5 Deep Sleepers to Target in Fantasy Drafts After NFL Preseason Week 1

The first week of the 2025 NFL preseason brought with it a number of intriguing fantasy football revelations.

While there weren't many entrenched starters playing significant snaps, there were still plenty of potential fantasy assets on the field over the past week. Some players even vastly improved their draft stock, going from the fringes of even being selected in standard leagues to being firmly on the fantasy radar.

Although there are still two more exhibition contests and plenty of time for things to shift before the campaign officially kicks off on September 4, it's worth keeping tabs on several standouts from Week 1 of the preseason and potentially even snapping some up if you are in a league that has either already drafted or will be imminently.

With that in mind, here are five deep sleepers to target following their breakout preseason showings.

QB Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

The Cleveland Browns may have found themselves a franchise quarterback in Shedeur Sanders.

During his team's 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers, the Colorado product put the league on notice when he appeared far more poised than an average Day 3 draft pick making their preseason debut.

Although Sanders' stat line of 14 completions on 23 attempts for 138 yards and two touchdowns doesn't exactly indicate he's on his way to becoming an NFL legend, it was a quality exhibition outing that should help the rookie in his quest to open 2025 as Joe Flacco's primary backup.

While Sanders was far from perfect—he was nearly intercepted after hanging onto the ball too long on one play and was fortunate to avoid several sacks—his play appeared closer to the first-round pick he was projected to be than the fifth-rounder he eventually became.

The 23-year-old opened training camp as Cleveland's QB4 behind Flacco, Kenny Pickett and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel but now has the inside track to securing the QB2 job.

Although he's also benefitted from both Gabriel and Pickett nursing hamstring injuries—the latter's could keep him out for several more weeks—Sanders now has an impressive preseason performance under his belt and could cinch up the gig with two more similar showings.

While only those in the deepest leagues and multi-quarterback formats should consider drafting Sanders at this juncture, he's begun working his way up both the depth chart and fantasy rankings. It won't be long before he usurps Flacco as the starter in Cleveland and could become a serviceable fantasy asset once the team makes the change.

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders

Jacory Croskey-Merritt could be this season's biggest fantasy sleeper. Although he was the last running back taken in the 2025 draft when the Washington Commanders tapped him at No. 245 overall, he has real potential to surge up the depth chart and become this potent offense's No. 1 RB.

Croskey-Merritt, who prefers to be called Bill, began turning heads with his impressive efforts in training camp. While his performance in the preseason opener wasn't outstanding, he did pick up 24 yards on seven carries and added another eight yards on his lone reception during the 48-18 defeat to the New England Patriots.

That pedestrian showing shouldn't stop Croskey-Merritt from beating out both Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez for the No. 3 RB role, one that will eventually put him within striking distance of usurping both starter Brian Robinson and backup Austin Ekeler.

It’s not surprising Croskey-Merritt looked a bit rusty in Week 1 of the preseason given he hasn’t participated in a meaningful football contest since last August. That was when he made his lone appearance for Arizona, racking up 106 yards and a score on just 13 carries. Shortly after the game, he was ruled ineligible for the remainder of the season.

Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury had high praise for the 24-year-old last week when discussing the unique journey he took to the NFL:

"Bill, for a young guy who loves football, competes, very explosive. He got ruled ineligible at Arizona and stayed and played scout team the whole year, which is like nobody would do that, so that tells you right there the type of passion he has for football, and it shows up."

With both Robinson and Ekeler playing out the final year of their respective contracts, Washington's brass should have a vested interest in replacing one or both veterans with a younger, cheaper option as soon as possible.

JCM fits the bill as a homegrown player with immense upside, top-notch athleticism and elite advanced metrics, attributes that could help him overtake a pair of relatively underwhelming players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Clear a spot for Jacory Croskey-Merritt on your roster and hang onto him like a lottery ticket. It may take a little time for it to cash, but you won't find a better risk-reward option in the waning rounds of 2025 fantasy drafts.

RB Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens

Keaton Mitchell was a deep sleeper going into his 2023 rookie season before injuries limited his ability to break out for the Baltimore Ravens in Year 1.

