🖥 CYBER WEEK - TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE CYBER
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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

John Johnson breaks down five IDP sleepers for 2025 fantasy football. Which five players should you target as sleepers for IDP fantasy football leagues in 2025?

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries.

Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms of ADP, try to determine what their ceilings and floors are, and see if they should be ranked higher than where they are now. That's not always easy to do, though.

That is why I write, though. I will forever be appreciative of RotoBaller's readers, and because I care about you guys, I pour a ton of effort into my research to give you the best analysis possible. Let's dive in.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Paulson Adebo, CB, New York Giants

Adebo fits firmly into the never-ending list of players who could have had monster seasons and showed signs of dominance, at least on the stat sheets, but had their seasons cut short due to bad injury luck.

Adebo was on an absolute tear in his first six games in 2024 with the Saints. He played in Week 7 as well but got injured that week. Even with that included in his stats, he was on a season-long pace to have finished tied for fifth in points per game with 14.8.

Adebo logged 52 tackles and three interceptions, with all of his picks coming in his first six contests. The weakness of the NFC South boosted his potential, and he can continue to thrive with the Giants, the team he signed with in free agency. He showed great strides in his game before his season was cut short, too.

Adebo is not only a bit of a ball hawk but a heat-seeking missile in the run game. He has the size, speed, and strength to play outside corner, though that's not where he was always used. And he's an excellent tackler, as you can see from the above clip.

He'd likely be ranked a lot higher if he hadn't just gotten hurt. Bad luck changes players' fortunes but not how good they are. He could end up as one of the best defensive back scorers in all of IDP in 2025.

 

Alex Singleton, LB, Denver Broncos

The injury blurb from the above section applies to Singleton as well, who played in just three games in 2024. Singleton will turn 32 in early December and is coming off a torn ACL, but he was on a blistering pace with the Broncos in his first three contests before his injury.

His injury and potential release from the team will, of course, make him fall very far in drafts, but it's likely he still has some juice left. And for such a low price, that's worth taking a shot on.

 

Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota Vikings

Despite ranking 11th in points per game for linebackers in leagues with standard IDP scoring settings, former Houston Texan and New York Jet Blake Cashman is ranked just 22nd among LBs in average draft position by DraftSharks for 2025. He had a fantastic year with Minnesota, amassing 111 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery.

Cashman had only logged 5.5 sacks in all his previous years combined. He only played in 15 games in his first three seasons, yet he only got three sacks in 2022 and two in 2023, so the improvement there is nice. And he's finished just his third season of playing more than seven games, logging 16, 14, and 14 contests in his last three years with the Texans and Vikings.

He has even more room to grow. If he can put together a full healthy season, he could end up with closer to eight sacks, flirt with double-digit quarterback takedowns in the backfield, come close to 150 tackles, and log other stats, like forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.

The Vikings defense is a solid unit, which gives Cashman a chance to thrive. He might be slept on right now.

 

Foyesade Oluokun, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Heading into the 2024 season, Oluokun was ranked as the No. 1 linebacker and No. 1 overall player for IDP fantasy football. But a lot can change in one season, and a series of mediocre performances, as well as injury issues, tanked his production. It's not entirely his fault.

Oluokun is the Jaguars' best linebacker, bar none. The injuries he suffered likely impacted his ability to perform, and while it's important to take injury-proneness into consideration, it's just as crucial to determine how the player would have performed if healthy. Oluokun was a tackling machine in his first two games and still had some very nice stretches.

Oluokun will turn 30 before the 2025 season starts, so he still has at least one good year left in him. And it's hard to imagine that he won't exceed his 2024 production in 2025. For players under 31-32 years old, an injury-ridden season is less likely to represent their new baseline of production when they had a much better, healthy season the year before.

He's in the middle of a full offseason of recovery due to the plantar fasciitis that landed him on injured reserve and likely bothered him for the entirety of the season. There's another angle to this as well. One problem with the Jaguars defense was that the secondary was so poor that teams could pass on them, essentially at will.

