of the year.
Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers 2025: Unearthing Hidden Gems for Your Draft
To win your fantasy football league,you need proper preparation and a little luck. To consistently excel at this grand game, it’s essential to have a deep and thorough knowlege of the sport and familiarize yourself with more than simply the top 160 players in a standard draft.
If you’re willing to challenge yourself this season, why not try a 12- or 14-team, a dynasty or even an IDP (individual defensive players) league? Going outside your comfort zone can pay dividends, even in the shallowest fantasy football league, due to the demands these formats place upon your knowledge of players deeper on the depth chart, many of whom might swiftly become universally critically important performers.
To help give you a head start on populating your late-round target lists in deeper formats, and give you the beginnings of an in-season watch list for prospective pickups, the list below comprises my annual ”deep sleepers.” These are players who by all accounts will not — and in most cases shoudl not — be selected in standard 10-team ESPN drafts,yet have decent odds of becoming fantasy-relevant during the upcoming season.
Remember: this is a deep sleepers column, meaning you won’t find players I value as late-rounders in standard leagues, such as Jaydon Blue, Jayden Higgins and michael Penix Jr. This list aims to dig much deeper into the player pool,familiarizing you with names you might not know yet,but should want to.
Dyami Brown, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: After four years of disappointing regular-season returns, Brown delivered a pair of breakthrough playoff games for the Washington Commanders last season, totaling the second-most playoff receiving yards of any player (227). Seeing this, the jaguars signed him for $9.5 million guaranteed in the offseason, and while their selection of Travis Hunter heightened the competition for targets, Brown’s stretching ability could still prove handy. His 13.5-yard average depth of target was 12th highest among receivers with at least 50 targets, and 43% of his receiving yards came after the catch – an unusually high rate. His big-play ability makes him an ideal best-ball stash.Kyren Williams,RB,Los Angeles Rams: Williams was a revelation last season,but a significant ankle injury cut his season short. He’s fully recovered and poised to be the lead back in a Rams offense that is trending up. While the Rams added Blake Corum, Williams’ pass-catching ability and proven explosiveness give him a high ceiling.
Jerick McKinnon, RB, Kansas City Chiefs: McKinnon remains a valuable asset in PPR formats. He’s a reliable receiver out of the backfield and a trusted check-down option for Patrick Mahomes. With Isiah Pacheco’s injury history, McKinnon could see significant volume if Pacheco were to miss time.
Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders: Samuel had a solid season in 2023, but his fantasy potential remains untapped.He’s a versatile weapon who can line up in the slot or out wide, and he’s a threat with the ball in his hands. With a new quarterback in town, Samuel could be in for an even bigger year.
Elijah Moore, WR, New York Jets: Moore is a talented receiver who has struggled to find consistency. However, he has the potential to be a breakout player in the right situation. With Aaron Rodgers returning as the Jets’ quarterback, Moore could finally unlock his full potential.
Rookie Sleepers to Watch:
jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee Titans: A powerful runner with excellent vision and burst.
Roman hemby, RB, Denver broncos: A versatile back who can contribute as a runner and receiver.* Javon Baker, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: A big-bodied receiver with strong hands and a knack for making contested catches.
This list is just a starting point. Do your research, stay informed, and be willing to take risks.The rewards can be significant.
