Punt Return TDs Soar in 2025 NFL Season

As the 2025 NFL season reaches the quarter-mark, a surprising trend has emerged: punt returns have stolen the spotlight. Through the first 4 weeks, a remarkable 7 punts have been returned for touchdowns, including 3 in Week 4 alone.

One of the most notable plays came in New England, where the Patriots routed the Carolina Panthers 42-13. While the Patriots' defense failed to produce many big plays, their special teams unit stepped up in a big way. Rookie Marcus Jones electrified the crowd with an 87-yard punt return for a score, and he also had a 61-yard return earlier in the game.

This surge in punt return touchdowns is a welcome development for the league and fantasy football managers alike. The new kickoff rules have already led to more excitement on kickoff returns, and now the punt return game is adding an extra layer of unpredictability and entertainment value to the sport.

Of course, relying on return touchdowns as a fantasy strategy is not the most reliable approach. But the sheer number of these scores in the early going has put some of the "special" back into special teams, making every Sunday's action that much more thrilling to watch.