FantasyPros - BREAKOUTS! | Fantasy Football Players Who Will Dominate In 2025 (Ep. 1600)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – FantasyPros Episode 1600: "BREAKOUTS! | Fantasy Football Players Who Will Dominate In 2025"

Release Date: June 29, 2025
Host/Authors: Joey P. Zeppia, Scott Bogman, and Derrick Brown
Platform: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

---

Introduction

In this milestone 1600th episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosts Joey P. Zeppia, Scott Bogman, and Derrick Brown delve deep into the upcoming 2025 NFL season, focusing on breakout Fantasy Football players poised to dominate. The discussion is rich with expert analysis, draft strategies, and insightful predictions tailored for fantasy enthusiasts aiming to gain an edge in their leagues.

---

Wide Receiver Breakouts

Ricky Piersol: A Rising Star for the 49ers Derrick Brown initiates the conversation by spotlighting Ricky Piersol, a former first-round wide receiver whose performance dipped in the latter half of his rookie season. Brown highlights Piersol’s recent surge:

“Ricky P. Answered the bell, baby. So I want to draft him everywhere.”
(02:14)

Joey P. Zeppia raises pertinent questions about Piersol’s potential compared to established talents like Stefan Diggs:

“Would you take Piercehall over those guys? Especially a guy like Diggs who could even be his own number one on his team.”
(02:46)

Scott Bogman concurs, emphasizing the uncertainties surrounding both Piersol and Diggs due to recent injuries:

“We don't know what we're getting out of him this year... Coming off the ACL, when is he going to be 100%?”
(03:07)

Keon Coleman: The Hidden Gem Transitioning to another wide receiver, Derrick Brown champions Keon Coleman for his explosive potential:

“He has so much meat on the bone there for Coleman. He's going so late in drafts. I will be taking him everywhere.”
(05:43)

Brown details Coleman's impressive stats from the previous season, projecting a significant uptick in targets and performance:

“He was third in yards per catch, 19.2 yards per catch... Just double those receptions, right?”
(05:43)

---

Running Back Prospects

Gwenshon Judkins: Cleveland Browns’ New Workhorse Scott Bogman brings attention to Gwenshon Judkins of the Cleveland Browns, positioning him as the frontrunner for the team’s backfield:

“He is going to be the face of a changing and evolving Browns offense.”
(06:31)

Bogman underscores Judkins’ collegiate prowess and his seamless transition into the NFL, especially in a run-heavy scheme under Coach Stefanski:

“Gwenshon Judkins is just a good player, so I'm really excited to see him carry the workload.”
(08:01)

Caleb Johnson: Pittsburgh Steelers’ Powerhouse Derrick Brown highlights Caleb Johnson as a strategic pickup for the Steelers, citing his blend of volume and elite play-making ability:

“Caleb Johnson can win leagues in 2025.”
(08:19)

Brown elaborates on Johnson’s role in a robust Steelers offense, projecting him as a top-tier running back despite the presence of established talents like Najee Harris:

“He has something in his skill set that Najee has never had and that's the ability to break off big plays.”
(08:19)

---

Quarterback Contenders

JJ McCarthy: The Comeback Kid Derrick Brown advocates for JJ McCarthy, drawing parallels with Sam Darnold’s resurgence:

“J.J. mcCarthy is a QB one. He's breaking out in 2025.”
(10:29)

Brown addresses concerns about McCarthy’s limited playtime last season due to injury but remains optimistic about his integration into a pass-heavy offense:

“In a pass happy offense, they're going to throw at a top five clip.”
(10:29)

Caleb Williams: High-Risk, High-Reward Scott Bogman discusses Caleb Williams’ transition to the Bears under new head coach Ben Johnson, acknowledging his previous challenges but emphasizing his untapped potential:

“Caleb Williams is not a normal quarterback. This is a guy that ran for almost 500 yards last season and didn't score a touchdown... That's going to change.”
(11:05)

Bogman positions Williams as a valuable late-round quarterback pick, especially in super flex leagues, due to his dynamic play-making abilities:

“Just take the upside, man. That's what I say.”
(13:06)

---

Community Engagement and Final Thoughts

Joey P. Zeppia encourages listeners to engage with the FantasyPros community via Discord, offering opportunities to join leagues and participate in live discussions with analysts. He also promotes a giveaway of a George Pickens Steelers jersey, incentivizing audience interaction:

“Drop your comments below because when you do, you could win a George Pickens autograph jersey.”
(01:42)

The episode concludes with a reinforcement of the value of staying connected with FantasyPros for ongoing fantasy football insights and strategies.

