Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) hands off to running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

There's one week to go until the start of the 2025 NFL season. Time is running out on fantasy football drafts as managers make their final roster decisions.

It takes a mix of luck to win a fantasy football championship. Some of that is a matter of injury luck (apologies to those who took Christian McCaffrey first overall in 2024), but it's also a matter of finding value later in the draft.

The first few rounds are filled with players widely expected to be stud performers in 2025. Barring a health scare, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb should be among the best wide receivers in fantasy football. Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson and Derrick Henry should do the same at running back.

But that's not what makes fantasy football such a dramatic competition for months of the year. It's about finding the late-round wide receiver who plays like a top-25 player or the running back who steadily becomes a top-10 performer who could win your league.

That's more of what we're looking for in this list. Here are eight players who could be great value picks in fantasy football this season.

Fantasy football value picks 2025

Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud

  • FantasyPros ADP: QB18, OVR130

This time last year, Stroud was a top-five quarterback in fantasy football. That didn't turn out well as Stroud and the Texans' offense regressed, and he finished as QB18.

Stroud should see a bump given the changes in personnel on the field and sideline. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley should install a system that keeps Stroud from seeing the most unblocked pressures in the NFL. He has new weapons in rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

There's no doubt the offensive line is still a concern and the running back depth is shaky entering the regular season. But the Texans are in a weak division and have one of the best defenses in the league. They're going to be competing in almost every game they play, allowing Stroud to produce beyond a mid-level QB2.

Carolina Panthers RB Chuba Hubbard

  • FantasyPros ADP: RB18, OVR43

Hubbard finished as RB15 in half-PPR leagues in 2024 and the Panthers' offense should be better as a whole in 2025. Even if quarterback Bryce Young doesn't take a step from what he showed at the end of last season, rookie wideout Tetairoa McMillan's presence alone should open things up in the passing game.

That'll play into Hubbard's hands. This offensive line is built to run well with the likes of Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt up front. Rico Dowdle shouldn't take enough touches from Hubbard to reduce his potential.

His ADP puts him just ahead of rookies TreVeyon Henderson and RJ Harvey and behind the oft-injured Kenneth Walker III and Breece Hall - who don't have the same proven players in the trenches. Hubbard could be a great value in the fourth round of drafts.

Washington Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt

  • FantasyPros ADP: RB38, OVR108

It's hard to find a recent seventh-round rookie running back with as much hype as Croskey-Merritt. "Bill" has only Austin Ekeler challenging him for touches at the top of the depth chart.

That's good news behind what should be a significantly improved offensive line. Rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. played very well in the preseason and Laremy Tunsil is one of the better left tackles in the league. Washington had one of the most efficient offenses last season when operating around one of the least talented offensive line groups.

Betting on rookie running backs can be a coin flip in fantasy football. The opportunity is there for Croskey-Merritt to outplay his draft position by mid-season.

Tennessee Titans WR Calvin Ridley

  • FantasyPros ADP: WR30, OVR68

Cam Ward played limited snaps in the preseason and had his fair share of standout throws. Ridley is entering his age-31 season and may be past his prime but Ward's arrival alone should improve his outlook this season.

He won't be the lone weapon in the passing game this year, either. Offseason acquisitions Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett may not be dynamic threats at this point in their careers but are proven players at the position who will take attention away from Ridley.

Ward's arrival and new starters on offense around Ridley should push him to fringe top-25 fantasy wideout. That's excellent value for his current ADP.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka

  • FantasyPros ADP: WR37, OVR83

Egbuka wasn't the first wide receiver off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft but experts agreed he was the most pro-ready of the group. He's looked great in training camp and should be a great stand-in for Chris Godwin as the veteran works his way back to health.

Even with Godwin's pending return, Egbuka should be too good to keep off the field. Tampa Bay may not maintain its impressive production from last season but there's enough passes to go around for Egbuka to be a solid fantasy WR3.

Godwin is 29 and recovering from a serious injury and Mike Evans is entering year 12 in the NFL. There's a chance we look up at the Buccaneers' Week 9 bye and Egbuka's the No. 2 target in the passing game.

Las Vegas Raiders WR Dont'e Thornton Jr.

  • FantasyPros ADP: WR67, OVR207

Las Vegas' offense will very likely run through tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty. The rookie Thornton is slated to start at receiver after impressing in training camp.

Thornton fits the role of a dynamic outside receiver who should be a field-stretching deep threat in the offense. That makes his value very boom-or-bust but having one of the better deep ball throwers in the league in Geno Smith at quarterback improves his outlook.

It'd be a shock if Thornton ends up as a top-25 fantasy wide receiver in 2025. It wouldn't be a surprise for him to make plays against the lesser defenses on the Raiders' schedule and he plays his way into a flex starter at times. That's great value for the final round of drafts.

Green Bay Packers TE Tucker Kraft

  • FantasyPros ADP: TE11, OVR98

The knock on the Packers offense in recent years is that there's no clear top receiving threat in the passing game. This year, they spent a first-round pick at wide receiver on Matthew Golden.

His addition doesn't really affect Kraft's outlook, though. He was one of the most productive fantasy football tight end on a per-catch basis last season. He finished as TE9 in half-PPR leagues last season on the second-fewest catches among the top 15 tight ends with 50. Of the tight ends with at least 30 catches, only George Kittle had a higher yards per reception at 14.2.

Kraft may not get the target share of the likes of Kittle, Bowers, Trey McBride or Sam LaPorta. But he's proven to make more out of his targets than most tight ends in fantasy football.

Houston Texans D/ST

  • FantasyPros ADP: D/ST6, OVR183

Good luck finding a better edge rusher duo in the NFL than Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Add in one of the top young cornerbacks in the NFL in Derek Stingley Jr. and a group of defensive backs that feature two starters in year two and that's a recipe for one of the best defenses in the NFL.

They're scheduled to face a rookie in Cam Ward and Daniel Jones twice this season. They'll get the Cardinals, Raiders and Chargers for the fantasy playoffs this season. That's a slate that could pay off down the stretch for fantasy football.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football sleepers: Best value picks in 2025

Reporting by Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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