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.

In auction fantasy football, the real edge comes from snagging bargain-bin upside. This piece pinpoints 10 players who can be drafted for about $1 in 2025, balancing cheap cost with significant in-season potential. Keystone name Isaac TeSlaa headlines the list for Detroit with a big-size, big-play profile and a path to a red-zone role, offering a juicy late-round ceiling behind an explosive offense. Also in the mix: Braelon Allen with Jets’ committee intrigue; Dyami Brown’s playoff spark and track record of yards after catch; Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta with arm talent and downfield threat pairing for London; Elijah Arroyo’s rookie-teammate upside in Seattle; Jaydon Blue’s pass-catching toolkit for Dallas; and Joshua Palmer as a potential breakout weekly contributor for Buffalo. Taken together, these $1 targets unlock budget to chase higher-round studs elsewhere while still providing genuine weekly fantasy value as the season unfolds.

TeSlaa’s size-speed mix and contested-catch ability make him a compelling late investment as Detroit leans into a dynamic passing attack. Penix’s arm talent and 20-plus-yard efficiency give him weekly upside behind Bijan Robinson in Atlanta, while Brown’s efficiency and track record in Chapel Hill hint at a home-run ceiling behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter in Jacksonville. Palmer’s separation utility against man coverage paints him as Allen’s likely go-to option in Buffalo, especially if Diggs remains absent of a true WR1. The roster of sleepers also features Pepperidge Farm-level low risk with real upside like Croskey-Merritt and Marks, who could carve out meaningful touches in shotgun-heavy offenses. This module is crafted for savvy fantasy managers who want anchor depth plus breakout potential at rock-bottom cost as 2025 approaches.

Detroit hosted a notable rookie moment at Ford Field as Isaac TeSlaa led a productive day for the Lions in the third preseason game, snagging four catches on five targets and crossing for an 18-yard score that peeked the crowd’s excitement. TeSlaa, with prior Michigan roots, turned his return to Ford Field into a coming-out party as a Lion, while undrafted Ian Kennelly also got his first NFL taste, flashing potential depth at safety in the loss to the Dolphins.

Meanwhile, Cornell Armstrong and the Dolphins’ defense provided a tough test for Detroit’s young pass-catchers. Coach Dan Campbell emphasized TeSlaa’s rapid improvement and growing trust, underscoring how this depth work could shape late-summer decisions. The day highlighted a Michigan pipeline producing two local players competing for meaningful roles, and it reinforced the Lions’ plan to evaluate every edge rookies can offer as the roster takes shape ahead of Week 1.

Kyle Allen delivered an efficient showing for Detroit, completing 14 of 17 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, including a defining end-zone strike to Isaac TeSlaa. Detroit’s bold move up the draft board to snag TeSlaa is paying off in preseason flash, as the third-rounder notched another red-zone grab and continues to trend as a high-upside fantasy contributor.

Miami’s defense kept the score tight, but rookie Quinn Ewers sparked a late surge for the Dolphins, throwing two touchdowns and forging a promising budding connection with Theo Wease Jr. The two rookies highlighted a blossoming Miami QB WR pairing that fantasy managers will track. PFF graded every snap, with their grading and stats set to roll out after a full review, while the game’s box score underscored Allen’s rapport with TeSlaa and Ewers’ growing imprint in a preseason already rich with breakout potential.

Tim Patrick signed a one-year deal with Detroit but faces a real roster squeeze as Isaac TeSlaa pushes for WR3 duties. Detroit traded up for TeSlaa, signaling a long-term plan at receiver even as Patrick’s departure looms if a trade partner emerges. Dead-money math looms: cutting Patrick would cost $2.5 million in dead cap; a trade would trim that to $1.245 million, keeping the door open for a deal without crippling cap impact.

TeSlaa’s camp buzz intensified after a strong Hall of Fame game showing, where he led with 46 receiving yards on two catches in a rough offensive day for the Lions. If that momentum continues, TeSlaa could overtake Patrick for WR3 quickly, reshaping the Lions’ WR pecking order behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond. Patrick’s prior line (33 catches, 394 yards, 3 TDs) plus 20 first-down conversions on 33 catches indicates he isn’t irrelevant, but the preseason suggests a change in Lions’ receiver calculus could be coming fast.