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Fantasy Football Sleepers 2025: Sneaky Good, Stupid Cheap

Fantasy leagues aren’t won in Round 1. They’re stolen in the later rounds, by the sharpest managers who know where to find hidden value.

We’ve been grinding the film and crunching the numbers. Now we’re ready to unveil our top 2025 fantasy football sleepers.

These aren’t just late-round dart throws. They’re legitimate difference-makers waiting to break out. 

Here are nine 2025 fantasy football sleepers worth betting on. And if you're looking for a last-round pick that could pay off big, check out these five deep sleepers to target.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Forgotten QB Sleeper

Fantasy players are buzzing about Caleb Williams heading into 2025. And for good reason. He landed big coaching and weapons upgrades this offseason and offers sneaky rushing upside.

You know who else got supporting cast upgrades and offers sneaky rushing upside? Trevor Lawrence. Yet he’s flying under the radar and is still available late in fantasy drafts, with an ADP of QB20.

Coen Boosted Mayfield. Now It’s Lawrence’s Turn.

Jacksonville kicked off its offseason by hiring HC Liam Coen, who’s fresh off leading the Buccaneers to top-four finishes in both points and total yards. 

That success was fueled by a career-best season from QB Baker Mayfield. He set new personal bests in: 

• Passing yards (4,500)
• Passing TDs (41)
• Completion rate (71.4%)
• Yards per attempt (7.9)
• Passing TD rate (7.2%)

Mayfield’s yards jumped by 11.3% and his TDs by 46.4% from 2023 under OC Dave Canales to 2024 under Coen. Most importantly, his fantasy output spiked by 31.8%. Only two QBs tallied more total fantasy points last season.

Best WR Tandem in the League?

Lawrence’s big offseason continued in April, when the Jaguars traded up to grab Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick.

A rare two-way prospect, Hunter starred at both WR and CB in college. Offensively, he racked up 96 catches, 1,258 yards, and 15 TDs last year at Colorado, winning with explosive athleticism, slick routes, and strong ball skills

Hunter’s 9.34 SHARK Rookie Model Score is the highest for a WR since 2021, edging out Ja’Marr Chase and comfortably ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers.

We’ll see exactly how the Jaguars deploy Hunter’s dual skill set. But Coen said shortly after the draft that Hunter will "primarily play on offense” to start. Then he suggested in August that Hunter could play in the neighborhood of 80% of the team's offensive snaps. Expect an immediate impact.

Hunter joins Brian Thomas Jr. to give Lawrence what might prove to be the league’s best WR tandem as soon as this season. Thomas is coming off a 1,282-yard debut season, becoming just the sixth rookie WR to top 2.3 yards per route over the last five seasons, joining Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Chris Olave, and Ladd McConkey.

But is Lawrence Good Enough?

Fair question. 

Lawrence’s NFL career has been underwhelming so far, at least compared to the sky-high expectations after the Jaguars made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. His 63.3% completion rate and 6.8 yards per attempt sit slightly below league averages (64.7% and 7.1, respectively).

Lawrence ranked seventh among QBs in total fantasy points and 13th in points per game during his second season in 2022. But he’s dropped to 16th and 27th in points per game the last two years.

But, like Lawrence, Mayfield was slogging through an underwhelming career before linking up with Coen.

Here’s how Lawrence and Mayfield's numbers stack up pre-Coen:

If Coen fueled Mayfield to a top-three fantasy season, there’s no reason he can’t vault Lawrence at least into the top 12.

Lawrence looked good this preseason, completing 14 of 17 passes (82%) for 119 yards (7.0 YPA), 1 TD, and 0 INTs

Don’t Sleep on the Rushing Upside

The cherry on top of Lawrence’s sleeper appeal? His underrated rushing upside. He averaged over 17 rushing yards per game in each of his first three NFL seasons before dipping to 11.9 last year.

Still, his career average of 18.1 rushing yards per game ranks 13th among 51 active QBs with 20+ career starts. 

