Six late-round lottery tickets headline Thunder Dan Paylo's 2025 fantasy football sleepers, with clear paths to breakout if things break right in the offense. Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Woody Marks, Dont'e Thornton Jr., Elijah Arroyo, Adonai Mitchell, and Isaac TeSlaa are highlighted as high-upside targets you can realistically snag in the final rounds for upside rather than roster fill.

Strategy centers on exploiting depth-chart openings: Croskey-Merritt could gain touches if Washington moves on from Brian Robinson Jr.; Marks steps in as a potential early-down/backup weapon for Houston; Thornton Jr. profiles as a big-field WR who could emerge as Raiders’ WR2; Arroyo offers big-play upside at tight end with Noah Fant gone; Mitchell and TeSlaa carry upside as late-round bets in Indy and Detroit, respectively, if their quarterbacks improve or injuries create opportunities.

The piece stresses the draft’s middle rounds as the frontier, where knowing top handcuffs and rookie depth charts matters. Autodraft aside, these sleepers form a cohesive late-round group that could anchor fantasy rosters in weeks to come, especially in best-ball and superflex formats, where volatility can translate to weekly rewards.

Dont'e Thornton Jr. is a rare 6'5" deep threat whose athleticism screams breakout potential in Las Vegas. In a high-tempo, speed-driven Raiders attack, he could climb the depth chart behind Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, unlocking big-play chances even if his rookie volume isn’t immediate. His profile makes him a late-round dynasty target with Year 2 upside.

Dontayvion Wicks in Green Bay has flashed route-running ability but has battled drops. In Love’s spread offense, he could win for snaps behind Matthew Golden and Romeo Doubs if he sharpens hands and improves his catch consistency, giving managers a tangible late-round floor with upside.

Rashod Bateman in Baltimore benefited from a contract extension and a clearer slot role with DeAndre Hopkins added to the mix. His separation metrics and yards-per-route-run suggest a solid depth option who could exploit space in the Ravens’ passing game, offering a viable late-round bench or DFS value if Flowers and Hopkins draw attention.

Late-round WRs can swing fantasy seasons, and the article highlights sleepers like Thornton, Wicks, and Bateman as archetypes. The Who Should I Draft tool helps compare options across formats, bye weeks, and scoring systems, reinforcing the strategy of targeting players with clear paths to volume rather than hype alone.

Fantasy managers should stash these players in deeper leagues and monitor camp reports. If Thornton carves out a rookie role, Wicks tightens his hands and route tree, and Bateman leverages the slot with Hopkins aboard, each could deliver meaningful in-season value.

Las Vegas used the No. 58 pick in the 2025 NFL draft to add Jack Bech, a physical, versatile receiver whose contact-catch ability and willingness to block align with the Raiders’ tough, run-first identity. Bech is shaping into the team’s WR3 behind Jakobi Meyers, with Tre Tucker slotted opposite Meyers and Dont'e Thornton Jr. pressing for snaps. Bech’s early path includes a reliable role in offense and a potential specialty in traffic-filled catches, a value-add for a Raiders unit looking to maximize play-action and contested throws.

Bech already earned praise from Geno Smith for his toughness and reported productive moments during practice, including a contested catch off play-action. His high-motor, every-down approach at TCU translated to the NFL expectations, and the Raiders are leveraging his run-blocking and pass-catching ability to exploit mismatches in the middle of field. If he can sustain that pace, Bech could climb the depth chart and become a meaningful fantasy option in deeper leagues, especially in formats valuing slot targets and red-zone touches.

Collin Johnson is pushing for a Raiders roster spot, leaning on size, contested catches, and a strong special-teams game to separate himself in a crowded WR room. Las Vegas has four roster locks at receiver—Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Dont'e Thornton Jr., and Jack Bech—and Johnson is contending for the final one or two spots, a battle that training camp has intensified.

Johnson’s path is shaped by a difficult injury history and a resilient return. A torn Achilles with the Giants in 2022 stalled his momentum, but he battled back in 2023 with Chicago and remains a big-bodied, reliable option who can win 50/50 looks when a defense is in good position. His preseason showing against Seattle—two catches for 17 yards—plus standout special-teams work underline his value as a backend roster piece, not just a size-on-the-field story.

The Raiders’ competition plan makes Johnson a plausible 53-man candidate if he continues to contribute on coverage units and can translate his contested-catch ability into meaningful targets in offense. For fantasy, he’s a deep-league stash at best—likely a boom/bust depth option whose upside hinges on injuries to the top five WRs and special-teams-driven roster security.

Jakobi Meyers heads to Las Vegas with a Golden State-like upgrade at quarterback and an offensive backbone that could lift his fantasy floor. In 2024 Meyers ranked solidly in receptions and yards despite two of the game’s least accurate passers, drawing 23% of targets on his routes. With Geno Smith arriving to steer the Raiders and Chip Kelly designing the system, Meyers steps in as Vegas’ clear top receiver, a target magnet who should thrive even in a run-first approach as defenses shift focus toward the young playmakers around him. This makes Meyers a late-round, high-floor pick for fantasy managers who don’t plan on chasing WRs in the first few rounds.

Rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton add upside and depth, but Meyers' established role and the QB upgrade create a compelling value case. The Raiders’ passing attack could heighten Meyers’ fantasy weekly floor, especially in PPR formats, while the attention paid to Bowers should open easier looks for Meyers. The article flags Meyers as a sleeper who could outperform his draft spot in 2025, particularly for managers who build around league settings with personalized insights.