Chasing upside is the name of the game when building a championship-winning fantasy football roster. Whether you’re looking for breakout stars, league-winning late-round picks, or high-risk, high-reward talents, targeting players with massive ceilings can be the difference between a good team and a great one. To help you identify this year’s top boom-or-bust candidates, we’ve gathered insights from our collection of Featured Pros experts. These analysts have pinpointed their favorite high-upside players for the 2025 fantasy football season. Check out the guys who could explode and become true difference-makers. Let’s dive into the expert picks.
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2025 High-Upside Players
Which RB comes with the most upside at his current positional half-PPR ADP and which player(s) would you pass on with a higher ADP at his position?
Omarion Hampton (RB – LAC)
“The RB comes with the most upside at his current positional half-PPR ADP is Omarion Hampton. Although he is a rookie, he is in a position to take the starting job in week 1 due to the eye injury to Najee Harris. Even if there is an early split in carries, Hampton’s bruising running style and goal-line opportunities will earn him most of the carries as the season progresses. The player that I would pass on with a higher ADP at his position is Breece Hall (RB-NYJ). Hall is talented, but I’m afraid of taking a high draft pick that is likely in a running back by committee situation. And when facing tough defenses, Hall tends to be held in check.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
“Few RBs have the immense upside that Omarion Hampton does. Hampton (aka The Hammer) 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, Kenneth Walker III, Chase Brown, Bucky Irving, James Cook, Alvin Kamara, and Kyren Williams, etc., who I’d pass on for Hampton. Omarion could start off under the radar in fantasy leagues, but by later in the year, he might very well be leading shrewd drafters to titles. With a current ADP at RB 17, Ringo thinks it’s “Hammer time”. Ringo’s comp- Omarion Hampton reminds me of former Steelers’ all-pro RB, Barry Foster.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)
“Jordan Mason is the RB34 in ADP and one of my favorite draft targets this season. Last year, he was the RB5 over the first month, averaging 17.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, totaling 16.9 or more in all but one contest. While the veteran struggled with injuries, Mason was outstanding when healthy. More importantly, he has a real chance to steal significant work from Aaron Jones in 2025. According to Fantasy Points Data, Mason had a better explosive run rate (7.8% vs. 3.5%) and missed forced tackle per attempt rate (22% vs. 11%) than Jones in 2024. Don’t be surprised if he starts as the No. 2 running back with a role at the goal line and eventually forces the Vikings to use a 50-50 split with Jones or takes over as the starter. Travis Etienne Jr., Jaylen Warren, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. have a higher ADP than Mason. Yet, I would take him over all three without hesitation.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Jordan Mason is currently RB37 and being drafted outside of the top 100. The offensive line changes with one of the top offensive coordinators in the league, sign me up. Vikings have been one of the top offenses in football for several years. I don’t see JJ McCarthy as a downgrade to Sam Darnold. I want pieces of these offenses, especially at this value. RB2 with RB4 prices.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
Kaleb Johnson (RB – PIT)
“Kaleb Johnson. The Steelers fed Najee Harris an average of 274 carries (16.1 per game) over the last four years. There’s a good chance Kaleb slides right into Najee’s role, and the rookie may well be an upgrade over the veteran. I’d draft Kaleb over Joe Mixon, David Montgomery, D’Andre Swift, and Tony Pollard.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“Rookie RB Kaleb Johnson has tremendous upside in the Steelers’ offense this season. The 6-foot-1 and 224-pound RB fits Arthur Smith’s scheme perfectly and has ample backfield touches to soak up in Pittsburgh. Smith’s offense feeds running backs, and with Najee Harris gone (nearly 300 touches vacated), Johnson will EAT once he climbs the depth chart. He led this entire rookie class in career dominator rating (33%) and posted 1,500+ yards, 21 TDs, and 6.4 YPC in 2024 (zero fumbles). The former Iowa Hawkeye running back is an ideal 1-2 punch with incumbent Jaylen Warren. I’d draft Johnson over Isiah Pacheco, TreVeyon Henderson, and Tony Pollard.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
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