As NFL preseason games draw near, fantasy football managers should now be sharpening their fantasy football draft strategy for the 2025 season. Rookies traditionally carry a high amount of boom-or-bust potential, and this year is no different. Early buzz surrounds first-year players like Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty and Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren, who are already climbing the 2025 fantasy football rankings and being touted as breakout candidates. But are they worth a spot on your draft board?

Other intriguing rookies to watch include Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, Jacksonville Jaguars two-way playmaker Travis Hunter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey, and Carolina Panthers wideout Tetairoa McMillan. Will one of them emerge as a breakout fantasy star in 2025 — or will they fall short of expectations and become one of the 2025 NFL season’s biggest busts? Before crafting 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 Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels would comfortably outperform his ADP (QB13). The result: Daniels threw for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns with only nine interceptions and added 891 rushing yards with six more scores on the ground to take home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He finished as QB5 in CBS Sports PPR leagues and was a great addition to 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 correctly predicting C.J. Stroud would take a step back in 2024. Additionally, it’s 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.

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2025, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them. 

Top 2025 Fantasy football breakouts

One of the 2025 Fantasy football breakouts the model is predicting: Chargers running back Omarion Hampton. With Jim Harbaugh at the helm, the Chargers are expected to lean heavily on the ground game — consistent with Harbaugh’s track record. The team overhauled its backfield this offseason, signing Najee Harris and selecting Hampton in the first round of the NFL Draft. However, recent reports suggest Harris may start the season on the NFI list following a Fourth of July fireworks incident, potentially giving Hampton extra reps during training camp and a chance to seize a larger role early.

Hampton, a standout at North Carolina, rushed for 3,164 yards and 30 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons. He impressed at the NFL Combine with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 221 pounds, along with a 38-inch vertical and a 10-foot-10 broad jump — highlighting his explosiveness. With an ideal combination of size, power, and physicality, Hampton fits Harbaugh’s system well and is ranked by the model as a top-25 fantasy back heading into 2025.

Another potential breakout that SportsLine’s Fantasy football rankings 2025 have identified: Jets running back Braelon Allen. The former Wisconsin running back had 334 rushing yards and two touchdowns in backup duty last year, ranked 35th among 70 qualified running backs in yards after contact per attempt. Allen will be sitting behind Breece Hall on the depth chart again this season, but he showed enough potential last year for New York to increase his touches in 2025.

He had 19 receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown to go along with his rushing production, and Hall only averaged 54.8 rushing yards per game. Allen is an excellent short-yardage back, which means he should get some scoring opportunities near the end zone. SportsLine’s model has him ranked ahead of five running backs who are getting drafted before him, on average, making him a Fantasy football breakout to target at the end of Fantasy drafts. See which other Fantasy football breakouts 2025 to pick here.

How to find proven 2025 Fantasy football rankings

SportsLine is also extremely high on a rookie running back to make an immediate impact. The model ranks this player as a top-10 option ahead of more established stars like Christian McCaffrey and Bucky Irving. You can only see who it is, and the 2025 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.

So which 2025 Fantasy Football breakouts should you target, and which RB shocks the NFL with a top-10 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2025 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Jayden Daniels’ breakout rookie season, and find out.

2025 Fantasy football ADP

(PPR, via CBS)

1. Saquon Barkley (2.24)
2. Bijan Robinson (2.54)
3. Ja’Marr Chase (3.12)
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (3.99)
5. Derrick Henry (5.69)
6. Josh Jacobs (9.85)
7. Justin Jefferson (10.10)
8. Christian McCaffrey (10.71)
9. Ashton Jeanty (11.14)
10. Lamar Jackson (11.35)