Sleeper season is here. The All-Sleeper Team highlights late-round values who could carry fantasy rosters into the playoffs, with double-digit-round ADPs driving upside bets. In a year when development and health matter most, post-hype signals and coaching changes shape a breakout slate—from C.J. Stroud’s rebound arc in Houston to rookie backs and Colts pass-catchers stepping into larger roles. The piece centers on players whose potential is real but not yet priced into draft boards, offering savvy managers four reliable paths to upside from late rounds.

Key risers include Stroud, whose floor benefits from an upgraded Texans offense and a more secure supporting cast (Kirk, rookies in the pipeline) after a rough 2024. Cam Skattebo and Braelon Allen present compelling rookie-year handcuff/upside scenarios in Giants and Jets environs. Josh Downs and Marvin Mims Jr. sit in prime spots to take bigger targets in Indy and Denver, while Tyler Warren could emerge as a weapon in Indy. Javonte Williams and Jaydon Blue provide flexible Jets-Cowboys depth with legitimate league-winning upside in the middle rounds.

Ultimately the list is about players in the double-digit rounds offering a plausible path to top-12 production. It emphasizes environment, health, and opportunity, not just talent. If Stroud can reclaim rookie form, or Downs paves the way for a career year with Jones, these sleepers could shift the middle rounds from dart throws to playoff anchors.

Miami’s backup quarterback duel headlines the Dolphins’ preseason narrative. Zach Wilson has been the steadier hand, finishing two tune-ups at 20 of 32 for 247 yards with a TD and no picks, while Quinn Ewers sits at 16 of 35 for 207 yards with two TDs but more miscues. Wilson has drawn more red-zone reps and is described as more reliable in practice, keeping him ahead in the No. 2 pecking order behind Tua Tagovailoa, though Miami remains coy on a definitive backup.

Frank Smith dodged a direct answer on Tuesday, deferring to Mike McDaniel for final say, with Thursday’s joint practice against Jacksonville and Saturday’s preseason finale looming. The season opener at Indianapolis in early September ends the ambiguity, but the bigger question—whether the Dolphins are better suited at backup QB this year—won’t be settled until a regular-season game tests the depth. For fantasy players, Wilson’s command in camp makes him a safer speculative stash; Ewers carries ceiling upside, but his path to relevance is still uncertain.

Josh Downs' 2025 fantasy outlook centers on a hamstring setback and a shifting Colts offense as Daniel Jones steps in as the presumed starter. The injury adds Week 1 doubt but the timeline suggests a return is plausible if rehab progresses, keeping Downs in play as a high-uptake slot receiver when healthy. The QB change looms large for his ceiling, yet his skill as a separator in short-yardage throws still gives him late-round upside in PPR formats. With Downs on track, his Week 1 status becomes the key hinge on a Colts attack that must rebuild chemistry with a new passer. Overall, Downs remains a risky but intriguing flex with spike weeks if his health cooperates and the offense stabilizes early in the season.

Beyond Downs, the piece weighs the wider Colts’ weapons and how Daniel Jones’s presence (and Anthony Richardson’s earlier play) could shape target distribution. Downs’ future hinges on health and a clearer picture of the QB’s effectiveness; a healthy start could unlock a path to 100+ targets in a best-case scenario, while a slow ramp could push him toward a more volatile, tournament-style option. Dynasty windows stay bright given his youth and role, but redraft hinges on health and early-season chemistry with Jones driving the ball in the short-to-intermediate game.

Tyson Bagent’s two-year, $10 million extension with the Bears locks in another layer of quarterback depth behind Justin Fields, a development that quietly reshapes late-season fantasy rosters in Chicago. While the immediate impact on fantasy schedules is modest, the move signals organizational faith in Bagent’s trajectory and potential in an emergency scenario. Across the league, Daniel Jones being named the Colts starter with Anthony Richardson as backup provides a fresh dynamic to monitor in dynasty and keeper formats. In the backfield, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs sit atop the 2025 fantasy RB pecking order, with Ja’Marr Chase leading wide receivers in the same cycle.

On the diamond, Cody Bellinger and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. highlighted a nine-homer barrage by the Yankees, while Guerrero Jr. tweaked a hamstring—an MLB thread that fantasy managers will watch closely for lineup shifts and DL timelines. In the NBA, Indiana’s Rick Carlisle secured a multiyear Pacers extension, a reminder that real-world stability often underpins fantasy ecosystem signals a year ahead. Notre Dame’s red-hot quarterback chatter and Ohio State’s QB decisions also peppered the week, but the most consequential threads for fantasy remain the quarterback pivots, backfield ceilings, and the health clocks that shift rostering decisions over the next stretch run.