3 Surprising Roster-Bubble Players (2025 Fantasy Football)

As the 2025-26 NFL preseason unfolds, so too will we learn the fates of hundreds of players vying for an NFL roster spot. These moves also ripple through fantasy football as cuts could signal trust in a player at the same position, or keeping players could mean they’re not as sold on a particular unit and want reinforcements.

Below are three players who could surprisingly find themselves on the free agency market before the season begins. I’ll also examine what it could mean for fantasy football.

Roster-Bubble Players

Joe Flacco (QB – CLE)

In 2025, Joe Flacco may not be on your radar as a fantasy starter, but his presence could bring consistency to pass-catching options like Jerry Jeudy or David Njoku. Following the Browns’ first preseason game, Shedeur Sanders played quite well. Sure, it was the first preseason game, but he completed 11-of-18 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Sanders’ only snafu was a 4th-and-1, in which he was unable to make a play and convert. The Browns’ quarterback depth chart consists of Flacco, Sanders, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel. Chances are that one of those players will likely be cut, and it could be Flacco.

Personally, even if the team starts someone else, he’s invaluable to have on the roster. Conversely, having his presence could potentially overshadow the new starter, and fans might look to Flacco, given his role in carrying them to the postseason a few seasons ago.

For fantasy purposes, this could impact the various pass-catchers, but if Sanders continues to play well, it could bode well overall. Time will tell.

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Antonio Gibson (RB – NE)

Antonio Gibson landed with the Patriots last season under the Jerod Mayo regime. In his first season with New England, he had 120 carries for 538 yards (4.5 yards per carry) and one touchdown. Gibson added 23 catches on 29 targets for 206 yards in the passing game.

Gibson has a history of being a solid pass-catching back, catching 42+ passes in each season from 2021 to 2023. The Patriots’ running back depth chart features 2025 second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson, Gibson, Lan Larison, JaMycal Hasty and Terrell Jennings.

Gibson is in the second year of a three-year, $11.25 million deal and has a $4.5 million cap hit in 2025. With new head coach Mike Vrabel, Gibson could be on the bubble, especially after drafting Henderson in the second round. In the Patriots’ first preseason game, Gibson had six carries for 26 yards and one catch for 11 yards.

In cutting Gibson, this could provide me with even more confidence to look toward Henderson in fantasy drafts. It’s only a matter of time before he out-snaps Stevenson, who fumbled seven times last season.

Devin Singletary (RB – NYG)

Like Antonio Gibson, Deving Singletary is in the midst of a three-year deal. Only his is with the Giants and for $16.5 million. He has a cap hit of $6.25 million.

In 2024, Singletary ran 113 times for 437 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes on 24 targets for 119 yards. Like the Patriots, though, the Giants drafted a running back in Cam Skattebo. In addition to Skattebo, they have Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Dante Miller.

The Giants could move toward a duo of Skattebo as the primary ball-carrier with Tracy in a pass-catching role. In cutting Singletary, the Giants would signal plenty of confidence in Skattebo, furthering my interest in the Arizona State product.