If there’s one thing fantasy managers love, it’s a good sleeper. But in modern fantasy football, finding sleepers is harder than ever. Leaving no stone unturned, we’re going through all 16 AFC teams to highlight the best WR sleeper candidate on each one.
1 Sleeper Wide Receiver From Every AFC Team
Baltimore Ravens: Rashod Bateman
After three underwhelming years, the fantasy community largely gave up on Rashod Bateman. But he was a first-round NFL Draft pick for a reason. Once upon a time, the talent was there.
Injuries played a big part in Bateman’s struggles. Finally healthy, he put together an efficient 2024 season. Although he caught only 45 passes, they went for 756 yards and nine touchdowns. The hope is that his per-target performance earns him a better target rate than the 17.3% he saw last season (80th in the NFL).
Bateman’s WR57 ADP means he’ll be drafted in most leagues. New teammate DeAndre Hopkins is going about 20 spots later, but he looks like a role player at this point. If someone’s going to break out alongside Zay Flowers, the most likely candidate is Bateman.
Buffalo Bills: Joshua Palmer
Something tells me Joshua Palmer’s WR70 ADP won’t last. It doesn’t make sense. He shouldn’t be a top-40 receiver or drafted to start, but this is a guy who’s proven himself over and over.
Palmer’s 7.2 fantasy points per game average last season can be dismissed. The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Ladd McConkey, and he’s elite. In a low-volume passing offense, there wasn’t enough to go around, especially with Quentin Johnston taking a small step forward.
The two seasons before that, Palmer filled in admirably when Keenan Allen or Mike Williams were hurt. He averaged 10.6 and 10.7 ppg in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Every fantasy manager would take that from someone on the edge of even being drafted.
Now in Buffalo, Palmer gets a QB upgrade with Josh Allen and has little target competition. Khalil Shakir mainly plays the slot, so there’s no overlap. The Buffalo Bills don’t have a clear outside flanker, so Palmer looks like the favorite for that spot. He’s better than Keon Coleman and is a rare true WR sleeper you can grab in the final rounds.
Cincinnati Bengals: Andrei Iosivas
There’s really no room for another guy in a passing game run by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — the NFL’s best WR duo. But Higgins tends to miss a game or two. Last year, he had multiple absences due to practice injuries.
Andrei Iosivas, meanwhile, made a big leap after barely playing as a rookie. His snap share jumped from 23.9% to 79.3%. His target share was only 9.7%, but he still had four games with WR3 or better production. That’s solid for a sixth-round sophomore.
Fantasy managers should see Iosivas as a handcuff WR. He has no standalone value, but if Chase or Higgins is out, he could be a viable streamer that week.
Cleveland Browns: Diontae Johnson
Diontae Johnson’s fall from relevance needs to be studied. He had a clean rise: solid rookie year, WR2 sophomore season, WR1 in Year 3. Then Ben Roethlisberger retired, and it all fell apart.
Johnson averaged 10.6 and 11.7 ppg, respectively, in 2022 and 2023. Last year, he bounced between three teams after getting frustrated with his role and ended the season as a healthy inactive due to his attitude.
The wild thing is, for a short stretch last season, Johnson looked like a WR1 again. From Weeks 3-6, when Andy Dalton was under center, Johnson had games of 26.2, 21.3, 5.9, and 19.8 fantasy points.
Still only 28, Johnson is now trying to revive his career with the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland’s QB situation is in flux, but the WR depth chart is wide open behind Jerry Jeudy. If Johnson is mentally locked in, he’s clearly the most talented wideout on the team.
If Johnson gets buzz in training camp, his ADP will shoot up. Right now, it doesn’t even exist. He’s been totally written off. If he can’t get it together this year, it’s probably over.
Denver Broncos: Pat Bryant
There was some consideration for Marvin Mims Jr. here. However, the Denver Broncos don’t seem interested in using Mims as more than a situational gadget player.
Mims had two monster games to close out the regular season — posting 30.2 and 22.1 fantasy points — yet he played just 48.5% and 31.5% of the snaps in those games, respectively.
This year, the Broncos used a third-round pick on Pat Bryant. While head coach Sean Payton’s comparisons to Michael Thomas are obviously hyperbolic, the fact that he said it is enough to perk our ears up when it comes to the rookie.
Denver doesn’t have a clear WR2 behind Courtland Sutton, and Bryant could easily leapfrog Devaughn Vele and should already be ahead of Troy Franklin.
