Fantasy football managers must have short-term memory. So much can happen over the course of one NFL season, or even part of an NFL season, that we can not let an injury, decreased usage, or poor play define a player’s fantasy value forever. But because we are a “what have you done for me lately” kind of world, the disappointing play of a hyped player in one season can often turn them into a post-hype sleeper in the next.
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Post-hype sleepers are often discussed in a fantasy football context. To me, these are players who had one or more seasons with a high ADP and lofty expectations, but failed to live up to the hype. The next exciting thing is always a tantalizing prospect for fantasy football managers, but if those players don’t work out, they are often relegated to the late rounds in the next year’s draft.
This is often a mistake. Talent doesn’t all of a sudden disappear. Context, coaches, play-calling, and usage change all the time in the NFL. When talented players see their ADP crater, that’s the time to jump on post-hype sleepers to find the best value.
Post-Hype Sleepers for 2025 fantasy football
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Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s hard to talk about players from previous years who had massive hype and not talk about Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence, perhaps, had the word “Generational” attached to his name more than any other player this decade when he came out of Clemson. But now going into his third offensive regime since 2021, Lawrence is still waiting for the elite breakout season.
Lawrence only has one season with more than 21 passing touchdowns (25 in 2022), and he only amassed 11 in 2024 thanks to injuries and a career-low 60% completion percentage. Last year, Lawrence was 23rd among quarterbacks in accuracy rating and 35th in true completion percentage. And that was with a brand new weapon in Brian Thomas Jr.
However, Lawrence also has Travis Hunter at his disposal now, as well as head coach Liam Coen, who just turned Baker Mayfield into an MVP candidate last season. Lawrence was, and has been, excellent in throwing the deep ball lately. He was second in air yards per attempt and sixth in deep ball completion percentage in 2024. Look for Coen to have Lawrence air it out this year, which should give him a great chance to pay off his price tag at QB23 (pick 135) this season.
2. Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco showed that he can be a lead back in the 2023 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. That year, Pacheco was a top-15 running back with 13.7 fantasy points per game in half-PPR formats. His first two games of 2024 picked up right where he left off, averaging 14.2 fantasy points per game. Then the injury came.
Pacheco missed the next nine games for the Chiefs and simply wasn’t the same when he came back. He never scored more than seven fantasy points in a game, and Kareem Hunt took over as the primary back for the stretch run and the playoffs.
However, Pacheco is now back at full strength. He appears to be leading the running back room again, but has seen his ADP fall all the way to RB27, around pick 67 in summer drafts. Even if he is just 90% of what he was in 2023, his current ADP is way too low for the role he could have for the 2025 Chiefs.
3. Jalyen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins
Jaylen Wright couldn’t separate from the pack last season to earn meaningful snaps as De’Von Achane’s primary backup. Even when Raheem Mostert fell off the age cliff, Wright could not separate from Jeff Wilson or make enough big plays to earn significant playing time. As a result, his ADP is around pick 151 right now, going as the RB57 in current drafts.
In case you forgot, Wright was an uber-athletic prospect coming out of Tennessee in 2024. He was at least 94th percentile among running backs in burst score, speed score, and 40-yard time. He had over 1,150 total yards in 12 games his final year at school and is still just barely 22 years old.
De’Von Achane is a top-six running back this offseason after an elite season both rushing and receiving in 2024. But Wright’s chance is just one injury away after the Dolphins let Raheem Mostert walk and brought in only dusty Alexander Mattison in free agency. As a last-round pick, Wright is an excellent bench stash in 2025.
4. Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers
Not one wide receiver on the Green Bay Packers had more than 76 targets in 2024, but four had more than 52 targets. That kind of distribution can be maddening for fantasy managers to try and figure out, so who should we trust as the 2025 campaign kicks off?
Among the Green Bay pass-catcher options, give me Jayden Reed all day, every day. His price tag is a reasonable WR44 (pick 94) in drafts right now. Reed was 15th among all wide receivers with 2.35 yards per route run, meaning that kind of efficiency could lead to more work this season. He had the third-highest yards per target and was a top-12 receiver in yards per reception.
If Reed can even turn his 75 targets into 90 or 95 targets in 2025, his downfield ability and touchdown rate (seven scores on his 75 targets) could mean huge things for his fantasy potential.
5. Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams officially announced his retirement last week, so the Los Angeles Chargers are down one big, physical wide receiver as training camp opens. Ladd McConkey is locked and loaded as one receiver for Justin Herbert. The door is now open for whether post-hype sleeper Quentin Johnston or rookie Tre Harris out of Ole Miss can step up and take over the WR2 role. My money is on Johnston.
Johnston is basically free in drafts right now. He is the WR69 around pick 198 after a couple of seasons plagued by drops, inconsistency, and poor route running. However, some of his best traits were on display last season when he was given the opportunity.
He scored eight touchdowns (13th at the position), because he was able to win so much downfield. Johnston was 17th with 20 deep targets in 2024, and he was able to average 1.93 yards per route run, just below the elite 2.0 yards per route run that separates the great receivers from everyone else.
Will Justin Herbery prefer Johnston, who caught 13 of 14 targets for 186 yards in the Chargers’ last regular-season game? Or will Herbert and the coaching staff go with second-round pick Harris? I think Johnston should get the first shot, and he still has the talent to pay off this investment.
For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2025 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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