Gene Clemons digs deep and drops 5 bold predictions heading for Fantasy Football heading into the 2025 NFL season.

Every season fantasy experts dig into the numbers to find the next breakout fantasy performer, but most seem apprehensive to take big swings because if they are wrong, it may damage credibility. The truth as I see it is that a mistake, miscalculation, or disappointing performance in fantasy is nothing more than another opportunity for someone else to pleasantly surprise us with their performance. 

The great thing about bold predictions is that you normally don’t have to invest heavily to test your prediction out. Most will not agree and it will allow you to grab your bold breakouts later in your draft. Regardless, it is a great plan to have some guys whom you believe could make a quantum leap from the outskirts of relevance or even complete obscurity to an elite fantasy asset. Here are five bold breakouts for the 2025 season who have a chance to jump into fantasy-winning territory.  

Isaiah Likely TE Baltimore will be a Top-5 fantasy tight end in 2025

We have seen signs of it already, but Isaiah Likely has been gaining more and more confidence in his abilities as a weapon in the Baltimore offense. Have you ever seen someone listed at 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds look much bigger than his listing? That is the case for Likely, who looks massive when he is split wide or in the slot. He is still more of a flex end than an in-line end, but the difference is his value as a perimeter blocker. That gives him more opportunity to be on the field. He has also gained a lot of trust from Lamar Jackson and that is the most important part. He finished 2024 as TE16, but if you look at his stats in the playoffs it gives you a clear view of his potential as a prolific scorer in fantasy. Going from averaging 5.4 points in a regular-season game to 17.3 points in a playoff barn burner paints a good floor and the potential for a high ceiling.

How does he vault into top-5 status? Targets! 

Over his three seasons, his targets have not increased, but his effectiveness has. He went from a 60% catch percentage during his rookie season to a percentage in the mid 70s over the past two seasons. This is not lost on the Ravens, who do not have a legit WR3. That is the role that he is Likely to fill (pun intended). It will keep him on the field to operate as a second-level blocker in the run-and-screen game while opening him up to take the targets of the revolving door at WR3. His targets should increase and he will put up Rashod Bateman numbers. He is quicker, faster, and more explosive than Mark Andrews and a bigger matchup nightmare for defenses than any other receiver on the team. He remains the biggest mismatch in the red zone on the team. The best part is that he is likely to still be available late in your draft as people invest in players like Jacksonville’s Brenton Strange or roll the dice one more time on Kyle Pitts. Instead wait and go with Isaiah. He is Likely to surprise you!

Keon Coleman WR Buffalo will be a Top-20 fantasy WR in 2025

Mack Hollins is 31 years old, Amari Cooper is 30. They are both going to be free agents. Buffalo could easily decide that it wants to roll with the youth in the receiver room. Keon Coleman was not spectacular last season, but he flashed potential. Last season, despite starting 13 games, he was third on the team in targets. Unfortunately, he only hauled in 50.9% of his 57 targets. Catch percentage is one of the things that routinely improves for players in their second season. What is phenomenal is that on those 29 receptions he averaged 19.2 yards per catch. He also hauled in 4 touchdowns, which was tied for second on the team. Receivers tend to make great strides in Year 2. Better fitness, more durability, and better rapport with their starting quarterback. 

How does he get to the top 10? An expanded role. 

Hollins represents 50 possible targets and Cooper another 32. With potentially 82 more targets Coleman has a chance to ascend to 100 targets in 2025. That increase mixed with his big-play ability would be like an accelerant added to a flame. If he improves his catch percentage by 15% then he will catch 65 passes. That will get him over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns. That type of jump is not unheard of for second-year receivers, but a jump from 68th to top 20 would be a massive leap. Grab him while he’s cheap ladies and gentlemen. 

David Montgomery RB Detroit will be a top 10 Fantasy RB in 2025

You now know that Jahmyr Gibbs is the real deal. I have known that Gibbs was the real deal, so we will both need to live with the fact that the Lions want to prolong his career. Do not get used to what you saw from Gibbs with David Montgomery out late in the 2024 season. Monty will be back in the role he occupied last season. Sonic and Knuckles live on. While it is not a good thing for Gibbs fans, it is great for those who still believe in Montgomery. They have every reason to. He was very effective when he was on the field. He found the end zone regularly, and his 4.2 yards per carry has been good for opening drives and closing out games. 

How does he get to the top 10? Health. 

If he did not get injured last season there is a chance that both he and Gibbs would have finished in the top 10. In 2023, he finished 13th. So what is bold about this prediction? Many of the top names from 2024 will be positioned once again to attack the top 10. There will also be a familiar fantasy darling who will look to once again captivate fantasy managers and that’s Christian McCaffrey. Add him to one of the deepest running back classes in quite some time and it will be hard to crack the top 10. The other factor is the mythological cliff running backs fall off after 26 years old. This is yet another chance for a back to prove that the age cliffs are arbitrary and built to keep running backs' value in check. Montgomery will be fueled by love, camaraderie, competition, and a personal desire to see how good he can be. If Sonic is going to the top 10, Knuckles will not be far behind. 

Michael Penix QB Atlanta will be a top-10 fantasy QB in 2025

The 2024 class of quarterbacks are going to attack the fantasy top 10. Many showed what they could do last season as rookies, but Michael Penix received only an abbreviated showcase over the back end of the season. What he showed is poise and command that made Atlanta fans forget about Kirk Cousins. He also made fantasy managers salivate over his future after his Week 18 performance. He finished with 318 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, also adding a rushing score. It was good enough to finish QB7 for the week. There are so many elements of his game we have yet to really see explored. His athleticism which he used a lot in college at Indiana but almost never used when he went to Washington is something that people do not talk about much, but could definitely change the math.

How does he get to the top 10? Playing!  

These quarterbacks who leave college with several years of experience are proving that they can come in and put up numbers immediately. Penix was able to receive a redshirt season in the NFL in an organization where his head coach and GM are in stable positions. This offseason, instead of preparing for workouts and interviews, he's preparing to be the Falcons starting quarterback. His arm strength is going to open up this level of deep throws that disappeared with Cousins in the offense. He had a great cast around him, which will keep defenses honest. The only thing he must do is perform. Prediction: 30 passing touchdowns, another 5 on the ground and possibly a 4,000/500 split. 

Ja’Tavion Sanders TE Carolina will be a top-10 fantasy TE in 2025

Ja'Tavion Sanders had a decent rookie season, but his growth was hindered by the inconsistencies at quarterback. Bryce Young started the season and was replaced by Andy Dalton who came in and didn't do much better. Eventually it was turned back over to Young. That level of inconsistency is enough to stunt the growth of any young player, but a tight end needs to adapt to the trenches as well as being a pass receiver. Sanders, a converted receiver in college, is still new to life on the line. All of these elements led to an uneven season as a receiver. He received only 6 targets in the first four games, in Week 5 he received 5. That was a microcosm of his season. Sections of the season where he was utilized and sections of the season where he was forgotten. That is why he finished TE37.

How does he get to the top 10? Improved QB Play.

For tight ends in fantasy, consistency is the key to breaking into the top 10. How can Sanders be expected to produce consistently when the offense does not? However, Young’s improvement once he was re-inserted into the starting lineup was the beacon of hope for fantasy managers everywhere. This will be Year 2 in head coach Dave Canales’ system. That means Young and Sanders should be more comfortable and have a better rapport. Sanders is a receiving tight end and you can bet that is what the Panthers brain trust wants him to do. Sanders was seventh on the team in targets, but with an impressive 76.7% catch percentage he should be targeted much more in 2025. After all, a tight end is a quarterback's best friend, and it is time for Sanders and Young to become friendly. Young is ready to break out and Sanders is the perfect weapon to bring along for the ride.