A healthy Lawrence should deliver 250-350 rushing yards in 2025 -- a sneaky boost to his fantasy ceiling.

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings

McCarthy’s sleeper appeal starts with the situation. He’ll be piloting a Kevin O’Connell-led offense that has consistently delivered top-6 passing production.

Here’s where Minnesota has ranked in passing yards and TDs in O’Connell’s three seasons:

O’Connell Keeps Producing QB1s

Not surprisingly, Vikings QBs have posted nice fantasy numbers under O’Connell. Kirk Cousins finished sixth in total fantasy points in 2022 and sixth in points per game in 2023. Then Sam Darnold, who’d been left for dead, ranked seventh among QBs last year.

Only five teams have totaled more QB fantasy points than the Vikings over the last three seasons.

With O’Connell -- plus Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson -- back for 2025, it’s an excellent spot for McCarthy’s fantasy prospects.

McCarthy Brings Plus Accuracy and Underrated Athleticism

There’s plenty to like about the player, too, despite last August's knee injury that cost McCarthy his entire rookie campaign.

He didn’t post huge raw numbers in a run-heavy Michigan offense, but McCarthy was deadly efficient. He completed 64.6% of his passes at 8.4 yards per attempt as a sophomore and then set new personal bests with a 72.3% completion rate and 9.0 yards per attempt in his 2023 junior campaign.

McCarthy was also a threat with his legs for the Wolverines, running for 742 yards and eight TDs over his final two seasons. He clocked a sub-4.6-second 40 time at his Pro Day.

The skill set got McCarthy selected 10th overall in last year’s draft. He had a strong offseason and was seemingly on track to win the Week 1 starting job before injuring his meniscus last August.

Is the Knee Injury a Concern?

McCarthy had surgery on his right knee last August and went under the knife again in November to address swelling. His recovery timeline remained unchanged, though, and McCarthy was back on the field by January.

The Vikings let Darnold walk in free agency and said ‘no thanks’ to an interested Aaron Rodgers in March, so they don’t seem concerned about McCarthy’s health or readiness to lead this offense.

"He’s bigger. He’s stronger," O'Connell said of McCarthy in May. "I can see it in his arm. I can see it in his movements. I can see just the ownership of playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He gained a lot from last year, albeit not how we drew it up."

McCarthy has been a full-go in training camp.

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars backfield remains difficult to decipher as we barrel toward Week 1. But that’s kept all the members cheap in fantasy drafts. And this remains a backfield we want to invest in.

Liam Coen Will Boost Jaguars Running Game

Coen arrives as Jacksonville’s new HC after leading the Buccaneers offense to a big 2024 season. That included ranking fourth in rushing yards and third in yards per carry -- after the team finished dead last in both categories under 2023 OC Dave Canales.

The 2024 Bucs produced a pair of top-21 RBs in PPR points per game. Bucky Irving closed the season with a bang as a fourth-round rookie, while Rachaad White averaged a career high 4.3 yards per carry after mustering just 3.7 over his first two NFL seasons.

Jacksonville’s offensive line is not nearly as good as Tampa Bay’s. But I still expect this Jaguars running game to be productive thanks to Coen’s scheme.

Which brings us to Tuten …

An Explosive Runner Handpicked By The New Regime

Tuten will likely open the season as Jacksonville’s No. 3 RB behind Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. But it shouldn’t take the rookie long to carve out a significant role.

Etienne and Bigsby are holdovers from the previous regime. Tuten, meanwhile, was handpicked by Coen and GM James Gladstone in the early fourth round of this spring’s draft. In fact, Gladstone pinpointed Tuten as a player he’d target in this draft class in his interview for the Jaguars’ GM job!

It’s easy to see what drew Gladstone to Tuten: He’s crazy explosive. The Virginia Tech product averaged 5.7 yards per carry over the last two seasons, taking 32 of his 358 attempts (8.9%) for 15+ yards. Then he blazed a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Tuten’s 118.3 Speed Score led all 25 RBs who ran at this year’s Combine and lands him in the 100th percentile among all RBs.