---

Conclusion

Episode 1600 of The Herd with Colin Cowherd serves as an invaluable resource for fantasy football enthusiasts, offering a comprehensive analysis of potential breakout players for the 2025 NFL season. Through expert insights and strategic recommendations, hosts Joey P. Zeppia, Scott Bogman, and Derrick Brown provide listeners with the tools necessary to excel in their fantasy leagues.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Derrick Brown on Ricky Piersol: “Ricky P. Answered the bell, baby. So I want to draft him everywhere.” (02:14)
• Scott Bogman on Caleb Williams: “Caleb Williams is not a normal quarterback. This is a guy that ran for almost 500 yards last season and didn't score a touchdown.” (11:05)
• Derrick Brown on Caleb Johnson: “Caleb Johnson can win leagues in 2025.” (08:19)

Note: Timestamps are based on the provided transcript and correspond to the speakers' remarks.

Transcript

[Joey P. Zeppia]

This is an iHeart podcast. Hey guys, let me tell you about the easiest catch you'll ever make. FishingBooker.com with top rated fishing guides across the world, verified reviews, seamless booking and 247 support, FishingBooker makes it easy to plan the perfect fishing trip. So whether you're chasing trophy fish, watching your kid reel in their first catch, or just taking in the sunrise on the water, fishing booker makes it happen. These aren't just daydreams, they're your weekend plans. Visit fishingbooker.com and book your trip today. Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros. This is the NFL show and it's me, Joey P. Joe P. Zeppia. With me, of course, is Scott Bogman and Derrick Brown. Today we're going to talk about breakouts. That's right, and spoiler alert, some of the guys we're going to talk about, we just drafted. Well, Scott Bogman I think might have drafted all these guys. So if you like Easter eggs, well, stick around. There's gonna be plenty here for the draft show that just dropped and of course for the breakouts because these are the guys that we are looking forward to taking a step forward in 2025. Before we get to the names on the list, we want you to like this video. Subscribe to Fantasy Pros because we're trying to get to 300,000 subscribers. And drop your comments below because when you do, you could win a George Pickens autograph jersey. That's right, from pristineauction.com all you have to do is subscribe to the channel, drop your comment, ring the bell till it goes ding for notifications so you never miss a piece of content on the channel and and like the video. We always want you to like the videos here. And the George Pickens Steelers jersey. That's right, it's retro Steelers jersey. Vintage even. Could be yours. All right, let's get to the names. Let's start with some wide receivers. Dbro, start us off with a wide receiver that could be breaking out in 2025.

[Derrick Brown]

We always talk about a guys invest in talented second year wide receivers and I'm going to do it there with a guy that I fully believe in. If we take the narratives out of it, it's do you want to draft a former first round wide receiver that flashed in his rookie season down the back half of it? Of course you do. So it's Ricky Piersol, baby. Final two weeks of the regular season, he was wide receiver 7, wide receiver 14. Fully believe that was the 49ers giving him an audition and saying, can you be the guy we need you to be in 2025? And Ricky P. Answered the bell, baby. So I want to draft him everywhere.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

I have a question for you. Currently on the half PPR rankings. When you look at where Pearsall is going, I understand liking his return on investment better than say, you know, even guys on his own team, right? Iuk with his health and Juwan Jennings who was, you know, been really productive. But again, it's taking a long time in his career to be that kind of guy. Peso is the 46 wide receiver, but ahead of him are guys like Debo Samuel, Jaden Reed, even Stefan Diggs, who could even be the number one in his offense. Would you take Pierasol over those guys? Especially a guy like Diggs who could even be his own number one on his team.

