As fantasy football owners, we know the thrill of identifying those hidden gems, the players whose potential far outstrips their current draft cost.
While the early rounds often focus on established stars, the true champions are often built by finding value in the middle and late rounds. At the quarterback position, this can be especially crucial.
With 2025 Average Draft Positions (ADPs) beginning to take shape, it’s time to identify which signal-callers are flying under the radar.
In this post, we’ll dive into five quarterbacks who, despite their current ADPs, possess the talent, situation, or projected improvements to significantly outperform expectations in the upcoming 2025 fantasy football season.
Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers): Herbert’s 2024 season was hampered by injuries and a struggling offensive system, leading to a dip in his fantasy output. And when you combine that with a head coach and offensive coordinator who love to run the football, you get panic. However, 2025 presents a significant bounce-back opportunity. While Jim Harbaugh’s reputation is often tied to strong running games, he’s also known for maximizing his quarterback’s potential. The Chargers have invested in new weapons, notably rookie wide receiver Tre Harris and running backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton. While they will continue to run the ball, it’ll open up things for Herbert as well. If Herbert can stay healthy, his elite arm talent and improved surrounding cast could lead to a significant surge in passing touchdowns and yardage, propelling him back into the fantasy QB1 range.
C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans): Stroud burst onto the scene in 2023 with an exceptional rookie campaign, but his 2024 season saw a bit of a regression, partly due to injuries to his key pass-catchers. Despite this, his talent and poise remain undeniable. For 2025, the Texans have made significant moves to solidify their offensive line, which was a major concern last year and contributed to Stroud’s struggles. With veteran additions like Cam Robinson and Laken Tomlinson, and improved depth, Stroud should have better protection, allowing him more time to operate in the pocket. While Stefon Diggs is gone, Nico Collins and new additions like Christian Kirk and rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel provide a strong receiving corps. With another year of experience under his belt and a potentially more stable offensive environment, Stroud is poised to return to his high-level production and could venture back into QB1 territory.
Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers): Love truly broke out in the latter half of the 2023 season, demonstrating impressive poise and arm talent. After a somewhat inconsistent start, he became one of the league’s most efficient and productive quarterbacks. But then 2024 came and between injuries and a heavy dose of the run game, Love regressed badly. What makes him appealing for 2025 is the continued development of his young, talented receiving corps, which added two new rookie receivers to go with some fairly talented young veterans. These players are all still on the ascent and building stronger chemistry with Love. If he builds off of the efficiency and explosiveness he showed late in 2023, and with another offseason to refine his craft, Love has the potential to significantly outperform his current QB2 range.
Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars): Lawrence’s career has been a rollercoaster, with moments of brilliance interspersed with struggles, often exacerbated by injuries and inconsistent offensive play-calling. However, 2025 offers a fresh start and a strong opportunity for a bounce-back. The Jaguars brought in Liam Coen as the new head coach, a move that is expected to provide Lawrence with a more coherent and quarterback-friendly system. Coen’s scheme is anticipated to help Lawrence with his consistency and decision-making. Furthermore, the Jaguars have invested heavily in their receiving corps, with the continued development of Brian Thomas Jr., and the exciting addition of rookie wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, who could be a dynamic playmaker. With improved coaching and a deeper arsenal of weapons, Lawrence finally has the tools to unlock his full potential and establish himself as a consistent top-10 fantasy quarterback.
Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers): Young’s rookie season in 2023 was just a flat-out disaster as he was thrust into a difficult situation with a poor supporting cast and offensive line. And the beginning of his sophomore season was undeniably challenging as he got benched early on and looked to be headed toward certain bust territory. However, Young regained his job midway through 2024 and actually started to put together respectable fantasy performances, including three Top 10 finishes. The Panthers have made significant moves this offseason to help set Young up for success in 2025. They have invested heavily in offensive talent, particularly at wide receiver with the addition of Tetairoa McMillan, who could become a true No. 1 target, and improvements to the offensive line. With a more stable environment, better protection, and significantly upgraded weapons, Young is in a prime position to make a substantial leap in his third season, making him a compelling sleeper.
