C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love both took a step back in their second years as starters last season, both in terms of on-field results and Fantasy football points. Fantasy owners should keep that in mind ahead of 2025 Fantasy football drafts concerning second-year starters like Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and Caleb Williams. Each had at least 3,500 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns and 400 rushing yards a year ago as dual-threat quarterbacks. Some regression could occur as defenses have more film on them, so where do they fall in the 2025 Fantasy football rankings?
Daniels has a new weapon to play with in Deebo Samuel, as the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year was the QB5 in 2024. However, Love was QB5 in 2023 before dropping to QB17 last year. If Daniels has a similar drop in production, then he could go from being a Fantasy football breakout as a rookie to one of the top 2025 Fantasy football busts. Before setting your 2025 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2025 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Last year, the model accurately predicted that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud might take a step back in his second season. He finished as QB18 and anybody who avoided drafting him early dodged a major headache in their Fantasy football lineups. The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020, nailing Jonathan Taylor’s monstrous season in 2021 and calling Rachaad White’s breakout in 2023. Additionally, it has called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.
The model is powered by the same people who generated projections for all three major Fantasy sites, and it beat human experts last season when there was a big difference in ranking. The 2025 Fantasy football PPR rankings and 2024 Fantasy football standard projections update multiple times daily, so you’re always getting the best Fantasy football advice.
Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest 2025 Fantasy football rankings, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Fantasy football sleepers
One of the 2025 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting: Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The 31-year-old only played eight games last year due to a season-ending hamstring injury, but when he takes the field this year, he’ll have a game-changing new weapon to go alongside arguably the most talented receiver in the NFL. The Cowboys traded for George Pickens from the Steelers and Pickens has a big-play ability that could pair well with Prescott running alongside CeeDee Lamb, who will always demand additional defensive attention. Prescott was QB3 in Fantasy football in 2023 despite Lamb being the only Dallas wide receiver to reach 700 yards.
He was QB7 in Fantasy football in 2021, as he’s been a consistent top Fantasy football quarterback option when healthy. Health has been the biggest concern though, as he’s failed to complete three of his last five seasons. That injury risk has been built into his ADP, and the model has Prescott as a top-10 Fantasy football quarterback this season. He is currently being drafted outside the top 10 at his position and given his recent injuries and potential name fatigue, that’s a trend that could continue. But the model views that as a mistake, making Prescott a top quarterback Fantasy football sleeper. See more Fantasy football sleepers 2025 here.
Top 2025 Fantasy football breakouts
One of the 2025 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting: Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson. The No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was a four-year standout at Ohio State, rushing for 3,761 yards and 42 touchdowns while adding 77 receptions for 853 yards and six more scores as a receiver. Now, he’s set to become a focal point of a rebuilding New England roster.
Drake Maye showed signs of franchise quarterback potential as a rookie, and New England overhauled its offensive line to protect him. Henderson should also benefit from the additions of first-round pick Will Campbell, Garrett Bradbury and Morgan Moses up front. He’ll compete with Rhamondre Stevenson for carries. See more Fantasy football breakouts 2025 here.
Top 2025 Fantasy football busts
As for players to avoid, the model lists Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson as one of its 2025 Fantasy football busts. After a torn ACL delayed the start to his season, Hockenson appeared in 10 games last season and failed to score a touchdown for the first time in his six-year career. He seemed to be an afterthought in Minnesota’s offense and didn’t record a single reception inside the 10-yard line. Hockenson’s yards per game were his lowest since 2020. He finished 33rd amongst tight ends in Fantasy points, also tied for the lowest ranking of his career.
Now, he’ll have to adjust to a first-year starting quarterback in J.J. McCarthy, who’ll make his NFL debut in 2025. Minnesota will likely have a more conservative offense this season, which limits the potential for all of its pass catchers, and the team drafting a guard in the first round indicates it will lean more on the ground game. After finishing as the TE4 in both 2022 and 2023, the model doesn’t even have Hockenson ranked amongst its top 10 tight ends for 2025. See more Fantasy football busts 2025 here.
How to find proven 2025 Fantasy football football rankings
SportsLine is also extremely high on a surprising wide receiver you aren’t even thinking about being taken in the early rounds of 2025 Fantasy football drafts. This wide receiver is listed as a shocking top-15 option ahead of stars like A.J. Brown and Tyreek Hill. You can only see who it is, and the 2025 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.
So which 2025 Fantasy Football sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade, and which WR shocks the NFL with a top-15 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2025 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called C.J. Stroud’s disappointing sophomore season in 2024, and find out.