[Derrick Brown]

I think him versus Diggs is a very interesting conversation where Eileen slightly with Piersol, if he's good to go, man, like I you, we don't know what we're getting out of him this year. Stefon Diggs, I mean, similar kind of case. I mean, coming off the ACL, when is he going to be 100%? Does anybody else step up? What do we see out of Drake May in this offense in years?

[Scott Bogman]

Does he have any more boat trips scheduled?

[Joey P. Zeppia]

I think two.

[Derrick Brown]

Hope not. Well, at least look, if he's on the boat, just turn the cameras off. Just don't videotape stuff, please.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

What are. What are guys going to learn about the boat? No pictures on the boat. No cameras on the boat. Doesn't matter if it's the Giants, the Vikings, deaf on Diggs. Just no boat stuff, guys. Just boats, boats, boats. No, no, no. Scott Bogwan, give me a wide receiver that you think could be headed towards breakout city in 2025.

[Scott Bogman]

By the way, I'll take Pierce hall over all those guys. Okay, Look, I, I just. To me, I think in Pierce hall is the guy who I would have taken here, but DBRO again got to the sheet first. Hebro's just like, they're like, hey, we're doing this show. He's like, here's my guys. I'm like, good to me.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

Yeah.

[Scott Bogman]

Thank you, Joey.

[Derrick Brown]

Thank you.

[Scott Bogman]

Thanks, Ebro. But, but look, no, but Ricky Piersall, I. I think it's everything that, that Debro just said, right? It's the fact that we don't know what we're getting from IUK coming back. I think Pearsall's already better than Jennings, and I think Jennings is way Underrated, right? Like I, I know Welsh loves him and it. Jennings could easily outpace Ricky Pierce. All that, that's something that could happen. It's within the realm of possibility. But obviously you have CMC coming back. You have Kittle coming back. But like there's a lot of ifs there. And Ricky Pierce also just healthy, good to go, ready to rock. First round pick. So yeah, I'm excited about Ricky as well. But my pick here is Keon Coleman. And I have loved Keon Coleman since last season. Down year, last year. We know McDermott is kind of tough on rookies, but all we need from this guy is more targets. There were 84 wide receivers with at least 50 targets last season and Coleman was third in yards per catch, 19.2 yards per catch. He was fifth in in ADOT average set the target 15 and a half behind only Alec Pierce and Christian Watson. His line last season, 57 targets, 29 catches, 556 yards and four touchdowns. Let's just double those receptions, right? I mean Matt Collins is gone. They did as at Palmer, but Coleman's going to step up. We know McDermott puts rookies through the ringer. We know that he had the wrist injury after week nine with the chip in his wrist as well. And he missed a couple weeks and then came back at the end. This is a guy that isn't, you know, he's good with the ball in his hands as well. 8th and Yak as well. This dude just needs more targets. That is it. He has. He's playing with one of the higher paced offenses in the league with one of the best quarterbacks, the guy coming off the reigning mvp. Right. So I just think there's so much meat on the bone there for Coleman. He's going so late in drafts. I will be taking him everywhere.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

All right, before we get to the next two names on our list here at the running back position, don't forget, keep the conversation going on our discord fantasypros.com chat. That's the place to be. You can join leagues there. You can have fantasy football DJ conversations. Well, all day, all night long. It's the place to be if you love fantasy football. And you must because you're watching this video. So they got shows on there too. Amas, Bogman and Fitz are on there all the time doing shows. So you can actually be on the podcast and asking your questions and talking to the analyst too. But you can only do it when you join our Discord. If you want to be on the show or just be Part of our fantasy pros fantasy football [e-mail] chat running back time Boss, let's start with you from this one again. You just drafted him in the draft. We just finished Quinn. Sean Judkins of the Cleveland Browns looks to be the lead back now in Cleveland.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, I've been vocal about Sampson in the sleeper show, dart throw shows, you know, think guys that are getting overlooked, stuff like that. But let's not forget about Judkins. He's worked well with another back. He showed that last season at Ohio State when he worked with Treveon Henderson very well. He's carried the full workload, 289 touches as a freshman at Ole Miss. He's crazy explosive. He was 10th in breakaway percentage last season. He only had three fumbles on 739 attempts in college and he is going to be the face of a changing and evolving Browns offense. Stefanski loves to run the football. Right. We know that they had to pass the ball so much because they were so miserable last year. They're playing from behind all the time. What they want to do specifically with Flacco and the group of young quarterbacks they're trying to pick through to find a real quarterback. Right? They want to run the football and play defense. That is the name of the game this season if you're the Cleveland Browns. Nick Chubb is gone. Jerome Ford is kind of a jag. Like, I think he's good. I think behind a good offensive line, he's good. I think behind a bad offensive line, he's bad. Jerome Ford is as good as the players around him. Gwenshon Judkins is just a good player, so I'm really excited to see him carry the workload. His ECR is currently, I believe, running back 28. I only have him one spot higher at 27, but there's a lot of depth at running back. This class is huge and Judkins kind of gets lost in the shuffle behind a couple of other guys.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

