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Frank Ammirante's top fantasy football best ball sleeper targets at quarterback for 2025 drafts. His undervalued NFL quarterbacks (QBs) best ball sleepers.
The 2025 NFL Draft and free agency have passed us by, so we're now in the thick of best ball season.
This is a great time to be drafting because you can find some terrific value on players. Once training camp and preseason get going, some players will rise in average draft position, so you have a chance to strike gold in earlier drafts.
On this page, I'll use Underdog ADP since May 11th to find some quarterback sleepers, featuring Bryce Young, Matthew Stafford, Sam Darnold, Tyler Shough, and Daniel Jones. Each player is a legit sleeper because they're available outside the top-150 picks.
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Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
ADP: 159.8 (QB24)
Young was terrific for the Panthers in the second half last year, turning his season around once he was re-inserted as the starting quarterback. From Week 12 onward, Young averaged 21.2 fantasy points per game, which ranked as QB8 during that stretch. This included a ceiling game of 36.4 points -- one of the best fantasy games for a quarterback all year.
Aside from significant improvements as a passer, Young also showed that he can contribute on the ground, as highlighted by his five rushing touchdowns in his last six games. This also included a season-high of 68 rushing yards. While this isn't Jayden Daniels as a runner, it's clear that Young can get to 300+ rushing yards.
The former first overall pick is in a great spot to pick up right where he left off. Now in his second year in Dave Canales' system, you'll likely see Young continue to improve as a quarterback.
Most importantly, the team did a great job getting him an alpha WR1 in Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick. McMillan has been compared to Mike Evans and Drake London, and he can provide Young with a big target, downfield threat, and contested-catch specialist.
I love targeting Young as my QB2 or QB3 in drafts, especially if I can secure McMillan earlier in the draft.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
ADP: 162.8 (QB25)
Stafford is a veteran pocket passer who offers zero on the ground, so he needs a lot of passing production to provide fantasy value. While the former Lion finished as QB27 with only 13.9 fantasy points per game last season, there are reasons for optimism here.
For one, the Rams brought in Davante Adams to replace Cooper Kupp. Adams is much more of a threat on the perimeter, complementing Puka Nacua's skill set since the veteran can also win downfield and beat man coverage.
Secondly, Stafford had only 20 touchdowns last season (3.9% TD rate). The Rams continued to go run-heavy in the red zone, feeding Kyren Williams. But now with Adams on the team, we could see more passing inside the 20-yard line. This is because Adams is a stud in the red zone, hauling in 59 touchdowns in the last six seasons.
In terms of roster construction, Stafford makes a lot of sense to complete a Rams stack with Nacua and/or Adams. Both of the Rams' wideouts are taken within the top 35 picks, so you could take a shot by pairing them with Stafford. Most who draft Nacua or Adams will likely avoid Stafford because of his middling fantasy production, making this a potential contrarian move as well.
We should also note that the Rams drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson in the second round, giving Stafford another safety valve who can win after the catch. With the improved supporting cast, Stafford looks like a legit sleeper.
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
ADP: 180.1 (QB28)
Darnold is coming off an impressive season in which he exceeded expectations, putting up 18.8 fantasy points per game, which ranked him as QB11. But the former Viking is virtually ignored in fantasy drafts because he's no longer with a stud play-caller like Kevin O'Connell.
While it's unlikely that we see a repeat of 2024 in Seattle, we have to note that this is still a pretty good situation. For one, Klint Kubiak is the new offensive coordinator for the Seahawks. Let's remember how good the Saints looked when healthy with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed in the fold early in the year.
Kubiak comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, which is also where O'Connell comes from, so there should be some similarities there, which could help Darnold continue to perform well.
It also helps that the Seahawks bolstered their offensive line by using their first-rounder on one of the top guards in the draft in Grey Zabel. If the o-line can get back on track, this could be a decent offense -- even though they replaced D.K. Metcalf with Kupp.
From a game theory perspective, it makes sense to pair Darnold with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who looks poised to build off a strong second half. Expect JSN to get peppered with targets this season, so pairing him with Darnold can raise your weekly ceiling.
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
ADP: 211.8 (QB31)
Shough was widely mocked for being a 26-year-old rookie selected in the second round. I have to admit, I was initially against this pick, but I can now see how it's a worthwhile gamble, not only for the Saints but also for fantasy football players.
This is a quarterback who has great size at 6-foot-5, 216 pounds, along with elite arm talent. We also have to acknowledge that he was hand-picked by new head coach Kellen Moore, who has succeeded as an offensive coordinator, working with quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts.
Now that Derek Carr has retired, the runway has cleared for Shough to be the Saints' Week 1 starter. We don't have to worry too much about Spencer Rattler because he struggled last year, and Moore prioritized Shough in the draft.
The reason why I love targeting Shough as my QB3 is because I view Olave as one of the best receiver values in the draft. Pairing Olave with Shough can give me a cheap stack that could pay major dividends.
Not only do the Saints have a good play-caller in Moore, but they now have two first-round picks at offensive tackle in Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga. What if the offensive line improves? Then we can see Shough hurl bombs downfield to Olave and Shaheed. If you're in a build where you wait on QB and target three of them, make sure Shough is a part of that plan.
Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
ADP: 214.5 (QB34)
I know what you're thinking -- why would you draft Jones? He's been awful for the past couple of seasons with the Giants. But hear me out here, there's some value. For one, let's remember that Jones at his best is a productive fantasy QB, finishing as QB9 in points per game back in 2022. The rushing production (708 yards in 2022) helps raise Jones' weekly floor.
Joining a head coach like Shane Steichen can help Jones. Remember that Steichen has a good track record with quarterbacks, helping out Hurts and Herbert throughout his career.
While Anthony Richardson is still there, I'm going out on a limb in saying that Jones beats him out for the starting job. Steichen is on the hot seat right now, so I'm betting that he plays the quarterback who gives him the best chance to win right now.
Given A-Rich's struggles as a passer, it's quite possible that Jones is that guy. In this scenario, Jones would be throwing to a solid group of receivers, including Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, along with a first-round rookie tight end in Tyler Warren. There's also a stud running back in Jonathan Taylor.
Jones is likely to be barely rostered, which is an added benefit in a large-field tournament like Underdog Best Ball Mania. If you get Pittman, Downs, or Warren earlier, taking a shot on Jones makes sense. Remember that this time last year, Darnold was also viewed as a backup, and he provided a major profit. Don't rule out something similar happening with Jones.
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