Fantasy pre-season is not a time for the weak-hearted, as the theories and trash talk come to a new extreme. There are always a few players that slip under the rug, and if spotted, could be the difference you needed to call yourself a champion in 2025. Every year, certain late-round value picks become solid contributors to their respective teams. In the past, names like Jamaal Williams and Adam Thielen have stood out. The idea of a late-round pick becoming the savior for a fantasy team is not unheard of; it just takes a keen eye and some research to find the true diamonds in the rough.
Rashod Bateman
Rashod Bateman is a troubling candidate for the title of late-round value with an ADP ~154 or WR 60. He is very volatile as a WR two or three in one of the most run-heavy offenses in the NFL. However, I tend to look at production as well as the player’s contract, and both are in favor of Bateman and his future usage outlook in the Baltimore Ravens offense. In 2024, Bateman had 9 TDs and nearly 800 yards, leading to him signing a minty three-year deal this past offseason.
Lamar Jackson is continuing to grow as a passer, as many believe he should have been named the MVP in 2024; he will continue to improve in 2025. Todd Monken has cracked the code to Lamar, and it is a miracle he is still in Baltimore and not an HC elsewhere. All of these positives help Bateman stay positive in hopes of matching or even exceeding his most efficient year as a WR in 2024.
Roschon Johnson
Roschon Johnson may be the biggest sleeper on this list; his current ADP is ~183 overall and RB 58, leaving very little risk and high upside for reward. Under new OC Ben Johnson—who has a proven track record of unleashing dual-back fantasy offenses (Jamaal Williams as RB1 and David Montgomery as RB18 in Detroit)—Roschon is in prime position for a role bump.
In 2024, he was efficient when given chances: 56.4% rushing success rate and strong first-down and positive-yardage numbers, which rival many elite backs. And don’t overlook his red-zone prowess—he scored six touchdowns on just 55 carries and converted 61.5% of his attempts inside the 5-yard line. All of this leads to Roschon Johnson having the opportunity to burst onto the scene in 2025, and at his current price in fantasy draft, he is a risk I am more than happy to take, in hopes of massive value.
Dak Prescott
After a down-and-out, injury-shortened 2024—where he averaged just 14.6 fantasy points per game in eight starts before tearing his hamstring—Prescott’s stock fell dramatically, with his average draft position slipping outside the top 100 picks and into the late rounds (ADP ~111th overall, QB‑14).
Yet all signs point toward a meaningful rebound in 2025. Prescott enters the season at full health and backed by elite pass-catching weapons: CeeDee Lamb and newly acquired George Pickens, along with tight end Jake Ferguson. A bolstered offensive line—thanks to first-round pick Tyler Booker—should give him far more time in the pocket.
Importantly, Prescott has proven he can deliver as a high-volume passer: in 2023, he threw for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns, finishing QB3 in fantasy scoring despite minimal rushing production. Dak at the QB 14 price may be the best value at QB for the 2025 season.
JK Dobbins
JK Dobbins is an interesting case as of right now. Dobbins is shaping up to have a significant role in the Denver Broncos offense. However, he is not going until the back half of a 15-round draft (ADP 119 RB 41), and this right here is amazing value.
In the past, Sean Payton has had no issue utilizing two backs in an offense, and with the drafting of RJ Harvey, it looks like Payton has something up his sleeve, once again. It seems like a blast from the past days of the Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram duo put up massive numbers week in week out. Broncos fans everywhere should be ecstatic to see what Payton has achieved in the little amount of time, and I believe this year the Broncos will use a two-headed backfield with great success.
With RB being so thin in fantasy to begin with, compared to the wide receiver position, to be able to find a player in the back half of the draft that could be a solid flex player all year long is huge to have a successful team. JK Dobbins may be the late-round gem that puts many teams over the top in 2025.
Finding late-round fantasy draft steals isn’t just a fun gamble—it can be the difference between a solid team and a championship contender. As Shawn Pettinati of Last Word on Pro Football notes: “Fantasy Football championship teams are not necessarily won in the first round… but the best rosters are built in the later rounds”. Backed by Roto Street Journal, the magic lies in uncovering undervalued players whose expected production outpaces their ADP—those hidden gems that flip draft value on its head.
Keep your head on a swivel, fantasy managers, and you never know the next fantasy superstar you stumble upon in the later portion of the draft. Have a plan, and stay diligent to that plan, but keep in mind the draft board will not always go the way you expect, and you may need to pivot. This is okay, ride the fantasy football rollercoaster, and make the best out of it, which hopefully ends with some money in your pocket.