All right, dbro, let's talk about a running back that you selected for your breakout potentially. And it's Caleb Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I love this selection for the Steelers in the draft. When you're watching the draft here on Fantasy Pros, I was very excited about this selection for the Steelers. I thought it was the perfect fit and clearly you do as well.

[Derrick Brown]

Perfect marriage of talent and scheme. I love Caleb Johnson. He's ranked as an RB3 on fantasy pros ECR right now. He should be a top 24 running back. I Mean the volume, the opportunity, the talent. We're talking about a Steelers offense that was fourth in rushing attempts and I think that changes some with Aaron Rodgers. But there's still going to be a run heavy team. I don't think they're going to come out here and throw the ball at a top three clip. They don't have the weapons to do that. We saw Naji Harris soak up 299 freaking touches. Last year's guys like that was 10th most amongst running backs. So even if we nerf Caleb into the 250 range, that's still top 20amongst running backs. And then you add that with that Naji Harris volume, Caleb has something in his skill set that Najee has never had and that's the ability to break off big plays. You add that plus the volume. Yes. Caleb Johnson can win leagues in 2025.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

All right, so we talked about two second year wide receivers, two rookie running backs. Now it's time to look at some quarterbacks here. And these are two guys who were drafted two years ago. One played, one did not. See if you can guess who we're going to talk about here, let's start with your guy who is the did not D row JJ McCarthy. And I think if Sam Darnold can get dropped into the Vikings and look as good as he did that I'm very confident that JJ McCarthy can do the same. And it seems like you are as well. So what are your expectations? Especially for the fact he didn't play at all last year because of that knee injury? Is there rust? Are we worried about a slow start? Are we worried about, you know, maybe what he's trying to figure out the pace of the NFL or does he just hit the ground running right away?

[Derrick Brown]

Hit the ground running? How many different quarterbacks do we have to see succeed in this KOC system? You could talk about, talk about three cousins. Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullins, all these different guys have put up points, fantasy points when they've been under center. Sam freaking Darnold. Yes, that Sam Darnold. I mean he was QB8 in weeks one through 17. Do we not think that JJ can equal that? Hell if not out produce it this year. So in a pass happy offense, they're going to throw at a top five clip. The offensive line has been improved. He still has one of the best skill set cupboards to sit here and pick from all year. J.J. mcCarthy is a QB one. He's breaking out in 2025.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

