Fantasy Football Sleeper Quarterbacks 2025: Hidden Talent That’ll Make Your League Mates Weep

Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) – The Comeback Kid

ADP: QB20

Everyone’s writing off Trevor Lawrence like he forgot how to play football overnight. News flash: the guy was dealing with a dysfunctional organization, subpar coaching, and an offensive line that couldn’t protect a stationary target. Now he’s got Liam Coen running the show – you know, the same coordinator who just turned Baker Mayfield into a fantasy superstar.

Coen took Mayfield from being NFL roadkill to throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. What do you think he’s going to do with a quarterback who actually has legitimate talent? Lawrence has already shown he can produce QB1 numbers when everything clicks – he finished as QB8 in 2022 and QB12 in 2023.

The weapon upgrade is insane too. Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off a stellar rookie campaign, and Travis Hunter might be the most dynamic player to enter the league in years. Suddenly, Lawrence has what could be the NFL’s most explosive young receiving duo.

But here’s the kicker: Lawrence averaged 18.1 rushing yards per game over his first three seasons. That’s sneaky dual-threat production that nobody’s talking about. Add that rushing floor to Coen’s proven offensive system, and you’ve got a recipe for top-12 quarterback production at a QB2 price.

Drake Maye (New England Patriots) – The Dual-Threat Diamond

ADP: QB16

Drake Maye’s rookie numbers don’t jump off the page until you realize he was playing with arguably the worst supporting cast in the NFL. The kid still managed to average 223 passing yards and 36 rushing yards per game in his meaningful action. Want to know how rare that combination is? Only 13 quarterbacks in Super Bowl history have averaged 220+ passing and 35+ rushing yards per game in a season.

That list includes Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Cam Newton, and basically every elite dual-threat quarterback you can name. Maye did it as a rookie behind a bottom-five offensive line with receivers most people couldn’t name.

Now he’s got Stefon Diggs, who’s finally healthy after that ACL tear. The offensive line added first-round pick Will Campbell. Josh McDaniels is back calling plays, and he knows how to maximize quarterback production. Remember what he did with Cam Newton’s rushing ability?

The ceiling here is massive. If Maye takes even a modest step forward as a passer while maintaining his rushing production, he’s looking at 4,000+ passing yards with 500+ on the ground. That’s typically QB1 territory, and you can draft him in the double-digit rounds.

Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) – The Scheme Upgrade Special

ADP: QB14

Caleb Williams had an underwhelming rookie season, and now he’s being discounted like he’s damaged goods. That’s exactly the kind of overreaction that creates league-winning value. The flashes were absolutely there: Williams just needed better coaching and more weapons.

Guess what? He got both.

Ben Johnson is now running the show in Chicago, and this guy knows how to press every offensive button available. His offenses consistently rank in the top six for passing production, and he’s a master at using pre-snap motion and play-action to create easy completions.

The weapon situation is completely transformed, too. DJ Moore is still elite, Rome Odunze should take a big second-year leap, and they added Colston Loveland in the first round. The offensive line went from bottom-five to top-10 according to preseason rankings.

Williams also had some brutal luck with rushing touchdowns as a rookie: that’s bound to regress positively. Add in the fact that he’s naturally gifted as a scrambler, and you’re looking at a quarterback with legitimate top-8 upside being drafted well outside the top 12.

The Veteran Value Plays That Everyone’s Sleeping On

Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) – The Injury Discount

ADP: QB18

Jordan Love was a top-five fantasy quarterback in 2023 before that early-season MCL sprain derailed his 2024 campaign. Everyone remembers the struggles after he returned from injury, but they’re conveniently forgetting that he threw zero interceptions over his final seven regular-season games.

The Packers have been a top-10 passing offense in both seasons with Love as the starter. Now they’re adding first-round receiver Matthew Golden to an already talented group, and Love has made it clear he wants to use his legs more as a rushing threat.

This is a 26-year-old quarterback in his prime, playing in one of the league’s most quarterback-friendly systems, available at QB18. The discount makes no sense when you consider his proven ceiling and improved supporting cast.

Joe Flacco (Cleveland Browns) – The Late-Career Renaissance

ADP: QB27

I know what you’re thinking: “Joe Flacco is 40 years old and should be retired.” But hear me out, this guy was legitimately great when he played for Cleveland in 2023. He averaged 321 passing yards and 2.3 touchdowns per game across six appearances.

David Njoku was absolutely dominant in those games, averaging 18.2 PPR points when Flacco was throwing him the ball. Jerry Jeudy is now the primary receiver, Cedric Tillman showed flashes as a rookie, and Kevin Stefanski is one of the best play-callers in the game.

Sure, Flacco might not be the long-term answer, but he’s the Week 1 starter with a proven track record of success in this system. In deeper leagues or 2-QB formats, he’s absolutely worth a stash.

The Rookie Wild Cards Flying Under the Radar

J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings) – The System Quarterback

ADP: QB19

Sam Darnold threw for over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns in Kevin O’Connell’s offense last season. If Sam freaking Darnold can put up those numbers, what do you think J.J. McCarthy can do with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson?

McCarthy was the 10th overall pick for a reason. He completed over 72% of his passes in his final college season and has the athleticism to add rushing value. Most importantly, he’s walking into one of the most quarterback-friendly situations in the NFL.

The Vikings let Darnold walk and turned down Aaron Rodgers because they believe in McCarthy. That tells you everything you need to know about his readiness to contribute immediately.

Cam Ward (Washington Commanders) – The Upside Swing

ADP: QB22

Cam Ward might struggle early – especially against elite defenses – but his ceiling is absolutely massive. The kid scored 17 rushing touchdowns across three college seasons and has the arm talent to make every throw on the field.

Washington has some solid receiving options, and if Ward can establish himself as even a serviceable passer while contributing 200+ rushing yards, he’ll return value on his current draft price.

How to Target These Fantasy Football Sleeper Quarterbacks

Here’s the strategy that separates the champions from the also-rans: don’t wait for these guys to prove themselves. By the time everyone realizes Lawrence is back to QB1 form or Maye is putting up dual-threat numbers, their draft prices will be through the roof.

Target these quarterbacks in the 10th round or later, after you’ve locked up your core position players. The beauty of this approach is that you don’t need all of them to hit – you just need one to significantly outperform his draft cost.

Focus on the situation over the reputation. A quarterback with clear rushing upside and improved weapons beats the aging veteran with name recognition every single time. Look for guys who benefit from coaching changes, offensive line upgrades, or significant roster improvements.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to roster two of these options. Having Trevor Lawrence and Drake Maye gives you multiple chances to hit on a league-winner while your opponents are starting the same boring quarterbacks they’ve had for three years.

The Bottom Line on Fantasy Football Sleeper Quarterbacks

The 2025 fantasy football season is going to reward the managers who identified quarterback value before it became obvious. While everyone else is chasing last year’s production or reaching for big names, these sleeper options offer genuine upside at bargain prices.

Trevor Lawrence has the best supporting cast of his career under a proven offensive coordinator. Drake Maye showed elite dual-threat potential as a rookie and now has better weapons. Caleb Williams is in a completely transformed offensive system with one of the league’s brightest coaching minds.

Don’t say nobody warned you when these fantasy football sleeper quarterbacks are putting up QB1 numbers come December, and your league mates are still wondering how you managed to find value at the position while they’re starting the same quarterbacks everyone saw coming.