Predicting 3 Overlooked Fantasy Football Stars in 2025

Every NFL season spawns new NFL stars.

If you can predict those ascensions before they happen, you can collect fantasy football riches beyond your wildest dreams.

OK, maybe you have little more at stake than bragging rights and a digital trophy, but depending on how much trash talk occurs in your league, maybe that's even more fun to have.

Since these stars haven't risen yet, it can be tricky to tell where they'll come from. That's where we come in, as we're here to spotlight three overlooked breakout candidates for the 2025 campaign.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

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It speaks to Harrison's elite talent level that he debuted with 885 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, and he was perhaps universally regarded as a disappointment. Those expecting great numbers wound up with good-to-really-good ones instead, and they've seemingly moved off of the second-year receiver already.

His average draft position in PPR leagues is just 42nd overall and 18th among wideouts. We have a three-word reaction to that: Buy. The. Dip.

It's not like the tools that excited everyone this time last year have suddenly gone away. Physically, he looks better than ever. And it's not like his opportunity has worsened, as Arizona's passing game still looks like it's Harrison, Trey McBride or bust.

Basically, it's a pretty similar pitch to last year, only the cost is much more reasonable, and he's more experienced now. This is a bit of a blind-faith bet on natural ability, but when his talents are better than most, that's a wager worth making.

Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

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With Kareem Hunt back and Elijah Mitchell added to the roster, Pacheco faces some not insignificant competition for field time. He's still talented enough to win a featured role, and if he does that while staying healthy, his upside is enormous.

Injuries, admittedly, have been an issue for the third-year back, and his 2024 season was derailed by a fractured fibula. That injury alone cost him nearly three months, and he clearly wasn't himself upon his return.

Skip back before the injury, though, and his star was shining bright. Over his final nine outings in 2023 (playoffs included) and first two of 2024, he averaged 96 scrimmage yards and 0.8 touchdowns. Stretch that out to a 17-game pace, and you're looking at 1,632 scrimmage yards with 13.6 touchdowns.

He is a dynamic talent at his position, plus he benefits from all the attention Kansas City's opponents must pay to Patrick Mahomes and the passing game. Pacheco, of course, isn't guaranteed to hit his ceiling, but his upside is still way too much to be the 26th running back off the board.

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

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The top pick of the real-life 2023 draft, Young took the long road to fantasy relevance. His first season in the league was incredibly rough, and most of his second felt exactly the same.

Until, that is, when the light bulb clicked late during the 2024 campaign.

Over his final three outings—two of them Carolina wins, by the way—he tallied 612 passing yards with a 64.8 completion percentage and seven touchdowns against zero interceptions. Oh, he also reeled off another 100 yards and three more scores on the ground. He tied Baker Mayfield for the most fantasy points among quarterbacks in that stretch, per FantasyPros.

Young has had another offseason to improve, his offensive line took a major step last season and the Panthers have plenty of young, exciting playmakers around their quarterback, including No. 8 pick Tetairoa McMillan. Young's fantasy stock, which isn't high now (ADP: 160, QB25), could absolutely spike this season.