Fantasy Football Draft season is fully underway right now, which means it’s the perfect time to give out some sleepers for the 2025 season. These are high-upside players you can likely get in rounds 10 or later who could make a weekly impact on your fantasy rosters. In this article, we will discuss six players to target in drafts that could be the difference between you chasing a title or sitting on the couch come playoff season in 2025. The ADP (Average Draft Position) is based on Fantasy Pros ADP.
Jordan Love
QB, Green Bay Packers (ADP 130)
Jordan Love is a prime example of how much can change for a fantasy player in just one year. Last draft season, Love was one of the hottest names at quarterback after delivering a fantastic first season as a starter, finishing as a top-5 fantasy option.
But 2024 was a very different story. Love suffered a knee sprain in Week 1 and later a groin injury in Week 8, and it was clear he wasn’t the same quarterback the rest of the season. He flashed early success with 15 passing touchdowns across his first five games, but the offense unraveled as injuries mounted around him. Over his final 10 games, Love managed just 10 touchdown passes and only three games with more than 200 passing yards. Meanwhile, Josh Jacobs carried the offense with 14 rushing touchdowns in that same span. Love’s efficiency dipped, his mobility vanished, and 2024 quickly became a season to forget.
Now, nearly a year removed from that knee injury, Love looks ready to bounce back. While he did undergo finger surgery in August, it was on his non-throwing hand and should not impact his passing or mobility. That, plus his depressed draft cost, makes him one of the cheapest upside quarterbacks available.
The Packers also invested in Love’s development, using a first-round pick on wide receiver Matthew Golden—something they famously never did for Aaron Rodgers. With Jaire Alexander’s release weakening the defense, Green Bay may lean more heavily on its passing game in 2025 rather than relying solely on defense and the run.
If you prefer to wait on quarterback, Jordan Love offers sneaky bounce-back potential at a bargain price. A return to 4,000 yards and 30+ touchdowns is firmly within reach.
Braelon Allen
Running Back, New York Jets (ADP 153)
Our first running back sleeper is Braelon Allen of the New York Jets. The second-year back is in line to take a step forward in this offense in 2025. While Breece Hall remains the incumbent starter, the Jets made it clear throughout the offseason that they plan to use their full running back room. With a roster built around tough defense and a strong ground game, Allen is in a good spot to carve out value.
Head Coach Aaron Glenn and the new offensive coordinator both come from the Lions’ coaching tree, and we’ve seen firsthand in Detroit how two running backs can thrive in the same system. That blueprint could easily carry over to New York. At just 21 years old, Allen profiles as the David Montgomery of this offense. He’s big, fast, and physical — a strong contrast to Hall’s twitchy, explosive style. That difference in skill sets should allow Allen to handle early-down work and goal-line touches, providing him with valuable touchdown upside.
The Jets only logged 363 rushing attempts last season, but Detroit ran the ball 534 times. With Justin Fields now at quarterback, expect New York to increase their attempts to the 425–440 range. Fields’ rushing threat should also create lighter boxes and more open lanes for Allen to take advantage of. In standard 12-team leagues, Allen is being drafted near the end of Round 12. That’s a great value for a bench stash with the chance to deliver weekly FLEX production — and potentially much more if his role grows.
Ollie Gordon
Running Back, Miami Dolphins (ADP 262)
If you’re drafting over the next week, don’t be surprised to see the name Ollie Gordon climbing up boards. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State, Gordon was once a highly regarded prospect after a dominant 2023 college season in which he posted 1,700 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. At 6’2” and 225 pounds, he brings the size and power that Miami’s backfield has been missing.
So far, Gordon has impressed in training camp and preseason. Through two games, he’s logged 18 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown, plus 3 receptions for 48 yards. That early production suggests that his disappointing, injury-riddled 2024 season was just a blip. The Dolphins need a physical presence on the ground to complement their speed, and Gordon fits that role while also offering a receiving element: he caught 80 passes in three years at Oklahoma State.
Injuries to De’Von Achane and rookie Jaylen Wright have only opened the door wider. Gordon could find himself in a complementary role right away, making him a useful bye-week fill-in with FLEX appeal. And if Achane and Wright miss extended time, Gordon has the ceiling of an RB2 in Miami’s offense, especially in PPR formats, given Tua Tagovailoa’s tendency to target running backs underneath when he’s not attacking deep.
