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

5 Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers: Undervalued Players to Target (2025)

Darnell Mooney - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Adam's fantasy football sleepers and under-the-radar draft picks. Read his undervalued draft targets for 2025 fantasy football, including Darnell Mooney, Josh Downs, and more.

A handful of players are undervalued by the fantasy football community every year. Every year, those players help carry managers to a fantasy football championship. Or at least help them get very close to winning it all.

Last season, it was guys like Brock Bowers, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey, Bucky Irving, and Chase Brown. They all blew their average draft position (ADP) out of the water! None of these guys had an ADP inside the top 95 players in 2024.

So, who will it be this season? I present to you my top 5 most undervalued players in 2025.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Underdog ADP - 86.9 (WR47)

After a down year with the Bears in 2023, Mooney signed a three-year, $39 million deal last offseason with the Falcons. Eager to write off his doubters, Mooney posted some solid numbers in his debut season in Atlanta.

Per PlayerProfiler, he posted a target share and target rate of 21.3% in 2024. He also had a yards per route run average of 1.97, good for 33rd among wide receivers. While not elite (like Drake London's 2.45 yards per route run), it's still a very good mark.

The Falcons deployed Mooney a bit differently than he was utilized in Chicago. He had a career-high 12.4 average depth of target (aDOT) and a career-high 15.5 yards per reception. His 24 deep targets were the 10th-most among wide receivers.

We've heard Kyle Pitts has a lot of developing to do, and the Falcons didn't take a pass-catcher in the 2025 NFL Draft. So it's London, Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud III, and Pitts at Michael Penix Jr.'s disposal this season.

Mooney dealt with a plethora of changes last season. A new team, a new coaching staff, a new quarterback, poor quarterback play, a quarterback change, and a change in role. Despite all of that, he finished the 2024 season as the WR31.

This offseason, everything is already in place, and Penix is likely to be an upgrade over the 2024 edition of Kirk Cousins. At his current ADP of WR47, Mooney is one of the most undervalued players in 2025 fantasy football drafts.

 

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Underdog ADP - 92.2 (WR49)

I bet you didn't know that Downs (85.1) had a higher PFF receiving grade than Ja'Marr Chase (84.9) in 2024. Pretty crazy. But when you dive into his underlying metrics, it doesn't seem so crazy.

Downs improved in many key metrics from his rookie season to his sophomore season. Per PlayerProfiler, his target share increased from 17.9% to 25.6%, his target rate increased from 20.2% to 29.6%, and his yards per route run increased from 1.59 to 2.22.

He was also fifth among all receivers in route win rate (55%), and it's easy to see why:

"But Adam, we can't possibly trust Downs if Anthony Richardson is throwing him the football." Who said Richardson is the starter? Daniel Jones could easily win the starting job in Indy.

If that happens, we could see Downs, who played 72.5% of his snaps from the slot in 2024, be peppered with targets much like Wan'Dale Robinson was with Danny Dimes last season. Robinson saw a whopping 8.4 targets per game over that 10-game stretch.

If Downs gets that kind of volume, it could be wheels up for one of, if not the most, undervalued wide receivers in the NFL. It could still happen even with Richardson; he just needs to take a step forward as a pocket passer for Downs to pop in 2025.

 

Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Underdog ADP - 104.4 (RB33)

Here, we have a starting running back going after pick 100. All Warren has to do is fend off Iowa product Kaleb Johnson, the 83rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Johnson, however, has an ADP of 76.2, or RB25. Some way, somehow, he's already usurped the job from Warren in many people's minds. But not so fast! The undrafted back out of Oklahoma State has done nothing but produce efficiently for the Steelers in his three-year NFL career.

In his first year playing for offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Warren was ninth among running backs in yards created per touch (4.17), 13th in yards per touch (5.2), and sixth in yards per route run (2.5). And that was with a hamstring injury to start the season and a back injury later in the year.

In theory, it would make sense for Johnson to take over the "Najee Harris role" in the Steelers' offense. But he's just a rookie, and his third-round draft capital doesn't exactly scream "immediate starter."

Remember, Bijan Robinson was the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and had just a 52.5% opportunity share as a rookie playing for Smith in Atlanta. If he's unwilling to give the eighth overall pick a big workload, chances are the 83rd overall pick isn't overtaking Warren right away either.

Warren is Tomlin's guy, and he's ready to bulldoze dudes in 2025.

 

Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Underdog ADP - 120.2 (RB38)

I fear we're writing off Etienne prematurely. Yes, it's true that new head coach Liam Coen drafted Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round, much like his former team drafted Bucky Irving in the fourth round a year ago.

But Tuten, who had a fumbling problem in college, put the ball on the ground on his very first carry in a live NFL setting. Here's Coen sounding off on that moment:

Meanwhile, Irving only lost one fumble on 475 career rushing attempts in college. Let's pump the brakes on Tuten taking over this backfield, which leads us back to Etienne and Tank Bigsby.

Bigsby was the better pure rusher in 2024, but Etienne dealt with shoulder and hamstring injuries last season. It's possible the injuries, along with limited playing time in multiple games, slowed him down and prevented him from getting into a good rhythm.

But remember, Etienne is a former first-round pick and just two years removed from a top-5 season at the running back position. He's more than capable of shouldering a heavy workload.

He's also most likely going to be the guy who handles the majority of the pass-catching work. Last season, despite the injuries, Etienne received a PFF receiving grade of 70.7, while Bigsby was graded as the very worst receiving back among guys who played over 100 receiving snaps.

I want to be invested in a Liam Coen-run offense, and Etienne has the highest ceiling of any running back on the roster in 2025.

He's extremely undervalued and an easy click at pick 120 after having an ADP of 17 (RB8) going into last season.

 

Kyle Williams, WR, New England Patriots

Underdog ADP - 121.1 (WR59)

We don't yet know what Williams will be like in the NFL, but we should be willing to pay to find out. And the best part: You don't have to pay much at all.

The rookie wideout from Washington State has an ADP of 121.1. He can be had after guys like Keon Coleman, Rashod Bateman, and Marvin Mims Jr.

The thing about those three guys is that they are highly unlikely to become the WR1 on their respective teams. Williams, however, definitely has a shot to become the WR1 on his.

The Patriots signed Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $63.5 million contract this offseason, including $25 million guaranteed. The 31-year-old is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 8 last season.

Diggs, who was already showing some signs of decline before the injury last season, might not be the same guy we've become accustomed to seeing. That's where Williams comes into the picture.

He was the first wide receiver drafted by the new regime of Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels and should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself early on.

Not only does he pass the eye test, but he also gets the stamp of approval from Matt Harmon's Reception Perception.

Drake Maye is an ascending quarterback, McDaniels has a long history as a great offensive coordinator, and Williams has a shot to be the WR1. Yeah, I'd say he's undervalued at pick 121.

Think McConkey and Thomas Jr. from a year ago.



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

Xavier Worthy

Chiefs to Open Up Offense in 2025
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
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
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF