Daniel Jones, Cooper Kupp, And 3 More Deep Sleepers In Fantasy Football Drafts
In this story:
The 2025 NFL season is set to kick off next week and fantasy GMs are gearing up for the start of the regular season. Some of the league’s best players are set to ignite the new year with a strong start.
For role players throughout the league, they will be looking to carve out consistent roles on their respective side of the ball to make an impact for their team.
These role players can develop into key contributors, or even starting-caliber players, who are labeled ‘sleepers’ in the world of fantasy football. Sleepers are players drafted in the late rounds of the fantasy draft who outperform their Average Draft Position (ADP).
Here are five of the top sleepers for the upcoming fantasy season beyond pick 100, according to FantasyPros.
Top Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers (100 ADP+)
Cooper Kupp, WR - Seahawks (ADP - 114.1)
After battling injuries for three consecutive seasons, veteran wideout Cooper Kupp is set to enter his first season with the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle signed Kupp to a three-year deal worth $45 million, filling the void left by DK Metcalf.
Kupp appeared in 12 games for the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, racking up 67 catches for 710 yards and six touchdowns. Looking to 2025, Kupp is set to join a talented Seahawks offense headlined by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sam Darnold and Kenneth Walker III.
In a solid offensive group, Kupp projects as a high-end WR2 in Points Per Reception (PPR) leagues with consistent production if he can remain healthy.
Matthew Golden, WR - Packers (ADP - 114.3)
The Green Bay Packers broke a 23-year streak with the selection of Matthew Golden in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Golden was the first Packers wideout to be selected in the first round since Javon Walker in the 2002 draft.
Entering his first season, Golden is slated to be one of the most dangerous deep threats in the NFL in Green Bay’s passing attack. The Texas native clocked the second-fastest 40-yard dash time at the 2025 NFL Combine at 4.29.
Jordan Love’s massive arm and Green Bay’s creative passing scheme helps Golden project as a week-to-week starter at FLEX, given his big-play upside and immediate role in Green Bay’s receiver corps.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB - Commanders (114.5)
The Washington Commanders were the surprise of the NFL in 2024, making it to the NFC Championship Game with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center. Entering the 2025 season, another rookie has burst onto the scene in Washington’s offense.
The Commanders selected Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of the 2025 draft. During Washington’s offseason program and the NFL’s preseason, Croskey-Merritt made the most of his looks, working his way up the depth chart, leading to the trade of Brian Robinson Jr.
The rookie back is slated to see the majority of the touches in the Commanders offense alongside Daniels, where he offers upside in both passing and rushing situations. With a retooled offensive line, Croskey-Merritt could be a league-winner down the board for GMs.
Ray Davis, RB - Bills (ADP - 129.5)
After being selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft, Ray Davis flashed in his rookie season for the Buffalo Bills. He finished his first NFL season with 631 yards from scrimmage on 130 total touches, racking up six touchdowns.
Entering his second season, Davis is expected to see a significantly larger workload after an impressive rookie campaign.
Though feature back James Cook sees a larger number of looks near the red zone, Davis offers greater upside as a pass-catcher out of the backfield with big-play potential from anywhere on the field. In a Bills offense that’s low on high-end depth at receiver, Davis could break out as one of fantasy’s best FLEX options down the stretch of the season.
Daniel Jones, QB - Colts (ADP - 245.0)
A new change of scenery can change the trajectory of a quarterback’s career. As seen over recent years, quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith have turned their respective careers around, transitioning into franchise quarterbacks after struggling to start their careers.
This case could be the same for the 2019 No. 6 overall pick, Daniel Jones. Jones is set to enter his first season with the Indianapolis Colts after inking a one-year deal worth $14 million in free agency.
The Colts have no shortage of weapons for Jones with strong pieces in Michael Pittman Jr., Adonai Mitchell, Josh Downs and Alec Pierce, with franchise back Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. Pair that with a healthy offensive line and a quarterback-friendly head coach in Shane Steichen, and you could have the best season of Jones’ career to this point.
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.