When you’re on the clock in your fantasy football draft, sometimes playing it safe just isn’t enough. To win your league, you need to take some calculated risks – and that means reaching for the right players before someone else does. In this article, our collection of Featured Pros experts highlights the Players Worth Reaching For in 2025, offering insight into the players they believe are poised to outperform their average draft position (ADP). Whether it’s a breakout candidate, a rising rookie, or an under-the-radar value, these are the picks our experts say are worth the gamble.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Players Worth Reaching For in 2025
If you had to reach a round early for one guy this year, who is it and why?
Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI)
“The answer is Jalen Hurts. The majority would agree that Saquon Barkley‘s usage will meet regression this year, which puts more on Hurts and the passing game. We tie in the fact that he was QB5 before his end-of-season injury, and we know that we have a valuable asset with the most unstoppable play in the NFL: The Tush Push. Hurts returns with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, Dallas Goedert, and Jahan Dotson with a full offseason in the system (don’t sleep on the end-of-year success he had). Hurts has a chip on his back still with the world not giving him his flowers, but he will give your team championship trophies if you make sure you draft him.”
– Joe Pepe (Beyond The Gridiron)
Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)
“I’d be willing to take Jonathan Taylor in Round 1 of fantasy drafts. He averaged over 110 total yards per game last year and led all RBs in fantasy points per game when QB Anthony Richardson was on the bench. If we get Daniel Jones under center for most or all of 2025, Taylor could finish as a top-3 RB.”
– Jared Smola (Draft Sharks)
Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
“While he is likely facing a three-game suspension for a DUI last offseason, I will happily reach a round early for Jordan Addison. The former USC star was the WR21 as a rookie, averaging 11 half-point PPR fantasy points per game before finishing as the WR20 last year, averaging 12.1 fantasy points per contest. Furthermore, Addison had a higher fantasy points per route run average (0.39) than Tyreek Hill (0.37), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (0.35), and Garrett Wilson (0.33) last season (per Fantasy Points Data). More importantly, he has been a scoring machine, totaling 19 receiving touchdowns since entering the NFL, the fourth-most in the league behind Ja’Marr Chase (24), Mike Evans (24), and Amon-Ra St. Brown (22). Unless J.J. McCarthy is the next Daniel Jones, there is no reason why Addison should be the WR35 in the ADP.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Drake London (WR – ATL)
“I would happily reach for Drake London in Round 1 if that were the only way I could guarantee him on my roster. He’s not even 24 years old yet., coming off a Year 3 performance featuring 100 catches, 1,271 yards & 9 TDs. And he’s got one fantasy cheat code working in his favor: red-zone targets. In 2024, Drake London had: 23 red-zone targets (T-3rd in NFL) and 14 end-zone targets (Top-10). The Falcons’ WR leads the league in red-zone target rate over the last 3 seasons. And London wasn’t just a TD threat – he was a target hog. 3rd-highest target rate per route run (30%). And now he’s tied to QB Michael Penix Jr. With Penix under center late in the year, London had a 41% target rate on his routes. If Penix levels up in Year 2, look out.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)
“I will be drafting Tetairoa McMillan aggressively this year. McMillan could be a wonderful volume hog this year in what looks to be an ascending passing offense. Last year, in Weeks 12-18, when Young was hitting his stride, the Panthers ranked 13th in neutral passing rate. We could see that number increase this year, with a true number one option leading the way. Last year, during that same stretch, Young ranked eighth in CPOE, fifth in deep throw rate, 12th in highly accurate throw rate, and second in hero throw rate (per Fantasy Points Data). McMillan is an incredibly talented receiver who can step up quickly. During his final two collegiate seasons, he ranked 17th and 21st in yards per route run. He’s a battle-tested man coverage beater as well. In 2023-2024, McMillan had the third-most and the tenth-most man coverage targets (among FBS wide receivers) while also ranking eighth and tenth in yards per route run against man coverage (per PFF). His touchdown upside is quietly massive. Carolina quietly ranked 12th in passing rate inside the ten-yard line and fourth in red zone passing rate last year. Don’t be surprised if McMillan is a WR1/2 in his rookie season.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Kaleb Johnson (RB – PIT) | Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)
“For me, it’s a tie between Kaleb Johnson and Omarion Hampton. Kaleb Johnson has size (6’1″ 225 lbs.) and plays faster than his 4.57 forty time suggests. Despite the possibility that Kaleb might not be a big factor in the passing game, he’s still very talented. Maturity issues caused him to slip to day two, but he’s considered to be a first-round grade by many scouts. As for Hampton, few RBs have the immense upside that Hampton does. Hampton has the potential to be a rare bell-cow RB due to his size, receiving prowess, and first-round draft pedigree. That’s not happening with many RBs going before him (mainly due to the situations they’re in), such as Breece Hall, Devon Achane, Kenneth Walker III, etc. Ringo’s comps- Kaleb Johnson reminds me of former Chiefs’ all-pro RB Larry Johnson, while Omarion Hampton reminds me of former Steelers’ all-pro RB, Barry Foster.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)
“Alvin Kamara is currently being drafted as the RB15 and 43rd overall. He has been a top 15 RB in FPPG every season he has been in the NFL. In five out of the eight seasons he has been in the league, he has been a top-five running back in FPPG, and he has been the RB6 and RB9 in the other two seasons. I’d rather have Kamara over Kyren Williams and Breece Hall, who are being drafted a round earlier as the RB13 and RB12. Kamara is an RB1 until the wheels fall off.”
