Undervalued Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers: 5 Breakout Candidates to Target and Draft (2025)

June 19, 2025

Quincy Milton's fantasy football wide receiver sleepers for 2025. His top breakout candidates and draft targets at WR. Read the expert draft analysis.

Wide receivers comprise the bulk of fantasy football rosters. Most leagues use at least two wideout slots in the starting lineup, and most players will use a wide receiver in their flex position. As such, having a solid wide receiver room on your fantasy team is essential to your success. Without at least one solid option, your team is unlikely to succeed.

Each season, there are several wide receivers drafted in later rounds who go on to be fantasy darlings. You do not need all your wide receivers to produce Ja'Marr Chase-level numbers every week. However, if you draft a player well outside the realm of starting wide receivers and he finishes as a WR2 or WR3, you have gained serious value in your fantasy draft. That type of advantage propels fantasy players to championships.

Of course, there are players such as Brian Thomas Jr., who in 2024 was drafted in the double-digit rounds and went on to finish as a WR1. While no rookie wide receivers profile as that type of player this season, there is always a chance for a breakout candidate to leap like that. Let's dive in and see which veterans and rookies alike can provide serious value in fantasy in 2025.

Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans

Since he landed with the Texans, I have been a Jayden Higgins drum beater. The guy is an athletic freak and has a serious opportunity to start opposite Nico Collins in Week 1. He matches Collins' height at 6-foot-4, and he has excellent speed that should help him win down the field. He is the total package, and frankly, may be an NFL Draft steal as a Round 2 selection in 2025.

C.J. Stroud hyper-targeted Collins in 2024 with Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs lost to injury. Collins is a superstar, but the Texans would likely rather spread that wealth around a little more. Additionally, Dell is expected to miss the entire season after suffering a torn ACL, LCL, and MCL, and Diggs is now in New England. There is no reason why Higgins should not immediately step into a solid target share.

Jayden Higgins is looking legit 👀
pic.twitter.com/PwtYwmgTxX

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) June 10, 2025

We have already seen Stroud support two high-end fantasy-relevant wide receivers. During Stroud's rookie season in 2023, both Collins and Dell were on pace to finish as WR2s. If healthy, Collins should be a WR1 in 2025, but Higgins could feasibly finish at or around WR15 if the Texans offense bounces back from a down year.

The fantasy football community has not caught on to Higgins quite yet. He is currently being drafted outside the top-60 wide receivers. Training camp and preseason hype are unlikely to keep Higgins' value depressed for long, but his ADP is highly unlikely to rise to his fantasy finish ceiling.

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons

Darnell Mooney finished as the WR31 and eight yards shy of 1,000 receiving yards in 2024. In other words, he was a solid flex player for most of the year. Granted, a lot of Mooney's success came with Kirk Cousins at quarterback. He only received 12 targets over the final three games once Michael Penix Jr. took over under center. However, the sample size is small, and it is difficult to judge a quarterback based on their first three starts during their rookie season.

Darnell Mooney appreciation post

🌕 64 catches, 992 yards, 5 TDs

He missed a game so he didn’t get the 1k PR but he balled out pic.twitter.com/yVSUytEWbr

— Not Bijan (@InBijanWeTrust) May 6, 2025

Penix will spend the whole offseason as the unquestioned starter, which will better prepare him for Week 1 in 2025. The Falcons have weapons everywhere to support Penix, who should begin to blossom as the season progresses. Additionally, Mooney will benefit from having a coverage hog in Drake London on the other side of the field.

The noise out of Falcons camp suggests that the team is ready to lean on Mooney more in 2025. He is a talented wide receiver entering just his age-28 season. He can win anywhere on the field and is particularly effective as a deep threat, where Penix loves to target.

The fantasy community appears to be out on Mooney. His early ADP is outside of the top-50 wide receivers. Mooney has WR2 upside, but his floor is likely closer to WR35. That return on investment would be fantastic for a player who would cost you next to nothing in fantasy drafts.

Tre Harris, Los Angeles Chargers

While Tre Harris may not be as much of a sure thing as the aforementioned players on this list, he is a strong bet at WR65 in fantasy drafts. Harris is currently listed as the No. 3 wideout on the Chargers' depth chart. He is sandwiched between Quentin Johnston and Mike Williams.

