Fantasy: 10 sleepers to steal in your 2025 draft (Updated)

More from this series:

• Breakouts to target (Updated)
• Busts to avoid (Updated)
• Players we love

Hitting on early picks is key to forming the backbone of a championship-caliber fantasy roster. But finding value with your late picks can be just as crucial. These are the players being selected outside the top 100 picks that we recommend targeting in your draft.

Are the price tags for top quarterbacks a little rich for your liking? Would you prefer to take swings on a few late-round players instead? Consider McCarthy toward the end of your draft.

While it's true that we don't actually know what to expect from the former first-round pick after losing his entire rookie season to a knee injury, the situation he now inherits couldn't be any better. McCarthy is stepping in to an offense that, lead by one of the NFL's premier play-callers, saw Sam Darnold make the jump from fantasy irrelevance to top-10 player at the position.

McCarthy will also have an improved supporting cast, with the Vikings having made some aggressive moves to overhaul the interior offensive line. Factor in the rushing upside - McCarthy ran for 10 touchdowns across three seasons at Michigan - and there's potential for him to put up Darnold-like numbers as a rookie.

The case for Breece Hall as a potential bust sums up everything you need to know about Braelon Allen's upside. While committee backfields don't typically present the most appealing situations for fantasy managers, Allen seems to be uniquely positioned to provide returns on the investment.

We got a pretty solid look at how the Jets' backfield is shaping up in their second preseason game of the year. Hall was the starter, but Allen rotated in for both passing situations and short-yardage. So while Hall may well be the one to lead this backfield in carries, Allen will get his fair share and probably has the inside track to the most receptions and scoring chances.

This isn't a matter of picking out the running back with the favorable opportunities, either. Allen was a really interesting prospect in last year's draft. The Wisconsin product is an impressive athlete for his size, and he's still just 21 years old. The rebuilding Jets could very well see him as a key piece of their future. Currently coming off the board as RB52 in the 13th round of the draft, Allen could be a huge steal.

Chubb? In 2025? That's right.

Granted, this might be an example of me holding on to veteran players longer than I should. Chubb averaged a career-worst 3.3 yards per carry in eight games after making his return from a brutal knee injury last year. He may never fully regain his explosiveness, but I don't think we should be writing him off, either.

It wasn't too long ago that Chubb was the best pure runner in football. And with Joe Mixon seemingly out indefinitely, he'll enter the season as Houston's lead back. I could see Chubb having a bit of a resurgence another year removed from the knee injury, and the Texans' offensive line should improve under new offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Chubb being drafted as RB48 makes zero sense.

Croskey-Merritt was one of my favorite Day 3 hidden gems in the 2025 draft. He'd been flying under the radar because eligibility issues limited him to one outing in his only campaign at Arizona. Given what he put on tape at New Mexico State, it's easy to see the kind of skill set that might make him a player at the next level.

He's an explosive downhill runner with an incredible ability to cut on a dime and continue upfield. It didn't take long before he was generating buzz in camp, and we've seen flashes of the unique playmaking traits in his preseason opportunities in Washington.

It was initially tough to get carried away with the possibilities, as he figured to be stuck behind both Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler to open the season. But the Commanders are reportedly now shopping Robinson, which suggests he isn't necessarily locked in as the lead early down runner. Croskey-Merritt has a path to earn that role, with Ekeler operating as the pass-game back. Factor in that he's working in a high-scoring Commanders offense, and he could be this year's must-have sleeper in fantasy.

Smith qualifies as a deep sleeper. Typically, there's no reason to be drafting a seventh-round rookie who is stuck behind a trio of veterans on the running back depth chart. He might not even be guaranteed a roster spot. This could be a unique situation, though.

Because while Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and even Elijah Mitchell should be considered the far more likely options for carries, we've seen the Chiefs' offense support passing-game specialists at the position before. Jerick McKinnon caught 56 passes for 512 yards and nine touchdowns back in 2022, making him a legit RB2 despite a mere 291 rushing yards.

Smith, a receiver at Miami before transferring to SMU, was far and away the best pass-catching back in this year's draft. Andy Reid could very well have eyes on using him in a McKinnon-like role, perhaps even taking advantage of Smith's ability to split out wide. And if he started making plays with the ball in his hands, why not get him some touches in the ground game, too? Smith is one to watch.

The Year 1 fantasy outlook for Egbuka didn't seem all that great shortly after this year's draft. Talented as he may be, it figured to be an uphill battle to earn targets as part of a crowded Tampa Bay receiver room. I have no such concerns anymore.

Mike Evans remains Baker Mayfield's top receiver, but Egbuka should open the year as the No. 2. Chris Godwin reportedly had a second procedure on his ankle in the spring, and he's still without a clear timeline for return. At this point, he seems likely to start the year on the PUP list.

Godwin's eventual return will impact the target share, but if Egbuka's strong summer is any indication, there may be no slowing his momentum by then. The first-round rookie is a versatile, pro-ready target who could take on a lot of volume as the primary slot receiver in this high-powered Bucs offense. His ninth-round ADP feels like highway robbery when you consider Godwin is still going in the seventh.

Williams was one of my favorite receivers in the 2025 draft. He's a polished route-runner with an advanced release package and the speed to either stretch the defense or make plays after the catch. I think the Patriots got a steal landing the Washington State product in the third round.

The path to a substantial target share during his rookie season admittedly remains a little murky. DeMario Douglas' role should only continue to grow as the slot receiver in a Josh McDaniels offense, and Stefon Diggs is the default No. 1 after signing a three-year, $69-million deal in free agency. But the veteran wideout's relationship with the staff is already off to a rocky start, and how much are we really willing to guarantee for a 31-year-old coming off a torn ACL?

There should be an opportunity for Williams to establish himself as one of Drake Maye's go-to targets right out of the gate. I think his game translates well enough that he'll do exactly that, becoming a fantasy-relevant player as a rookie.

Slayton probably isn't going to be on anyone's fantasy draft boards this season. That's only fair considering he's still yet to top the 800-yard mark in six years. And since his eight-touchdown debut in 2019, he's never found the end zone more than four times in one season.

But did he really have much of a chance? Slayton's game has always been predicated on taking the top off the defense. The majority of the quarterbacks he's played with in New York didn't have the downfield passing chops to take advantage. A brief stretch with Tyrod Taylor at the end of the end of the 2023 campaign - 258 yards and 3 touchdowns in 3 games - offered a glimpse of what things could be like for Slayton with a capable downfield passer.

Russell Wilson may be a shell of his former self, but those patented moon balls are as effective as ever. With coverage focused on Malik Nabers, there should be plenty of opportunities for Slayton to stretch the field on the other side. Wilson's arrival could result in the 28-year-old's most productive season yet.

The Jaguars didn't make any significant additions to the tight end room after releasing Evan Engram this offseason. That can only be taken as a promising sign for the new regime's confidence in Strange.

He provided some legitimate flashes of playmaking upside as a sophomore last year, highlighted by an 11-catch, 73-yard performance in Week 15 against the Jets. Could a full offseason spent atop the depth chart have him poised for a breakout in 2025?

The arrival of Liam Coen certainly helps his chances, as the former Bucs coordinator taking over at head coach should be a substantial upgrade for Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the offense. The Jaguars quarterback isn't one to shy away from leaning on his tight ends, as Engram finished the 2023 campaign with a career-best 114 catches on 143 targets.

Ben Johnson selecting Colston Loveland with his first pick as the Bears head coach should tell you everything you need to know about his potential role in this new-look offense. The Michigan product was easily the most talented receiving tight end in this class.

While he may be joining a more crowded group of playmakers in Chicago, Sam LaPorta finishing his rookie season as the No. 1 tight end in fantasy demonstrates the potential as a featured target in Johnson's system.

It would be silly to expect the same level of immediate production from Loveland, but the path is there. You may not have to wait long before you're comfortable plugging him in as your squad's TE1.

More from this series:

• Breakouts to target (Updated)
• Busts to avoid (Updated)
• Players we love

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