– Nick Penticoff (Fantasy Football Astronauts)
DJ Moore (WR – CHI)
“DJ Moore has always been an elite talent as well as the primary target in whatever offense he has been forced to play in. In 2025, he’ll have a combination of the best QB and brightest offensive mind he’s ever played with/for. Moore’s going to set a career best in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. He isn’t the same type of player as the new Head Coach Ben Johnson had in Detroit in Amon-Ra St. Brown, but he’s going to maximize Moore’s skill set and get him paid with a monster season just like he did with Brown in Detroit. Williams to Moore is going to be the breakout story of the early 2025 season, and the Bears are going to need it because that Division is a brutal gauntlet to navigate. They’re going to light it up, wins or losses be damned. He’s currently ranked as a fifth-round pick at #45 overall. I’m fine with drafting him ahead of WRs like Garrett Wilson #35 or the risky and overrated Rashee Rice #30, as well as the plucky, but undersized Ladd McConkey #19 in a run-first and run-second Harbaugh-focused offense.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)
J.J. McCarthy (QB – MIN)
“According to current ADP, JJ McCarthy is going off the board as the QB19 in round 10. I’d bet my house he outperforms that value if he plays a full season. First, McCarthy is in a Kevin O’Connell offense that propelled former fantasy QB pariah Sam Darnold to a QB9 finish a year ago. Now, after a year to sit and learn the offense, McCarthy is ready to deliver the ball to the best receiver in the game in Justin Jefferson, with little run game to speak of. The offensive line is now more or less a top 10 unit, and the ancillary pieces in Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson are well above average. Add in the fact that McCarthy has wheels that he can use when needed, and this is a recipe for, at worst, a top-12 fantasy season. Waiting on QB and plucking McCarthy in the 9th (or potentially a couple rounds later) this summer is a strategy I’ll happily employ.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
“Normally, I am not the aggressive type of drafter who reaches on players. I prefer a value-driven approach. But I’ll give you a player I like, somebody I consider a proactive pick. I’m at the point where I would follow Kevin O’Connell into a burning building; he’s worked magic with quarterbacks at all different talent levels. This season, he gets to work with J.J. McCarthy, a first-round talent who at least has a year in the building, a year of familiarity in the system. Minnesota has a very deep group of pass-catchers; it should be a fun offense. I expect McCarthy to outkick his ADP, perhaps by a significant amount. ”
– Scott Pianowski (Yahoo! Sports)
Drake Maye (QB – NE)
“Drake Maye has a chance to be the 2025 version of Jayden Daniels — a mid-round quarterback who provides solid passing numbers and big-time rushing production. I’m going to use Justin Fields as my alarm clock in fantasy drafts. When someone drafts Fields, I’m taking Maye in the next round. Fields’ ADP is No. 93 overall. Maye is No. 115 overall. So, yeah, I’ll probably be taking Maye about one round ahead of his ADP.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
“Jordan Mason is a great value right now, coming off the board as the 99th player and RB35. I would be willing to take him two rounds higher if needed. This could easily be the David Montgomery that we have seen over the past two seasons. He should be an RB2 weekly with RB1 upside, and you are paying RB3 prices. This is going to be one of the top offenses again. They have made major investments in the offensive line. Lastly, Aaron Jones has missed time, and if he does, you could be drafting a league winner in the 8th round.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
DK Metcalf (WR – SEA)
“DK Metcalf currently ranks as the #22 WR in half-PPR rankings and #47 overall, which puts him before Courtland Sutton and after DJ Moore, but why? Metcalf is aged in his prime (turns 28 in December), has no real competition, is a physical freak and a matchup nightmare, polled just outside top-10 WR rankings (per ESPN’s poll of league executives, coaches, and scouts), and has one of the greatest to ever do it throwing him the ball. It would not surprise me to see him put up 1,200+ yards and 10 TDs this year, returning to near or better career highs, with Aaron Rodgers feeding him. He belongs up in the rankings with Tee Higgins, JSN, Tyreek Hill, Garrett Wilson, and company, but I’m happy adding him in addition to them, so let’s not push his ADP up, lol.”
– Avery Thrasher (The Branded Sports)
Josh Downs (WR – IND)
“The case for Josh Downs in 2025 is so easy. He’s going 46th among WRs on Underdog and Drafters; 47th by FantasyPros ADP for both PPR redraft and best ball. Downs finished last season 33rd in half-PPR points per game, 31st in PPR. And he did so while outperforming Michael Pittman Jr. across metrics. So even if Colts’ passing remains atrocious, third-year Downs looks solid-to-good at ADP. But what if that passing improves on atrocious? What if Daniel Jones elevates it all the way to just regular bad? Remember Sterling Shepard? Evan Engram? Wan’Dale Robinson? Jones loves him a short-range pass catcher, and Downs is looking like a bigger talent than that trio. The combo gives him upside into WR2 range. Get some.”
– Matt Schauf (Draft Sharks)
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