The NFL preseason is about to come to a complete close, which means many of you are preparing for your annual fantasy football drafts (if you haven't done it already). There are always going to be the usual suspects when it comes to fantasy football, but it's the sleeper selections you can make later in your drafts that will end up being the difference of having a good team or a championship-caliber team.
Who are the top sleepers you should be targeting in your drafts this year?
We're going to take a look at one player for the running back position, one at wide receiver, and another at the tight end position who could end up being league-winning picks.
Fantasy Football Sleepers you should consider drafting in 2025
1. Ricky Pearsall, WR, 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have traded away Deebo Samuel. They're going to have Brandon Aiyuk on the PUP list to start the 2025 season. Jauan Jennings has been dealing with injuries as well. It's not just process by elimination, but that's certainly a factor in Ricky Pearsall's favor for the San Francisco target share.
Pearsall is currently the 92nd-ranked player by ADP (average draft position) across major fantasy platforms, which means in most leagues, you are taking him after the majority of your starting lineup has been filled out. And that's what makes him such a fun sleeper pick. Pearsall has been fantastic for the 49ers this offseason and has been stacking days, establishing his role for that team in 2025.
If you want to buy low on a receiver this offseason, Pearsall might be the right one.
2. JK Dobbins, RB, Broncos
It might be a stretch to think JK Dobbins could be a "league-winner" for your team this year, especially with RJ Harvey in Denver and expected to play a large role, but Dobbins is extremely underrate right now.
Dobbins' average ranking among running backs this offseason is between 32-41, which means you can likely steal him late in your redraft leagues without anyone batting much of an eye about it.
Dobbins is coming off of a career year with the Chargers last year in which he racked up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 13 games played. He also added nine touchdowns. The Broncos will want to get a number of backs involved, but don't be shocked if Dobbins produces well weekly for them, getting involved as both a runner and receiver.
3. Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots
Last I checked, nobody was taking Hunter Henry's snaps in New England. The Patriots don't have much clarity at the wide receiver position. Henry caught 66 passes last season.
Am I missing something?
What's the reason why Henry, whose QB is widely expected to be one of the top breakout players in the league, has an average draft position of 152? He's the 19th-ranked tight end by the consensus. Unless you're getting a high-volume player at the tight end position like Brock Bowers or Trey McBride, it's not a bad idea to just wait everyone out and get a steal like Henry.