It may be March, but there are plenty of drafts going on. Whether it’s managed leagues getting an early start or the growing market for best-ball leagues, fantasy managers are getting into the draft room already.
With that early start to draft season, there’s more room than ever to jump on the great value picks that can be found later in drafts. Drafters haven’t been able to digest the potentially significant changes that we’re seeing in the NFL that will shape who produces for fantasy in 2025.
This article brings you the top sleepers at tight end and wide receiver right now. For this article, I’m using Underdog ADP. “Late Round” is defined as after round 10. Underdog’s standard format includes eight starters, so round 11 and on, you’re already well into your bench.
Also, check out the running back and quarterback sleepers that were identified for 2025 fantasy drafts.
Tight End Sleepers
Evan Engram
(TE13 ADP 130.2)
At this range in the draft, you’re often searching for a player that could have a path to a TE5-TE8 finish at a value. Usually, you’re not expecting the top 3 productions to be in the position in the later rounds. Evan Engram could be an exception to that. Engram has already shown the ceiling he has in 2023 with a TE2 finish.
So, what led to that TE2 finish for Engram? Christian Kirk and Engram often both operated in the middle of the field. Kirk, a solid possession slot receiver, went down with an injury, and Engram went on to dominate targets for the Jacksonville offense.
Now Engram is in Denver, with no real competition for those middle-of-the-field targets. Courtland Sutton is a good receiver on the outside but will be more of a complement to Engram, helping keep defenses honest over the top. Bo Nix is, at worst, a lateral move at quarterback compared to what we saw from Trevor Lawrence since entering the league. Sean Payton is certainly a more effective offensive mind than any of the rotating placeholders coaching in Jacksonville in the past few years.
If the Broncos don’t make a round 1 pass catcher addition, Engram steps into the number two role for an ascending offense, with an ascending quarterback and a Hall of Fame offensive-minded head coach.
Jake Ferguson
(TE17 ADP 146)
The argument for Jake Ferguson is simple – Cooper Rush isn’t his quarterback anymore. When Dak Prescott was healthy last season, Ferguson averaged TE15 numbers. Now, that is already above his ADP of TE17, but the real potential comes when you look at the potential for positive touchdown regression.
Ferguson didn’t have a single touchdown in his seven games played with Prescott last year. If he managed 2 touchdowns over those seven games, which would put him on a pace below five touchdowns (the number he had in 2023), then he would have averaged TE8 numbers on the season.
In the ADP range that Ferguson is going, getting a top 8 tight end is an absolute steal that can change your roster. Tight ends that have the potential to be the number two target in an offense, especially one that doesn’t project to be among the worst offenses in the league, are exactly what you should aim for.
Harold Fannin Jr
(TE28 ADP 207)
In leagues where you’re setting your weekly lineups, Harold Fannin Jr isn’t really on the radar. In best ball, though, he’s a great late option. A good landing spot in the NFL Draft could shoot him well upboards. I outlined his historic season in my NFC South Overview, where I projected he could replace another high-profile pass-catching tight end.
Fannin isn’t much of a traditional in-line TE, but if a team that could use a weapon in the middle of the field gives Fannin a chance, he could become a steady third option in an offense, giving you multiple top 10 TE weeks throughout the season.
Blocking doesn’t get you fantasy points, and if a team makes an investment in Fannin, it’ll be to let him run routes and be a mismatch out of the slot.
Wide Receiver Sleepers
Tre Harris
(WR61 ADP 130.5)
I’ve outlined why I think Tre Harris is an extremely underrated prospect in my NFC East Overview where I projected Harris could be paired up with Jayden Daniels. One of the reasons scouts seem to keep Harris out of 1st round consideration is his age. Scouts love young prospects who can continue to develop well into their NFL career. Harris’ age may depress his draft stock, but it means that he won’t take multiple years of NFL development to get involved in an offense.
He’s shown the traits in college needed to be a productive NFL receiver from day 1. If the landing spot is right, and there are plenty of potential spots where he’d have an instant impact, then getting him at this range in the draft is an absolute steal.
Cedric Tillman
(WR66 ADP 154)
Cedric Tillman’s four-game stretch after Amari Cooper was traded was sensational. He averaged six receptions on 10 targets for 75.5 yards and 15.6 hppr ppg. Over the season, that would have ranked him as the WR4, just behind Justin Jefferson.
I’m not saying that we can extrapolate that over a full season, but it’s certainly enough of a sign for a 2nd year WR in order to take a bet on him making the jump to being a fantasy WR3 next season with upside. Meanwhile, you’re paying the cost of a WR5.
Jameis Winston was his quarterback during that time. While Winston is fun to cheer for, he’s hardly entrenched as a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Whether the Browns end up with Cam Ward/Shadeur Sanders or bring in a veteran to hold down the job, the quarterback situation has a chance to improve, with little potential for getting much worse.
There’s also limited competition for Tillman on the roster. Jerry Jeudy’s breakout only came once Tillman went down with an injury. When both were healthy following Cooper’s trade to Buffalo, Tillman was the clear top option in the offense.
Darius Slayton
(WR91 ADP 218.5)
The Giants passing offense was a disaster in 2024. Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, and Drew Lock were far from capable NFL starters. It's not that those quarterbacks were in a good situation with star left tackle Andrew Thomas going down early for the season.
Don’t get me wrong, the Giants aren’t Super Bowl favorites in 2025; they’re not even likely to make the playoffs, but the offense should see a better output than they saw in 2024. With an improved offensive unit, Darius Slayton could fit right back into being the number two outside option opposite Malik Nabers. The gravity Nabers requires could open up additional opportunities for Slayton.
I’m not saying Slayton is going to be a weekly starter in managed leagues, but in best ball leagues, he’s going to get a lot more opportunities than almost anyone going in his range of drafts.