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

2025 NFL Draft Late-Round Fantasy Football Sleepers

Ollie Gordon II - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Justin Carter looks at six late-round fantasy football sleepers in the 2025 NFL Draft. These are players who are likely Day 3 picks with fantasy football upside.

Day 1 of the NFL Draft gets all the headlines. Day 2 players are usually expected to step in as starters. But Day 3? That's for building depth and finding gems.

Prospects drafted on the third day of the draft are usually flawed in some way, but it doesn't mean they can't find a way to be high-end NFL players. For example, last year saw a few really good players go late, like running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round.

Below are six potential fantasy football sleepers who are currently expected to be picked in Round 4 or later in the 2025 NFL Draft.

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

 

Damien Martinez - RB - Miami

It seems like the secret might be getting out on Damien Martinez. Search his name over on X, and you're almost certainly going to be met with an endless number of draft analysts talking about him as a sleeper pick.

There's a good reason for that, though: Damien Martinez is really good.

That's an oversimplification, but Martinez has a lot of high-quality traits. He's got the size to barrel through defenders, and he combines that with surprising speed, running a 4.51 40-yard dash. He doesn't have elite speed in a vacuum, but a running back with his size and profile isn't usually as fast as Martinez.

If you're looking for a running back who can pound the ball up the middle of the field and break tackles, Martinez is your guy. He can be a liability if he has to move east-west, but he can be a great short-yardage back at the next level.

 

Jaydon Blue - RB - Texas

Looking for the next great pass-catching back? It might be Texas running back Jaydon Blue.

Blue is unlikely to have the build needed to hold up to the regular pounding that NFL running backs take, so don't expect him to be a three-down runner in the pro game. However, he's got breakaway speed and can make impressive things happen in space.

His future value is going to depend a lot on his landing spot. For example, it'd be great to see him land with OC Josh McDaniels in New England, where he could be shaped into this generation's James White.

It would be far less interesting if he ends up with an offense that isn't willing to be creative with him. If a team can scheme up ways to get Blue the ball in the passing game, he'll have some impressive moments in the NFL.

 

Ollie Gordon II - RB - Oklahoma State

There was a time when Ollie Gordon II looked like a future star. That time? Like, I don't know, August? All offseason last year, Gordon seemed set to have an elite 2024 season, but then college football arrived, and his production cratered.

Gordon rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2023, but that dropped to 880 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. With defenses keying in on him, Gordon was unable to shake loose as often.

The Oklahoma State product wins when he can get some steam behind him and explodes in the north-south run game, especially if the offensive line opens a solid hole for him.

But as we saw in 2024, when defenses stacked the box to stop him, his production dipped. Can Gordon figure out how to run against NFL-caliber front sevens? It's a big question, but it's hard to discount the potential upside here. He's a powerful runner who can force missed tackles and move the chains.

 

Tory Horton - WR - Colorado State

If Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton had stayed healthy in 2024, he'd be a Day 2 pick. This is a guy who led the Mountain West in receiving yards in 2022 and then in receptions in 2023. However, a knee injury ended his 2024 season after just six games.

When healthy, Horton has the speed to be a major threat in the vertical passing game. He's capable of busting off a big play at any moment.

One problem is that he lacks some of the strength you want to see from an NFL receiver. He's going to have to show he can beat physical corners, especially if they press him at the line. Right now, that's a major question.

But if Horton can develop adequate playing strength and can get to his spots, he can be a useful outside receiver, someone who would be great as the third option in a passing game. He'll probably be a boom-or-bust guy most of the time, kind of like a Rashid Shaheed-type player, but the booms can make him a valuable fantasy asset.

 

Ricky White III - WR - UNLV

This draft gets maligned sometimes for not having the deepest wide receiver class, but there are some Group of 5 players with plenty of upside in it. There's Tory Horton, who I mentioned above, and then there's UNLV's Ricky White III, who has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Rebels.

White saw his stock drop at the combine after running a 4.61 40-yard dash there. For a player whose game is based on speed, a time that slow was extremely concerning, but we shouldn't read into that too much.

One reason is that he bounced back at UNLV's pro day, running a 4.44 there. The other reason is simply that one timed run doesn't suddenly negate all the tape we've seen from a guy.

Watch White play football, and you'll see a guy with the potential to be an elite vertical threat at the next level. He can play inside or outside and will be effective if he can find open space on the field.

Like with Horton, there are concerns about White going up against more physical corners, and he needs to clean up the more technical aspects of his game, but he can destroy teams that run zone coverage.

 

Luke Lachey - TE - Iowa

Is Luke Lachey on this list solely because Iowa tight ends have a history of being productive in the NFL? Well ... I wouldn't say "solely," but coming from the top collegiate tight-end factory doesn't hurt.

Lachey wasn't particularly productive with the Hawkeyes. His best season was in 2022, when he caught 28 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns. He had a shot to improve on that in 2023, but an ankle injury ended his season early. In three games, he caught 10 passes for 131 yards.

In 2024, Lachey was unable to bounce back effectively, catching 28 passes for 231 yards. Still, he finished second on the team in receptions and receiving yards -- it was just that Iowa's passing attack had no real room for any player to stand out. The team finished 2024 with the fifth-fewest passing yards per game.

Lachey appears to have good hands and showcased his blocking chops at Iowa. It's going to take a year or two for him to develop as a pass-catcher, but he can be a solid NFL tight end. Probably never a top-10 or even top-15 guy, but there's still potential value if he can land in the right spot.



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
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Tyler Reddick

Has a Lot of Work To Do To Be Competitive in Mexico
AJ Allmendinger

Struggling to Find Speed in Mexico City
Chris Buescher

Says Car is "Bad Fast" Heading into Mexico City Race
Michael McDowell

Confident Heading into Viva Mexico 250
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title