Fantasy Breakouts

Here’s #5-#1 of my top fantasy breakout candidates… in two minutes or less.

5. Emeka Egbuka (TB), ADP 123.4, WR47

Egbuka’s already locked into Tampa Bay’s big-slot role, and his versatility to line up at all three receiver spots gives him instant plug-and-play usage. He’s been one of the most consistent standouts in camp, earning praise for how quickly he’s grasped the offense, and that matters with Mike Evans (32) and Chris Godwin both coming off injuries. But the Buccaneers leaned toward a slower-paced, run-heavy script late last year, ranking in the bottom third in neutral pass rate over their final 8 games, so the way you win here is by betting on his talent, route versatility, and early-season contingency upside if either vet misses time — and given his slot-plus ability, he’s in line for meaningful work from Week 1 with WR3 flex upside that can jump to WR2 territory in a heartbeat.

4. Jayden Higgins (HOU), ADP 147, WR53

Higgins is already repping with Nico Collins in 2-WR sets, and he brings a rare profile for a Day 2 rookie. He had the 6th-lowest drop rate in his class and over 51% of his catches turning into either first downs or touchdowns. He fits perfectly into C.J. Stroud’s aggressive intermediate attack, which ranked top-5 in yards per attempt in the second half of last season. But Houston faces the 7th-toughest rushing schedule in 2025, and new OC Nick Caley’s offense is built on leveraging the pass when the run is bottled up, so Higgins’ chain-moving skill set and deep-ball efficiency give him a fast track to being a high-volume secondary option who benefits from game scripts that tilt pass-heavy against the AFC’s best fronts.

3. Ricky Pearsall (SF), ADP 105.2, WR45

The 49ers’ WR depth is paper thin right now: Deebo is gone, Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing, and Jauan Jennings is managing a calf strain. That’s opened the door for Pearsall, who closed last year with back-to-back statement games (8-141-1 in Week 17, 6-69-1 in Week 18) after returning from a preseason gunshot wound and early hamstring issue. San Francisco also draws the easiest passing schedule in the NFL this year, a dream for any ascending route runner in Kyle Shanahan’s system. But his early-season snap share will still hinge on health in front of him, so when you combine his strong finish, the league-best schedule, and Brock Purdy’s efficiency in high-percentage throwing lanes, you’re looking at a player who can smash his WR45 ADP if that door stays open into September.

2. Evan Engram (DEN), ADP 86.6, TE8

Sean Payton’s joker role is a perfect fit for Engram. He’s a player who’s been Top-5 in target share and targets per route across his last two healthy years. Payton’s Denver offenses have historically funneled underneath volume to athletic TEs, and with Sutton the only proven outside WR, Engram’s usage could spike right out of the gate. But Denver also faces the 3rd-toughest passing schedule, which will likely shrink the target tree to quick-hitting, high-probability routes for second-year QB Bo Nix, so Engram’s combination of route volume and YAC ability makes him one of the safest bets to outperform his TE8 price in any format. AND he’s the rare mid-round TE who can give you weekly top-5 outputs without depending on touchdowns.

Tap HERE for my #1 BREAKOUT

So that’s it. My favorites to break onto the fantasy scene in a big way in 2025.

As promised, in two minutes or less.

Over 12,000 players used this to prep last season. My 2025 Draft Kit is open now, but only a few dozen spots are available this year. I’m keeping it limited so I can give members my full attention.

See you tomorrow,

-Joe

P.S. Not ready for the full kit? You can still grab my updated Top-150 rankings for free.