 55.8%, 43.8%, and 51.3%. For comparison, the 2024 Jets checked in at 64.1%.

What Justin Fields Means for Hall’s Fantasy Upside

Fields will be a big part of New York’s running game, but Hall has a good chance to zoom by last year’s 13.1 carries per game in a run-heavy attack.

The receiving usage should remain solid, too. Despite being a mobile QB, Fields tends to supply plenty of RB targets via checkdowns. He ranked second league-wide in checkdown rate last year, following a sixth-place finish in 2023.

If Hall’s talent wins out and the Jets deploy him as the three-down back he deserves to be, he could deliver top-8 fantasy numbers at a Round 3 or 4 price tag.

Omarion Hampton, Chargers

Ceiling projection: 303 PPR points

Harris Is The Roadblock

Hampton landed in a Chargers backfield alongside established veteran Najee Harris, who’s the only RB with 1,000+ rushing yards in each of the last four seasons.

Harris’ presence dings Hampton’s baseline projection and clouds his path to a true ceiling season.

But that ceiling remains lofty.

Built to be a Three-Down Monster

Hampton boasts an exciting prospect profile. 

He topped 1,500 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons at North Carolina, averaging 5.9 yards per carry with 30 total TDs. He was also a weapon in the passing game, compiling 67 catches for 595 yards and 3 TDs.

Hampton checked into the Combine at a sturdy 6’0, 221 pounds and clocked a 4.46-second 40 time. That earned him a 93rd-percentile speed score.

This is a big, athletic back with a three-down skill set. That screams fantasy upside.

Will He Get the Volume to Hit His Ceiling?

Hampton just needs volume to deliver. 

We have little doubt that he’s a more talented player than Harris and will eventually emerge as a feature back. When will that happen? Impossible to know at this point, although Harris’ July 4 fireworks accident that could cost him all of training camp certainly doesn’t hurt Hampton’s outlook.

Situation Adds to Hampton’s Appeal

If and when Hampton takes over as feature back, he’ll do so for a coaching staff that’s produced plenty of high-end rushing attacks. HC Jim Harbaugh has landed four of his five NFL offenses among the top eight in rushing yards. OC Greg Roman has done so for 10 of his 11 squads, including four No. 1 finishes.

The Chargers also boast a talented QB in Justin Herbert and an offensive line that ranked seventh in Pro Football Focus run-blocking grades last year.

Simply put, Hampton has the ability and the supporting cast to be a fantasy RB1 this season. He just needs the volume.

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

Ceiling projection: 276 PPR points

We’ve Already Seen The Upside

This one’s easy. 

Go back just a couple of seasons to 2023 and you’ll find Pacheco sitting 14th in PPR points per game. And that was despite him playing less than half of Kansas City’s offensive snaps over the first three weeks of the year. From Week 4 on, only six RBs averaged more PPR points per game.

Pacheco averaged 15.5 carries and 3.6 targets over his final 11 games of 2023, ranking 11th among RBs in expected PPR points per game.

Pacheco was even busier at the start of last season, averaging 17.0 carries and 4.0 targets across the first two weeks. He ranked RB17 in PPR points per game and eighth in expected points per game during that stretch.

Then Pacheco’s season was derailed by a fractured fibula.

Road to Fantasy-Friendly Role Remains Open

The Chiefs seem ready to ride Pacheco again in 2025, though. HC Andy Reid confirmed in April that Pacheco’s struggles late last season stemmed from the leg injury. Reid then said in May that Pacheco “looks tremendous” now.

The Chiefs re-signed RB Kareem Hunt this offseason, but he was one of the least efficient runners in the league last year, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and ranking 35th among 38 qualifying RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected per attempt.

Beyond Hunt? Just RB Elijah Mitchell on a cheap, one-year deal and RB Brashard Smith in the seventh round of this spring’s draft.

If Pacheco looks like his old self, he has every chance to return to the role that made him a top-7 fantasy RB in 2023.

Other High-Upside RBs

• TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots (Ceiling projection: 271 PPR points)
• R.J. Harvey, Broncos (Ceiling projection: 270 PPR points)
• Kaleb Johnson, Steelers (Ceiling projection: 245 PPR points)
• Travis Etienne, Jaguars (Ceiling projection: 238 PPR points)
• Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars (Ceiling projection: 236 PPR points)

High-Upside Wide Receivers

Tyreek Hill, Dolphins

Ceiling projection: 346 PPR points

What to Make of an Ugly 2024?

Maybe last year was the beginning of the end for Hill. He posted career worsts in multiple categories, including yards per route and PFF receiving grade, in his age-30 season.

Or maybe it was a momentary dip for an established fantasy stud who played the entire season with a wrist injury that required two offseason surgeries.

If that’s the case, it’s easy to see Hill flash top-5 fantasy upside again in 2025. 

Pieces in Place for a Big Bounce Back

Hill returns to the same offense with the same QB that helped him finish second among WRs in PPR points in both 2022 and 2023. The target competition is weaker this year than last after Miami traded TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh. And age shouldn’t be a major concern yet.

According to our aging-curve research, elite WRs still produce at 85-90% of peak at age 31. The real cliff usually hits around 33.

Hill arrived to training camp dialed in, clearly ready to put the disappointing 2024 season behind him.

“I want to see what it looks like when I just focus on football, on myself and family,” he said. “I feel like I haven’t given the best version of Tyreek my whole entire career.”

A healthy and focused Hill in Round 2 or even Round 3 of fantasy drafts has the potential to be a league-winner.

Garrett Wilson, Jets

Ceiling projection: 309 PPR points

Elite Target Share Guaranteed

Wilson is one of the safest bets for target share this season. 

He drew 23.4% of Jets targets as a rookie and followed that with 28.0% and 25.4% the last two seasons. 

Davante Adams’ October arrival deflated last year's number. Wilson saw a 22.8% target share in 11 games with Adams. In his 23 games without Adams over the last two seasons, he hogged 28.5% of Jets targets.

Adams is gone now, and the rest of New York’s WR depth chart reads:

• Josh Reynolds
• Allen Lazard
• Malachi Corley
• Arian Smith
• Xavier Gipson

We’re currently projecting Wilson for a 29% target share. That’s third-highest in our projections, behind only Malik Nabers and A.J. Brown.

What If Justin Fields Doesn’t Cap The Ceiling?

So why does Wilson sit “just” 17th in our WR rankings? Because we’re projecting the Jets to be run-heavy and for Wilson’s efficiency to be good-not-great with QB Justin Fields.

But what if either projection is wrong? What if OC Tanner Engstrand lets Fields throw more than the Bears or Steelers did? What if Wilson’s efficiency improves vs. last year with a declining Aaron Rodgers?

Those aren’t the most likely outcomes, but they’re well within range. And if either (or both) happens, Wilson’s mix of elite target share and top-tier talent gives him a legitimate shot to crack the top 10 fantasy WRs.

Travis Hunter, Jaguars

Ceiling projection: 308 PPR points

Will He Play Enough Offense?

There might not be a player with a wider range of outcomes this season.

The downside is obvious: We’re not sure exactly how much the dual-position star will play on offense. But if we do get something close to a full-time role on that side of the ball, the upside is just as obvious.

The Talent is Undeniable

Hunter is coming off a wildly productive final college season. He caught 96 balls for 1,258 yards and 15 TDs. Those all ranked top-5 in the country. And Hunter did it while also playing full-time on defense. 

He won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s most outstanding receiver and the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player. Oh, he also took home the Heisman.

Then the Jaguars made an aggressive move up to take Hunter with the second overall pick. They’ve been buzzing about him since, including multiple mentions about his ability to play a ton of snaps.

“He does not tire,” GM James Gladstone said in June. “He has got a spark, he has got the energy. And so the capacity, from a physical standpoint, just to be able to do it, is certainly there.”

Situation Boosts Hunter’s Ceiling

We probably won’t know exactly how much offense Hunter will play until we get to Week 1. And even then, his snap rates might vary game to game.

But if he’s a full-time WR, the pieces are in place for him to hit in a big way.

WR Brian Thomas Jr. comes off a stellar rookie season to present stiff target competition. But the next WR on the depth chart is Dyami Brown, who has yet to top 30 catches through four NFL seasons. The TE room is led by Brenton Strange, who topped four catches in just one of eight games without Evan Engram last year.

There’s clearly room for Hunter to earn a big target share, even if he’s behind Thomas in the pecking order. 

And the whole passing game should improve under new HC Liam Coen, who just guided the Buccaneers to top-4 finishes in points, total yards, passing yards, and passing TDs last year.

The best part: Uncertainty about Hunter’s role has depressed his cost. He’s sitting at WR30 in consensus ADP. 

There’s huge profit potential from that price.

Xavier Worthy, Chiefs

Ceiling projection: 291 PPR points

Worthy Flashes Upside Late in Rookie Year

Rashee Rice gets a lot of love for the strong finish to his 2023 rookie season. And rightfully so. 

But Worthy had a very similar production spike to close his debut campaign. Check out the numbers over the final eight games of each guy’s rookie season:

Worthy’s strong finish came without Rice on the field. Rice easily out-produced him over the first three games of last season, before the season-ending knee injury. But those were the first three games of Worthy’s career.

Are We Sure Rice is Kansas City’s No. 1 WR?

Worthy now heads into his second season as a 22-year-old, former first-round pick. He’s a good bet to improve in 2025. Rice, meanwhile, is working back from a serious knee injury and likely facing a suspension.

That’s all to say that the market might be a little too sure that Rice will lead Kansas City’s WR room in fantasy points. Even with his price dropping on recent news of his plea deal, Rice is going a full round ahead of Worthy on many sites.

If Worthy pushes for the target lead on a pass-heavy, Patrick Mahomes-led offense, he could flirt with WR1 production this year.

