Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers and Potential League Winners: Standard Leagues (Non-PPR)

September 2, 2025

John's favorite fantasy football sleepers, potential league winners for standard (non-PPR) leagues in 2025. His must-have draft targets include J.J. McCarthy, Bhayshul Tuten, more.

Standard (non-PPR) leagues follow the original fantasy football format -- players are not awarded points for receptions, only for scoring plays like touchdowns, two-point conversions, and gaining yards. While some fantasy managers play solely in full-PPR or half-PPR leagues, there are still plenty of standard leagues out there.

They're ideal if you prefer an unforgiving style of fantasy football. Gone are the predictable cushions of receptions, which are easier to manage since players with high target shares tend to maintain those and get plenty of receiving work and touchdowns become far more important for all players.

Additionally, versatile players at different positions become more valuable. There are a lot of caveats to consider, and reshuffling or adjusting positional importance that make standard leagues an entirely different beast. So let's dive into five must-draft, potential league-winners in fantasy football standard leagues in 2025!

QB Fantasy Football Sleepers

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings

McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. He's now been fully healthy for months, though, and if you want to take a shot on a quarterback in the later rounds of your drafts, McCarthy should be your guy. We saw QB Sam Darnold massively outperform the rest of his career production in just one season in Minnesota.

After never finishing higher than the QB25 in fantasy, bouncing around the league, and being labeled as a bust and a waste of a draft pick by the New York Jets, Darnold magically resurrected his career with the Vikings. Well, it was elite offensive-minded head coach Kevin O'Connell and the elite supporting cast that did so, actually.

Justin Jefferson WITH A 16.7 FANTASY POINT TOUCHDOWN 😮 pic.twitter.com/FwQtT6QNzh

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) September 15, 2024

A Hall of Fame-level receiver in Justin Jefferson can make many quarterbacks look serviceable and put up decent numbers. Add in one of the league's better WR2s in Jordan Addison and an elite tight end in T.J. Hockenson, and McCarthy has arguably the best overall receiving corps in the NFL.

Additionally, the Vikings offensive line played very well in pass protection last season. They were often criticized, but quarterbacks who don't play well under pressure tend to make their OL groups look worse than they actually are by putting themselves in the way of pressure and taking unnecessary sacks.

The Minnesota Vikings offensive line finished 2nd in the league in Pass Block Win Rate. Better than the Ravens, Bills, Buccaneers and Eagles.

I'm not saying the Vikings have a better OL than the Eagles, but the argument that the Vikes OL wasn't good is garbage.

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) September 1, 2025

Adding to McCarthy's argument, having an elite supporting cast is the offensive line he's playing behind. This offensive line had one of the best pass block win rates in the league last year, second only to the Denver Broncos. The Vikings also signed center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.

Kelly finished with the 12th-highest pass block grade among all centers, according to Pro Football Focus. Fries finished as the 18th-best pass-blocking guard among 134 qualifying players. McCarthy is set to have one of the best pass-blocking OL units in the league, which is fantastic for fantasy production and consistency.

J.J. McCarthy has:

-Elite offensive HC Kevin O'Connell
-4 O-Linemen in the top-20 in pass block grades at their position
-Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson
-Elite athleticism

Runway is clear for a monster debut season and easy top-8 fantasy finish.

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) September 1, 2025

To add to this, McCarthy has major rushing upside, and in standard leagues, that's absolutely massive. Elite, high-scoring quarterbacks are more important in standard leagues because their high-scoring ways aren't nerfed by the lack of reception points.

Your QB is almost always going to be your highest-scoring player in standard leagues, unless you have one of the league's top few running backs. Without one that has great rushing upside, you lose a higher ceiling and floor that are crucial to winning your matchups.

Blake Corum: really fast

JJ McCarthy: also really fast pic.twitter.com/MktKyfGilF

— Sidelines - Michigan 〽️ (@SSN_Michigan) January 19, 2022

McCarthy didn't run much in college. But who cares? That doesn't matter anymore. You draft for upside. You don't draft based on previous production. Michigan's schemes didn't call for him to run much. In the NFL, that could change.

RB Fantasy Football Sleepers

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Rookie running backs who break out are of massive importance to standard fantasy football leagues. Production from running backs that you draft late in your drafts is usually minimal, of course, but there are usually a handful of players who absolutely crush their ADP and can win leagues if they're on rosters that make the playoffs.

Since overall scores aren't inflated by reception points, explosive plays become much more valuable. Again, yardage and scoring plays are the only things that earn you positive points for running backs, WRs, and QBs in standard leagues. Tuten is one of the most explosive running backs to ever enter the NFL.

Bhayshul Tuten is a box checker ✅

➖4.32 40-yard dash (100th percentile)
➖118.3 Speed Score (98th)
➖133.9 Burst Score (97th)
➖38.3% Dominator Rating (90th)
➖6.4 yards per carry (84th)
➖24 Bench Press (82nd)

Is he worth an early 2nd round pick in rookie drafts?🤔 pic.twitter.com/A20UiVoBya

— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) May 6, 2025

Tuten is one of the fastest running backs to ever play in the pros, despite not having played a down yet. We know this because of his elite 40-yard dash (4.32 seconds), which ties speedster RB De'Von Achane's mark, and because Tuten's film is full of him outracing defensive backs in college.

Tuten joins an offensive-minded head coach, Liam Coen, who commanded one of the league's most explosive offenses last season. As the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Coen led the offense that scored the fourth-most points per game, had the third-most passing yards, and fourth-most rushing yards per contest in the NFL.

Just another reminder:
-Bhayshul Tuten is faster than Jahmyr Gibbs
-Running backs who can return kickoffs for long touchdowns are pretty damn good athletes
-You should draft Bhayshul Tuten pic.twitter.com/RKzsbc4QpE

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) June 19, 2025

Many fantasy managers don't like that Tuten is third on his team's depth chart, behind two veterans who have a history of solid production. RBs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby have multiple seasons with the team already. But Achane was also third on his team's depth chart before the 2023 season, and he had a remarkable year, only interrupted by unfortunate injury issues.

And there's already precedent for Coen giving significant snaps to a fourth-round rookie RB, Bucky Irving. Irving similarly wasn't seen as Tampa Bay's lead back last season, due to the presence of Rachaad White -- but that didn't matter. Irving quickly established himself as the best RB in his backfield once given a significant opportunity.

Bhayshul Tuten is so much tougher than he gets credit for. pic.twitter.com/zBxyIag6Yd

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 25, 2025

I've analyzed Tuten's film more closely than any other player I've looked at, and other than his issues with fumbling the ball, he has absolutely monster upside. I strongly believe it won't take long before he rips off an explosive run of 40 yards or more and is immediately thrust into a prominent role in this backfield.

There are a few RBs in the NFL who have his exact skill set. He's tough, durable, elusive, plays with great strength, can break strong tackle attempts, and has earth-shattering curvilinear acceleration. I think Coen is scheming up plays for him right now and salivating at the idea of letting him run wild.

You shouldn't let anyone else in your leagues have him.

Jarquez Hunter, RB, Los Angeles Rams

Hunter was selected by the Rams in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Like Tuten, he's currently playing behind two veteran running backs, one heading into his fourth season and one heading into his second year, and both were highly inefficient in 2024. Alarmingly so, in fact.

The current RB1, Kyren Williams, is seen as the clear workhorse in Los Angeles, and he was extended in the offseason. It's easy to forget he battled through injuries in his rookie and sophomore seasons in the NFL. His backup, Blake Corum, played dreadfully in 2024, though that's flown a bit under the radar.

Blake Corum vs Kyren Williams in 2024...

Williams:

-4.11 YPC
-0.13 MTF/Att (49th/70 RBs)
-1.9% explosive % (57th)
-2.02 YACon/Att (69th/70)

Corum:

-3.57 YPC
-0.14 MTF/Att (40th/70 RBs)
-0% explosive % (70th)
-1.66 YACon/Att (69th)

Obvious why Corum didn't get much work

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) August 31, 2025

At this point, my analysis indicates that Corum has zero upside. There is no reason to draft him, even though he's the "backup" to Williams and is the "RB2" for the Rams. His performance in 2024, despite playing in one of the league's best offenses, was irredeemably bad.

