You know what they always say, “A new year brings us new beginnings.” So, with the new year and fantasy football championships mostly decided, it’s time to consider looking into 2025 fantasy football sleepers!
Obviously, this is an early version, and things change by the day in the football world. We don’t know where rookies like Shedeur Sanders or Ashton Jeanty will go, and we don’t know where potential free agents like Tee Higgins will land. So, no rookies or upcoming free agents are on this list, but don’t worry; there is a lot of content here at In-Between Media (IBT) to prepare you for the offseason.
While the early bird gets the worm, in this case, the early bird will get the win! Let’s hop right into our way-too-early 2025 fantasy football sleepers!
Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers
Quarterback
Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
Well, Geno Smith might not have written back. However, he almost made a comeback to his 2022 season. This season was the second time in his career he had 4,000+ passing yards and 17+ touchdowns. There was one negative to all of this: He threw 15+ interceptions, which was the most in his career, dating back to his rookie season as a New York Jet.
I truly do love him as a sleeper for next year because of all the weapons he has on offense! From the receiving corps of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and even Noah Fant, to one of the most stacked running backs rooms in the NFL with Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks’ offense is stacked.
We always see one quarterback who went late in fantasy football drafts or even undrafted make a run for a truly historic season. Why can’t it be the former West Virginia standout next year? He was clicking in the first half of the season this year, finishing as a QB1 in four of his first five games. He’s got the weapons, and if he lowers his interceptions, it could be a great season for Smith and the Seahawks.
Running Back
Sincere McCormick (Las Vegas Raiders)
I get the feeling that Sincere McCormick won’t be a trap next year. The Raiders’ running back room was all over the place this season and – simply put – was a mess. We fell for the “Zamir White Trap” this season. He was starting to be replaced by Alexander Mattison, but one Raiders running back stepped up when healthy: Undrafted Free Agent (UDFA) McCormick.
I know it sounds like a meme. However, while recovering from Thanksgiving dinner on Black Friday, we watched McCormick put up 65 scrimmage yards on 38% of the snaps against the Chiefs. He followed it up with 89 scrimmage yards on 61% of the snaps for a double-digit Points Per Reception (PPR) performance in Week 14.
The budding star did go down with an ankle injury in Week 15, and from there, his season was cut short. The accolades don’t stop there, however. From Weeks 1-17, there were only four games where a Raiders running back had 61+ rushing yards, and McCormick was the only one to do it twice. How about we give a shoutout to the Raiders’ offensive line and their run blocking because three of those 61+ rushing yard games came from Week 13 or later?
If Las Vegas doesn’t make a big addition in their running back room, I’m taking a liking to McCormick.
Antonio Gibson (New England Patriots)
I would not be surprised if we saw a Running Back by Committee (RBBC) approach next season for the New England Patriots between Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson. This isn’t a Week 17 overreaction, either. It’s been secretly happening for a while now.
Coming into Week 18, Stevenson is tied for most fumbles lost at the running back position with three. Heck, at least twice this season, we’ve heard that Gibson would be the starting running back due to it. This season was a disappointment for Patriots fans and Gibson.
Look on the bright side, though! You have a rookie quarterback who has shown he is a starter in this league. Gibson ended the season by going over 60 scrimmage yards in three of his last four games. He might not get back to the RB1 role he previously had in Washington, but if he continues clicking and Stevenson continues fumbling, I can see Gibson being a starting RB2/flex come next season.
Wide Receiver
Quentin Johnston (Los Angeles Chargers)
If you look at the top 10 for receiving touchdown list for receivers, you may see some surprising names like Quentin Johnston, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Rashod Bateman. However, I want to discuss the former in Johnston.
Despite playing one less game than his rookie teammate Ladd McConkey, Johnston has the second-most touchdowns for any Chargers non-quarterback this season with eight. He’s already played better than his horrendous drop-filled rookie season last year. In fewer games, he’s improved in all the counting stats from a season ago.
The drops were still an issue this season, but he’s made strides, finishing as a top-25 fantasy receiver in four games this season! Notably, two of those performances happened within the last four weeks. Jim Harbaugh has changed how we should view this team and Johnston. This role they have him in is arguably for the better, and if he can keep this pace, we may see him become a sneaky flex option.
Adam Thielen (Carolina Panthers)
At this point, will anything stop the 34-year-old veteran of Adam Thielen? It wasn’t looking so bright for him at the beginning of the season. QB Bryce Young was struggling, and the Panthers’ offense as a whole was woeful. Thielen finished Weeks 1-3 as PPR WR55, playing alongside Diontae Johnson before a hamstring injury caused him to be placed on Injured Reserve (IR).
After that IR stint, Thielen and this offense have thrived. Now, it’s not all because of the receiver. Young’s play has improved, and Thielen has been putting up numbers due to it. Since returning in Week 12, the veteran has been the PPR WR12, averaging 17.5 fantasy points per game.
Let me be clear. I love the other options in Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker, too. But why would I choose the veteran instead of the two younger options? Well, age is just a number. He has one more year left on his contract, and it’s cheaper next year than this year. So, unless he gets traded or retires, I can see this being a last hoo-rah for Thielen because he has shown his reliability yearly.
Tight End
Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers)
They don’t chant “Muuuuuuth” at Acrisure Stadium for no reason. While it hasn’t been Pat Freiermuth‘s best season of his career, he came awfully close to it. He is just outside of producing his second top-10 tight end season of his four-year career, as he’s currently the TE11.
The main reason is that he’s just been reliable in three of the four years he’s played a full season. In those three seasons, he’s been in the top 13 and has scored 145+ fantasy points.
Now, there’s an interesting scenario at play here, as we don’t know who the quarterback of the Steelers’ future is. Looking ahead, all the QBs (Kyle Allen, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson) contracts are up by the end of this year.
While I would be scared of QB play for most players, Freiermuth has proven to be “QB-proof.” Remember those three seasons I mentioned? These were his quarterbacks: Ben Roethlisberger (last season of his career), Mason Rudolph (one game), Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Fields and Wilson.
If he’s been producing like this and putting up borderline top-10 numbers, I don’t see why he can’t do it again, even with a potentially different quarterback. Although, I would like to see him be back with either Fields or Wilson.
Check out all of our Week 18 fantasy football content:
- Fantasy Football Whiplash! | Week 18 News & Notes (2024)
- Week 18 Fantasy Football Advice Mailbag (2024)
- Week 18 NFL DFS Picks & Lineup Advice (2024)
- Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers
- PropKings: NFL Week 18 (2024)
- All-In-The-Scope Team (2024)
Thanks for reading this week’s “Shore Thing Sleepers.” If you’re looking for more fantasy content like this or need help with the last-minute fantasy football start/sit decisions for your roster, you can find me on Facebook at “Fantasy Sports Start or Sit’Em Questions,” Twitter/X @FSSOSEQ or on BlueSky!
*Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff – USA TODAY Sports*