Now Boggs, there's a lot of breakout rumors here for guys like Drake May and I think a lot of people are looking at Justin Fields this year. You're looking elsewhere though to Caleb Williams who now has Ben Johnson as his new head coach. And certainly anything would be an upgrade. But this is a significant upgrade in terms of offensive mind. However, there was still a lot of warts in terms of Caleb Williams game last year. Holding the ball too long, trying to do too much, trying to run backwards for 30 yards, trying to make a play which we saw a lot of in his last year at USC as well. But let's talk about what we could see ahead instead in 2025 for Caleb Williams with the Bears.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, I mean I think we're getting a little bit of the overcorrection from last season. Right. Is where people drafted this guy. High, he went super high. He had all the buzz for a couple seasons as well. And then he came and kind of fell flat on his face. Right. Like Jaden Daniels outproduced him was the top. Everything we thought we were going to get from Caleb we got from Jaden Daniels. Right. So I understand that and. But the skill is still in there. And yes he had all kinds of problems last season but we heard him speak about this like Ibrahim Fluss and the offensive coaching staff was just not meeting him. They weren't going over film with him. They weren't there to help him at all. Now he gets one of the best offensive minds in the game and Ben Johnson you get a second year. Roma Dunes A you already have DJ Mori, you had a good tight end in commit and they go out and get the first tight end selected in the draft and they take Luther Burton, a five star recruit from Missouri who had a down year at Missouri last year. But it's like a bigger debo with the ball in his hands. There are skill positions all over this team. This team is ready to go. I think a normal quarterback could be a good producer with this offense. But Caleb Williams is not a normal quarterback. This is a guy that ran for almost 500 yards last season and didn't score a touchdown. Right. Like that is going to change. He scored I think 11 two years ago or three years ago. USC 10, his final year at USC scored none as a rookie. That's going to change as well. There's just so much meat on the bone here for Caleb Williams to grow. He's currently at 13. I think he's a great like first QB to take or your highest QB2. That's where I have him. I also have or something like that, yeah, I just drafted him in the draft that we did because no quarterbacks are going. I got him in the second to last round and like Trevor Lawrence and CJ Stroud and Jordan Love are on the wire in that league. So just take the upside, man. That's what I say. If you're, if you're drafting a quarterback late or if you're in a super flex, take this upside down.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

There you go. A lot of upside here with these breakout selections. But I've got assignment for you fantasy pros. YouTube. Drop your comments below. Let me know who your favorite breakout candidate is for the 2025 season. Drop your comments below. Like this video and of course subscribe and you might win yourself a George Pickens jersey just for doing nothing and hanging out with us. So do all those things. And of course tune in to more fantasy football goodness here at Fantasy Pros. That'll do it for us, but the story of the game goes on. For Scott Bogman and dbro, I'm Joey P. We'll see you next time, kids.

[Scott Bogman]

Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football Podcast. If you love the show, the best free way to support us is by leaving a positive review on apple [e-mail] review or on Spotify. Follow us on X Instagram and TikTok at fantasypros and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube.com fantasypros.

[Colin Cowherd]

This July 4th celebrate freedom from spills, stains and overpriced furniture with Annabe, the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly pricing. Sofas start at just $699, making it the perfect time to upgrade your space. Annabe's pet friendly stain resistant and interchangeable slipcovers are made with high performance fabric that's built for real life. You'll love the cloud like comfort of hypoallergenic high resilience foam that never needs fluffing and a durable steel frame that stands the test of time with modular pieces you can rearrange anytime. It's a sofa that adapts to your Life. Now through July 4th, get up to 60% off site [e-mail] Every order comes with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping, no restocking fees. Every penny back. Declare independence from dirty outdated furniture. Shop [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

Hi, it's Colin from the Colin Coward podcast. I've been around long enough to know quality when I see it. Or in this case, when I taste it. Tito's Handmade made vodka. Good stuff. No flash, no gimmicks. Smooth, clean tasting, made the right way. Tito's made in Austin, Texas. Real attention to detail. I like to keep it simple. Tito's Soda, one lime, lot of ice. Refreshing, easy. Summer, winter, spring. Totally versatile. Always works. Listen, baseball season's here. The perfect time to kick back with some Tito's. It's what I pour. You should too. Distilled and bottled by 5th Generation Inc. Austin, Texas 40% alcohol by volume. Savor responsibly.

[Joey P. Zeppia]

Did you know using your browser in incognito mode doesn't actually protect your privacy? Take back your Privacy with IPVanish VPN. Just one tap and all your data, passwords, communications, browsing, history and more will be instantly protected. Ipvanish makes you virtually Invisible Online. Use IPVanish on all your devices, anytime you go online, at home, and especially on public wi fi. Get ipvanish now for 70% off a yearly plan with this exclusive [e-mail] audio this is an iHeart podcast.