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Dan Fornek breaks down a fantasy football sleeper and breakout candidate for each NFC East team in fantasy for the 2025 season. His top draft targets for the Cowboys, Commanders, Eagles, and Giants.
Winning a fantasy football championship requires drafters to strike a balance between picking the best players and uncovering the best gems in fantasy drafts. Being able to identify solid sleepers and breakouts helps fantasy teams survive through bye weeks and the injuries that occur throughout a season.
Training camps are underway, and in a few short weeks, we will finally have preseason football, which means 2025 fantasy drafts are just around the corner. It is time to start preparing to win your league.
This article will identify a sleeper and a breakout player for each NFC East team heading into the 2025 season. Who should you be targeting as late-round upside picks in 2025? Read below to find out.
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Fantasy Football Sleepers and Breakouts: Dallas Cowboys
Sleeper: Jaydon Blue, RB
There isn’t a whole lot of talent in the Cowboys backfield in 2025. Javonte Williams had the ninth-lowest success rate on runs in 2024 (35.3%), the 11th lowest explosive run rate (9.4%), and seventh worst expected points added per play (-0.175) behind a good Denver offensive line in 2024.
Their other free agent acquisition, Miles Sanders, is coming off two seasons in Carolina where he totaled just 184 carries for 637 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games. He was buried behind Chuba Hubbard by two different coaching regimes despite signing a huge contract in the 2023 offseason.
By default, that makes the most interesting player in the backfield 2025 fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue. Blue was buried behind Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks for his first two seasons before getting an expanded role in 2024. He handled 134 carries for 730 yards and eight touchdowns while adding 42 receptions for 368 yards and six touchdowns during Texas’s playoff run.
Jaydon Blue isn’t just a great pick in Round 3 of rookie drafts because he’s landed in a spot where he could get opportunities due to an open backfield
He’s ELECTRIC and just the type of player the Cowboys wanted, and needed, ever since Tony Pollard left!pic.twitter.com/p6UWwoNJQD
— Matt FF Dynasty 🏈 (@MattFFDynasty) May 15, 2025
Blue impressed at the combine as well, running a 4.38 40-yard dash at 5-foot-9, 196 pounds. It seems unlikely that he will emerge as a three-down workhorse in the NFL, but he can immediately carve out a role as an explosive pass catcher in his first season for an offense searching for players who can generate big plays.
Breakout: George Pickens, WR
George Pickens has been a solid wide receiver since being drafted in the second round, but he’s fallen short of being a true breakout thanks to his offensive environment. During three seasons in Pittsburgh, Pickens averaged 97.7 targets, 58 receptions, 947 receiving yards, and four touchdowns per season. He never finished higher than the WR37 in fantasy points per game during his tenure with the Steelers.
Justin Fields out here throwing backshoulder dimes downfield to George Pickens every play pic.twitter.com/XMUBfFyju1
— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) October 1, 2024
However, all of that is set to change in 2025 with Pickens finding a new home with the Dallas Cowboys. Pickens will now have a chance to flourish in an offense that will pass the ball thanks to quarterbacks who can accurately throw down the field.
In 2024, the Steelers had the eighth-lowest pass rate (55.9%) and the seventh-worst pass rate over expectation (-5.6%). The Cowboys also had a lower pass rate than expected (-2.5%), but they achieved this while throwing the ball 62.6% of the time. It’s also worth noting that Dallas wasn’t afraid to air the ball out with Cooper Rush starting eight games and Trey Lance starting one game.
Dak Prescott is healthy again and is set to push the ball down the field in 2025. The veteran quarterback is just a season removed from an MVP caliber season (4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns, and nine interceptions) with CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, and Brandin Cooks as his primary receivers.
Pickens will be motivated by the chance to earn a second contract in the healthiest offensive environment of his career. 2025 will be the season where his production finally meets his talent.
Fantasy Football Sleepers and Breakouts: New York Giants
Sleeper: Darius Slayton, WR
It feels like the Giants have been perpetually trying to replace Darius Slayton in their offense despite his success as a vertical threat. Over the last three seasons, Slayton has averaged 73.7 targets, 45 receptions, 689.0 receiving yards, and 2.7 touchdowns per year while averaging 15.3 yards per reception.
Darius Slayton pic.twitter.com/erwC4ehKJl
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) March 5, 2025
New York finally had their golden opportunity to move on from Slayton as he hit the free agent market. Instead, they re-signed him to a three-year, $36 million contract with $22 million guaranteed. It's hard to imagine that he won’t consistently be on the field in 2025 at that price.
More importantly, the Giants have also built a quarterback room that will play to the veteran receiver’s strengths. Projected starting quarterback Russell Wilson was 10th in the NFL in the percentage of 20+ yard throws in 2025 (13.4%). He completed the second highest percentage of deep passes (46.7%) among all quarterbacks.