Being able to constantly hit open receivers down the field kept the ball further away from linebackers and concentrated more tackles among the defensive backs. The new defensive coordinator, Anthony Campanile, should be able to field a better unit than the disaster that took the field each week last year.

He was a linebacker and run game defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, which means Oluokun could be under better defensive tutelage moving forward. A pathway to clear top-5 production is there since he showcased that before as well.

 

Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

He doesn't meet the same criteria as the biggest "sleepers," but he's significantly underrated heading into 2025. This is just how it works with players who suffer injuries. Hutchinson broke his leg in Week 6 of 2024, and while his injury was gruesome to see in real time, it's unlikely to cause him continuing problems moving forward.

Simply snapping a bone cleanly isn't something that usually causes long-term issues for athletes. Even for non-athletes, the recovery process is straightforward, and most younger people make full recoveries. His injury was simply a freak accident, and it wouldn't have increased his risk of picking up any more ailments.

Many IDP leagues have scoring systems that are extremely favorable toward linebackers, but Hutchinson could have a truly legendary season in 2025. If your scoring settings are more balanced in favor of big plays, especially sacks and forced fumbles, Hutch could be a star and league-winning pick for you.

Through just five games last season, the Detroit phenom had already logged a ridiculous 7.5 sacks, 12 solo tackles, seven assist tackles, and one forced fumble. He was on pace to break the NFL record for sacks in a season, and though it was a small sample size, it showed how much Hutchinson had developed after his first two years in the league and part of his third.

His play from the closing games of the 2023 season and those he played in 2024 were that of a top-3 defensive end in the entire league. There's an argument to have him as the No. 1 player at his position for IDP leagues, though he's not there yet currently.

That makes him a good value in drafts for 2025.



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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jayden Reed

Activated off IR, Will Play in Week 14
Justin Herbert

Officially Listed as Questionable for Monday Night Football
Yves Missi

Trending Toward Game-Time Decision
Khris Middleton

Questionable With Knee Soreness Against Hawks
Noah Clowney

On Track To Suit Up Against Pelicans
De'Anthony Melton

Questionable With Knee Management
Draymond Green

Questionable With Mid-Foot Sprain
Jimmy Butler III

Day-To-Day As Warriors Prepare For Cleveland
Mikko Rantanen

Picks Up Three Points Against Sharks
Kyle Connor

Scores in Fourth Consecutive Game
Beckett Sennecke

Notches Two Points in Friday's Win
Ryan Leonard

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Friday
Carter Hart

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Brayden Point

Questionable for Saturday
Victor Hedman

Expected to Return Saturday
Byron Buxton

Twins Not Planning to Trade Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton
Patrick Williams

Dalen Terry Available Versus Pacers
Coby White

Returns With Minutes Restriction Friday
Ayo Dosunmu

Out Friday Against Pacers
Zach Collins

Available for Season Debut Friday
Robert Williams III

Donovan Clingan Out, Robert Williams III in for Portland Friday
Evan Mobley

Ready to Play Friday
Kristaps Porzingis

Coming Off the Bench Friday
Spencer Jones

Available Against Hawks
OG Anunoby

Returns to Knicks LIneup Friday
Tre Mann

Misses Third Consecutive Game
Ryan Kalkbrenner

Available Friday
LaMelo Ball

Upgraded to Available
Brandon Miller

Returns to Action Friday
Steven Adams

Alperen Sengun Out Friday, Steven Adams Starting
Ozzy Wiesblatt

to Miss 8-10 Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
Jalen Johnson

Returning To Atlanta's Lineup On Friday
Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Out With Illness Friday
Evander Kane

Doubtful for Friday
Conor Garland

Back From Two-Game Absence Friday
Thomas Harley

Could Be an Option Next Week
Mikael Granlund

Returning From 10-Game Absence Friday
John Carlson

Misses Second Consecutive Game Friday
Rome Odunze

has Fractured Foot, Labeled Week-to-Week
Sauce Gardner

Ruled Out for Sunday
Petr Yan

Looks To Reclaim Bantamweight Belt
Merab Dvalishvili

Set For His Fourth Title Defense
Joshua Van

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Aaron Jones Sr.

