X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

4 Fantasy Football Sleepers and ADP Value Picks: Breakout Candidates to Draft in 2025

Drake Maye - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Quincy's fantasy football sleepers for 2025 drafts. His top sleepers and breakout breakout candidates to target, including Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., and more.

Final NFL rosters will not be set until August, but the main contributors are in place on teams at this point in the offseason. As such, it is time to look ahead at who could be sleeper candidates in 2025. Several players will inevitably emerge once training-camp videos and preseason highlights come to light. However, sleepers identified now who do not get the camp bump in ADP are the ones who will carry your team in the fall.

Sleepers can come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. There are a handful of rookies who could be serious contributors in fantasy. Alternatively, some veterans fit the mold of a sleeper candidate. Sleepers are generally defined as players flying under the radar who could return great value in fantasy based on a combination of production and draft position. As with any bet, fantasy is about receiving the best return on investment possible.

We can identify sleepers by examining their past production and opportunities with their team. Last year's sleepers included wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr. and Courtland Sutton. Both players were completely counted out because they appeared to be on subpar teams, but they were the No. 1 options and had a lot of talent. They delivered serious fantasy value as a result. Let's see who could follow in their footsteps in 2025.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Was no one paying attention to Mooney last season when Kirk Cousins was the quarterback? While Mooney may have fallen off once Michael Penix Jr. took over under center, he was on pace to surpass 1,000 receiving yards before the final three games. Penix was thrown into the fire and heavily targeted wide receiver Drake London. With a full offseason to prepare as the starter, Penix will likely use all of his weapons.

Mooney has always been a solid deep threat in the NFL. His speed and quickness allow him to get open downfield and create big plays. The Falcons got him involved in more creative ways in 2024, which resulted in Mooney nearly having a career year.

With the Falcons offense on the verge of taking off with Penix, there is no reason to believe that two wide receivers cannot have fantasy relevance on the team. Mooney is currently being drafted as the WR50 in redraft. Frankly, his ADP is unlikely to budge much. His status as a veteran and lack of a massive season in the past should keep him in that range.

Mooney was the WR31 in 2024 and was on the weekly flex radar with WR2 upside. That should be no different in 2025, even with Penix only heading into his second season. You should have plenty of shares of Mooney this season.

 

Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders

Despite speculation that they may add to their backfield this offseason, the Commanders made no significant moves. They appear poised to run things back with Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler leading the charge.

Robinson is not the most flashy player in the league, but he plays in a great offense that will present plenty of touchdown opportunities. Robinson is also a solid pass-catcher. He has a mature quarterback in Jayden Daniels, who will willingly check the ball down.

While Robinson may lack a serious weekly ceiling, a season with eight to 10 touchdowns seems well within reach. He already scored eight rushing touchdowns in 2024 despite missing three games and being hobbled in a couple more. He scored nine total touchdowns in 2023.

Robinson is entering a contract year and will have serious motivation to perform so that he can get paid on the open market. Contract years for running backs usually bring fantasy fun. Robinson is currently being drafted as the RB31 after finishing as the RB29 last season. His ADP appears to be his floor and if things break correctly, Robinson has great upside for more.

 

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

Drake Maye is a perfect target at the quarterback position in 2025. He offers a rushing baseline that could vault him into the top 10 at the position this season. Additionally, Maye is entering Year 2, which is when quarterbacks often make huge strides in the passing game.

The Patriots could be a sneaky competitive team in 2025. They have overhauled their offensive line, improved their offensive weaponry, and brought in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has a track record of running a great system, specifically in New England.

Maye's passing numbers were pedestrian as a rookie, but he rushed for 421 yards in just 13 games played. Granted, Maye was often running for his life, but he can scramble at a high level. He should be in the 400 to 500-yard rushing range throughout a full season, even with proper protection around him.

Maye is currently the QB17 by ADP. He was already a streaming option in 2024 and will outperform his ADP this season. If his ADP does not climb, Maye will be a negligible risk with a high ceiling in fantasy this season.

 

Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons

If we mention Mooney on this list, we might as well mention the player who will be tossing him the rock. Penix is set up with every chance for success this season. Penix did not light the world on fire in three starts in 2024, and he only completed 58.1 percent of his passes. However, Penix looked in control of the offense and decisive with his throws.

Penix will benefit from a full offseason as the starting quarterback for Atlanta. The team has a solid offensive line and excellent weapons all over the field. The running game will be great once again with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, and the defense is coming along. All these factors will take pressure off Penix and allow him to sling it.

As a pocket passer, Penix will need to throw for over 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns to be a high-end producer in fantasy. He profiles as the type of player who could truly take the league by storm in his second season and accomplish that feat. Penix's college production profile suggests he can make a huge leap this season.

Penix is currently being drafted as a back-end QB2, if he is even drafted at all. If you strike out on early quarterbacks, Penix is not a bad fallback option. At minimum, he should be a solid streaming option with upside for more.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF