Biggest Sleepers at Every Position for Week 1 Fantasy Football 2025

Whether you're unhappy with your draft or want to strengthen a weak bench, savvy Week 1 sleeper pickups can give your lineup an early edge.

Projecting sleepers before the regular season starts is always tricky. Still, training camp reports and preseason usage often point to under-the-radar gems.

To kick off the 2025 fantasy football season, we have a sleeper stack, a couple of rookie running backs and a few players in position to take a third-year leap.

The eight sleeper selections below are all available in at least 50 percent of leagues based on FantasyPros' roster consensus percentages.

QB Trevor Lawrence vs. Carolina Panthers (44 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

DraftKings DFS Price: $5,300 

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired head coach Liam Coen, who raises the fantasy stock of their offensive players, especially Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence, a recent No. 1 overall pick, hasn't always met expectations but showed Pro Bowl-level form in 2022, throwing for over 4,000 yards in consecutive seasons (2022-23).

In 2024, Coen helped Baker Mayfield post career numbers in multiple passing categories. He can do the same with Lawrence, who will have Pro Bowl wideout Brian Thomas Jr., rookie sensation Travis Hunter and a high-level pass-catching running back in Travis Etienne Jr. 

Lawrence also draws an ideal opening-week matchup: The Carolina Panthers gave up the most passing touchdowns and ranked just 23rd in passing yards allowed last year.

In the offseason, Carolina only signed safety Tre'von Moehrig to strengthen its starting secondary. In 2024, he allowed a 92.5 passer rating and four touchdowns in an average year. Don't expect him to dramatically improve a porous pass defense.

This may be your last week to hop on Lawrence's sleeper train.

QB Tua Tagovailoa at Indianapolis Colts (29 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

DraftKings DFS Price: $5,800

When Tua Tagovailoa is healthy, he's a solid QB1 on fantasy rosters.

In 2023, he finished ninth in scoring among signal-callers, throwing for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 17 outings.

Check the Miami Dolphins' injury report; Tagovailoa isn't on it, and he's gone through a healthy offseason. He also said his relationship with wide receiver Tyreek Hill is "in a good spot."

Assuming Hill's oblique and calf injuries don't keep him out and De'Von Achane's calf injury is minor, Tagovailoa will have his most explosive pass-catchers on the field against the Indianapolis Colts. Wideout Jaylen Waddle is also healthy.

Tagovailoa should have success against Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who called plays for the Cincinnati Bengals' 25th-ranked scoring and total defense last season.

A healthy Tagovailoa with his playmakers against a questionable defensive play-caller could be a great spot for fantasy points.

RB Ollie Gordon II at Indianapolis Colts (44 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Doug Murray

DraftKings DFS Price: $4,200

De'Von Achane is expected to play against the Indianapolis Colts, but Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel may be careful with his workload and give rookie sixth-rounder Ollie Gordon II a decent number of touches.

Gordon looked impressive in the preseason with decisive cuts and broken tackles on long runs. At 6'2", 225 pounds, he's tough to bring down and could be a factor in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

McDaniel told reporters that second-year running back Jaylen Wright could be back "Septemberish" from leg surgery. In the meantime, Gordon can be the thunder to Achane's lightning in the run game.

In 2024, the Colts ranked 24th against the run, and they're going to roll out the same front line, except for defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, who signed with the Chicago Bears. Second-year pro Laiatu Latu will replace him.

RB Woody Marks at Los Angeles Rams (15 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

DraftKings DFS Price: $5,200 

Let's dig deep into the sleeper pool with a running back who's buried on the Houston Texans' unofficial depth chart as the fourth-stringer behind Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale. 

Woody Marks is a long shot, but he has a pathway to a three-down role in an unsettled backfield.

Houston placed Joe Mixon (ankle) on the non-football injury list, so he'll miss at least four games. Coming off ACL and MCL injuries in 2024, Chubb lost some of his explosiveness, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Pierce hasn't shown consistent flashes since his 2022 rookie campaign. 

The Texans may look for a spark on the ground or feature the short passing game with a revamped offensive line going against the Los Angeles Rams' talented defensive front.

In five collegiate terms, Marks averaged five yards per carry and caught 261 passes for 1,546 yards and five touchdowns. He's a natural pass-catcher and can make big plays in space. The rookie logged 16 carries for 63 yards and hauled in four passes for 20 yards in the preseason.

Don't be surprised if Marks gets some touches in the Texans' new-look offense.

WR Cedric Tillman vs. Cincinnati Bengals (35 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

DraftKings DFS Price: $4,400

The Cleveland Browns will eventually unravel, but they could be competitive in the first month or two of the season with Joe Flacco under center.

The 40-year-old is Cleveland's best option at quarterback. In his first tenure with the Browns, he averaged 323 passing yards through five games and helped lead the team to the playoffs.

Flacco may not throw with that type of volume this time around, but he's capable of pushing the ball downfield against the Cincinnati Bengals, whose pass defense has ranked 19th or worse for seven consecutive seasons. Cleveland can exploit Cincinnati's perpetual issues in pass coverage.

Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy will garner most of the Bengals' attention in coverage, which may open up the field for third-year pro Cedric Tillman, who racked up 26 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns in five contests between Weeks 7 and 12 last season.

Tillman is an ascending player who could be a WR3 or flex option for the upcoming season if the Browns have decent quarterback play.

WR Kayshon Boutte vs. Las Vegas Raiders (4 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn

DraftKings DFS Price: $3,800

While Stefon Diggs has drawn offseason attention, Kayshon Boutte may be the New England Patriots' hidden gem at wide receiver for the first few weeks of the season.

Diggs will suit up against the Las Vegas Raiders, but keep in mind he's coming off a torn ACL and hasn't played in a game since last October.

Boutte turned heads in training camp, with The Athletic's Jeff Howe calling his improvement "stunning."

In 2024, Boutte made strides, hauling in 43 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns. If he's strengthened his rapport with second-year quarterback Drake Maye, the third-year receiver could be a consistent threat in the passing game.

The Patriots' pass-catchers also get a favorable matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders' mostly inexperienced secondary.

Eric Stokes, who has 32 starts in four seasons, is the most battle-tested among the Raiders cornerbacks and may draw an assignment against Diggs. Boutte could line up against a number of defenders as head coach Pete Carroll rotates his options at the No. 2 cornerback position.

Boutte has upside and an intriguing season-long outlook.

TE Hunter Henry vs. Las Vegas Raiders (48 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

DraftKings DFS Price: $3,900 

While Boutte presents a boom-or-bust risk, Hunter Henry is a high-floor option at tight end.

The 30-year-old accumulated a team-leading 674 receiving yards last season and led the club in touchdown receptions for the 2021 and 2023 campaigns. 

Despite the addition of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins and Boutte's potential for a breakout year, Henry should remain a fixture in the Patriots' aerial attack. He's still a reliable safety blanket for a young quarterback.

Also, the Las Vegas Raiders have an all-new starting linebacker unit. Drake Maye will likely target the middle of the field with one of his top playmakers from the previous season. 

Henry isn't an exciting pickup, but he has TE1 upside this week and streaming appeal for managers in need of help at the position.

TE Brenton Strange vs. Carolina Panthers (24 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

DraftKings DFS Price: $3,300

If you missed out on the elite crop of tight ends, add Brenton Strange to complete your Week 1 quarterback-tight end stack.

As mentioned, with the justification for a Lawrence bounce-back year, head coach Liam Coen could have a major impact on the Jacksonville Jaguars offense that extends to the skill positions.

In Coen's offense, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton, a 2022 fourth-round pick who posted modest receiving numbers with the Washington Huskies, caught 59 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Otton benefited from injuries at receiver, but Strange isn't playing within a loaded pass-catching group.

Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. will see the most targets, though rookie first-rounder Travis Hunter may play on both sides of the ball, leaving opportunities for others to be the No. 2 option in the Jaguars' passing game.

Strange, a second-rounder from the 2023 draft, showed flashes in place of an injured Evan Engram last season, catching 40 passes for 411 yards and two touchdowns. Because of his established connection with Lawrence, he could see a high volume of targets this week and throughout the season.

NFL preseason statistics are provided by CBS Sports.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.