Dion Dawkins’ praise of Austin Booker at Bears practice highlighted a rare mentor-mentee moment in the NFL. Booker, a second-year edge rusher, has shown flash in the preseason with sacks and tackles for loss, and Dawkins urged him to lean into his physical gifts to become the spark for Chicago’s D-line. The joint practice with the Bills, captured by Hard Knocks, underscored the camaraderie and the Bears’ hopeful path for Booker’s development.

Booker’s preseason dominance—three sacks, three TFL, and a forced fumble in their opener against Miami—stoked buzz that he could push for a meaningful role this season if he keeps growing and stays healthy. Dawkins’ willingness to mentor a younger player adds an important layer to Chicago’s defensive narrative and fantasy intrigue surrounding Bears edge depth.

Kansas City’s roster decisions hinge on value hidden in special teams. Skyy Moore’s 88-yard punt return in the latest preseason gave him a chance to stick as a returner, but coach Dave Toub stressed that success there doesn’t guarantee a roster spot if the rest of his game isn’t consistently sharp. The Chiefs are weighing backup WRs and RBs by their potential on returns, gunner duties, and coverage ability as they trim to 53.

Rookie playmakers Jalen Royals and Brashard Smith flashed as return options, with Royals’ 49-yard kickoff showing real speed, and Smith drawing hype for kickoffs more than punts. Tyquan Thornton, small but speedy, is in the mix too, with Toub aiming to carve out a role for him on teams. The looming rule changes around kickoffs could elevate the importance of these roles as KC navigates Mahomes’ offense and the evolving game plan.

Chargers camp shuffles center stage as Mekhi Becton returns to practice, bringing a sizeable veteran body back into the mix along the offensive line. Branson Taylor has been tapped to audition at both tackle spots while Rashawn Slater heals, expanding the depth chart and potential competition for Weeks 1–4. In parallel, early roster math tightens with KLS and Tre Harris viewed as locks or near-locks for final roster spots ahead of the preseason finale.

Across the NFL, attention shifts to quarterback plans and veteran wideouts, with Minnesota exploring upgrades and Aaron Rodgers signaling optimism about Roman Wilson. Travis Hunter is back in limited work as teams monitor health and possible upside. Fantasy managers should watch how these depth and health pendulums swing—particularly along the Chargers’ line and the Vikings’ receiver board—as rosters firm up for the regular season.

For Chargers fans, the immediate fantasy implication centers on line protection and run game identity, plus whether depth players can carve roles in a crowded WR and OL group. For fantasy bettors, the developments at tackle and the potential early-season roles for new or re-deployed receivers could steer Week 1 projections and weekly lineup decisions.

Fantasy football 2025 targets lean toward a blend of floor stability and big-week upside. The board centers on Gibbs and Burrow as premium floor/purchase options, with McConkey and Williams offering high-volume PPR paths in high-octane offenses. Henderson and Pacheco add versatility in run-game and pass-game roles that could push RB2 weeks into the RB1 mix. At receiver, Meyers, Pearsall, Williams, and McConkey (jointly with Williams) offer steady targets and YAC upside, while Engram provides reliable tight-end floor in a boosted Denver offense. Late-round fliers like Marvin Mims Jr., Luther Burden III, and Jordan Mason add dart-throw ceiling for depth. Draft plans should balance floor with upside while saving bullets for late-round diversification.

The guide emphasizes pairing a top QB with a workhorse back and a high-upsideWR2/WR3 duo, then layering in a mid-round TE with clear target shares. It also notes that any roster wins weeks with breakout weeks from single players, making the tape and usage charts essential. The late-round flier slate supplies leverage: Mims as a clear burner with tournament upside, Burden as schemed touches, and Mason as a zone-attack backfield piece who could surprise in 2025.

This approach supports a rounded, weekly-flex strategy: lock in Burrow and Gibbs for safe floor, stitch in McConkey and Williams for high-filtered targets in the Chargers’ and Lions’ air-cores, and sprinkle Engram with Mayfield’s pass-heavy and seam-stretching style. The plan also keeps a watchful eye on Henderson, Henderson’s role, and Mayfield’s ceiling outside of structure—plus the late-round fliers who can swing a season in depth-heavy leagues.

Fantasy drafts hinge on late‑round launches from players who can flip a season. This piece maps one sleeper from every NFL team for 2025, focusing on no‑name backs and No.3 receivers who could become league‑winners in a crunch. From Trey Benson in Arizona to Jacory Croskey‑Merritt in Washington, each pick is rooted in depth‑chart opportunity, scheme usage, and staying power down the stretch. The aim is straightforward: identify players who can punch above their ADP and swing playoff races in Weeks 14+.

Key clusters emerge: Arizona’s Benson offers breakaway speed behind Conner; Baltimore’s Bateman has route discipline and red‑zone savvy; Los Angeles Rams’ Atwell could seize a bigger third option role if injuries strike. Across the league, sleepers come from every pocket of depth: slot burners, speed threats, and backs who can vulture goal‑line touches. The strategy here is clear—target these value bets in later rounds, monitor camp buzz, and chase players with clear paths to meaningful snaps as the season unfolds.

In practice, the list nudges fantasy managers toward ballots of upside: backs who can handle 3–4 week workloads, receivers who can unlock big plays with even modest targets, and offenses that can sustain multiple contributors. If you’re sitting in rounds 10–14, these sleepers become your runway to top‑tier value. It’s not about drafting a star, but about harvesting leverage from the depth chart and turning it into points when it matters most.