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Mike Fanelli's fantasy football outlooks for every second-year quarterback for the 2025 NFL season. Risers and fallers, including Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and more.
The 2024 NFL Draft class provided the fantasy football world with several elite superstar prospects. Six quarterbacks were drafted in the first 12 selections, including the first three picks of the NFL Draft.
More importantly, five of the six quarterbacks from last year’s draft class started at least three games as a rookie. Furthermore, three started every game as a rookie, putting up some impressive numbers.
Therefore, let’s look ahead to the 2025 fantasy football season and dive into the outlooks for the six second-year quarterbacks expected to start in Week 1.
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Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Williams was the QB16 as a rookie, averaging 15 fantasy points per game. However, the former USC star was the QB20 on a points-per-game basis, posting a lower average than Russell Wilson (15.7) and Derek Carr (15.1). He struggled to stay upright, leading the NFL in sacks taken (68).
Unfortunately, Williams tends to hold onto the ball, leading to more sacks. However, the Bears did everything possible to reduce that tendency in 2025. Chicago hired Ben Johnson as its head coach, giving Williams the top up-and-coming offensive mind in the league. More importantly, the team added three new starters to its offensive line.
Therefore, the Bears should have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL this season after having an awful unit last year. Furthermore, Williams has an excellent set of weapons. DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet return from last season’s squad. Yet, that didn’t stop Chicago from investing in its receiving corps during the NFL Draft.
The Bears used their first-round pick on Colston Loveland and their second-round selection on Luther Burden III. Some believe the rookies will be Johnson’s new Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown. After having three offensive coordinators and two head coaches as a rookie, Williams has the resources needed to have a top-five finish in 2025.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels was the top rookie quarterback last season. He ended the year as the QB5, averaging 20.9 fantasy points per game. The former LSU star finished 10th in passing touchdowns with 25. Furthermore, Daniels ranked second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (891) and third in touchdowns (six).
JAYDEN DANIELS' FIRST CAREER TD PASS IS AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TD!
📺: #WASvsCIN on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/xOuWz3wiPa— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2024
Yet, the former Heisman Trophy winner could be even better in 2025. Daniels left two games early as a rookie. The rookie was the QB2 on a points-per-game basis in the 15 contests he finished, averaging 23.1 fantasy points per outing. More importantly, the Commanders improved their superstar quarterback’s supporting cast this offseason.
Washington made two splashy trades this offseason, acquiring Deebo Samuel Sr. from the San Francisco 49ers and Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans. The moves give Daniels a legitimate No. 2 wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin and a blindside protector. It also used its first-round pick during the NFL Draft on offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.
Last year, Olamide Zaccheaus was the Commanders’ best No. 2 wide receiver, totaling 506 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Brandon Coleman was Daniels’ left tackle as a rookie. Unfortunately, he gave up nine sacks, the fourth most in the NFL. The former LSU star should get drafted as a top-three quarterback and has overall QB1 upside.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye didn’t start Week 1 of his rookie year. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft didn’t make his first start until Week 6 against the Houston Texans. However, he was outstanding in his first career start, completing 60.6% of his pass attempts for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
Furthermore, Maye showed off his underrated athleticism. He had five rushing attempts for 38 yards in his NFL debut. More importantly, the rookie ranked ninth among quarterbacks with 421 rushing yards while finishing 16th in attempts (54) despite only starting 12 games.
Unfortunately, Maye didn’t have the weapons or offensive line needed to succeed as a rookie. He finished as the QB22, averaging 13.6 fantasy points per game. Yet, the Patriots spent the entire offseason improving the star quarterback’s supporting cast. They signed Stefon Diggs and Morgan Moses in free agency.
More importantly, New England used its first four picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to help Maye. It spent the top pick and a third-round selection on the offensive line. Furthermore, the Patriots added TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams on Day 2, giving Maye two explosive weapons in the passing game. While he likely won’t end the 2025 season as a top-five quarterback, Maye has significant fantasy upside.
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Many were shocked when the Falcons used the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Penix. Atlanta had signed Kirk Cousins to a massive contract in free agency earlier that offseason. Yet, the team wisely used its top draft pick on the former Washington star.
Penix didn’t start until Week 16 against the New York Giants, totaling five pass attempts in his NFL career before his first start. However, he played well over the final three weeks of the 2024 season, completing 58% of his passes for 737 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions.
OMG Kyle Pitts TD!!!
📺: #ATLvsWAS on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/8sE8kkub9Y— NFL (@NFL) December 30, 2024
Furthermore, the former Washington star was the QB17 from Week 16 through Week 18, averaging 15.2 fantasy points per game. More importantly, Penix ended his rookie year with a strong performance, totaling 312 passing yards, two touchdowns, a rushing score, and 26 fantasy points in Week 18, ending the week as the QB6.
Unfortunately, Atlanta didn’t do much to improve the offense in the offseason. However, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts give Penix an above-average set of weapons. The former Washington star has little rushing ability, limiting his fantasy upside. Yet, don’t be surprised if Penix finishes his first year as the starter as a high-end QB2 with spike-week potential.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota will have a new starting Week 1 quarterback in 2025 for the third consecutive season. McCarthy could have started Week 1 last year as a rookie. Unfortunately, the former Michigan star suffered a torn meniscus in his preseason debut, ending his rookie season before it started.
Yet, that didn’t stop the Vikings from moving on from Sam Darnold this offseason despite the veteran quarterback coming off a career year in 2024. He was the QB9 last season, averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game, ranking fifth in the NFL in passing yards (4,319) and touchdowns (35) under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
McCarthy is the ultimate wild-card fantasy quarterback. He had little experience in college as the starter and missed his entire rookie year because of a knee injury. Yet, the former Michigan star is one of my favorite sleeper candidates for the 2025 fantasy football season.
The Vikings have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, adding three new starters this offseason. Furthermore, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson give McCarthy an excellent trio of weapons in the passing game. While it’s high praise, don’t be surprised if the former Michigan star has a Patrick Mahomes-lite second year in the NFL because of his supporting cast.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
While Jayden Daniels rightfully got most of the national attention, Nix was the other rookie quarterback to have an impressive fantasy season in 2024. The former Oregon star might have been the sixth quarterback picked in the 2024 NFL Draft, yet he was better than everyone but Daniels for fantasy players as a rookie.
Nix finished his rookie year as the QB7, averaging 18.6 fantasy points per game, a higher average than Brock Purdy (17.8) and Kyler Murray (17.5). He finished sixth in the NFL with 29 passing touchdowns and 11th among quarterbacks in rushing scores with four. More importantly, the rookie improved as the season progressed.
BO NIX ABSOLUTE CINEMA.
📺: #DENvsCIN on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LpdaNr6sVi— NFL (@NFL) December 29, 2024
The former Oregon star put up fantasy points early in his career using his legs, averaging 7.6 fantasy points per game on the ground over his first three starts. Nix didn’t have a passing touchdown until Week 4. However, he became one of the league’s more underrated passers, averaging 2.2 touchdowns and 20.9 fantasy points per game from Week 5 through Week 18.
Unlike several other teams with second-year quarterbacks, Denver didn’t make a splashy move to improve the offense this offseason. However, it signed Evan Engram in free agency and spent a second-round pick in the NFL Draft on RJ Harvey, giving Nix two new weapons in the passing game. After finishing his rookie season as the QB7, expect similar production from Nix this year.
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