Currently going undrafted in many leagues, Gordon’s ADP is quickly rising into the Round 13–14 range, and it could get higher as we get close to week one. He’s a strong late-round stash with a realistic path to early-season relevance.
Joshua Palmer
Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills (ADP 234)
Newly signed Buffalo Bill Joshua Palmer carries some sleeper appeal for the 2025 season. Palmer isn’t a player you’ll have to reach for, as he’s available in the late rounds of most drafts. Buffalo clearly believes in his talent, handing him a 3-year, $29 million contract this offseason. While Palmer has yet to truly break out as a fantasy receiver, he has quietly produced at least 500 receiving yards in three straight seasons with the Chargers.
The Bills’ wide receiver room is wide open. Khalil Shakir is dealing with a high-ankle sprain from August, leaving his status uncertain to begin the year. Keon Coleman has breakout potential, but he still hasn’t proven himself at the NFL level. Meanwhile, veterans Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore haven’t offered much consistency in recent years. That leaves Palmer with a legitimate path to a starting role — and even a chance to lead the team in targets.
Palmer brings size, physicality, and a competitive edge to the position. He’s shown the ability to win contested catches, something Buffalo has lacked at times. While his career stat line doesn’t scream breakout, context matters: with Josh Allen projected to return to 500+ pass attempts in 2025 (after a dip in volume last season), Palmer could carve out steady usage in this offense.
For fantasy managers, Palmer is the type of late-round sleeper worth taking a shot on. If he clicks with Allen early, he has FLEX upside. If not, he’s an easy cut without hurting your roster.
Christian Kirk
Wide Receiver, Houston Texans (ADP 146)
Our second receiver is Houston’s Christian Kirk. The veteran wideout signed with Houston this offseason and has a prime opportunity to produce in 2025. While injuries slowed him down the past two years in Jacksonville, his on-field production still stood out. In Kirk’s last 20 healthy games, he topped 50 receiving yards in 11 of them.
In Houston, Kirk projects as the No. 2 pass catcher behind Nico Collins. He’ll be competing with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, as well as veteran tight end Dalton Schultz. Kirk is best utilized in the slot, where he could thrive in this system. Last season, Houston’s slot receiver Stefon Diggs posted four top-15 fantasy weeks and averaged around six targets per game. If Kirk can see that type of volume, it would put him on pace for roughly 100+ targets this season.
There’s also a chance we see a correction in the Texans’ passing game after being inconsistent last year outside of Collins. The run game is relying on aging and injury-prone backs, which could force Houston into more third-and-long situations and an increase in passing volume. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley, formerly the Rams’ passing game coordinator, also has a track record of maximizing slot receivers. Kirk is currently being drafted in the 12th round and could emerge as a strong FLEX option with weekly upside in 2025.
Brenton Strange
Tight End, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP 191)
Our last sleeper is third-year tight end Brenton Strange of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Strange drew attention in 2024 when he filled in for Evan Engram for eight games. He held his own, posting 275 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns over that stretch. If you pace out those numbers across a full season, he would have finished with around 143 fantasy points — good for about TE13 on the year. And he managed that production in an offense that struggled badly under Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones. With Liam Coen now in as head coach, there’s hope this offense can take a big step forward, similar to what Coen engineered in Tampa Bay.
While Strange likely won’t be more than the third target in the passing game behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, he should still see plenty of work. Lawrence’s 7.2 yards per attempt ranked just 17th in the league last year, showing that he isn’t going to consistently air it out deep. That plays into Strange’s game as a short-to-intermediate safety valve. Even in the Jaguars’ second preseason game this summer, Strange consistently found soft spots in coverage, and Lawrence was quick to hit him underneath.
For fantasy managers who prefer to stream the tight end position, Strange makes for an intriguing option. He should see 60–80 targets, and if the Jaguars’ offense improves under Coen, Strange could push for around five touchdowns. That makes him a low-risk, upside tight end to target late in 2025 drafts.
Photo by Carson Caldwell | Adapted by Parker McDonald (@TheCarbonFox on Twitter/X)