Cleared to Play in Week 14
Chris Olave

Listed as Questionable for Week 14
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fifth Title Defense At UFC 323
Tatsuro Taira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alvin Kamara

Ruled Out for Sunday
Brandon Moreno

Searches For His Third Win In A Row
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 14
Payton Talbott

A Favorite At UFC 323
Henry Cejudo

Set For His Retirement Fight
Drake London

Ruled Out vs Seattle
Jan Blachowicz

Set To Open Up UFC 323 Main Card
Lamar Jackson

Will Play on Sunday
Bogdan Guskov

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
CFB

Emmett Johnson Leaving Nebraska for 2026 NFL Draft
Dalton Kincaid

to be Questionable for Week 14
Tee Higgins

Clears Concussion Protocol, is a Full-Go for Sunday
CFB

Jam Miller Unlikely to Play in SEC Title Game
CFB

Penn State Expected to Hire Matt Campbell from Iowa State
Mike Evans

Not Quite Ready to Return This Week
Jayden Daniels

Will Start Against Vikings
Lamar Jackson

Returns to Practice, on Track to Play on Sunday
Kyler Murray

Won't Return This Year, Cardinals Non-Committal on his Future
Trey Benson

Out in Week 14; Could he Miss the Rest of the Season?
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Ruled Out for Sunday's Game
CeeDee Lamb

in the League's Concussion Protocol
Brian Branch

Out with Torn Achilles
Detroit Lions

Brian Branch Feared to Have Suffered an Achilles Injury
CFB

Arkansas Targeting Ron Roberts for Defensive Coordinator Job
Mathew Barzal

Leads Islanders Past Avalanche
Elias Lindholm

Posts Hat Trick of Assists Thursday
Leon Draisaitl

Notches Season-High Four Points in Thursday's Win
Connor McDavid

Nets 13th Career Hat Trick
Teuvo Teravainen

Expected to Be Fine After Thursday's Exit
Shane Pinto

Exits Loss With Injury
Joseph Woll

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Jhostynxon Garcia

Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox
Cody Bellinger

Yankees Pushing Hard to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger
CFB

Penn State Eyeing Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell For Coaching Vacancy
Alex Bregman

Cubs Have Renewed Interest in Alex Bregman
CFB

Billy Napier Finalizing Deal to Become James Madison's New Head Coach
CFB

Buster Faulkner Set to Become Florida's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Joe Sloan Expected to be Kentucky's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Lane Kiffin Working to Keep Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker at LSU
CFB

Brian Daboll a Candidate for Penn State Head-Coaching Job?
Kyle Tucker

Visits With Blue Jays
Emilio Pagán

Reds Bring Back Closer Emilio Pagan on Two-Year Deal
Cedric Mullins

Rays Agree on One-Year Deal
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Considering Trading Freddy Peralta
Kyle Schwarber

Reds Serious About Adding Kyle Schwarber in Free Agency?
CFB

Brent Key Signing Five-Year Deal to Remain at Georgia Tech
CFB

Brian Hartline Expected to Land USF Head-Coaching Job
CFB

Collin Klein Expected to be Top Target for Kansas State if Head-Coach Job Opens
CFB

Chris Klieman Considering Stepping Down at Kansas State
CFB

D.J. Durkin Staying at Auburn Under Alex Golesh
CFB

Charlie Weis Jr. Permitted to Coach Ole Miss Offense in College Football Playoff
CFB

Five-Star Quarterback Jared Curtis Flips Commitment From Georgia to Vanderbilt
CFB

Florida Hiring Brad White as Defensive Coordinator
Kyle Schwarber

Giants Have Checked in on Kyle Schwarber
Willson Contreras

Willing to Waive his Full No-Trade Clause?
Edwin Díaz

Mets Still Interested in Re-Signing Edwin Diaz
Devin Williams

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Mets
Cole Ragans

Red Sox Targeting Cole Ragans in a Trade?
CFB

Kentucky Hires Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein As Head Coach
CFB

Kalani Sitake the Top Target for Penn State Coaching Job
CFB

Josh Heupel Says He's Not a Candidate for Penn State Head Coach Job

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP