Cam Skattebo, Emeka Egbuka Among Best Fantasy Football Sleeper Rookies To Target

Michael Fabiano | Aug 28, 2025

Giants RB Cam Skattebo has sleeper potential in fantasy football leagues during his rookie season. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

There are two words in the fantasy football world that get managers very excited … rookies and sleepers. We love the prospect of a young player coming into the league and making a big impact, especially when the draft price is reasonable.

Case in point … Bucky Irving and Ladd McConkey didn’t cost fans much draft capital in last year’s fantasy leagues, but both went on to exceed expectation and become real assets in their quest for a championship. Players like these can be the difference between a good team and one that kicks asses and takes names each week.

With that in minds, here’s a look at 10 rookies who fall into the sleeper category. None of them are being picked in the top 80 based on FantasyPros ADP data, and all of them have the potential to earn prominent roles with their respective teams.

All Sleepers: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs

Best Fantasy Football Rookie Sleepers

Matthew Golden, WR, Packers (ADP – 92):  Golden is lightning fast, leading all NFL prospects with a 4.29 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. He has plenty of receivers to compete against in Green Bay, but the first-round rookie has seen some first-team snaps in training camp. He’s well worth a look in Rounds 8 or 9 of drafts.

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Buccaneers (ADP - 90): All the camp reports surrounding Egbuka have been glowing, and he has a path to targets. Veteran Chris Godwin (ankle) likely won’t be ready for the start of the season, and no one knows if he’ll be the same player after two surgeries. Jalen McMillan is expected to miss time with a neck injury. Mike Evans has shown no real signs of slowing down, but he is entering his age-32 season. If things go right, Egbuka could quickly have flex value.

Cam Skattebo, RB, Giants (ADP – 100): Skattebo has been getting rave reviews in Giants camp, and he’s very likely to see a role in what projects as a committee with Tyrone Tracy Jr. this season. Skattebo can run between the tackles, be used near the goal line and as a pass catcher, so his ceiling might actually be higher than Tracy Jr., who is getting drafted just over a round higher than the rookie at FantasyPros.  

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Commanders (ADP – 105): The Commanders are shaking up their backfield with Brian Robinson Jr. out of the mix. That decision happened, in part, because of the emergence of Croskey-Merritt. He's looked great in camp and in the preseason, and I've moved him into my top 40 among running backs. He's a big-time sleeper.

Jaydon Blue, RB, Cowboys (ADP – 136): The rookie out of Texas has been getting rave reviews lately, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer even compared him to Darren Sproles. That might be a pie-in-the-sky scenario, but Blue certainly has a chance to etch out a role with only Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to compete against in the backfield. Blue will have more sleeper appeal in PPR formats in his rookie year.

Jayden Higgins, WR, Texans (ADP - 145): Higgins landed in a great spot with the Texans, who should use him as a starter right out of the gate. He’ll benefit from playing alongside Nico Collins, who will draw defensive attention, and the rookie should also see more than his share of targets with Tank Dell out for the season. He’ll be a nice late-round pick as a WR4/WR5 with the potential to push for flex value.

Patriots WR Kyle Williams has a chance to be a starter in his rookie campaign, making him a potential fantasy sleeper. / Kris Craig/The Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kyle Williams, WR, Patriots (ADP - 188): I’m hesitant to list Williams as a sleeper, as the trend of wide receivers drafted by the Patriots is, well, not positive. However, he’s gained a lot of steam in camp and now projects to start on the outside opposite Stefon Diggs. There are a lot of opportunities in the New England passing game too, especially when you consider that Diggs is 31 years old and coming off a torn ACL.

Tory Horton, WR, Seahawks (ADP - 242): Horton has drawn rave reviews during training camp, so much so that I think he might have a shot to start sooner than later. While Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are dug in as starters, but veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling was released. Regardless, Horton is a name to remember late in drafts.

Mason Taylor, TE, Jets (ADP – 244): The son of first-ballot Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, Mason had three successful seasons at LSU. He’s the clear favorite to start for the Jets, who let Tyler Conklin walk as a free agent. The team doesn’t have what you would call a lot of depth in terms of pass catchers either, so it’s within the realm of possibility that he’s in the top three in targets as a rookie. I’d take him late in drafts.

Dont’e Thornton, WR, Raiders (ADP - 255): Thornton, not Jack Bech, has been the best rookie wide receiver in Raiders camp. In fact, it appears that he currently projects to start along with Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. Thornton is basically free in drafts with an ADP in the 250s, but managers in larger leagues should take notice.