2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Sleepers: Caleb Williams, Jayden Higgins, More

Discover four under-the-radar dynasty fantasy football sleepers—one at each skill position—who are primed to deliver big returns in 2025 and beyond.

Iowa State wideout Jayden Higgins (WO18) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Every fantasy football season, a new wave of sleepers emerge—players who sit just outside the spotlight but are primed to explode with the right opportunity. Whether you're chasing upside in dynasty formats or hunting for late-round steals, these four rising stars—Caleb Williams, Jordan Mason, Jayden Higgins, and Isaiah Likely—could be the difference-makers that swing your 2025 season and beyond.

QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

The 2024 season was a bridge year for the Chicago Bears—a transitional chapter marked by new faces, a revamped offensive blueprint, and the inevitable growing pains that come with foundational change. While fantasy managers entered the season with lofty expectations, instant chemistry was always going to be a tall order for a team still laying the groundwork.

Top overall pick Caleb Williams entered the league with sky-high hype but found himself outshined by the electric rookie campaigns of Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. Still, Williams quietly put together a solid debut season and currently sits as QB13 on FantasyPros. With a full offseason to develop timing with star wideouts DJ Moore and Rome Odunze—not to mention early-round additions Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III—Williams is now set up for a major second-year leap in what promises to be an upgraded passing attack.

Adding even more excitement to the mix is new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the mastermind behind Jared Goff’s late-career resurgence in Detroit. Under Johnson’s guidance, Goff finished as a top-seven fantasy quarterback in consecutive seasons. That track record bodes well for Williams, who—despite being sacked 68 times, the third-most in NFL history—still threw for 3,541 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for nearly 500 yards and tossing just six picks.

Relive every touchdown from Caleb Williams' debut season 🐻@CALEBcsw | @chicagobears pic.twitter.com/ozcmysg0G5

— NFL (@NFL) May 22, 2025

Now operating behind a reinforced offensive line and surrounded by one of the most dynamic skill-position groups in the league, Williams is poised for a breakout in 2025. His dual-threat versatility fits the mold of today’s elite fantasy quarterbacks, and if he acclimates quickly to Johnson’s system, he could emerge as one of the best value picks in this year’s drafts. I’ve got him ranked inside my top 10 quarterbacks heading into the season—and in dynasty formats, he’s a no-doubt cornerstone. The breakout is coming. I’m all in.

RB Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings made a splash this offseason by acquiring running back Jordan Mason and promptly locking him in with a two-year deal featuring over $7 million in guaranteed cash—a clear vote of confidence in his potential. Mason arrives from San Francisco, where he flourished in the 49ers’ outside zone scheme—an offensive philosophy that just so happens to mirror Minnesota’s approach. When Christian McCaffrey was sidelined early in 2024, Mason seized the spotlight, racking up an average of 107 rushing yards and 120 total yards per game over a five-week span, all while churning out a rock-solid 5.1 yards per carry.

Now 26, Mason slots in as the clear No. 2 behind veteran Aaron Jones, who—despite his savvy and skill—has endured a punishing workload and will hit 31 by year’s end. With Jones showing signs of mileage, Mason stands poised not only for a meaningful role this season but also as a legitimate candidate to take over the backfield reins in the near future.

In an offense that lit up the scoreboard with Sam Darnold at the controls in 2024—and with weapons like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison stretching defenses—Mason could feast on red-zone chances. If rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy continues to develop, the Vikings’ ground game could become a fantasy goldmine, with Mason emerging as both a weekly contributor and a long-term backfield anchor.

WR Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans

After loading up on receivers in the draft, Houston’s passing game suddenly boasts serious depth—five wideouts deep and brimming with potential. But with that surge in talent comes a bit of uncertainty behind WR1 Nico Collins, especially when it comes to target distribution and snap counts. Last season, the Texans’ receiving unit struggled to stay healthy and underperformed overall, totaling just 214 receptions for 2,616 yards and 16 touchdowns on 325 targets—leaving a lot of meat on the bone.

Enter Jayden Higgins, a big-bodied breakout candidate with a winding path to NFL relevance. He started his college career quietly at Eastern Kentucky, but a transfer to Iowa State turned heads. Higgins first flashed as a deep threat, averaging a scorching 18.5 yards per catch, then evolved into a go-to alpha with 87 receptions, 1,183 yards, and nine touchdowns as a senior. He showcased versatility, production, and the ability to win against legitimate competition.

Nico Collins on Jayden Higgins:

“That boy nice” 👀 pic.twitter.com/pUJKw1veHn

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) May 28, 2025

Standing 6’4” and weighing 215 pounds, Higgins brings a tantalizing mix of size, strength, and straight-line speed. His 4.47-second 40-yard dash at the Combine confirmed his ability to take the top off a defense. He still needs some polish—especially in route redirection and separating against sticky coverage—but he’s a confident hands-catcher who thrives in contested situations and can bully defenders on back-shoulder fades or across the middle.

With Tank Dell’s status for early 2025 still cloudy due to a lingering knee injury, Higgins could find himself in the mix right away as a slot option or WR3. That opens the door for sneaky rookie-year fantasy value and a real shot to climb the Texans' depth chart. 

TE Isaiah Likley, Baltimore Ravens

Isaiah Likely is quietly shaping up to be one of the best dynasty sleeper tight ends heading into 2025 and beyond. Fresh off career highs in receptions (42), receiving yards (477), and touchdowns (6), the arrow is clearly pointing up. While the Ravens haven’t fully returned to their 2022 form—when their tight ends commanded a whopping 204 targets—there are growing signs that Likely is carving out a larger slice of the pie in Baltimore’s offense.

It’s becoming increasingly evident that a changing of the guard may be underway. Mark Andrews, once a target hog, saw his role shift in 2024. Though he remained a red-zone menace—leading all tight ends in touchdowns—he wasn’t the consistent focal point we’ve come to expect. Meanwhile, Likely’s involvement has steadily grown, and with both players entering the final year of their contracts, the future is murky. Baltimore has yet to show a strong commitment to extending Andrews, opening the door for Likely to either take over TE1 duties or potentially find a more pass-heavy home in free agency come 2026.

Likely is an ideal stash in dynasty formats, offering both handcuff value and future upside. Currently ranked as the TE19 in late May ADP, he’s an absolute steal at cost. Should Andrews miss time, Likely instantly becomes a plug-and-play TE1 with legit breakout potential. Even in a split role, it’s realistic to project a line of 55 catches, 650 yards, and six touchdowns in 2025—with room for much more if circumstances tilt his way.

If you're holding a late second-round rookie pick or looking to acquire a high-upside asset on the cheap, Likely is exactly the kind of player who can pay off in a big way. He’s athletic, versatile, and inching closer to fantasy relevance with every snap. The time to buy is now.