Maximizing value is the name of the game in fantasy football. Finding edges in the draft can pay off immensely during the regular season and into the playoffs.
Identifying mid- to late-round value picks isn’t easy. Every new season provides a fresh batch of potential sleeper picks that could take your season from avoiding a last-place punishment to contending for championship glory.
Last year saw a lot of value from the wide receiver position. Rookies Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers and Ladd McConkey were some of the best players at their positions in fantasy football. Others, such as Terry McLaurin, saw a new quarterback or coordinator provide a boost.
This year could see more of that improvement thanks to environmental changes for wide receivers and other positions alike. A quarterback with a new play-caller, a running back with an improved offensive line or more touches, or a tight end with a new quarterback or system could see a big jump in production compared to what’s expected.
But it’s not just those positions where you can find sleepers. It’s all over your lineup. We’ve chosen at least two sleepers at every position in 2025. With the exception of tight end (arguably the thinnest position in fantasy football), all of these sleeper candidates are 15th or lower at their position by average draft position (ADP) so you can truly find value outside of the first four rounds.
Top fantasy football QB sleepers
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
FantasyPros ADP: QB18, OVR130
Stroud struggled in Year 2 after setting high expectations from his rookie season. There’s a change in play-caller with Nick Caley coming over from the Los Angeles Rams, and an influx of talent in the receiving corps with Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel and Christian Kirk. Even a small improvement in structure could make him a high-end QB2 — much better than his current ADP.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
FantasyPros ADP: QB22, OVR144
Just like Stroud, Lawrence has a new play-caller on offense with the arrival of head coach Liam Coen. He also will have some improvements on the offensive line as well as a new weapon in the passing game in Travis Hunter. Brian Thomas Jr. was a standout wideout as a rookie and this environment should see Lawrence outplay his status as a low-end QB2.
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
FantasyPros ADP: QB24, OVR158
Penix is a risky choice given his inexperience but that makes him an even better sleeper. If you project his three starts from last year over the entire season, he’d have finished ahead of Stroud and Matthew Stafford. He has proven weapons on offense in Drake London and Bijan Robinson and a solid offensive line. He could make this ranking look silly come December.
Top fantasy football RB sleepers
Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
FantasyPros ADP: RB17, OVR44
Walker III has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career and that’s depressed his value this season. Klint Kubiak’s arrival in Seattle as offensive coordinator is great news for Walker as more outside zone concepts could unlock him even more. His ADP paints him as a solid RB2. If he can stay healthy, there’s a chance he’s a top-10 RB by the end of the season.
TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
FantasyPros ADP: RB23, OVR56
Henderson’s ADP shot up recently after he took a kickoff the distance for a touchdown in the preseason opener. That kind of electric play is going to get plenty of attention from fantasy managers, and for good reason. He’s the most dynamic player in the Patriots offense and that will matter for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and company. The opportunity is there for him to capitalize.
Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
FantasyPros ADP: RB34, OVR94
Reports out of Vikings camp is that Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell is running more of an even split in the backfield than in prior years. The Vikings gave up draft value to get Mason, showing how much they value his skillset. Minnesota’s offensive line could take a step in 2025 and the team might lean on the running game as J.J. McCarthy gets his footing. That’s enough opportunity for Mason to get touches alongside Aaron Jones Sr., who is entering his age-31 season.
Braelon Allen, New York Jets
FantasyPros ADP: RB54, OVR154
New York wants to run the ball more in Year 1 under coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. The offensive line should be better than in 2024 and already looks in training camp to be better in run blocking than pass blocking situations. Allen’s had a solid share of the touches out of the backfield with Breece Hall, and the team appears heading to a committee approach this season.
Top fantasy football WR sleepers
Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
FantasyPros ADP: WR19, OVR43
Harrison was one of the most anticipated rookie wide receivers in years last season. If not for fellow draftees Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey and Malik Nabers shining in Year 1, we likely would have a rosier view of Harrison’s first season. He’s a prime post-hype sleeper candidate; the production and high hopes for the son of a Hall of Famer could bear out with another offseason to develop.
Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans
FantasyPros ADP: WR30, OVR72
Tennessee’s quarterback situation is one of the most improved league-wide from 2024. No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward will almost certainly be a better starter than Will Levis and that’ll be to Ridley’s benefit. Free-agent additions Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson aren’t game-changers, but they should open things up for Ridley to produce better than he did a year ago.
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers
FantasyPros ADP: WR44, OVR96
Pearsall’s late-season production in 2024 might be a sign of things to come. He and quarterback Brock Purdy have established a great connection in training camp and the opportunity is there for the second-year wideout to produce. Brandon Aiyuk likely will miss the first month of the season and Jauan Jennings is in the midst of a contract dispute. Pearsall could make the most of it and far outplay his low-end WR4 status in drafts.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
FantasyPros ADP: WR51, OVR133
Coleman’s been candid about his struggles as a rookie and what he needs to improve going into Year 2. Luckily, he has one of the best quarterbacks in the league to throw him the ball and a well-established wideout alongside in Khalil Shakir. Coleman might have a capped ceiling given Shakir’s presence and the Bills’ potent running game but there’s every chance he could take a step in Year 2 and be much more than a WR5.
Top fantasy football TE sleepers
Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
FantasyPros ADP: TE10, OVR104
Kraft finished as TE8 in half-PPR leagues last season on just 50 receptions, the second-fewest of any tight end in the top 15. Only Kyle Pitts (47, TE15) had fewer. There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Packers offense, but that didn’t faze Kraft last season. First-round pick Matthew Golden’s arrival shouldn’t impact him as much as it will the other wide receivers.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
FantasyPros ADP: TE22, OVR187
Strange is a deep sleeper but could pay off. Like we said about Lawrence, Coen’s arrival should facilitate the Jaguars offense taking at least a small step forward in 2025. With Christian Kirk and Evan Engram out of the building, it’s unclear who will be the No. 2 target in the Jaguars passing game. Strange could take advantage; Coen made Cade Otton the top target in Tampa Bay for some stretches last season.
Top fantasy football K sleepers
Tyler Loop, Baltimore Ravens
FantasyPros ADP: K15, OVR276
This one is pretty straightforward. The Ravens had a top-three scoring offense in 2024 and keep their coordinator and MVP runner-up quarterback as well as most of the starting players. There’s little reason to think they’ll slow down. They’re playing a first-place schedule against many of the top powers in both conferences so they’ll need all of the points they can get. It’s a bit risky going with a rookie kicker but Loop could pay off.
Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders
FantasyPros ADP: K18, OVR313
Carlson finished as K10 in leagues last season and that was with the 29th-ranked scoring offense. Las Vegas invested heavily in offense this offseason and will have a huge upgrade at both quarterback and running back in 2025. This offense should be able to move the ball better throughout the season, giving Carlson more chances to score.
Top fantasy football D/ST sleepers
Seattle Seahawks
FantasyPros ADP: D/ST13, OVR249
The Baltimore Ravens defense took a huge step forward in 2023 to become the top unit in the league under Mike Macdonald. This season marks Macdonald’s second in Seattle and the defense could take a step as well.
Seattle very likely could end the year as a top-10 defense in both fantasy and on the field. The Seahawks face the AFC South and NFC South teams outside of their divisional matchups, and those don’t feature many high-powered offenses. There might not be many flashy names in this defense but there aren’t many glaring holes either. That talent group plus Macdonald’s play-calling could see them vastly outperform this draft slot.
Chicago Bears
FantasyPros ADP: D/ST16, OVR291
Chicago brought in longtime New Orleans Saints head coach and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to run the defense under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Allen’s defenses were always reliable in New Orleans; the Saints were a top-15 scoring defense from 2017 to 2023 with Allen at the helm. They dropped off in 2024 as he was fired mid-season.
The Bears play in one of the toughest divisions in football, but both the Vikings and Lions have questions on offense entering 2025 due to a first-year quarterback and new coordinator, respectively. Outside of divisional games, Chicago will face the AFC North and NFC East as well as the Browns, 49ers and Raiders. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to see the Bears finish as a top-12 D/ST with that schedule.
