X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

2025 Fantasy Football Bounce-Back Players: Top Rebound Candidates to Target In Drafts

Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS

Top fantasy football bounce-back players for 2025 drafts. Rebound candidates who can outperform ADP and rankings: Patrick Mahomes, Kenneth Walker III, and more.

Some of the NFL's best athletes and fantasy superstars endure below-average seasons. Like a roller coaster, there are ups and downs in NFL careers. Before you know it, they're back at the top.

Josh Jacobs, Drake London, and Ja'Marr Chase appeared in this article last offseason (as did a certain quarterback that we're rolling the dice on again).

Below we dive into four candidates who can exceed their 2024 output in the 2025 NFL season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

From 2018 to 2022, Patrick Mahomes averaged 23.5 fantasy points per game en route to multiple QB1 finishes. He's now posted back-to-back 17 PPG campaigns.

Is it because Travis Kelce isn't as dominant as he once was? Is it due to offensive line issues? Is it caused by a change in philosophy by the coaching staff that uses the running game and defense to win? Or are secondaries preventing Mahomes from attempting deep passes?

The latter is true. Mahomes' deep ball attempts have dropped every season since 2021. There are ways to beat the two-high safety look and still score heaps of fantasy points. The best strategy involves a running game, scrambling (something Mahomes saved for the postseason), and connecting on deeper post-corner routes.

Kelce is losing a step (and weighing retirement as you read this) but there are plenty of offensive weapons in the Kansas City passing attack. Xavier Worthy learned the NFL game and dominated in the second half of the season and playoffs. And he did it on screen passes and short routes. His speed is still his best asset. Cornerbacks may start taking a half-step forward to better defend Worthy, opening the door for a deep route.

Rashee Rice will return in 2025. He topped 100 yards or scored in his three healthy games. The Chiefs could add more talent in that room and/or improve the offensive line, giving Mahomes more time to improvise.

The best part about Mahomes' possible resurgence is the cost. No longer is Mahomes the first or second quarterback selected in fantasy football drafts. He's in the second or third tier now and can be found in the middle rounds. That's worth taking the shot on an elite quarterback whose points were submarined by too many Kareem Hunt touchdown plunges.

 

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Approximately halfway through the fantasy football regular season, Kenneth Walker III appeared to be one of the year's best draft picks. Seven of his eight touchdowns came before Week 8. He saw five targets in over half of his active games. His 22.3 PPR fantasy points per game trailed only Derrick Henry through Week 7.

And then it all came crumbling down. Offensive line woes prevented Seattle from succeeding in goal-to-go operations. Geno Smith stopped dumping passes to running backs. The yards per carry never topped 3.9 and he missed four games due to injury. Some in the fantasy football community were rooting for him to sit so Zach Charbonnet could thrive in a workhorse role.

When all was said and done, Walker was the RB27 and tied for 24th in PPR points per game from Week 8 through the end of the season. This isn't so much a bounceback from the entire 2024 season, but rather a rebound from a second half that made him almost unplayable.

Smith attempted the fourth-most passes (578), and the Seahawks passed at the fifth-highest rate in the league, which led to the firing of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Head coach Mike Macdonald wants a dedicated rushing attack, so he hired Klint Kubiak. The new OC is giddy about Walker in his outside zone run scheme.

Health remains a concern, but as long as he's active, Walker will get plenty of opportunities under Kubiak. The offensive line, one of the league's worst, has nowhere to go but up.

 

Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

It's odd to call a rookie a bounceback candidate. But he had back-to-back seasons with at least 1,100 yards at Washington, making him the ninth pick in the NFL Draft. There were high expectations.

There's a chance Rome Odunze doesn't have the chops to be a good NFL player. I don't believe that.

Odunze finished his first season as the WR48 while other receivers in his rookie class (Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey, and m0re) celebrated breakout campaigns. Odunze was selected before Thomas and McConkey in fantasy drafts last summer.

The drum beat for Odunze's breakout campaign will only get louder if Keenan Allen signs with another franchise (and it's trending in that direction).

New head coach Ben Johnson turned Jameson Williams, once considered a bust, into a 1,000-yard receiver. His Detroit offense scored a league-leading 33.2 points and second-best 409.5 yards per game. Done are the days of constant screen passes and an ineffective run game.

 

Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys

At the time of this writing, Jake Ferguson is still the second offensive option in Dallas. That may change once the offseason proceeds through the NFL Draft and free agency. For now, let's treat him as such.

Nearly everything that could have gone wrong in Ferguson's 2024 campaign did so. He injured his knee in Week 1 and missed Week 2 (he also missed nearly three full games with a concussion in Week 11). There was zero threat of a running game when Dak Prescott was quarterback, leading to shaky scoring outputs. Then, Prescott suffered a season-ending injury. Cooper Rush was not as big of a Ferguson fan as Prescott.

The yardage wasn't always ideal in Prescott's starts but Ferguson was heavily involved in the first half of the season. He caught at least six passes in five of his seven games with Prescott. The two misses were in Week 1, a game he left early, and a blowout to the Detroit Lions in Week 6. Ferguson averaged three receptions per game with Rush under center.

But, the biggest culprit for Ferguson's disappointing season was a lack of touchdowns. The 2023 Pro Bowler saw the most red-zone targets among tight ends (25) two seasons ago. That number plummeted to six in 2024 (30th at the position). He finished the season with zero touchdowns. That won't happen again, especially with a healthy Prescott in the starting lineup.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF