The NFL season is finally here, so it’s time to dive into my fantasy football sleepers. Nailing a late-round pick is a great way to build a championship roster. Think about players like Brian Thomas Jr. and Bucky Irving last year.
When taking a player this late, you want to prioritize upside. Essentially, you’re looking for a late-round lottery ticket. Most of the time, the most impactful sleepers are rookies.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at my fantasy football sleepers for the 2025 NFL season.
Fantasy Football Sleepers
Sleepers on this list meet the following criteria:
- Available outside of the top 150 picks using Underdog ADP
- QB sleepers have top 12 upside
- RB sleepers have top 24 upside
- WR sleepers have top 36 upside
- TE sleepers have top 12 upside
Fantasy QB Sleepers
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson has been a first-round bust through his first two NFL seasons. However, whenever he’s been on the field, he’s produced at a high level in fantasy football. This is a quarterback who rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns in only 11 games last season.
While A-Rich has lost the starting job to Daniel Jones, that doesn’t mean that he won’t see any starts this season. If that happens, we could see a pace of something like 700+ rushing yards and 10+ touchdowns.
Perhaps the addition of first-round rookie tight end Tyler Warren is exactly what Richardson needs to find his groove at the professional level. Warren can generate yards after the catch at a high rate. These are the kind of layup throws that A-Rich needs to build up his confidence as a passer.
I know Richardson has disappointed us in the last two years, but the upside is too high to ignore, making him my choice for fantasy QB sleeper.
But since he’s not the starter, you should only take him as your QB3 in Best Ball and hope for some late-season usage during the fantasy playoffs. I recommend buying him in dynasty leagues at a rock-bottom cost as well.
Fantasy RB Sleepers
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is an undrafted rookie who is making major waves in training camp. It feels like every day that I look at the latest news, Croskey-Merritt is earning praise for his big-play ability.
This is a player who rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns at New Mexico in 2023, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Due to eligibility issues in 2024, Croskey-Merritt was limited to only one game. Perhaps if that weren’t the case, he would have gone way higher in the draft.
If you look at the team context here, there’s a path for this rookie to ascend the depth chart. Brian Robinson is on his way out, Austin Ekeler is on the decline, and Chris Rodriguez is unproven.
While Croskey-Merritt has shot up draft boards due to the Robinson trade rumors, he’s still considered a sleeper because he goes outside of the first eight rounds. You can probably get him even later in your redraft leagues.
Fantasy WR Sleepers
Jaylin Noel, Houston Texans
Jaylin Noel is a talented rookie wideout whom the Texans took in the third round. The former Iowa State standout put up 80 catches for 1,194 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season.
This is an explosive player who can make big plays out of the slot. The problem is that it’s a crowded WR room that features Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and fellow rookie Jayden Higgins.
However, we’re talking outside of the top-200 picks right here. There are going to be concerns about every player here. Betting on talent like Noel is how you unearth a gem. What if he’s too good to keep off the field?
Also, the Texans are likely to be a pass-heavy offense, especially with Joe Mixon injured. Don’t be surprised if C.J. Stroud gets back on track. This is the type of talent and situation that you want to bet on, making Noel my choice for fantasy WR sleeper.
Fantasy TE Sleepers
Mason Taylor, New York Jets
Mason Taylor is a second-round rookie tight end coming off a 55-catch, 549-yard season in his final year at LSU. What’s so intriguing about Taylor is the landing spot, where there’s a wide-open opportunity for targets.
The Jets have Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, but not much else in terms of target earners. The current WR2 is Josh Reynolds, so there’s a legit chance that Taylor can play a major role right away.
We’re looking for a tight end who can crack the top-12, which is certainly possible if Taylor emerges as the No. 2 target in this offense.
While this unit is going to be run-heavy with Justin Fields running the ship, this is the type of player and context that you want to bet on.
What are Fantasy Football Sleepers?
A fantasy football sleeper can mean one of two things. Either a relatively unknown player who has a big year or a player who takes the next step forward and significantly outperforms expectations with career-best statistics.
Generally speaking, a sleeper is a player undervalued during fantasy football drafts. It’s important to be mindful of fantasy football average draft position (ADP) when judging whether or not a player is a good value, sleeper, or breakout.
How to Identify a Fantasy Football Sleeper
The best way to identify or find sleepers for the upcoming season is to think about each player’s context and past history. For example, if a player moves from a backup role to a starter.
Here are a few more ways to find sleepers:
- Players who emerge, show improvement and play really well late in the previous season.
- Players who played through injuries in the previous season. They may finally be healthy and improve this season.
- Head coach or offensive coordinator changes often result in roles shifting.
