Thankfully, gamers don’t need to construct an entire fantasy football roster from undrafted players in typical re-draft leagues. Still, the following is a thought exercise to highlight intriguing players who are typically undrafted, even in larger formats. The following highlighted players have an average draft position (ADP) of 200 or later in half-point per reception (half PPR) fantasy football formats. Here are some of our favorite deep fantasy football sleepers of 2025.
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Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers
Darius Slayton (WR – NYG): 209.5 ADP/WR79
The Giants revamped their quarterback room in the offseason, signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and trading back into the first round of this year’s NFL Draft to pick Jaxson Dart. All are upgrades over New York’s quarterbacks last season.
The Giants also prioritized re-signing Darius Slayton to a meaningful extension. According to Over the Cap, Slayton’s new contract is a three-year deal worth $36 million, with $22 million in guarantees. Malik Nabers was a target hog in the G-Men’s 2024 offense, and he will be their top weapon this year.
Still, per the data suite at Fantasy Points, Slayton had a 74.2% route participation rate, 0.15 targets per route run, a 26.3% air yards share and a 13.6-yard average depth of target (aDOT). Wilson and Winston can sling it deep despite their other faults. Slayton’s low target volume isn’t ideal for consistency, but his deep usage and improved play at quarterback should allow him to pop up for usable fantasy weeks.
Jalen Coker (WR – CAR): 214.0 ADP/WR81
The Panthers found a diamond in the rough last year in undrafted rookie free agent Jalen Coker. While PFF grades aren’t the be-all and end-all, they often pass the sniff test at many positions, including at wide receiver. The following table has PFF’s highest receiving grades for rookie wideouts with at least 40 targets (including the playoffs) through Coker’s grade.
From 2020 through 2024, 65 rookie wideouts had at least 40 targets (including the playoffs), and Coker’s receiving grade was tied for the 27th best. Not everyone on the table above has established themselves as fantasy football assets, but most of those wide receivers have.
Coker did more than impress PFF’s charters, too. He was healthy for five games after Bryce Young was re-inserted as Carolina’s starting quarterback in Week 8 and had the following stats.
- 78.9% route participation
- 25.3% air yards share
- 11.7-yard aDOT
- 17.5% target share
- 0.19 targets per route run
- 22.7% first read rate
- 24 receptions (3.4 per game)
- 370 receiving yards (52.9 per game)
- 1.94 yards per route run
- Two receiving touchdowns
- Four end-zone targets
- 8.8 half PPR points per game
- 10.9 expected half PPR points per game
Coker can’t be trusted in fantasy lineups immediately this year. Yet, he played better than fellow rookie Xavier Legette in 2024, and Adam Thielen will turn 35 years old at the end of August, creating the potential for an age-related cliff season. Coker has a few paths, even without injuries, to emerge as a prominent pass-catching weapon in Carolina’s passing attack.
Diontae Johnson (WR – CLE): 240.5 ADP/WR92
Diontae Johnson spent the first five years of his career with the Steelers, averaging 5.1 receptions per game and 56.7 receiving yards per game with 25 receiving touchdowns in 77 games in the regular season. Including the playoffs, Johnson had 1.70 yards per route run and earned 0.24 targets per route run. Among 98 wideouts with at least 250 routes in 2024 (including the playoffs), 0.24 targets per route run would have tied for 25th, and 1.70 yards per route run would have ranked 47th.
After playing for one organization before 2024, Johnson became a journeyman wide receiver in one year by playing for three teams. Johnson’s ability to wear out his welcome at multiple stops in the same year was remarkable. If bouncing around teams in 2024 and settling for a non-guaranteed one-year deal worth approximately $1.2 million, per Over the Cap, in the offseason opened Johnson’s eyes, he could bounce back. Additionally, Johnson turned 29 years old earlier this month, so he’s on the right side of 30. Johnson could be a popular choice for the cover of waiver wire articles after Week 1 if his head is on straight and he and Flacco are on the same page against Cincinnati’s shaky defense in the season opener. Receiver-needy teams should consider a last-round pick on Johnson in 14-team, half PPR or PPR formats to get ahead of a potential decent showing in Week 1, and if Johnson is quiet in the opener, he can be dumped for one of Week 1’s best performers.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.