When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football sleepers below. And check out all of the fantasy football sleepers experts love in our consensus sleeper rankings.
Fantasy Football Sleepers Experts Draft
Here are fantasy football sleepers the experts love to target in drafts.
Who are Fantasy Football Sleepers?
Fantasy football sleepers are players who have a strong chance to exceed expectations and become surprise difference-makers for fantasy managers.
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running Backs
Devin Neal went later than expected in the NFL Draft, slipping into the sixth round. But he landed in New Orleans, where he has a reasonable chance to be the No. 2 running back in a complementary role behind Alvin Kamara. Neal had more than 1,000 rushing yards and 20-plus catches for Kansas in each of his last three college seasons, averaging 6.0 yards per carry over that span. He had 16 TD runs in each of the last two years. Although his top-end speed isn’t great, Neal has terrific lateral agility and is a dangerous cutback runner. He can stop on a dime and then quickly re-accelerate. Neal also has good vision and patience.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Croskey-Merritt was a predraft love lister for me. Sadley, he dropped all the way to the seventh round of the NFL Draft before the Commanders picked up the phone. If Croskey-Merritt hadn’t had his 2024 season cut off by an eligibility issue, he would have gone much higher than this. His 2023 season was excellent. He ranked 19th in yards after contact per attempt and 12th in elusive rating (per PFF). He’s a no-nonsense runner who makes one cut and gets downhill. He’ll have his work cut out for him to climb up a crowded running back depth chart, but he has the talent to do so.
– Derek Brown
A fifth-round selection of the Indianapolis Colts, D.J. Giddens becomes the handcuff to Colts lead back Jonathan Taylor. Giddens is a smart runner with good vision and patience. He’s a smooth mover who changes direction without gearing down. Giddens sets up linebackers with feints and dekes, then cuts sharply in the opposite direction once those LBs commit.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide Receivers
Over the Broncos’ last five regular-season games of 2024, Marvin Mims had 23 catches for 341 yards and five touchdowns. He was WR17 in PPR fantasy points per game (17.5) over that stretch, even though Mims played fewer than half of Denver’s offensive snaps in all of those games. Mims is still only 23 years old. It’s possible Sean Payton sees Mims as merely a punt returner and gadget guy. But it’s also possible that the flash we saw at the end of last season was the start of big things for an electric playmaker. Mims is a worthwhile dart throw in the later stages of your draft.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Harris, the soul-snatching route savant, landed with the Bolts in the second round of the NFL Draft. He should quickly become Justin Herbert‘s trusted second option in the passing game opposite Ladd McConkey. Yes, Harris will have to hop either Mike Williams or Quentin Johnston to crack the starting lineup, but I’m not worried about his ability to do so. We’re discussing a player who has ranked first and ninth in yards per route run over the last two years, stacked up against arguably a former first-round bust and a veteran who looked like he was running on empty last year (per PFF). If the Bolts remain a pass-happier team than people realize in 2025, Harris could be one of the best values in fantasy football drafts this season. Last year in Weeks 7-18, the Bolts ranked eighth in neutral passing rate and sixth-best in pass rate over expectation. If that continues and Harris can spread his wings in this offense, he could crush his ADP in 2025.
– Derek Brown
Cedric Tillman had an interesting 2025 season. He didn’t play much until Week 7, which was also the week when Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles. Over a four-game stretch from Week 7 to Week 11, Tillman had 24 catches for 302 yards and three touchdowns. He was the WR8 in PPR fantasy points per game (18.6) over that stretch. Then, in Week 12, Tillman sustained a concussion. He went on injured reserve and didn’t play again the rest of the season.
It was a short but very promising burst from Tillman in his second NFL season. The surge may have been at least partly fueled by the aggressive downfield throwing of Jameis Winston. The Browns’ QB situation is muddy for 2025, but one of the candidates to see significant action at quarterback for the Browns is Joe Flacco, who, like Winston, is a hyper-aggressive downfield thrower. Tillman is an intriguing sleeper for 2025.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Elic Ayomanor was drafted by the Titans in Round 4. The former Stanford standout brings a rare blend of size (6’2″, 206), athleticism (4.4s speed, 82nd percentile jumps), and production – boasting the highest career dominator rating in the class (39%). Ayomanor posted 125 catches for 1,844 yards and 12 TDs across two seasons and flashed true X-receiver traits. In Tennessee, he lands in a WR room headlined by veterans Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, presenting Ayomanor a realistic chance to rise the depth chart quickly and become Cam Ward‘s favorite rookie WR.
– Andrew Erickson
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks
Michael Penix heads into the 2025 season as the Falcons’ unquestioned starting quarterback after sitting behind Kirk Cousins for most of the 2024 season. Penix did make three late-season starts, completing 58% of his throws in those games, averaging 245.7 passing yards per game and 7.4 yards per attempt, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Penix is a pocket passer who doesn’t offer much rushing upside, but he has a powerful and accurate arm. He led FBS in passing yardage in each of his final two college seasons at Washington. Penix has the potential to return a small profit on his low-end QB2 price tag.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
The Patriots QB is going to enter the top 12 QB conversation this season. The offensive environment in New England is going to improve for Maye with additions in free agency and the Draft. And I can’t ignore his dual-threat skill set.
Among the 7 QBs in 2024 that hit 30-plus rushing yards – which includes Maye – five finished inside the top 6 scoring QBs on a per-dropback basis.
What the Pats QB did as a rookie in a terrible situation cannot be understated. He threw at least one TD pass in the 10 games he played fully as a rookie. That resulted in 18.1 fantasy points per game which would have ranked QB15 on the year.
– Andrew Erickson
Yes, I know we haven’t seen J.J. McCarthy play outside of an abbreviated preseason sample last year, but I’ll be targeting him everywhere this season. This should remain a pass-happy offense after ranking eighth in neutral passing rate and third in pass rate over expectation last year (per Fantasy Points Data). The Vikings remain loaded with skill players and added to the offensive line this offseason to give their new signal caller all the time in the world to dice up opposing pass defenses in 2025. Sam Darnold (yes, that Sam Darnold) finished as the QB9 in fantasy points per game last year, continuing a long history of Kevin O’Connell’s quarterbacks finishing as QB1s. I believe McCarthy will keep that streak alive. He was a stellar prospect who has been airdropped into the perfect situation. In his final collegiate season, McCarthy ranked inside the top 12 FBS quarterbacks in passing grade, adjusted completion rate, yards per attempt, adjusted completion rate with downfield throws, and against pressure (per PFF). It’s wheels up for McCarthy in 2025.
– Derek Brown
If you’re looking to punt quarterback in your drafts this season, Matthew Stafford should be in the mix for your fantasy football teams. Before tailing off at the end of last season, with Puka Nacua back in the huddle, Stafford was performing as the QB11 in fantasy points per game. During that stretch, he was ranked tenth in yards per attempt, sixth in passer rating, and 11th in highly accurate throw rate and fantasy points per dropback (per Fantasy Points Data). Cooper Kupp is gone and replaced by the always awesome Davante Adams. Tyler Higbee will be ready to roll and Terrance Ferguson has been added as his heir apparent. Stafford could turn back the clock in 2025 with another QB1 season for fantasy football.
– Derek Brown
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight Ends
A great many fantasy managers have vowed to never again roster Kyle Pitts, as the young tight end has repeatedly failed to meet expectations. The fourth overall pick of the 2021 draft, Pitts played his first NFL game at age 20 and became the first rookie TE to have a 1,000-yard receiving season since Mike Ditka 60 years earlier. But after finishing TE6 in PPR fantasy scoring as a rookie, Pitts hasn’t finished as a top-12 fantasy tight end in any of the last three years. He had 47 catches for 602 yards and a career-high four touchdowns last year. Pitts is still only 24, so there may be hope for him yet. Pitts had to acclimate to new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson’s system last year, and Falcons QB Kirk Cousins was a disappointment. Perhaps there’s hope for Pitts now that he has greater familiarity with the system and will be playing with talented young QB Michael Penix Jr.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Zach Ertz still appears to have gas left in the tank at age 34. He had 66 catches for 654 yards and seven touchdowns last season, finishing TE8 in half-point PPR scoring. After scoring only one touchdown over his first 10 games of 2024, Ertz scored six touchdowns over Washington’s last seven regular-season games. He scored another TD in the playoffs and went out with an 11-catch, 104-yard performance in the Commanders’ season ending loss to Ertz’s former team, the Eagles. After playing a full season for the first time since 2021, Ertz agreed to a one-year deal that will keep him in Washington. He and young QB Jayden Daniels developed strong chemistry. Despite his age, Ertz could be a sneaky-good late-round TE option in 2025.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
fantasy TE12 overall and in expected points per game (9.7). He was also TE16 in points per game (7.5)
The veteran tight end has averaged nearly 5 receiving TDs per year as a member of the Patriots. He’s a proven producer and vastly underrated as a late-round tight end option. The New England tight end is coming off career-highs in receptions (66) and yards (674).
In nine games played with Drake Maye, Henry was averaging 8.8 points per game while pacing for 85 receptions and nearly 850 yards. Henry’s best fantasy season came back in 2021 when Josh McDaniels was the Patriots offensive coordinator.
If Maye takes a step forward in Year 2, Henry will undoubtedly be along for the ride.
– Andrew Erickson
