Five sneaky bench sleepers for 2025: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Kyle Monangai, Trey Benson, Blake Corum, and Chig Okonkwo headline the late-round targets to stash. The strategy centers on last picks with high upside to beat the waiver wire when Week 1 breakout happens. Croskey-Merritt is highlighted by explosive flashes in Washington’s camp, Monangai draws praise for Rutgers’ yards after contact, Benson has a path to a bigger role in Arizona, Corum could carve into Williams’ touches with McVay seeking explosiveness, and Okonkwo looks primed to surge if Ward boosts Titans’ offense.

The piece leans into training-camp buzz, draft-day value, and the dual-threat appeal of Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-round rookie with first-team looks; Monangai’s late-round mobility; Benson’s spot-start upside in a clingy backfield; Corum’s post-hype potential as a more explosive option than Williams; and Okonkwo’s TE1 ceiling in a tighter Titans’ weapon pool. It treats these picks as strategic, season-long bets rather than one-week wonders, emphasizing upside, role progression, and the payoff of late-round depth in a crowded 2025 field.

Beyond the sleepers, the feature reinforces the philosophy that late picks should push the waiver wire in Week 1—where one breakout can swing the entire season. It leans on current rosters and coach commentary to map plausible paths for each sleeper, balancing risk with measurable upside as fantasy managers craft championship rosters for 2025.

The Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos meet in the second preseason action with roster decisions looming and 53 spots to decide by Aug. 26. Kyler Murray sits, turning the spotlight to who steps up around him and how the depth chart shakes out. Will Johnson’s live reps could signal whether he still needs seasoning, while Trey Benson’s workload will hint at a potential split-backfield behind James Conner. With Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson likely out, the Cardinals will lean on a thinner receiver group, giving Xavier Weaver and Simi Fehoko a real chance to stake a claim for regular-season snaps. Jordan Burch showed a quick burst in the opener and will need to keep pressuring the edge to solidify a role. The offensive line depth remains a concern beyond Kelvin Beachum and Will Hernandez, making backup line play critical. Finally, the night will crystallize roster battles at cornerback (Elijah Jones vs Darren Hall vs Jaylon Jones) and safety (Kitan Crawford vs Joey Blount) as Hayden Conner and Jon Gaines II vie for versatility on the interior line.

Braelon Allen showed strong short-yardage chops for the New York Jets, hinting at reliable TD upside in 2025 as a late-round target. He’s positioned to hybridize between goal-line duty and early-down work behind fellow backs, offering a floor in standard formats amid a potential committee.

Trey Benson remains a prime handcuff for Arizona’s backfield, backing James Conner and presenting late-season or in-game upside if Conner misses time. The 2025 profile favors Benson as a practical dart throw in deeper leagues, with Conner absorbing the main workload unless injury opens Benson’s path.

The 2024 RB class underdelivered, with Bucky Irving standing out and Tyrone Tracy Jr. in prime starter contention. Several second-year backs could become meaningful backups, especially in offenses leaning into committee usage. ADP data from ESPN/Sleeper/Yahoo suggests a handful of late-round backs may carve value if roles crystallize and efficiency improves.

Dynasty players rise and fall into August 2025 land: Braelon Allen jumps aboard the Jets’ backfield, his price boosted by talk of heavy workload if Breece Hall is limited. Xavier Worthy climbs with Kansas City, leveraging late-season Chiefs trust and the Kelce ceiling thinning as Rice clears his path. Jordan Mason’s path to touches in Minnesota offers a tantalizing upside, while Quinshon Judkins slides due to off-field uncertainty, creating a buy-low window on Dylan Sampson and CJ Stroud’s weapons in Seattle.

Across the board, dynasty managers should chase youth with runway: Dyami (Dyami) Brown’s surge, Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s hype, and Tre Benson’s upside as a late-round buy. The guide stresses buy-low and sell-high in August, naming veterans like Stefon Diggs as a long-term value sleeper for the right dynasty deal, while flagging Joe Mixon’s age and Sam Darnold’s risk as sell opportunities when the time is right. It’s a compact blueprint for trimming risk and sharpening upside in rebuilds or championship rosters.

Late-round RB targets can win you your fantasy league in 2025, and five sleepers pop as compelling value picks: Jaydon Blue (DAL), Trey Benson (ARI), Ray Davis (BUF), Jaylen Wright (MIA), Braelon Allen (NYJ). The piece frames these backs as upside bets—prospects with pass-catching chops, injury comebacks, or fresh roles who could rise into starting or high-leverage duties in the right circumstances. It emphasizes rostering flexibility, emphasizing that the deepest rounds are where savvier managers chase upside, breakout potential, and handcuff security, especially in PPR formats.

Jaydon Blue stands out for his receiving flair and a clear path to touches in Dallas, aided by the crowded backfield but highlighted by his 0.27 missed-tackle rate per rush and top-yardage-per-route metrics from 2024. Benson is a punt-on-volume bet in Arizona, where Conner’s health and age create a real shot at RB2 if given a run. Ray Davis is a Bills handcuff with solid receiving upside behind Cook, while Wright offers big-speed upside in Miami behind Achane and Gordon. Allen’s Jets spot is a classic late-draft dart, with substantial goal-line and red-zone potential if the workload opens due to roster shifts.

The article frames these targets as must-stash late in redraft and Dynasty startups, underscoring the value in fluctuations across training camp, injuries, and depth chart reshuffles. It also notes that premium tools and projections can sharpen these picks, especially when monitoring ADP shifts and matchup-driven usage.