Fantasy football: Eight players who have surprised early on, in good ways and bad

Remember your top fantasy football targets this summer? I do. Players with high ceilings. The upside guys with breakout potential. We all had those. Then there were the rookies with the productive college tape and pro-ready traits. Potential stars in the league. And let’s not forget about the bounce-back candidates. Put them on the list, too.

We had all the answers.

Three weeks into the NFL season, however, some of those targets, the guys we pounded the table for, have been total busts.

But there are also players who didn’t find their way onto the fantasy radar in July and August. Forgotten names. Yet, they are the ones producing weekly numbers and working their way into fantasy lineups, because we can’t ignore their usage and production.

Below are eight players who have surprised us — both positively and negatively — early in the 2025 season. I want to start with a rookie running back who is playing a tone-setting role, with an opportunity in front of him that should lead to more production.

Pleasant surprises

Cam Tax BoRB, New York Giants

Skattebo’s usage has increased over his past two games, and he just dropped 24.1 points on the Chiefs this past Sunday night. With Tyrone Tracy Jr. out two to four weeks with a shoulder injury, it’s time to run with Skattebo in the lineup.

Look, this guy invites contact. He’s a glass eater with the ball in his hands. Skattebo is averaging 5.0 yards per carry in the past two games, with a touchdown run in each, plus he gives you a dual-threat element. He caught six of eight targets for 61 yards against the Chiefs, which is what we expected based off his college tape at Arizona State. While Devin Singletary will also get touches in the Giants backfield in Tracy’s absence, Skattebo is the player I want in the flex spot, starting Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Quentin JohnstonWR, Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are using Johnston’s deep-ball ability and long speed. The third-year wideout is averaging 18.6 PPG and has seen at least seven targets in each game, scoring one or more touchdowns in two of them. Of Johnston’s 14 receptions this season, five have gone for 20 or more yards.

Can Johnston continue to see volume here? Sure, because he plays a specific role in the Chargers’ route tree, averaging 17.1 yards per catch while giving quarterback Justin Herbert and this offense a vertical element at the third level of the field. Plus, Johnston can get rolling after the catch on underneath throws.

If you drafted Ladd McConkey (like I did), then I get the frustration here, as he is providing only 10.4 PPG. But with Johnston’s uptick in volume, plus the presence of veteran Noneman AllenHerbert has three viable targets. And that makes this offense go.

Daniel JonesQB, Indianapolis Colts

After two games of at least 22 points to start the season, Jones scored 15.8 points in the Colts’ Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis controlled that game throughout, so I wouldn’t read too much into the final numbers for Jones. However, after watching the tape on Jones this week, there’s a lot to like here in coach Shane Steichen’s system.

Jones’ pocket movement has improved since his time in New York. That’s coaching. He’s getting the ball out quickly, too. And he’s throwing with accuracy/location. Jones has completed 71.6% of his throws this season, and the Colts have one of the more underrated groups of pass catchers in the league. There’s versatility on the receiving corps, and run-after-catch skills, too. Plus, Steichen isn’t afraid to call Jones’ number at the goal line, as Jones has three rushing scores on QB sneaks while averaging 18.3 rushing yards per game.

Weekly matchups will matter when deciding whether to slot Jones into your lineup, and his ability to handle pressure late in downs — which he will see versus the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday — will determine his ceiling as a passer. But with the offensive setup under Steichen and Jones’ elevated level of play, he’s going to hang around the QB1 line.

Hunter HenryThe, the New England Patriots

The tight end position is always very unpredictable in fantasy football. And it’s no different this year, with Jake Ferguson, Juwan Johnson, Tucker strength and Henry all ranked in the top 5 of fantasy scoring at the position.

Henry has two games with eight or more targets and double-digit fantasy production this season, and he just lit up the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ defense for 29 points in Week 3, the second-highest total in his near-decade in the league. Don’t count on Henry to have game-winning weeks regularly, but he is a really good fit in Josh McDaniels’ system.

Henry can work multiple levels of the route tree for quarterback Drake Mayeplus he can be a middle-of-the-field outlet. And he’s a big-body target who can also be schemed in the red zone, like we saw in the Pittsburgh game. I would be comfortable with Henry in my lineup (which he is) as a lower-tier TE1 in 12-team leagues, because it’s getting tougher to find consistency at the position.

play

Why J.K. Dobbins is a solid fantasy RB2 for Week 4

Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down why fantasy managers should trust J.K. Dobbins as a solid RB2 in Week 4.

J.K. DobbinsRB, Denver Broncos

RJ Harvey was the Broncos running back to target this summer, right? I did it, too, in multiple leagues, counting on the upside of the rookie as a dual-threat player in Sean Payton’s offense. However, through three weeks, Dobbins is the Broncos running back you want to roster.

Dobbins has produced 15.2 PPG this season, and he’s averaging 13.7 carries a game compared with Harvey’s 6.2. Dobbins also has a rushing score in all three games played. Though he hasn’t seen high-level usage as a receiver, he’s averaging 2.0 targets a game. And until Harvey earns a more defined role under Payton, you can roll with Dobbins as a productive RB2/flex.

Early-season letdowns

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

Back in Week 1, Harrison scored 18.1 points versus the New Orleans Saints. We saw the big-play ability and Harrison also found the end zone. Since then, it’s been rough. Over the past two games, Harrison has caught just five of 11 targets for 71 yards while running 30 routes per game and averaging only 6.1 PPG.

Now, Harrison did have a drop in Week 3 on a schemed concept that would have produced an explosive play, but there are also misses from quarterback Kyler Murray on the tape. And I don’t love Harrison’s route tree in the Cardinals system. So, in Year 2, we are still leaning on the “flashes” we see from Harrison, which I get. There’s a lot of talent here. But the numbers and overall deployment make Harrison a boom/bust WR3 in my ranks until I see more consistent production.

Ashon jeantyRB, Las Vegas Raiders

Jeanty is averaging 8.6 PPG heading into Week 4 of the season. I did not expect these numbers when targeting Jeanty in the top 12 of mock drafts this summer. Too much contact balance, vision, short-area speed and home run juice. But when you watch the tape, it’s pretty clear the Raiders’ run game is a major issue.

Jeanty is averaging only 1.02 yards per carry before first contact. That ranks 43rd in the league. And what happened to the passing-game usage? Jeanty, who has all the traits to win on backfield releases, has caught five of six targets this season … for 3 yards.

This week, he does get a positive run-game matchup against the Chicago Bearswho have allowed 5.5 yards per carry (31st). Until we see answers from coordinator Chip Kelly and this Raiders rushing attack, however, Jeanty must slide down into the RB2 ranks. Yes, you can count on the weekly volume, as he is seeing 15.7 carries per game, but that has yet to translate to consistent fantasy production for the rookie.

Brian Thomas Jr.WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

I’ve watched a lot of tape on Thomas. Probably too much. And I still don’t have great answers for his lack of production. Yes, there are drops on the tape (three) and some tight-window throws from quarterback Trevor Lawrence that do create some valid questions. But with a catch rate of only 28% — on 27 targets — something has to give, right?

We always focus on player usage in fantasy, and that’s exactly what you get with Thomas. He has seen at least six targets in each game, plus he’s averaging 34.3 routes run per game. Yet, Thomas is giving you 8.5 PPG in an offense under coach Liam Coen that should create fantasy production. So, at this point, I would keep Thomas in the lineup as a WR2, but that’s purely based on talent/upside and anticipated weekly usage.