Bryant’s WR89 ADP shows that fantasy managers are completely overlooking him. The most likely outcome is that he never matters, but that’s what makes him a sleeper. Just remember Bryant’s name if he starts to get some buzz.
Houston Texans: Jayden Higgins
The Houston Texans have a few sleeper candidates — basically anyone in the passing game not named Nico Collins. With Stefon Diggs now in New England and Tank Dell out until at least 2026, Houston has an opening at WR2. To fill it, they signed Christian Kirk and drafted Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
Any of the three could emerge as a viable WR3 in fantasy, but if we’re picking one, it’s Higgins. While he’s not a perfect prospect, he has second-round draft capital. His main competition is a veteran making close to the league minimum in 2025 and a college teammate he outplayed.
Higgins’ WR55 ADP makes him cheap in drafts. There’s room for a second fantasy-relevant receiver in this offense. Kirk or Noel could grab it, but Higgins is the best mix of opportunity and cost.
Indianapolis Colts: Michael Pittman Jr.
It’s wild that Michael Pittman Jr. can be considered a sleeper just two years after averaging 15.6 PPR points per game. Chalk it up to the Anthony Richardson effect.
Pittman’s 2025 outlook is rough. He’ll be catching passes from either Richardson or Daniel Jones — neither of whom inspires much fantasy confidence. Last year, Josh Downs outplayed him to the point that fantasy managers now have Downs ahead of Pittman in ADP.
Over the past two seasons, Pittman has averaged 10.0 ppg with Richardson and 15.8 with other quarterbacks. If you’re drafting Pittman, you’re probably hoping Jones gets in there at some point, which does seem likely. Both quarterbacks are expected to make starts.
What we know is that Pittman is a talented receiver. He was nearly a WR1 two years ago. Last season, he played through bad QB play and a back injury that nearly ended his season — until he changed his mind and suited up anyway. At WR52, Pittman is likely worth the gamble.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Dyami Brown
Let’s be clear — it’s unlikely Dyami Brown matters in fantasy. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense is expected to be very consolidated, with touches going to Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and whoever leads the backfield.
Brown was a weak prospect and didn’t do much after entering the NFL. Last year was the first time he passed 200 receiving yards…in a season. Now in Year 5, his career high is 308 yards.
The buzz around Brown comes from his playoff showing. He went 5-89-1 and 6-98 in the Washington Commanders’ first two postseason games. Now in Jacksonville, he’s penciled in as the WR3 — possibly WR2 depending on Hunter’s snap count.
Maybe Brown breaks out in Year 5 after doing next to nothing for four years, but it’s unlikely. He has Trevor Lawrence at quarterback and needs to beat out better players. However, if anyone can unlock a third fantasy receiver in Jacksonville, it’s new head coach Liam Coen.
Kansas City Chiefs: Hollywood Brown
There’s only one potential sleeper WR on the Kansas City Chiefs. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy are the clear top two, with ADPs too high to be considered sleepers. Hollywood Brown, though, is way down at WR61.
This new version of Patrick Mahomes — the one who’s more of a game manager and saves the hero stuff for big moments — doesn’t exactly support a fourth fantasy pass catcher. But after Brown came off IR in Week 16 last year, he was involved right away, posting 9.5 and 8.6 fantasy points, respectively.
Kansas City valued Brown enough that they held him out in Week 18 along with their other starters. Yet, in the postseason, he struggled, scoring no more than 6.5 points and had zero receptions off two targets in the Divisional Round vs. Houston.
Still, Brown enters Year 2 with Kansas City and should have a full, healthy offseason this time. We’ve seen him post WR2 numbers over a full season before. Given the price and the QB he’s tied to, fantasy managers could do worse.
Las Vegas Raiders: Jack Bech
The Las Vegas Raiders’ WR room is wide open after Jakobi Meyers. Sure, Brock Bowers is essentially the WR1, but it’s not like Geno Smith hasn’t supported three fantasy pass catchers before.
Jack Bech is a rookie second-round pick with a fairly unimpressive profile. He also comes from TCU, a school that’s never produced a quality NFL receiver. Still, he’s got the inside track to the WR2 role. Bech’s main competition is Tre Tucker. At a WR68 ADP, it’s cheap to take a swing on the unknown rookie.
Los Angeles Chargers: Tre Harris
For the second year in a row, the Chargers spent a second-round pick on a wide receiver. It’s hard to top last year’s pick, McConkey, who’s locked in as the team’s WR1. He’s going to dominate targets, and no one’s threatening that.
As for WR2, it’s an open battle between former first-rounder Johnston, familiar face and new signee Mike Williams, and rookie Tre Harris. Johnston made a big jump after a rough rookie year but didn’t fully shake the bust label. That’s why the Chargers added both Harris and Williams.
Williams is 31 and coming off a down year, in which he caught just 21 passes for 298 yards and one touchdown in 18 games split between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harris is interesting. He was highly productive in his final college season, but he’s an older rookie at 23 and didn’t break out until midway through his age-20 campaign. But even if you’re not high on him, Harris’ WR58 ADP makes him a bargain.
Don’t assume every prospect evaluation will pan out. Harris has real sleeper appeal as a possible WR2 in a Justin Herbert offense.
Miami Dolphins: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Finding a sleeper wide receiver on the Miami Dolphins is tough. When Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle struggles, the offense shifts toward short passes to Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. So even if one gets hurt, it’s unlikely another WR steps up for fantasy.
Still, the best long-shot option is Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who always seems to pop up on fantasy rosters, even if just briefly.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine pic.twitter.com/1gmFxUmOvH
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) January 28, 2025
Westbrook-Ikhine is coming off his best season, yet still didn’t hit 500 yards. He caught 32 passes but somehow scored nine touchdowns (an absurd 28.1% TD rate), despite having just two games with more than 50 receiving yards.
As the Dolphins’ likely WR3, Westbrook-Ikhine may pop for a week or two and land in waiver wire columns. But he’s not worth drafting.
New England Patriots: Kyle Williams
The New England Patriots drafted Kyle Williams in the third round this year, and he enters a wide-open WR room with a young, rising quarterback. Stefon Diggs is the clear WR1, but he’s 31 and coming off a torn ACL. Thus, there’s room for someone else to step up.
The fantasy community seems to have decided that guy is Williams. His ADP is already up to WR63, which is high for a third-round rookie who’s currently fourth on the depth chart.
That’s a little disappointing, since Williams is a guy fantasy managers should want to take shots on, but he should be cheaper. His ADP ignores the presence of Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and Kendrick Bourne. Still, we know what Hollins and Bourne are, and while Douglas has a bit more juice, he looks like a long-term WR3.
Maybe Williams can break through.
New York Jets: Arian Smith
The Jets’ wide receiver group behind Garrett Wilson is ugly. The best sleeper option is Arian Smith by default. Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds are technically WR2 and WR3, respectively, but both are journeymen in their late 20s. This isn’t the year they suddenly break out.
If you’re taking a flier on anyone not named Wilson, it has to be a young guy — and not Malachi Corley, who caught just three passes for 16 yards as a rookie.
The Jets drafted Smith in the early fourth round, and although fourth-round rookies rarely make noise, his ceiling is at least higher than the others.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Calvin Austin III
It’s unlikely any Steelers wide receiver outside of DK Metcalf has fantasy value. The offense is too run-heavy, and the secondary receivers lack upside. But Calvin Austin III has at least shown flashes.
Austin averaged just 6.6 fantasy points per game last season, but he did deliver six double-digit outings, including three WR1-level games.
Digging more into Calvin Austin III’s tape the last few days. Dude can run routes, burst, and separate.
Impressive reps during his breakout 2024 season. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/V9WV6zSA0g
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) May 24, 2025
Austin is expected to be the primary slot receiver, and if we’re choosing someone to surprise, it’s not going to be 33-year-old Robert Woods. With an ADP around WR100, Austin doesn’t need to be drafted. But if he shows signs of a breakout — and if Aaron Rodgers can support more than one fantasy-relevant WR — he’ll be worth a waiver add.
Tennessee Titans: Elic Ayomanor
Yes, we’re hyping another Day 3 rookie. It’s a long shot, but that’s what sleepers are.
Calvin Ridley is locked in as the Tennessee Titans’ WR1. Behind him are Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson. Lockett is 33 and coming off a 7.1 ppg season. Jefferson is 29 and hasn’t cracked the top 100 wide receivers in either of the past two seasons.
So why not Elic Ayomanor?
Shockingly, Ayomanor’s ADP is WR78 — higher than both Lockett and Jefferson. Fantasy managers clearly think he has the best shot to become the Titans’ No. 2 fantasy WR.
