Now that we’ve crowned a Super Bowl Champion, it’s time to start looking ahead to next season. Specifically, players that could either break out or bounce back and provide excellent value in fantasy drafts. Below are a few of those players to look out for.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
Breakout and Bounce-Back Targets
C.J. Stroud (QB – HOU)
Relative to his rookie season, it could be argued that no player had a more disappointing fantasy campaign than Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Yes, the Texans made the playoffs in each of Stroud’s first two seasons, but the 2023 Rookie of the Year took a step back statistically.
Stroud threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns, plus he scored three rushing touchdowns, in 2023. In 2024, he dipped to 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also threw for more than double the number of interceptions going from five to 12. Stroud went from a top-10 fantasy quarterback in his rookie season to barely a top-20 quarterback in his sophomore campaign.
By all accounts, the decline wasn’t all due to Stroud taking a step back, but, rather, a poor offensive game plan led by (now) former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. And it wasn’t just Stroud but the whole Texans offense that went from 13th in the league in points and 12th in yards in 2023 to 19th in points and 22nd in yards this past season. Whatever the cause, Stroud and the Texans will get a new start with newly hired Nick Caley, the latest disciple of the Rams Sean McVay.
This will be Caley’s first offensive coordinator gig but it’s hard not to be intrigued about his potential. His two pro stops have included time under Bill Belichick in New England and McVay in Los Angeles as a tight end coach and, as of last season, passing game coordinator. While McVay still deserves most of the credit for the Rams’ offensive game plan, Caley was part of a division-winning team that saw Matthew Stafford throw for 3,700+ yards and 20 touchdowns.
For Caley’s next gig, not only does he have Stroud but also a stud at receiver in Nico Collins, who turned in another 1,000-yard season despite missing five games. He could be enough to help Stroud and the offense improve no matter what other parts the Texans add this offseason.
Back to Stroud. Having a McVay disciple means he’s likely to perform better than last season and potentially better than he did his rookie season, which would make him a top-five fantasy quarterback.
Caleb Williams (QB – CHI)
Some may not think of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as a breakout or bounce-back candidate. His rookie season was considered by many as a disappointment, but only because of the massive expectations thrust upon him. Drafted first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, Williams was slotted in as the top pick for nearly two seasons after his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in college in 2022.
The Bears also had more talent than a first-overall pick usually has based on the team’s performance the year before, but a fortuitous trade with the Panthers the year before gave Chicago the top pick and the opportunity to draft Williams. And for the first part of the season, it seemed like the expectations would be met. Williams had multiple 300+ yard and multi-touchdown games, and the Bears headed into their Week 8 game against Washington with a 4-2 record.
Then it happened. The play of the year — second-overall pick Jayden Daniels threw a Hail Mary that was answered and the Commanders stole a win from Chicago. That started a 10-game losing streak and led to the dismissal of coach Matt Eberflus. For Williams, the losing streak wasn’t all bad. Sure, he threw zero touchdowns and failed to top 231 passing yards for a month after that heartbreaking loss but rebounded down the stretch, throwing 11 touchdowns in his last seven games against one interception.
Which leads us to the 2025 season. The Bears went all in to lure Ben Johnson — widely considered the top available coach on the market — to coach Chicago and Williams. Johnson’s reputation preceded him, leading the Lions’ offense to a top-five finish in both yards and points in each of his three seasons as offensive coordinator. Johnson also guided quarterback Jared Goff to the best stretch of his career, averaging 4,500+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns from 2022-2024.
Williams, who finished around the top-15, in fantasy scoring, could do even better under Johnson with the Bears already having playmakers around Williams to enable his progression. There’s still work to do on the roster, but Williams’ fantasy future is bright.
Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF)
One of the more obvious comeback candidates is Brandon Aiyuk. Thanks to a torn ACL in the middle of the season, Aiyuk never came close to matching his 2023 production when he was a top-10 fantasy receiver.
But it’s not just the return from injury that could see Aiyuk become a truly elite fantasy option. There’s a ton of turnover expected in San Francisco to both get back to competing for championships and accommodate quarterback Brock Purdy‘s looming extension. This includes saying goodbye to fellow (for now) 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel. A trade appears imminent as both sides think it’s for the best. While Samuel and Aiyuk have very different roles in the 49ers’ offense, it still solidifies Aiyuk’s standing in the pecking order.
There’s also the possibility the 49ers add a weapon that could free Aiyuk up even more. Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is quickly shooting up draft boards that have 49ers fans dreaming of their own Patriots-style, two-tight end offense. If that were to happen, defenses would have a difficult time properly covering anybody, let alone Aiyuk on the outside.
Of course, this is all predicated on Aiyuk coming back in time for most, if not all, of the season. But as of right now, that’s a distinct possibility, which means Aiyuk’s stock is trending up.
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