David Helman
NFL Reporter
Now’s the time for daydreaming.
We know the star players who will shape the 2025 NFL season. But every team that makes a playoff run this fall will get contributions from a new name or two. The next Super Bowl champion could be sparked by a guy no one was talking about before the season — just ask the Philadelphia Eagles about Zack Baun.
Not every breakout player in 2025 is going to be selected All-Pro, win a Super Bowl and sign a lucrative new contract, like Baun, but their contributions will be felt across the league.
So, we’re going to look across the league. Let’s find a potential breakout player for all 32 teams. In the interest of creativity, we’ll look past the quarterback position and try to find someone that’s truly off the radar. Here are my AFC picks.
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AFC East
Maybe I’m cheating a bit by listing a guy who just signed a $29 million contract as a breakout candidate, but it really feels like people are sleeping on this addition in Buffalo. Palmer was a solid receiver for four years in L.A. without truly having a breakthrough season, but I think that could change this year. You’re talking about a guy who can separate vertically and make contested catches. Roughly 40% of Palmer’s receptions were explosive gains last year. And you’re dropping him into an offense with Josh Allen? There’s some very fun potential here.
Joshua Palmer #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs a route during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 8, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Call this one breakout by necessity. The Dolphins drafted Paul with an eye on him succeeding Terron Armstead, and that time has come. The second-year pro figures to start at left tackle, and it’d be big for the stability of the entire offensive line if the transition goes smoothly. Armstead himself has said Paul is up to the task, so here’s hoping.
I love to connect the dots when I’m doing an exercise like this. Gibbens got his first crack as an NFL starter in 2023 from then-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. Two years later, it’s no surprise to see him pop up with Vrabel in New England. He’s smart, tough and has a knack for making tackles, which has to remind Vrabel of himself a little bit. Marquee free-agent signing Robert Spillane owns one of the starting linebacker jobs in New England, but there’s plenty of room for Gibbens to make an impression.
We all know Fashanu’s name because he was the No. 11 overall pick in last year’s draft, but we didn’t see that much of him as a rookie. With just 534 NFL snaps to his name, there’s still plenty of room for Fashanu to grow. If the Jets’ current roster reset is going to work as well as they want it to, they’ll be hoping to see Fashanu’s arrow point up.
AFC North
Unfortunately for the Ravens, the stakes have been raised for their latest first-round pick. When Baltimore picked Starks in April, they were no doubt hoping Ar’Darius Washington would build on his fantastic 2024 season and take some pressure off the rookie. That plan went awry just two weeks later, when Washington tore his Achilles. There’s still a ton of talent in the Ravens’ secondary, but it would be big if Starks is ready for a big role from the jump.
Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks poses after being selected 27th overall by the Baltimore Ravens during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Mims was my pick here last summer. While it didn’t quite come to fruition, I’m comfortable doubling down. Mims missed a sizable chunk of training camp and still allowed just four sacks in 13 starts. There’s plenty to work on, but I’m still betting that Mims — who is still just 22 — can grow into a force for the Bengals’ offensive line.
Perfect combination of talent and opportunity. Draftniks were pumped when Cleveland made Schwesinger an early second-round pick this year, having fallen in love with his instincts and nose for the ball. There’s also a clear path to the field in Cleveland. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is out for the year due to injury, which means the Browns are somewhat thin. Here’s guessing draft nerds aren’t the only ones who know his name by October or November.
This feels like a layup, because Frazier is already on his way to being a standout center. As a rookie, PFF graded him fourth among all starting centers in run block grade, and sixth in pass block grade. He allowed just 12 pressures and one sack in 15 appearances. If he continues on this trajectory, Frazier should be the Steelers’ first Pro Bowl center since Maurkice Pouncey called it a career in 2020.
AFC South
There’s playing time available for someone who wants it. It looks likely that Tank Dell is going to miss the entire 2025 season due to the timing of last year’s gruesome injury. Even with Christian Kirk joining the squad, there’s still an open job alongside him and Nico Collins. Ironically, there are a couple rookies out of Iowa State to choose from, but I’ll roll with the 6-foot-4 guy who can separate.
Jayden Higgins #9 of the Iowa State Cyclones catches a pass against Shamari Simmons #7 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second quarter of the Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium on December 07, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Colts fans will probably say that Cross has already broken out, but I’m not sure how many outsiders are aware that the former third-round pick out of Maryland racked up 146 tackles and three picks last year in his first season as a starter. What makes this fun is that Cross should have more help now. The Colts’ secondary was a bit understaffed in 2024, but the front office addressed that by signing proven vets in Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum. Indy’s secondary could be an actual strength this season, and that’s an exciting prospect for a guy trying to raise his profile, like Cross.
Smith is the classic case of a guy who saw the light toward the tail end of his rookie year. It wasn’t always a smooth ride, as the 2024 second-round pick was a healthy scratch six times last year. But once he got back into the lineup in Week 13, it seemed to click. Of Smith’s 17 tackles as a rookie, 12 came in the last six weeks of the season. The same can be said for his pass rush stats — 11 of his 14 pressures and two of his three sacks happened in December and January. If he can carry that progress over into Year 2, it’d be huge for a defensive front that already employs several quality pass-rushers.
Here’s guessing Latham’s life is about to get a lot easier. That’s not to say he was bad as a rookie, but it’s tough when you’re forced to switch to left tackle and protect a rotating cast of quarterbacks. Year 2 looks better for a lot of reasons. For starters, he’s back at right tackle, where he started. And maybe more importantly, Cam Ward’s poise, pocket presence and maneuverability should make life easier on the Titans’ entire offensive line. Latham wasn’t bad last year, it’s just that I have high hopes for how much better this year could be.
AFC West
The Broncos are running it back with a very similar lineup to last year, and the newcomers — Evan Engram, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, are all known names. That doesn’t leave a lot of options for breakout stars, but I’m excited about the rookie running back. Harvey joins a wide-open group with no true favorite for playing time. Working with a playcaller of Sean Payton’s caliber, there’s big opportunity for Harvey to jump onto the radar.
RJ Harvey #RB10 of Central Florida participates in a drill during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
It’s always telling when a successful team lets a free agent walk out the door. Justin Reid was an underrated piece of the Chiefs’ dynastic defense during the three years he was in Kansas City, so it piqued my interest when they let him walk in the spring. Then again, if you watched Hicks during his rookie year, maybe you aren’t surprised. Despite playing just 330 snaps on defense, Hicks still managed to finish with 29 tackles, three interceptions and five pass breakups. Give him a full year of starts under Steve Spagnuolo, and we might be looking at the next star safety in that secondary.
It’s not that Powers-Johnson was bad as a rookie, it’s mainly just that there’ll be a reason to watch him in 2025. Pardon the pun, but the Raiders were a black hole for relevance last season when Powers-Johnson made his debut. That won’t be the case now, as he gets set to block for Ashton Jeanty and protect Geno Smith.
You’ve probably heard the story, but it bears repeating. Henley tore the labrum in his left shoulder during a Week 4 loss to Kansas City last year, and he proceeded to play through it. Not only did he gut it out, he thrived to the tune of 147 total tackles — including a streak of six-straight games with double-digit stops. Needless to say, the guy’s a beast. If that’s what he can do with a bum shoulder, here’s guessing he’ll be a Pro Bowler by the end of Year 3.
David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
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