Tuten’s dynamism was on display this preseason. He forced five missed tackles on his 16 carries. His 71.0 Pro Football Focus rushing grade ranked 21st among 98 qualifying RBs.

Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills

A Confirmed High-End Handcuff

Davis has already flashed his handcuff value. With RB James Cook sidelined for Week 6 last season, Davis:

• played 58% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps
• racked up 20 carries for 97 yards
• hauled in all three of his targets for 55 more yards

Davis finished 12th among RBs in PPR points that week, despite not finding the end zone. And he did it against a Jets defense that ranked 11th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs. 

Davis posted the 12th-best Pro Football Focus rushing grade that week, right behind Chase Brown and just ahead of Joe Mixon, Chuba Hubbard, and Jahmyr Gibbs.

The depth chart hasn’t changed heading into 2025. Buffalo brings back Cook, Davis, and Ty Johnson. If Cook misses more time, Davis steps right back into a big workload.

More Than A Handcuff?

Davis didn’t need a full workload to show off his tackle-breaking chops last year. He reached double-digit carries in just two games alongside Cook: An 11-63-1 rushing line in a Week 13 blowout win over the 49ers, and a 15-64-0 line in a meaningless Week 18 game against the Patriots.

But Davis shed tacklers like a crypto bro evading the SEC. His 0.26 missed tackles forced per carry ranked ninth among 47 RBs with 90+ attempts. (Cook ranked 31st at 0.18 per attempt.)

At 5’8, 211 pounds, Davis brings a different build and style than Cook’s leaner frame. Cook is plenty explosive, but he has topped 15 carries in only 10 of his 49 career games, including just four times in 16 outings last season. He played just 48% of Buffalo's offensive snaps in 2024. And The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia doesn't expect Cook's role to change in 2025.

There’s room for Davis to see 8-10 carries per game, especially in a Bills offense that’s leaned run under OC Joe Brady.

Last year’s Bills produced the fourth-most RB PPR points, fueled by the second-most RB rushing scores (20). Cook was good enough near the goal line, scoring on six of 13 carries inside the five-yard line. But we could see the Bills give more of those chances to the bigger Davis in 2025.

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buzz Just Keeps Getting Louder

Egbuka has looked primed to make an immediate fantasy impact since the moment he was drafted in April.

Ok, maybe not that exact moment -- considering it looked like he was joining a crowded WR room alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.

But it didn’t take long for the rookie to pop. Egbuka lit up spring workouts, leading QB Baker Mayfield to say this in June:

"The thing that sticks out is how cerebral he is. He's so smart. Right now, I think we could plug-and-play him at every receiver spot. He understands the offense that well. That's just him being a pro already."

The buzz on Egbuka has not stopped since training camp opened. ESPN’s Jenna Laine tabbed Egbuka the team’s standout performer of camp. And there was this from HC Todd Bowles:

College Star, Instant Fantasy Threat

None of it’s shocking if you followed Egbuka at Ohio State.

He broke out for 1,151 yards and 10 TDs as a true sophomore, nearly matching fellow sophomore Marvin Harrison Jr. in production. An ankle injury hampered Egbuka in 2023, but he bounced back to post an 81-1,011-10 receiving line this past year.

Egbuka left Ohio State as the school’s all-time leader in career catches and receiving yards. Not bad for a program that’s cranked out WRs such as Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba -- plus NFL Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Paul Warfield.

Chris Godwin Injury Opens Upside Path

Egbuka might be good enough to produce big numbers right away even alongside Evans and Godwin. But it doesn’t sound like he’ll need to -- at least to start the season.

Godwin dislocated his left ankle last October, then needed a second surgery this spring. He’s yet to hit the practice field and is not expected to make his 2025 debut until October. WR Jalen McMillan is also likely out for the first half of the season with a neck injury.

That means a full-time role for Egbuka -- and a chance to get off to a hot start. And in that case, it’d be tough to put this genie back in the bottle, even if Godwin is able to rediscover pre-injury form.

