As the 2025 NFL season approaches, a new crop of fantasy stars is poised to shake up draft boards—and some of the biggest value may come from overlooked names in revamped offenses. From a rejuvenated Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville to potential rookie gems like Mason Taylor and Jayden Higgins, these players could be difference-makers for savvy managers who strike early.
Jacksonville made waves by hiring Liam Coen as head coach—fresh off orchestrating a top-four Tampa offense that unlocked a career year from Baker Mayfield. Under Coen, Mayfield shattered personal bests in passing yards (4,500), touchdowns (41), completion rate (71.4%), and fantasy production, finishing as QB3 overall.
Now Coen gets to work with Trevor Lawrence, a more talented passer with elite tools and sneaky mobility. The stars are aligning.
Then came the draft-day splash: the Jaguars traded up to snag Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall. A generational two-way talent, Hunter amassed 96 grabs, 1,258 yards, and 15 TDs at Colorado.
Coen has already confirmed Hunter will focus primarily on offense to start, pairing him with rising star Brian Thomas Jr., who just posted a 1,282-yard rookie campaign and finished as a top-five wideout in PPR formats.
Trevor Lawrence to Travis Hunter is going to be an ethereal connection in 2025….
Liam Coen, Brian Thomas Jr, and now Travis Hunter are ready to take the league by storm ⛈️ pic.twitter.com/iqhW4Iyhdf
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) May 12, 2025
With arguably the NFL’s most dynamic young WR duo and a proven offensive architect calling the shots, Lawrence is quietly primed for a monster leap—one that savvy fantasy managers won’t want to miss.
Entering his fourth season, Chuba Hubbard finally hit his stride and emerged as a reliable fantasy asset, putting together a late-season surge that vaulted him into low-end RB1 territory. Racking up a career-best 1,195 rushing yards and 10 scores on 250 totes, Hubbard ranked as the RB13 in fantasy points per game and the RB15 overall in PPR formats—a quiet breakout that flew under many radars.
Carolina, meanwhile, ended the campaign with a bit of momentum, winning two of its final three contests as Bryce Young showed real growth after a midseason benching. With the Panthers investing their top draft pick in Arizona standout Tetairoa McMillan and watching young wideouts Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker develop, the offense has real potential to open up.
Hubbard is firmly entrenched as the lead back, unlikely to cede meaningful work to either Rico Dowdle or rookie Trevor Etienne. He’s also the clear-cut option near the goal line. Last year’s dismal defense often forced Carolina into pass-heavy scripts, but offseason reinforcements up front should help level the playing field and create more run-friendly game flows—an ideal setup for Hubbard to continue building on his breakout.
Following a receiver-heavy draft class, Houston’s aerial attack is suddenly flush with talent—five deep at wideout—which introduces a bit of murkiness behind WR1 Nico Collins when it comes to target share and snap distribution. Last season, the Texans’ receiving corps underwhelmed, in part due to injuries, combining for 214 catches, 2,616 yards, and 16 touchdowns on 325 targets—a stat line that left plenty on the table.
Enter Jayden Higgins, a big-bodied playmaker who took a unique path to NFL relevance. He began carving out his collegiate resume at Eastern Kentucky with a steady two-year stretch before leveling up at Iowa State. There, his game exploded: first as a vertical weapon, posting a blistering 18.5 yards per catch, and then as a high-volume alpha with 87 grabs for 1,183 yards and nine scores as a senior. Higgins proved he could win in multiple roles and against quality competition.
Jayden Higgins might have a field day with the Texans if Nico Collins can draw some double teams
pic.twitter.com/QAPdyvzrYF— John Frascella (Football) (@NFLFrascella) May 12, 2025
At 6’4”, 215 pounds, Higgins brings a rare blend of size, strength, and speed—his 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the Combine turned heads and validated his ability to stretch the field. While he still needs refinement when redirecting and separating against tight coverage, he’s an assertive hands-catcher who excels in contested situations and can bully defenders on back-shoulder fades or over the middle.
With Tank Dell’s availability for early 2025 in question due to a lingering knee issue, Higgins could carve out an immediate role in the slot or as a WR3, giving him sneaky fantasy value as a rookie and a legitimate shot to climb the Texans’ depth chart as the season unfolds.
With Tyler Conklin out of the picture and Jeremy Ruckert yet to fully establish himself, Mason Taylor is poised to leapfrog the depth chart and claim the TE1 mantle before long.
A fluid route-runner with vice-grip hands, Taylor brings a rare combo of size, athleticism, and catch-point savvy that makes him a nightmare matchup for linebackers. His tape at LSU is littered with chain-moving grabs and red-zone flashes, and now he lands in a system desperate for a reliable No. 2 option behind Garrett Wilson.
The opportunity is there—Jets tight ends collectively hauled in 74 receptions for nearly 800 yards last season, and Taylor has the skill set to soak up a hefty chunk of that target share, especially as a safety valve for new QB Justin Fields. Don’t be surprised if Taylor becomes Fields’ go-to target over the middle in crunch-time situations.
Sure, his blocking still needs polish, but the rookie enters the league with a reputation for being a coachable grinder. With reps and refinement, the physical tools and opportunity could converge perfectly.
In dynasty formats, Taylor already profiles as a top-10 upside stash. And in redraft? He might just outproduce bigger-name rookies like Colston Loveland simply by walking into a clearer role from Day 1. Don’t sleep—Mason Taylor could be this year’s breakout tight end you’ll wish you drafted late.
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