Every year, we get those breakout running backs in fantasy football who truly excel and give career-defining performances. In 2024, James Cook, Chase Brown and Chuba Hubbard ascended. Whether it’s dramatically outperforming average draft position (ADP) or having a breakout season as a rookie, who is set up to have a potential breakout year in 2025? Let’s dive into a few of my favorite fantasy football breakout candidates for 2025.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Fantasy Football Breakout Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)
An Ashton Jeanty breakout is low-hanging fruit, but it’s truly the most realistic one. Some fantasy managers are skeptical of how Jeanty will transition into the NFL, feeling the level of competition he played against in college doesn’t align with that of players like Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson. When you add that skepticism to the perception of the Raiders, you can understand the hesitation to draft Ashton Jeanty at his ADP, which is now at a hefty RB6 (11th overall).
However, the 2025 Raiders offense will look drastically different than the 2024 version. The most obvious change is in coaching with Pete Carroll and bringing a new scheme through offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. The most critical piece of that change is that Kelly’s offense aligns perfectly with Jeanty’s skill set. The Raiders plan to use Jeanty as a three-down back and an integral piece of the passing game. That’s the key. A three-down back with a true receiving skill set in an offense that should produce more goal-line opportunities with a strong veteran quarterback behind a young offensive line that should improve this season. What’s not to love?
Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA)
You might be tilting your head on this one, but Kenneth Walker still qualifies. He is a three-year starter, but his best season was his rookie season, where he finished as the RB16 in half-PPR scoring (RB14 in points per game with 12.6). That RB14 result is a bit misleading. Averaging 12.6 fantasy points per game for an RB14 finish is rather uncommon. Typically, that average in fantasy production would be more in the range of a low-end RB2. That 2022 season was just strange.
Walker has yet to hit a ceiling of being a reliable RB1, but 2025 could be the year he finally breaks out. Over the past two seasons, Walker has failed to reach 1,000 yards or double-digit touchdowns. Under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Walker is finally in an offense that truly suits his play style.
Kubiak and Walker should be a match made in heaven. The knock on Walker has been that he’s just a home run-hitting back and fails to thrive consistently running north/south. His efficiency statistics show that’s an extremely valid knock. However, that knock can be a benefit in Kubiak’s system, which heavily features outside zone running.
Kubiak can also tap into an area that Seattle wasn’t effectively using with Walker — receiving work. Walker’s receiving upside often goes overlooked. He came into the league with a nonexistent receiving profile in college, but he’s shown he’s more than capable of handling receiving work and has reliable hands. Walker was 12th in receptions at running back last year despite playing just 11 games. If Kubiak can transition that receiving work from low-yardage dump-offs to creative use in space, we could see Walker transition to another level.
Tank Bigsby (RB – JAX)
Several teams have ambiguous backfields heading into preseason, but Jacksonville’s backfield is truly frustrating because of the sheer upside of the No. 1 RB in Liam Coen’s offense. It’s one thing to squabble over who will give you 11 fantasy points per game in the Dallas backfield. It’s another level of anxiety trying to figure out who will be our Bucky Irving. Training camp indicates Tank Bigsby might be the man.
There’s some skepticism about his fit for the role because Bigsby hasn’t been utilized as a pass-catcher thus far in his NFL career. However, it is within his repertoire. Bigsby’s first name is a bit misleading. He’s actually very similar in size to Travis Etienne and not a big bruising type of back, but rather a versatile three-down option that can deliver explosive plays. We can’t write off Etienne, and Bhayshul Tuten remains a favorite in the fantasy community. However, Bigsby’s camp usage indicates he should be the priority for fantasy managers, and he is tracking for a better opportunity to have a breakout year.
Etienne could still pull through and recover from his rough 2024, but Bigsby did outperform him very clearly last season with 4.56 yards per carry compared to Etienne’s 3.72. Bigsby was the far more effective runner in terms of efficiency, ranking ninth in Next Gen Stats’ efficiency metric. Bigsby checks all the boxes for a running back who can dramatically ascend in 2025 if he has the volume and opportunity.
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