How will Egbuka fit into this offense once Godwin returns? Based on preseason usage, it looks like Tampa Bay plans to use the rookie on the outside, with Godwin in the slot. Egbuka lined up out wide for 76% of his snaps this preseason.

Consider it good news for his fantasy outlook. Playing out wide gives Egbuka a chance to stay on the field in two-WR sets. Plus, despite playing mostly in the slot in college, he was actually more efficient on the outside. Check out the career yards per route numbers:

Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills

Coleman didn’t do enough to help fantasy teams as a rookie last year. He finished 67th among WRs in PPR points per game and turned in just two top-24 scoring weeks.

But he did three things in his debut season that make him an intriguing 2025 fantasy football sleeper.

He Worked Downfield

Coleman averaged a huge 19.2 yards per catch last year. His 15.5-yard average target depth ranked fifth-highest among 84 qualifying WRs. He drew 34% of his targets 20+ yards downfield, the seventh-highest rate among those 84 WRs.

Coleman caught only six of those 19 deep targets, so there’s work to do on his game and connection with QB Josh Allen. But similar usage this season would boost his fantasy ceiling.

He Was Dynamic After the Catch

Coleman averaged 7.7 yards after the catch per reception as a rookie. That ranked fifth among 84 qualifying WRs. And it's even more impressive when you factor in his big average target depth. (It gets harder to gain yards after the catch the further you work downfield.)

In fact, Coleman led all players in NFL Next Gen Stats’ yards after catch per reception over expected, which factors in target depth, as well the location of blockers and defensive coverage.

He Was a Red-Zone Weapon

Coleman’s four TDs last year don’t jump off the page. But they came on just 29 total catches, giving him a strong 13.8% TD rate. 

Coleman was a key weapon for the Bills in scoring territory. His 25 red-zone targets and 8 end-zone targets led the team and ranked top-40 among all WRs league wide. (Despite Coleman missing four games.)

With a 6’3, 213-pound frame and ball skills like that, expect Coleman to remain a preferred red-zone target for the Bills.

Did Injury Delay The Breakout?

Coleman might have already broken out if not for a Week 9 wrist injury that cost him the following four games last year.

In the two games before that injury, Coleman posted 4-125-0 and 5-70-1 lines. He drew seven targets in both outings, registering a 20.9% target share.

Coleman averaged just 1.8 catches and 34.8 yards in the final four games of the season after returning from that injury.

Can Coleman Earn Must-Start Status in Fantasy?

Coleman checks a lot of boxes:

• Size
• Downfield chops
• After-catch skills
• A big red-zone role

And he should still be ascending as he enters Year 2. Coleman showed growth in training camp in terms of route running, contested skills, and chemistry with QB Josh Allen.

Coleman could find more targets available in 2025, too. The Bills let WR Amari Cooper walk in free agency, replacing him with former Chargers WR Josh Palmer. Cooper underwhelmed in Buffalo but has historically been a strong target earner, with eight seasons of 100+ targets. Palmer, meanwhile, has hit triple digits in just one of four seasons and averaged just 4.3 targets per game last year. 

It’s certainly possible that Palmer proves to be a downgrade from Cooper, opening up more target opportunities for Coleman in an offense that has ranked top-6 in points for five straight seasons. And it doesn't hurt that WR Khalil Shakir is currently rehabbing a high-ankle sprain.

Considering his upside in terms of yards per catch and TD rate, Coleman doesn’t necessarily need huge volume to deliver for fantasy teams.

Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints

We highlighted Shaheed in last year’s sleeper article. And he delivered -- if only for six games.

Prior to going down with a season-ending meniscus injury in Week 6, Shaheed was sitting 23rd among WRs in PPR points and had notched four top-18 weekly finishes.

Big Plays, Surprisingly Big Volume

Shaheed again flashed the big-play pop we saw in his first two seasons, averaging 17.5 yards per catch on an 18.1-yard average target depth. Both marks ranked top five among 104 WRs with 40+ targets. Shaheed’s 2.04 yards per route ranked 29th.