Averaging well under four yards per carry, creating zero explosive plays, and gaining the second-least yards after contact per attempt of any RB in the league with 50 or more carries is miserable production if you want a player to start to get more work moving forward. It's notable that he and Williams broke tackles at a similar rate.

Kyren Williams in 2023:

YPC: 5.02 (RB6/57)
MTF/Att: 0.21 (RB20)
YACO/Att: 2.75 (RB21)
Explosive run: 3.9% (RB29)
YPRR: 0.68

2024:

YPC: 4.11 (RB36/54) (-18%)
MTF/Att: 0.11 (RB44) (-48%)
YACon/Att: 2.09 (RB43) (-23%)
Explosive run: 1.9% (RB49) (-51%)
YPRR: 0.56 (3rd worst)

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) August 30, 2025

Though there is a lot of pushback against such things happening to last season's high-volume running backs, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that highly inefficient running backs are much more likely to lose work to players that teams bring in that they believe can be more efficient. And that's exactly what Hunter is.

Jarquez Hunter college splits inside/outside the tackles with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum pic.twitter.com/3lAqYYAAvo

— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) May 26, 2025

He played in the SEC and put up monster efficiency numbers. He was more elusive, better at picking up yards after contact, more efficient overall, and more explosive. Williams' regression is alarming, and if Hunter starts to get more and more work, he's a must-roster in all standard leagues.

WR Fantasy Football Sleepers

Kyle Williams, WR, New England Patriots

Williams joins a WR room severely lacking in talent. WR Stefon Diggs seems poised to take on the WR1 role, at least at first, due to his big paycheck. But Williams is explosive. Patriots starting quarterback Drake Maye is highly accurate downfield, and Williams has a knack for creating big separation and getting open deep.

Drake Maye delivered a 61% catchable ball rate on throws of 20+ air yards without pressure in 2024.

QB11 out of 41 qualifiers

(Source: @FantasyPtsData) https://t.co/QHMvqbFpj2 pic.twitter.com/psVyckZw7l

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) May 19, 2025

Each of the team's WRs last season had very little target competition to fight against, and none could distinguish themselves. Many fantasy managers are targeting DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte with late-round picks, but the data doesn't suggest that a breakout is imminent for either.

Kyle Williams SZN is officially HERE 🔥

➖Drafted 3.05 to NE✅
➖4.40 40-yard dash (92nd percentile)🚀
➖19.1 Breakout age (86th)👶
➖37.9 Dominator Rating (78th)⚔️

Could Williams lead all rookies in receiving yards this year? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/unZyekTROt

— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) May 4, 2025

Williams is easily the most explosive WR the Patriots have. He also has fantastic after-the-catch abilities, as evidenced by the play above, on a team that lacks a YAC weapon at receiver. It makes sense for him to be fed screen targets, on short slants where he excels, and deep passes.

He's a potential big-play machine for the Patriots and is free in standard leagues. The pathway to him getting significant usage on a team lacking in wideout talent is clear. And he has a good QB with a retooled offensive line. Why not take a shot on him?

Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Washington Commanders

Samuel is one of the few NFL WRs with major rushing upside. His pneumonia-ridden 2024 season can be thrown out because it's clear that he wasn't healthy after he came down with the illness, which is understandable. Samuel should be used heavily both as a receiver and rusher in Washington.

Deebo Samuel did not look slow on this jet sweep last night 💨 pic.twitter.com/sDDCJSUeTS

— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) August 19, 2025

Samuel is 29 years old and should still be in his prime. He has a history of elite production when healthy, and hopefully, Washington can manage his health better. It would be hard to manage it worse than his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, who consistently have some of the most injury-plagued depth charts in the league.

Samuel will be the No. 2 target for quarterback Jayden Daniels after his breakout rookie season, in a well-managed offense run by Kliff Kingsbury on a well-coached team led by Dan Quinn. There is major upside to be had here, and all for a seventh-round price. That's very tough to beat.

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