If Wilson struggles, the Giants have another veteran who loves deep passes (Jameis Winston) and a first-round rookie quarterback (Jaxson Dart) who led the NCAA in 20+ yard attempts (81), yards on 20+ yard passes (1,324), and 20+ yard touchdowns (15).
Malik Nabers will be the focal point of New York’s passing attack, but all three of their quarterbacks aren’t afraid to push the ball downfield to generate big plays. The biggest beneficiary of that will be Darius Slayton.
Breakout: Theo Johnson, TE
Theo Johnson’s rookie year was limited to just 12 games thanks to a season-ending injury, but the 2024 fourth-round pick made the most of his opportunity. Johnson’s final stat line (29 receptions for 331 yards and one touchdown) doesn’t look impressive, but a deeper look at his season shows some positive trends worth tracking into 2025.
Theo Johnson caught this 35 yard seam pass for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Overall, he had a rough game...still, this is the second week in a row where his size, leaping ability, and catch radius up the seam were assets. pic.twitter.com/VVrGXJlhlF
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) November 3, 2024
From Weeks 1 through 7, Johnson caught just 11 of 16 targets for 115 yards. However, his role shifted in Week 8. From Weeks 8 to 13, Johnson caught 18 of 27 targets for 216 yards and a touchdown. He was the TE21 in points per game (9.1), but did have one top 10 tight end finish during that stretch.
The Giants don’t have a clear second pass catcher after Nabers. Wan'Dale Robinson has had success, but he’s strictly been a slot player. Slayton also serves as an inefficient deep threat.
Johnson will likely be on the field for a majority of New York’s plays in 2025, allowing him to finish top three on the team at targets. He has the athleticism to make plays in space and the size to establish himself as a clear red zone threat. At the tight end position, that is all you need to have a breakout season in fantasy.
Fantasy Football Sleepers and Breakouts: Philadelphia Eagles
Sleeper: Will Shipley, RB
Breakout: Will Shipley, RB
There aren’t many players on the Eagles who qualify as a sleeper or as a breakout in 2025. Their offense runs through Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley in the ground game with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert catching passes.
The one player who can certainly fit both descriptors in fantasy is second-year running back Will Shipley. Shipley was seldom used as a rookie (30 carries for 82 yards and four receptions for 35 yards), but he did flash some explosiveness when given a chance behind Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell.
If Will Shipley is on your waivers, scoop him up everywhere.
If not, I’m sending future 4th round picks for him.
One of the most valuable handcuffs you can own in dynasty.pic.twitter.com/PpfFNOVXAT
— Snoog's Fantasy HQ (@FFSnoog) May 6, 2025
The Eagles let Gainwell leave in free agency, opening up an opportunity for Shipley to carve out a role in Philadelphia’s offense in 2025. Shipley functioned as a workhorse running back during his three seasons at Clemson, accumulating 526 carries for 2,747 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns, along with 85 receptions for 602 yards and two receiving touchdowns, in 36 career games.
Shipley will need an injury to Barkley to have a significant fantasy impact in 2025. However, Barkley is coming off a 500-touch season (including the playoffs), so there is an injury risk there.
Fantasy Football Sleepers and Breakouts: Washington Commanders
Sleeper: Austin Ekeler, RB
Austin Ekeler’s role with the Commanders last season is being undervalued heading into the 2025 season. Ekeler was limited to just 12 games, but still posted 77 carries for 367 yards and four touchdowns while adding 35 receptions on 41 targets for 366 yards.
Ekeler seemingly found the fountain of youth from an efficiency standpoint. He posted his highest yards per carry since 2018 (4.8) and had the second highest yards per reception in his career (10.5). The veteran running back also had his first season with a 50+ success rate as both a rusher and receiver since 2021.
Austin Ekeler = NOT Cooked🚨
— Tyler Knaeble (@PPRTyler) September 24, 2024
The Commanders invested in their offensive line this offseason, trading for Laremy Tunsil and drafting Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The team also didn’t add anybody of note to the backfield, although new wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. could siphon away some touches in 2025.
Ekeler will once again be on the field in passing situations and could dominate touches in the backfield if Brian Robinson Jr. suffers an injury. He’s an excellent late-round running back pick, especially in PPR formats.
Breakout: Ben Sinnott, TE
Ben Sinnott had a modest role in his rookie season, catching all five of his targets for 28 yards and a touchdown. The 2024 second-round pick was forced into a reserve role thanks to a fully healthy season from veteran tight end Zach Ertz.
The Commanders re-signed Ertz this offseason, but it is also fair to expect Sinnott to take a developmental step in his second season.
Sinnott had a 17.9% target share in his final season at Kansas State, catching 49 of 76 targets for 676 yards and six touchdowns. He also put together a solid combine, measuring in at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and running a 4.68 40-yard dash.
There is a chance that he takes on a more prominent role in Washington’s offense in 2025. However, even if he doesn’t initially, it is a safe bet to assume that Ertz will miss time due to injuries. He’s played in 14 or fewer games in five of the last nine seasons.
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