Boring is better. Well, sometimes at least. And within reason. In fantasy football, everyone wants to excitement. The more exciting and the larger potential upside the better. But that also needs to be balanced out with some “boring” players. That doesn’t mean our underrated veterans for 2025 can’t have upside, because they do, but it’s just in shorter supply here.
All of the players discussed in the next few paragraphs are being drafted outside the parameters of your starting lineup (other than the tight ends). However, they could finish within the top-12 quarterbacks and top-24 running backs and wide receivers. Let’s take a look at some underrated veterans who can help your teams for 2025. These are players who have had success in the past but are being ignored for more exciting options.
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Underrated Veterans for 2025
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans, ADP of 127
For a few reasons, C.J. Stroud took a step back last season. Injuries to Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell didn’t help, but the Texans’ offensive line also let Stroud down.
Stroud was pressured on 38.6% of his drop-backs last season, which was fourth in the league. At that rate, it was almost impossible for Stroud to find his groove and develop some momentum. It shouldn’t be surprising that Stroud was also the second-most-sacked quarterback at 52. Stroud was left to try and force things, which was evidenced by his 12 interceptions. Of those INTs, six came on passes longer than 20 yards as Stroud was trying to make something happen.
With that being said, it’s impressive that his passing yardage only decreased from 4,108 to 3,727, with his touchdowns going from 23 to 20. Stroud doesn’t run, which does limit his value, but he was worthy of being a QB1 in 2023.
While Dell is still injured and Diggs is in New England, Stroud will have new weapons to work with. Houston signed Christian Kirk while drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. There might still be challenges with the offensive line, but things should be better for Stroud in 2025..
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers, ADP of 106
There was regression for Brock Purdy last season, but was it really a surprise? Injuries worked their way through San Francisco in 2024, with Christian McCaffrey’s health being the biggest issue. He’s back and enters the year fully healthy, and Ricky Pearsall is good to go as well. Brandon Aiyuk should return shortly, and the 49ers’ offense should be more in line with expectations.
Last year, Purdy gained 323 yards on the ground to go along with five touchdowns, which adds to his value. His passing yards decreased from 4,280 and 31 touchdowns to 3,864 and 20. There was an expected decrease in Purdy’s yards per attempt from 9.6 to 8.5 but his average target depth held at 8.9 yards.
The pieces are in place for San Francisco to have a bounce-back season, and that will be led by Purdy.
Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans, ADP of 77
Tony Pollard isn’t a running back who we’ll be looking to draft in the first two or three rounds. And guess what, that’s perfectly fine. We don’t need to throw a 50-yard bomb with every pick and player. Someone like Pollard can easily move things along in a positive direction.
Despite the mess that could be characterized as the Titans last season, Pollard still broke the 1,000-yard mark. He carried the ball 260 times for 1,079 yards and five touchdowns. At the same time, he dealt with some overuse and health issues towards the end of the year. Given the fact that the Titans were trailing in most cases, game flow also didn’t work in Pollard’s favor.
The veteran added 238 yards on 41 catches while gaining 68.5% of his yards average contact averaging 2.8 yards. Tyjae Spears battled his own inefficiencies last year, and now he’s dealing with an ankle injury. He’ll certainly be a factor in 2025, but Pollard will be the main back as he looks to break the 1,000-yard mark once again. With Cam Ward under center, Tennessee’s offense should be more respectable as well.
D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears, ADP of 82
After averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his career, D’Andre Swift dropped down to 3.8 last year. It’s clear that the veteran is looking to bounce back, and things are set up for Swift to do just that.
Caleb Williams should be better in his sophomore season, and the Bears invested heavily in their offensive line. Chicago brought in former Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their head coach, and that will help as well. The Bears have plenty of weapons in the passing game, and that will only serve to open things up for Swift.
While he fell short last year with 959 yards and six touchdowns, on 253 carries, he still had an 81% positive run rate and gained 66% of his yards after contact. Swift still has a lot to offer, and it will be an improved situation in Chicago this season.
Deebo Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders, ADP of 74
If it could go wrong for Deebo Samuel last season, it sure did. Samuel dealt with both injuries and illness in what was truly a down year. The receiver finished with just 670 yards and three touchdowns on 51 receptions while gaining 136 yards on the ground.
Going into 2025, it’s a change of scenery for Samuel as he heads to Washington. Teaming up with Jayden Daniels should be just what the veteran needs to find his groove. Even while he struggled last year, Samuel still averaged 8.5 yards after the catch.
With Terry McLaurin banged up and looking for a new contract, Samuel is also currently the number one receiver. We know that Daniels is going to look to air the ball out, and Samuel is in line to benefit.
Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens, ADP of 94
It was a slow start to the season for Mark Andrews, but then he came on strong. Ultimately, Andrews had a stretch where he caught 11 touchdowns in 12 games. While there has been a changing of the guard at the tight end position, we shouldn’t forget about Andrews.
The Baltimore tight end enters 2025 healthy and as part of one of the most explosive passing offenses in the league. With 16 red zone targets last year, Andrews clearly is featured when it’s time to score touchdowns. And with an average depth of target of 9.9 yards, Andrews isn’t merely a dump-off target either.
Isaiah Likely recently had surgery for a broken bone in his foot, and his status is questionable for the beginning of the season. While he will be a factor when healthy, there shouldn’t be any concerns related to Andrews’ utilization.
David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns, ADP of 109
It goes without saying that the Cleveland Browns’ offense has been a mess throughout David Njoku’s career. The tight end, for the most part, has risen about it. Njoku continues to be a reliable receiving option, and that theme is expected to be present in 2025.
In 11 games last season, Njoku was targeted 97 times. He turned that into 64 catches for 505 yards and five touchdowns. That equated to 15.3% of Cleveland’s team targets and also included 14 targets in the red zone. Had Njoku been healthy for the additional six games, things would have looked a lot better statistically. And that’s what makes him an underrated veteran.
For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2025 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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