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Fantasy Football WR Sleepers 2025: Most undervalued wide receivers to target in drafts
Fantasy Football WR Sleepers 2025: Most undervalued wide receivers to target in drafts originally appeared on The Sporting News
With the pressure fantasy football managers face to select running backs early in drafts, it's important to have middle- and late-round wide receivers you feel confident about having in your lineups.
Ignoring the position entirely, especially in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, is just about impossible. However, outside of grabbing a stud wideout or two in the first few rounds, drafters should leave room to grab upside from the middle and lower tiers.
It's all about finding the players with a clear to volume. Here are some fantasy sleeper wideouts to keep in mind for your 2025 drafts.
Who are the best fantasy WR sleepers for 2025?
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (ADP 120.0, WR47)
With the hype Downs is receiving from the fantasy football community, his cost is still cheap. This is most likely due to the current quarterback room in Indianapolis, the battle between erratic duo Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.
It's still better than the 2024 picture under center. Even in that mess, during which Richardson lost his job, Downs was still able to produce. When Joe Flacco was the starter, Downs saw 80% of the snaps and 25.7% of the team's target share.
Downs is currently going in drafts as the WR48 even though last year he finished as the overall WR39 and was WR28 in fantasy points per contest.
The Colts WR room is a bit crowded, but this is nothing new from last season, and Downs has the ability to produce even in limited snaps:
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (ADP 104.7, WR45)
It has been a wild start to Pearsall's career. Many of the unfortunate things Pearsall has gone through off the field, including being a shooting victim, have prevented him from showing his true on-field talent.
With the departure of Deebo Samuel and the injury to Brandon Aiyuk, Pearsall is set to seize the available targets in this offense.
The only other real competition at WR is Jauan Jennings, who received 113 targets last season and is now dealing with his own week-to-week calf injury.
Samuel's departure frees up 81 targets for dispersion across the group of wideouts, and Pearsall's profile (6-foot-3, 189 pounds) puts him in line for red-zone targets in favorable jump-ball matchups within a short field. Even the fact that he'll compete for some of those with George Kittle shouldn't deter the fantasy world from pursuing him.
Everyone has a bad taste in their mouth from the Niners offense last season. This has caused their prominent fantasy weapons to fall in drafts. Pearsall is simply going too late for the potential volume he can receive in 2025.
🏈 2025 FANTASY SLEEPERS: |
Rookie sleeper WRs with huge opportunities
Kyle Williams, New England Patriots (ADP 166.3, WR63)
The dynamic rookie out of Washington State finds himself in a blossoming offense with a huge opportunity to stand out among an uncertain group of pass-catchers.
Williams was one of the best wideouts in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Patriots used an early third-round pick on him.
In his final season at WSU, Williams caught 70 balls for 1,198 yards with 14 touchdowns, the fourth-highest total in the country.
Williams's averaged 17.1 yards per reception, signaling his ability to serve as a deep threat in the pros. The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder ran a 4.40 40-yard dash and boasts the potential for those boom weeks that win matchups in WR3/flex spots, especially in half-PPR or standard formats.
Williams is everything you want in a fun sleeper pick at the end of your drafts.
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ADP 122.7, WR48)
In 2025, Egbuka feels like the smartest investment you can make in your drafts.
When Egbuka was initially drafted by Tampa Bay, fans were confused at where he would fit into this offense. At this moment, Egbuka is the second-best option at wide receiver for the Bucs.
If Tampa Bay felt good about Jalen McMillan, they wouldn't have drafted Egbuka. Then you get to Chris Godwin, who had the serious lower-leg injury in 2024 and likely will start the year on the PUP list.
Mike Evans is the clear WR1 on this team, but he's not had the best history with injuries and turns 32 years old before Week 1. Evans has suffered a hamstring strain in each of the last three seasons.
QB Baker Mayfield is already raving about the prospect out of Ohio State:
If Godwin takes more time to return and Evans deals with any sort of setback, Egbuka could line up as a league-winning selection.
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans (ADP 146.7, WR53)
There is a huge amount of confidence Jayden Higgins will work his way to the WR2 in this Houston Texans offense.
The 6-foot-4 wideout from Iowa State was drafted in the early second round and already has been impressing the Texans in training camp:
Higgins had a 2.2% drop rate and 55.6% contested catch rate at ISU, which predict he could become a trusted, dangerous weapon for C.J. Stroud.
Late-round WR dart throws
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions
Josh Palmer, Buffalo Bills
Pat Bryant, Denver Broncos