Other High-Upside WRs

• Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers (Ceiling projection: 293 PPR points)
• Ricky Pearsall, 49ers (Ceiling projection: 283 PPR points)
• Jameson Williams, Lions (Ceiling projection: 282 PPR points)
• Rome Odunze, Bears (Ceiling projection: 281 PPR points)
• Chris Olave, Saints (Ceiling projection: 278 PPR points)
• Jauan Jennings, 49ers (Ceiling projection: 262 PPR points)

High-Upside Tight Ends

Dalton Kincaid, Bills

Ceiling projection: 220 PPR points

From Trendy Breakout to Buy-Low Value

Just a year ago, Kincaid was being drafted alongside Trey McBride and George Kittle.

Now? He’s outside the top 12 TEs in ADP.

Has the breakout potential completely disappeared? Not quite. The upside that made him a 2024 darling is still in there.

Don’t Ignore the Underlying Progress

Kincaid did a lot of good things last year, particularly in terms of target earning. His target share grew from 16.6% as a rookie to 19.7% in 2024. And his targets per route spiked from 0.196 to 0.257. Last year’s mark ranked third among TEs behind only McBride and Taysom Hill.

Kincaid also improved in yards per route and PFF receiving grade from his rookie season, finishing top-9 among TEs in both metrics last year.

So Why Was the Fantasy Production So Poor?

Kincaid’s biggest problem last year was playing time. He ran a route on just 62% of Buffalo’s pass plays. That ranked 25th among TEs, behind Tyler Conklin, Dalton Schultz, and Juwan Johnson (among others).

That was partly due to Kincaid’s blocking limitations. But a pair of knee injuries likely contributed as well. Kincaid sprained his left PCL in Week 10, missed the next three games, and remained limited the rest of the way. He also dealt with a Morel-Lavallee lesion in his right knee in Week 16.

In a healthier 2023, Kincaid registered a 70% route rate. That’s still shy of elite but high enough to unlock further upside.

Kincaid also saw his catchable-target rate plummet from 89.9% in 2023 to 69.0% last year. Less separation in his routes as a result of those injuries didn't help. But there’s also some year-to-year variance at play here.

Bank on Kincaid’s catchable target rate rebounding this season.

How High is the Ceiling?

The playing time remains a legitimate hurdle -- but not an insurmountable one. 

This is still a 25-year-old, former first-round pick who caught 73 balls as a rookie. Buffalo’s WR corps still lacks a true alpha, giving Kincaid plenty of target upside in a high-scoring offense.

He could crack the top 6 at his position.

Tyler Warren, Colts

Ceiling projection: 225 PPR points

Will the QB Play be Good Enough?

QB play is the biggest thing standing between Warren and a fantasy breakout.

Anthony Richardson’s 2024 season was a disaster for the passing game. He became just the third QB since 2000 to post a sub-50% completion rate on 250+ attempts.

The Colts added QB Daniel Jones this offseason, but he’s not exactly a bearer of fantasy goodness. Jones has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt for his career and posted a 3.1% TD rate, both well below league average.

The duo could certainly torpedo Warren’s rookie season. 

But what if Richardson figures it out in Year 3? Or Jones simply gives the Colts average QB play?

That's all Warren needs to deliver fantasy upside.

Warren’s Diverse Skill Set Raises Fantasy Ceiling

He’s coming off one of the biggest seasons by a TE in NCAA history. Warren hauled in 104 passes for 1,233 yards, and 8 TDs. He was a monster with the ball in his hands, averaging 6.7 yards after the catch per reception and running 26 times for 218 yards and 4 TDs.

The Colts have been gushing about Warren since taking him 14th overall in this spring’s draft.

"It's kind of one of those guys that's always open, you know? That's part of his uniqueness," GM Chris Ballard said shortly after the draft. "Like, his hands are pretty rare. I thought he had the best hands of any player in the draft. He's a unique dude ... You can do a lot with him. He's excellent inside the 10 and five because of the things you can do with him not only throwing the football, but running the football. ... So that just tells you that he's going to be able to handle a high volume on Sunday of whatever we ask him to do."

“High volume” would certainly give Warren a path to fantasy upside. The Colts sport a pair of quality WRs in Josh Downs and Michael Pittman, but neither is the type of target hog to get in the way of a Warren breakout if he and his QBs are ready.

Other High-Upside TEs

• Colston Loveland, Bears (Ceiling projection: 220 PPR points)
• Isaiah Likely, Ravens (Ceiling projection: 194 PPR points)

Never Miss A High-Upside Player Again

Prioritizing upside is a crucial part of optimal draft strategy. That’s exactly why we built Upside Mode into the Draft War Room.

Midway through your draft, the War Room will automatically switch to Upside Mode. That puts a heavier weight on each player’s ceiling projection, bumping those high-upside targets up your rankings.

Create your Draft War Room now!

Watch this quick video to learn more about the Draft War Room.

Next Up

Most Accurate Fantasy Football Experts 2025: Kevin English of Draft Sharks

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Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.