But it was the surprising volume that really fueled his strong fantasy production. Shaheed averaged 6.8 targets on a 23.3% target share in his six games. Those marks were team highs. The target share ranked 26th among all WRs league-wide.

Shaheed's Role Is Safe

The Saints didn’t do much at WR this offseason, swapping out Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a past-his-prime Brandin Cooks. The former perennial 1,000-yard receiver has failed to reach 700 yards in three straight seasons, including a career-low 259 yards in 10 games last year.

Shaheed remains a clear top-two WR alongside Chris Olave heading into 2025.

QB Questions Loom

QB play is Shaheed’s biggest concern at this point of the offseason. 

Derek Carr's surprising retirement leaves either rookie Tyler Shough or second-year Spencer Rattler as New Orleans' starting QB. Shough is 25 and bounced around to three different schools over his seven-year college career, failing to top 223 passing yards per game until this past season. Rattler was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft and averaged just 5.8 yards per attempt across seven appearances last year.

The situation certainly adds downside risk to Shaheed’s fantasy value.

New Coach Boosts Upside

The QB issue is at least partly offset by the hire of HC Kellen Moore. If nothing else, his arrival should mean a boost in play volume for the Saints.

Here’s how Moore’s six NFL offenses have fared in plays per game:

The 2024 Saints, by comparison, ranked just 22nd with 60.7 plays per game. There’s potential for 4+ additional plays per game this season, meaning more opportunities for Shaheed to score fantasy points.

David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

A Proven Top-10 Fantasy TE

Ankle, knee, and hamstring injuries cost Njoku six games and most of two others last year. But he was awesome in the other nine, averaging:

• 9.9 targets (24.1% share)
• 6.6 catches
• 49.7 yards
• 0.6 TDs

Njoku ranked sixth among TEs in PPR points per game over that stretch and delivered six top-7 weekly finishes.

The usage and production were similar for Njoku in 2023. He averaged 7.7 targets per game on a 20.6% share that year, ranking TE6 in PPR points per game.

Njoku finished ninth at the position in PPR points per game in 2022.

Why So Cheap?

That’s two straight seasons of top-6 fantasy production; three straight as a top-9 TE. Yet Njoku is sitting outside the top 10 TEs in ADP on many sites.

Why? Drafters are probably scared off by Cleveland’s QB situation. It’s not great: Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

But Cleveland’s QB play has been shaky for years. The Browns finished 22nd in passing yards and 28th in TDs last year and haven’t cracked the top half of the league in either stat in three seasons.

It hasn't stopped Njoku from producing.

Joe Flacco = Upside?!

The Browns got some of their best QB play over the last three years from Flacco, who has been named the starter to open the season. He averaged 321 yards and 2.3 TDs across six appearances in 2023. Njoku was a monster in those games, averaging:

• 6.2 catches
• 80.5 yards
• 0.67 TDs

That’s 18.2 PPR points per game, a mark that would have comfortably led all TEs the past two seasons.

If Flacco is anything close to the late-2023 version, Njoku has a legit shot to beat his ADP by multiple rounds. And if Flacco falters? Njoku has proven he doesn’t need elite QB play to produce top-10 numbers.

Target Runway Still Clear

Njoku has finished among the Browns' top two in targets per game in three straight seasons. He’s a good bet to make it four in a row this year.

The target competition:

• Jerry Jeudy is the headliner, fresh off career highs in targets (145), catches (90), and yards (1,229). But a chunk of that production came while Njoku was sidelined. Njoku out-targeted Jeudy 89 to 67 in his nine healthy games.
• Cedric Tillman flashed over a four-game stretch as a starter last season but remains largely a question mark. 
• Rookie TE Harold Fannin is more gadgety slot threat than real challenger to Njoku's traditional TE snaps.

Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Boring Can Be Fun!

Ferguson might be the least exciting player on this list. He’s not exactly a dynamic TE, with 4.8 speed and a career 9.6 yards per catch. But ...