He wasn’t able to move the needle in 2024, either, thanks to more injuries and the arrival of Derrick Henry, who dominated the team's backfield and left little meat on the bone for the rest of Baltimore's platoon.

Despite the sluggish start to his career, Mitchell could still arrive as a fantasy weapon in 2025.

Finally ready to start a campaign healthy, the third-year back showed his playmaking chops during the Ravens' 24-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts last week.

Mitchell thrived in the contest, leading all Baltimore rushers with 68 yards and a touchdown despite seeing just nine totes—half the number D'Ernest Johnson saw and tying him with Rasheen Ali.

The performance drew praise from Henry, who called Mitchell "the star of camp" and said his teammates expected that type of performance based on his efforts in practice.

While Mitchell was clearly the best of Baltimore's backs who participated in the preseason opener, he will still need to usurp longtime RB2 Justice Hill to get a role backing up Henry and anywhere close to the fantasy radar this season.

If Mitchell continues to shine throughout the remainder of training camp and outplays Hill, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the speedy back open 2025 as Henry's primary backup and a change-of-pace option.

No. 2 duties in Baltimore's Henry-focused rushing attack may not warrant much fantasy relevance outside of deeper leagues, but Mitchell could become a fantasy superstar if the starter is sidelined at any point.  

Don't be afraid to bet on upside and roll the dice on Mitchell in the waning rounds of fantasy drafts due to his handcuff status.

RB Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

The Philadelphia Eagles running back discussion started and ended with Saquon Barkley last year, but there's a chance Will Shipley could see more action in 2025.

Shipley had a quiet rookie season, seeing just six percent of Philadelphia's offensive snaps and rushing for a meager 82 yards on his 30 carries last year.

While he was active for 16 contests and even started one, the Clemson product primarily played special teams in 2024—something that could change this year as the defending champions seek to lessen the load their superstar back is taking on.

In Week 1 of the preseason, Shipley gave a small glimpse of the type of contributions he's capable of when called upon. The second-year back racked up 48 yards on seven totes and tacked on a four-yard reception during his side's 34-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. His biggest highlight came on the opening drive, when he ripped off an impressive 38-yard gain.

Although A.J. Dillon is also in the running for backup duties behind Barkley, Shipley outperformed his counterpart and saw the bulk of snaps during the opening two series of the contest.

Barkley praised Shipley early on in training camp, describing him as a "really good back" who pushes him to compete harder in practice. The superstar even admitted the 22-year-old is the "smartest back in the room," a trait that could help Shipley see far more playing time this year.

It's hard to envision Shipley not thriving behind a ferocious Eagles O-line that rates as one of the NFL's very best. The unit helped Barkley rack up 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns on 345 carries, a hefty number that Philadelphia's coaching staff may want to see come down in order to preserve his health for a title defense.

While Shipley still has to officially earn the RB2 job, he has the inside track following the preseason opener and should be considered a solid late-round addition due to rare combination of handcuff and potential standalone value.

WR Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

The Detroit Lions and Isaac TeSlaa are a dream pairing. The 6'4", 214-pound rookie has the potential to thrive in this high-flying offense and provided a glimpse of his ceiling during the team's second contest of the 2025 preseason.

The 23-year-old showed off his speed and athleticism in a 17-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, most notably in the second quarter when he created separation from the defense and hauled in a high-point pass to put Detroit's first points on the board.

While the first-year playmaker only finished the contest with a relatively meager 18 yards on two catches, he proved his skill set will translate to the professional level.

TeSlaa's latest showing built on the two-catch, 46-yard debut outing he had in the Hall of Fame game the prior week. He's now averaging 16 yards per reception in the preseason and appears to be trending towards a small but meaningful big-play role once the campaign gets underway next month.

Although he'll open his career well behind established talents such as Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta in the pecking order, his upside within this offense is undeniable. Detroit's depth beyond its big three pass-catchers is shaky too, especially with Tim Patrick—a 31-year-old who missed two consecutive seasons between 2022-23—set to play a key role.

TeSlaa still may be on the fringes of standard fantasy league rosters going into the season, but he will quickly become one of the hottest waiver-wire additions should any of Detroit's veteran receivers get sidelined.