Williams is entering his age-31 season and has not been particularly productive for a couple of years. Johnston was a touchdown machine in 2024, but he has struggled with drops throughout his career thus far.

Given that Harris is already listed as the No. 3 wide receiver, he could rise on the depth chart very quickly. Ladd McConkey is entrenched as the team's top target, but it has been missing a bona fide No. 2 target for the last couple of seasons. The offense will be fairly run-heavy, but there is room for two wide receivers to perform in fantasy in an offense led by quarterback Justin Herbert.

Tre Harris is 6’3/210lbs snatching ankles like this…

60/1,030/7 in just 8 games. Lol. pic.twitter.com/AQYZesp7Ii

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) February 5, 2025

Harris was selected in Round 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. That draft capital will keep him in the mix of this receiving corps, especially since he is the selection of the current regime. He was also productive over his final two seasons in college.

Between 2023 and 2024, Harris racked up 2,015 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. It may take a handful of weeks for him to get going, but he is worth a late-round flier in fantasy drafts this season.

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills' offensive play style has morphed into an "everybody eats" mentality. The Bills' crew of pass-catchers, including wide receivers Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, and Keon Coleman, and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox, all have specific roles within the offense. However, of the top playmakers in the offense, Coleman has the most potential to have a big season.

Coleman is currently being drafted as the WR57 in fantasy drafts. That draft position is likely around his floor. However, if everything goes as planned, Coleman's ceiling is likely closer to WR24.

Keon Coleman has reportedly been “routing up” Bills DB’s like he’s never done before.

Coleman reportedly “burnt” Max Hairston (Bills rookie CB) multiple times in today’s practice.

For reference, Max Hairston ran a 4.28 40-yard dash (which makes him one of the fastest CB’s… pic.twitter.com/WiENRfYwzw

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) June 3, 2025

Coleman displayed a solid ability to catch deep passes in 2024, and the Bills primarily used him in that manner. Coleman's average yards per reception was 19.2 in 2024. That is an absurdly high number.

He also only received 57 targets during his rookie season, and he barely caught 50 percent of them. It is easy for rookie wide receivers to be boxed into one role early in their career. Now that Coleman has been around for a full season, the offensive coaches can scheme more manufactured looks for him.

With a quarterback like Josh Allen, anything is possible. Coleman is a talented wide receiver who was a clear target for the Bills at the top of the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Given his cheap draft price, he is very well worth any minimal risk.

Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

UPDATE: The Steelers have acquired Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith, significantly reducing Wilson's chances to break out. However, the second-year wideout could still emerge as the WR2 in Pittsburgh behind DK Metcalf. It remains to be seen if there will be enough passing volume for that to make him a decent fantasy contributor.

Roman Wilson effectively lost his rookie season to injuries. He did not record any statistics along the way. Now entering Year 2, and hopefully healthy, Wilson has a chance to assert himself in an offense that just shipped out George Pickens.

Wilson was talented coming out of Michigan in 2024. He played in an offense with minimal passing output, so he did not blow away the box score. However, his contested catch ability and solid route running were on clear display throughout his college career. He also made several acrobatic plays during Michigan's title run in 2023.

Very Unpopular Opinion

Roman Wilson is a top 20 caliber WR

A First Year Injury doesnt change what his expectations as a Steelers Drafted WR could be …

Give buddy a chance
pic.twitter.com/MsweHY8svY

— OgnBurgh (@scottiloss) May 28, 2025

Wilson is a deep sleeper for 2025. He is not even currently being picked in fantasy drafts. However, the path to success for Wilson is clear. Wilson is going to compete with Robert Woods and Calvin Austin III for the No. 2 wide receiver role in Pittsburgh's offense.

Wilson operates in a similar area of the field as Woods, and he should be able to outcompete the 33-year-old. Austin is a deep threat and does not figure to factor into Wilson's targets.

If Wilson can emerge in camp, then he could become a solid security blanket for new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He is worth a shot in the last round of your fantasy draft.

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