Michael Penix Jr, Jaydon Blue Highlight Top Late-Round Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers

Great value equals great success and these late-round fantasy football sleepers will bring a league-winning strategy to your drafts in the upcoming weeks.

Whether it is stock trading, a poker game, or your yearly fantasy football league, buying at value results in success. If you invest low, and sell high, you will profit. In fantasy football, you may draft 14, 16, or even 18 rounds, and in those late rounds, you might just find an asset a league-winning asset.

In 2023, Kyren Williams' ADP was RB71 and he finished RB4. In that same season, Puka Nacua's ADP was WR91 and he finished WR5. In 2024, Brian Thomas Jr. had an ADP of WR49 as he finished WR4. Many players enter 2025 with enormous potential, and I will provide four key candidates that may provide you with great returns.

Current ADP: RB59

Ever since Nick Chubb went down to injury, Jerome Ford has stepped up to be quite productive Last season, he found himself rushing for 5.4 YPC — 4th among qualified running backs. This year he looks ready to have an expanded role, and perform well in it.

The Browns drafted a duo of running backs — Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson. Judkins, however, is now dealing with domestic violence charges and reports suggest limited, if any playing time for him in his rookie campaign. While Sampson sits ready in this backfield, all reports suggest that Ford will be the week one starter, and he projects well over a 50% snap share. As is common, if he well outperforms Sampson, that share very well can become 70-80% in a short-time. Ford had a Top-15 Rushing Grade in 2025 (out of 83), according to PFF.

The Browns offense has not been shy to running back success, most notably with elite seasons from Nick Chubb just a couple of years ago. With questions lingering at quarterback, expect Kevin Stefanski to trust in his proven playmakers and Ford may very well become a respectable fantasy starter.

Current ADP: RB47

We are talking about a rookie running back from Texas. That brings no surprise about his hype — Texans love their own. Jaydon Blue also is curating his own hype at Cowboys training camp, where he is becoming a threat to be the Week 1 starter. Though he still has to beat out Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, he may very well do so in short order.

Should Jaydon Blue rise to starting status, the usage will carry notable upside. Javonte has not been anything exciting, as has been the same for Miles Sanders. For Jaydon Blue - stick out and you shall play a lot. In dynasty formats, Jaydon Blue must absolutely be prioritized in a Cowboys offense that could easily see Blue a full-time starter beyond 2025.

Current ADP: WR53

The sooner your league drafts, the better, because this stock is going skyrocket. Emeka Egbuka is going to be a star, I am firmly convinced. He can run any route, catch any ball, and read any defense. They love his IQ as a great bonus and will, of course, leverage it. Right now, Egbuka is being drafted in round 10 and later, but I think that may come down quite quickly.

Egbuka is going to compete with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for snaps, but when he starts making plays for Baker Mayfield, he wil be a solified WR2 on this roster. If he thrives enough, dare I say he may overtake Evans in target share. If any player beyond the ADP Top-100 ranks a Top-10 positional player, it will be Egbuka, without a doubt.

Current ADP: QB22

It seems that there's always one sleeper QB in a fantasy draft class. I think that it will be Michael Penix Jr. in this upcoming season.

In his limited playing time, Penix Jr rated 6th in the NFL in Passing Grade, per PFF. Zac Robinson is a brilliant product of the McVay coaching tree, and while Drake London had a career year, there's even more is to come from this offense. Penix Jr. has weapons around him in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Darnell Mooney. There is plenty enough weapons to produce good fantasy numbers and with a comfortable Penix, I see a great deal of room for Top-5 QB upside. MPJ is a great QB handcuff, being drafted in late rounds of drafts.