Breakout of the Year – Jaxon Smith-Njigba / WR / Seattle Seahawks
After a good rookie year, Smith-Njigba came into the 2025 season under regarded. ESPN ranked him as the preseason wide receiver 15, and JSN immediately showed this wasn’t going to be the case. Heading into his Week 8 bye, Smith-Njigba had scored under 18 PPR points just once and had 819 receiving yards to his name. He only improved as the season went on, ending the year averaging an astounding 21.2 fantasy points per game.
Underachiever of the Year – Justin Jefferson / WR / Minnesota Vikings
The 2025 season was full of players not living up to expectations. Saquon Barkley, after his record-breaking 2024 season, finished as the running back 14 this year. Brian Thomas Jr., expected to build off a strong rookie season, was slated as the preseason wide receiver 8, and scored three touchdowns all year. But the Underachiever of the Year undoubtedly is Justin Jefferson. Jefferson was drafted in the top five in nearly every league and was at best a mediocre receiver. Jefferson struggled under rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy and ended the season with the lowest receiving totals of his career, despite playing in every Vikings game. He scored more than 20 PPR points once in the 2025 season, coming off a year where he did so eight times.
Performance of the Year – Jahmyr Gibbs / RB / Detroit Lions / Week 12
Jahmyr Gibbs did Jahmyr Gibbs things in Week 12, where he (more or less) singlehandedly led the Lions to a 34-27 victory over the Giants. When the Lions were down by three in the fourth quarter, Gibbs rushed for a 49 yard touchdown to give Detroit the lead. When the game went to overtime, Gibbs rushed for a 69 yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. When all was said and done, Gibbs had 219 rushing yards, 11 receptions, three touchdowns and 55.4 PPR points.
Waiver Wire Pickup of the Year – Rico Dowdle / RB / Carolina Panthers
Dowdle, if started in the right weeks, was a league winner this year. When Chuba Hubbard was ruled out for the Panthers Week 5 matchup against the Dolphins, Dowdle was given the lead running back role. Dowdle scored 32.4 points on 234 all-purpose yards and a touchdown. With Hubbard out another week, Dowdle also got the start in Week 6. He scored 33.9 points against the Cowboys in a revenge game against the team that had released him the previous season. While Dowdle didn’t find the same form once Hubbard returned, he was still a viable fantasy option the rest of the year.
Fantasy MVP – Christian McCaffrey / RB / San Francisco 49ers
After a 2024 season lost to injury, McCaffrey returned in 2025 and showed why he’s still the best player in fantasy football. Through the first seven weeks of the season, McCaffrey hadn’t scored fewer than 22 points in any game. McCaffrey ended the season with more than 40 points more than anybody else, leading not only the 49ers to the playoffs but many fantasy teams as well.
