2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: 15 Late-Round Values in Fantasy Drafts
Updated: Sunday, August 24, 2025Ask 100 people and you're likely to get 100 different answers.
Not only does no universal definition of a fantasy football sleeper exist, many would argue that there is no such thing as a sleeper in today's age of year-round fantasy football content.
While that may be true, our definition of the term for this post will be a player that we are targeting in the double-digit rounds of 12-team leagues. Of course, our fantasy football rankings will list the players we prefer in sequence, but the goal of this post is to highlight later-round players that you should know for your upcoming drafts.
So, in other words, the fantasy football sleepers referenced in this article have an average draft position (ADP) greater than 108 (nine rounds multiplied by 12 picks).
Some players that just missed the cut based on our self-imposed ADP requirement include Emeka Egbuka (ADP: 92), Tucker Kraft (ADP: 103), Justin Fields (ADP: 105), among others.
Note: All ADP referenced below is from FantasyPros consensus ADP (half-PPR).
Embed from Getty ImagesFantasy Football QB Sleepers
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (ADP: 134)
With one of the league's best offensive instructures in place, McCarthy should hit the ground running (maybe literally, too) in his debut season after missing 2024 with a torn meniscus. Kevin O'Connell had Sam Darnold playing at an MVP-caliber level for much of the year, and the team has a good offensive line with a talented group of weapons (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, etc.). Given his plus athleticism and environment, there is plenty of upside for a season similar to Bo Nix's rookie campaign (ADP of QB20+ with a top-10 finish).
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: 157)
Lawrence missed seven games last season, but there are reasons for optimism heading into his age-26 season. Despite Shane Waldron's role as passing game coordinator, I trust Liam Coen to get the most of Lawrence. Brian Thomas Jr. is one of the league's best young receivers and Travis Hunter is a significant upgrade opposite him.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (ADP: 170)
Young was benched after a terrible start through the first two weeks last season (only 225 passing yards, 4.01 Y/A, no touchdowns and three interceptions). He didn't start again until Week 8, but he played much better, especially over the final three games (64.8%, 7.0 Y/A, seven touchdowns and no interceptions). After Carolina's Week 11 bye, Young was the QB8 in fantasy PPG (21.2) through the end of the season.
MORE: Bryce Young 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook
Fantasy Football RB Sleepers
Braelon Allen, New York Jets (ADP: 123)
Comments from the new coaching staff and Detroit's history of multiple productive running backs (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery) suggest a breakout opportunity for Allen, who won't turn 22 until January. The Athletic's Zach Rosenblatt mentioned "[t]he RB room might be more 1A-1B than 1-2" as one of 10 lessons from training camp. Rosenblatt noted Allen "looks bigger, faster and stronger" and "has been one of the stars of camp so far, showing a level of explosiveness and downhill running ability the Jets have been lacking."
Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders (ADP: 126)
Ekeler missed five games in his first season with the Commanders, but he was efficient with his touches — 4.8 yards per carry (six-year high) and 10.5 yards per reception (five-year high). While he averaged nearly three catches per game (2.9), that was a six-year low and that makes sense playing with a dual-threat quarterback (Jayden Daniels). The biggest beneficiary of Brian Robinson Jr.'s trade to the San Francisco 49ers will be rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but it could lead to a few extra touches for Ekeler as well. Either way, he's undervalued when comparing my rankings and projections to his current ADP.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders (ADP: 136)
Earlier this summer, Croskey-Merritt (aka "Bill") was a sleeper worth a late-round pick who generated plenty of buzz. (He still technically applies based on my definition.) As Adam Kilgore wrote, he "makes a play that turns heads ... almost every day." His ADP ascent will continue following Robinson's trade to the 49ers, but the seventh-round rookie will almost certainly emerge as the most valuable member of the backfield as the season progresses.
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals (ADP: 143)
The split in workload between James Conner (283) and Benson (69) was wider than expected in 2024. The gap will definitely be narrower this season, but by how much? Benson has added weight (seven pounds) while also claiming to be more explosive, and Conner, Benson and the team have talked up having two starting running backs.
Woody Marks, Houston Texans (ADP: 215)
Especially given the uncertainty around Joe Mixon, Marks is easy click near the end drafts, especially so in PPR leagues. He excels as a receiver and he totaled 261 catches for 1,546 yards through five collegiate seasons with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (2020-23) and USC Trojans (2024). He had his best season as a rusher (198/1133/9) last year. Even when the backfield is at full health, he should maintain a significant role on passing downs.
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears (ADP: 232)
While the duo of D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson shouldn't be compared to Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, potential for both finish in the RB2/flex range in a Ben Johnson offense shouldn't be out of the question. Compared to his almost free ADP, Johnson already has plenty of upside. The first time Johnson coached Swift, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles after the team signed Montgomery and drafted Gibbs. Although I'm not suggested that Swift will get traded away, the point is that it's at least possible that someone other than Swift leads the backfield in 2025 (even if that's not the most likely scenario).
MORE: 2025 Chicago Bears Fantasy Football Projections
Embed from Getty ImagesFantasy Football WR Sleepers
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (ADP: 120)
Considering the team's quarterback struggles and the fact that he played with a fracture in his back, Pittman's 2024 season was incredibly solid (69/808/3 on 111 targets in 16 games). Before that, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in two of his previous three seasons. His 2025 outlook will be shaped by which quarterback earns the most starts. With Daniel Jones entering 2025 as the starter, Pittman's outlook (and that of Josh Downs) has improved and he's a good value compared to his current ADP.
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers (ADP: 145)
Returning on a one-year deal, Allen had 70/744/7 on 121 targets over 15 games for the Bears last season. Before that, he hauled in a career-high 108 receptions for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns on 150 targets over 13 games with the Chargers in 2023. There's no way he approaches his 2023 numbers, but he will immediately operate as the team's WR2 behind Ladd McConkey and should perform as a fantasy WR3/WR4 in 2025.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints (ADP: 148)
Yes, his 2024 season was cut short to a season-ending knee injury (meniscus). And yes, he'll likely be catching passes from either rookie Tyler Shough or Spencer Rattler. But Shahid is one of my favorite values at wide receiver. Shaheed appeared in only six games, but he had 20 catches for 349 yards (17.5 Y/R) and three touchdowns on 41 targets, added six carries for 29 yards and returned a punt for a score. He was the PPR WR17 (WR27 on PPG basis) through Week 6. He has added some weight this offseason to help him hold up better against contact.
MORE: 2026 New Orleans Saints Mock Draft Roundup
Christian Kirk, Houston Texans (ADP: 165)
Optimism for Kirk's 2025 outlook was at its peak in the six-week window between NFL free agency and the NFL Draft when Kirk was the clear WR2 behind Nico Collins. While it may not be until 2026 when Jaylin Noel takes over for Kirk in the slot, it's likely that Jayden Higgins (34th overall pick) outperforms Kirk, especially as the season progresses.
Fantasy Football TE Sleepers
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (ADP: 137)
Subject to offeason trade rumors, Goedert is back for another season. The 30-year-old tight end has missed multiple games in five consecutive seasons. Over that five-year stretch, however, Goedert (4.2 catches and 50.7 yards per game) is one of only six active tight ends to average at least 50 YPG. An abundance of talented options in the offense caps his ceiling, but the narrow concentration of the team's targets keeps him in the (back-end) TE1 range when healthy. And he has upside if/when either A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith miss time.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (ADP: 153)
Excluding a missed 2018 season, Henry tied a career low in touchdowns (two) in 2024, but he set career highs in targets (97), receptions (66) and yards (674). Going into his age-31 season and with increased competition for targets, Henry's volume is likely to decline, but reduced target share should be counterbalanced by positive touchdown regression. Henry is currently the TE18 in ADP, the TE14 in my rankings and the TE10 in my projections.