Ferguson Wins with Volume

Ferguson is just a couple of years removed from a 102-target season. He parlayed that action into a 71-761-5 line, finishing ninth among TEs in PPR points.

Ferguson was on a 104-target pace last year. But injuries to him and his QB limited his fantasy production.

Injuries Derailed Ferguson’s 2024

Ferguson was knocked out of Week 1 with a left knee injury and missed Week 2. Then he sustained a concussion early in Week 11 that cost him the next two games.

In between those two injuries, the Cowboys lost QB Dak Prescott to a season-ending hamstrsing injury in Week 9.

Ferguson was on TE1 Pace with Prescott

So Ferguson played just seven games with Prescott last year. He was busy and productive over that stretch, averaging:

• 7.4 targets
• 5.4 catches
• 48 yards

That’s a full-season pace of 126 targets, 92 catches, and 811 yards. All three marks would have ranked top six among TEs.

What Does George Pickens' Arrival Mean?

Ferguson will face tougher target competition this season after Dallas' early-May trade for WR George Pickens. He joins CeeDee Lamb to give the Cowboys a strong WR duo. Those guys will be the team's top two targets.

But Ferguson should be the clear No. 3 in the pecking order. The rest of the WR corps is trash: Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo, Kavontae Turpin, Jalen Brooks. And the four-year, $52 million extension Ferguson got in late July is confirmation that he remains a big part of Dallas' plans.

Pass Volume Will Help

Ferguson will also benefit from what figures to be a pass-leaning offense. The Cowboys finished top eight in pass attempts each of the last two seasons under then-OC, now-HC Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas chucked it on a whopping 66.7% of their plays in Prescott’s eight games this past year. That pass rate would have easily led the league.

Our current 2025 projections have the Cowboys for the league's second-most pass attempts (627). That gives Ferguson a path to 100+ targets, which would make him a strong bet for top-10 fantasy production. Of the 26 TEs who have hit 100+ targets over the last five seasons, all but one finished top nine in PPR points.

Not All Sleepers Are Created Equal. Here’s How to Find Yours.

Grabbing the right sleepers can be the difference between a championship run and another middle-of-the-pack finish. The players we just covered are a great starting point.

But not all sleepers are created equal. A player who’s a steal in one league might be a reach in another, depending on your scoring system, lineup requirements, and league trends.

You could go the old-school route: endless spreadsheets, hours of research, and a headache before Week 1 even starts.

Or you could let our ADP Market Index tool do the work for you, identifying undervalued players tailored to your specific league settings.

Here’s what you get with the ADP Market Index tool:

Customized Analysis: Get player rankings and ADP insights that mirror your league's unique format.  Whether you're in a PPR league, seeking a trio of starting WRs, or navigating the complexities of Superflex, both the rankings and ADP correlate to your league.

Effortless Insight: Instantly compare each player's value against the market average (ADP). Again, this is all calibrated to your fantasy platform and scoring guidelines. That means you’ll see the gaps between a player’s actual value and his ADP.

Spot the Sleepers: Next, look for green index numbers signaling undervalued players. Discovering a player underrated by 20, 30, or even 40+ spots means you've found a sleeper who could propel your championship run. 

Dive into the ADP Market Index

I know you're bombarded with fantasy content asking for your attention. But if you’re truly trying to gain an advantage by targeting sleepers in your upcoming draft, you really should spend a few more minutes checking out our ADP Market Index tool.

It could be the difference between a championship and just another mediocre season! 

Deep Sleepers

Let’s dig deeper. These names are buried now, but one break could vault them straight into your starting lineup.

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

We’re not ready to crown Young a 1-QB league target just yet. But he’s an intriguing late-round flier in superflex and 2-QB formats.

The Post-Benching Bounceback

Young followed an ugly rookie season with an uglier start to 2024. But he was much better after returning from a five-game benching.

Over his final 10 outings last year, Young averaged 210.4 passing yards and 1.5 TDs per game. Not huge numbers, but he ranked sixth among 35 qualifying QBs in PFF passing grade and first in big-time throw rate (those gutsy, on-target throws into tight coverage).

Young tacked on 22.3 yards and 0.5 TDs per game on the ground over those final 10 contests, landing 17th among QBs in fantasy points per game.

How High is the Ceiling?

Now he heads into his third NFL season and second under HC Dave Canales with a chance to take another leap.

The Panthers added a much-needed alpha to the WR room in eighth overall pick Tetairoa McMillan. WRs Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker should be better in their second seasons.

And don’t sleep on Young’s rushing upside. He averaged 15.8 rushing yards per game as a rookie and 20.1 across his 12 starts last year. His 6.1 yards per carry ranks third among 35 QBs with 50+ carries over the last two seasons.

Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns

Judkins Situation Creates Opportunity

Cleveland’s backfield got a whole lot more interesting with Quinshon Judkins’ mid-July arrest on domestic violence allegations. There were ultimately no charges filed, but the NFL is still investigating the incident and Judkins remains unsigned as of late August.

Judkins’ absence would leave the Browns backfield to Ford and Dylan Sampson. Drafters have (not surprisingly) been more excited about the rookie since Judkins’ arrest. But Ford is the better bet for fantasy value.

Here's why ...

Ford Is Better Than You Think

Ford is coming off a sneaky strong 2024 campaign. He averaged a big 5.4 yards per carry for a Browns team that struggled to run the ball otherwise. Cleveland’s other RBs combined for just 3.4 yards per attempt.

Among 47 RBs league-wide with 90+ carries last year, Ford ranked:

• 5th in rush yards over expected per attempt
• 5th in yards after contact per attempt
• 15th in Pro Football Focus rushing grade

And he’s not just an early-down back. Ford also led Browns RBs with 37 catches last year -- after hauling in 44 balls in 2023. He’s a trusted passing-down option.

Sampson Might Be Overrated

Sampson, of course, doesn’t have an NFL resume yet. But it’s not as if he’s entering the league as a significantly better prospect than Ford.

Both guys were relatively quiet until breaking out in their final college seasons (although Sampson’s breakout came in his third year; Ford’s in his fourth). Sampson goes 5’8, 200 pounds and earned a 54th percentile Speed Score in the pre-draft process. Ford: 5’11, 210 pounds with an 85th percentile Speed Score. Sampson went with the 126th overall pick of his draft; Ford at 156th.

Timing Is Everything

But there’s one key reason that Ford looks like the better fantasy bet than Sampson: Timing. If Judkins is going to miss time -- either on suspension or because he's simply not ready after missing so much practice -- it's likely to happen at start of the season. That’s when Ford is most likely to be ahead of Sampson on the depth chart. Rookies have a lot of work to do to learn a new offense and earn the trust of a new coaching staff, which is why they’re more likely to pop in the second half of their debut campaigns.

Ford is the favorite to lead Cleveland’s backfield if Judkins is suspended to open the season.

Ollie Gordon, RB, Miami Dolphins

Jaylen Wright occupied this spot for much of the offseason. Then August happened.

Wright’s Injury Opens The Door For Gordon

Wright suffered a leg injury on August 21 that will cost him at least Week 1. HC Mike McDaniel labeled him “week to week” on August 24, so it’s possible that Wright misses more than just the opener.

That leaves Gordon as Miami’s No. 2 RB at least to open the season. But he might have been passing Wright on the depth chart even before that injury …

Gordon Out-Played Wright This Preseason

Gordon was clearly the better runner in preseason action. Check the numbers:

We’re talking about small samples here: 26 carries for Gordon and 13 for Wright. But it looked like these guys were playing at different speeds this preseason.

Here are Gordon's nine touches in Miami's preseason opener:

Wright entered August second on the depth chart based largely on his one season of experience in Miami’s offense. But both Wright and Gordon were Day 3 picks. And Gordon had the more productive college career.

Is 2023 Gordon Back?

Gordon was a tough evaluation in the pre-draft process. His 2024 season wasn’t very good. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry and ranked 105th among 161 qualifying RBs in Pro Football Focus’ rushing grades.

But Gordon’s 2023? That was awesome. He ripped off 1,732 yards and 21 TDs on 6.1 yards per carry. He forced a whopping 62 missed tackles and averaged 3.7 yards after contact per attempt.

Gordon has looked much closer to that player this preseason. And that player could hold off Wright for the No. 2 job all season.

More Than A Handcuff?

There’s obvious handcuff appeal as the Dolphins’ No. 2 RB. De’Von Achane is listed at 188 pounds and has already battled a concussion plus knee, shoulder, and ankle injuries through two NFL seasons. He's currently sidelined with a calf injury.

But there’s also a chance for Gordon to hold some standalone fantasy value. 

Achane is the lead dog in Miami, but there’s work to be found behind him. Last year, Miami’s non-Achane RBs combined for:

• 9.9 carries per game
• 1.9 targets per game
• 8.6 expected PPR points per game

That expected-point number would have ranked 44th among RBs last year. If Gordon can capture most of the non-Achane work and post above-average efficiency, he could work himself into the RB3/flex conversation.

Cedric Tillman, WR, Cleveland Browns

Did He Already Break Out?

Tillman was in the midst of a breakout last season. Across four games in a full-time role from Week 7 through Week 11, he averaged:

• 10.0 targets
• 6.0 catches
• 75.5 yards
• 0.8 TDs

Only seven WRs averaged more PPR points per game over that stretch.

A Week 12 concussion wound up costing Tillman the rest of the season. And that has him undervalued heading into 2025.

Browns View Tillman As An ‘Ascending Player’

The Browns did not add anything significant to the WR room this offseason, making Tillman a good bet for a full-time role as an outside receiver.

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson wrote in June that Tillman is “still viewed internally as an ascending player.” The 2023 third-round pick just turned 25 and has prototypical ‘X’ receiver size at 6’3, 213 pounds.

Max Loeb of Cleveland podcast Honor the Land said in late July that Tillman is emerging as QB Joe Flacco's No. 1 target.

QB Play Should Be Good Enough

Cleveland has QB questions heading into this season, but Flacco is a nice break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option. He averaged 321 yards and 2.3 TDs across six appearances for the Browns in 2023 and played decently for the Colts last year. Rookie QBs Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel bring some upside.

Throw in HC Kevin Stefanski, who we view as one of the best play callers in the game, and this Browns passing game should at least be serviceable.

Chig Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee Titans

Did Okonkwo Finally Figure It Out?

Okonkwo stumbled through nearly the entire first three seasons of his career, managing just 27.6 yards per game through 45 contests.

But he finally showed signs of life over his final five healthy games last year, averaging:

• 7.6 targets
• 5.6 catches
• 43.4 yards

Okonkwo ran a route on 72% of Tennessee’s pass plays over that span and drew a 22% target share. Those marks would have ranked 19th and sixth among TEs for the season. Only 12 TEs scored more PPR points per game over those five weeks.

Is it possible things finally clicked for Okonkwo late in his third NFL season? HC Brian Callahan seemed to think so. Here's what he said of Okonkwo in late December:

Okonkwo will be 26 this season, right around the peak age for TEs based on our aging-curve research.

QB Upgrade + Target Opportunity = Fantasy Upside

Okonkwo finds himself in a nice spot this year. Although we’ve yet to see QB Cam Ward take an NFL snap, there’s a good chance he’s an upgrade over 2024’s duo of Will Levis and Mason Rudolph.

Calvin Ridley returns as the Titans’ No. 1 WR. But the depth chart behind him sports unexciting veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson, and Day 3 rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. 

The Titans added TE Gunnar Helm in the fourth round of the draft, so his role will be worth monitoring this summer. But Okonkwo remains the favorite to operate as Tennessee’s lead TE. And there’s a real chance he finishes second on an improved passing game in targets.

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Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and in-season tools. He currently ranks ninth among 173 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.