If there’s one thing fantasy managers love, it’s a good sleeper. But the reality of modern fantasy football is that identifying sleepers is more challenging than ever. Here is the best WR sleeper candidate on every AFC North team.
Rashod Bateman
Baltimore Ravens
After three underwhelming years, the fantasy football community essentially 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 gained 756 yards and resulted in 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 appears to be a role player at this point. If someone’s going to break out alongside Zay Flowers, the most likely candidate is Bateman.
Andrei Iosivas
Cincinnati Bengals
There’s 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, including last year, when he had multiple absences due to injuries sustained during practice.
Andrei Iosivas, meanwhile, made a big leap after barely playing as a rookie. His share of snaps jumped from 23.9% to 79.3%. His target share was only 9.7%, but Iosivas 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.
Diontae Johnson
Cleveland Browns
Diontae Johnson’s fall from relevance is so remarkable that it warrants further study. He had a clean rise: a solid rookie year, followed by a WR2 sophomore season, and a WR1 junior year. Then Ben Roethlisberger retired, and it all fell apart.
Johnson averaged 10.6 and 11.7 fantasy points per game, 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 in Carolina, 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 the team’s most talented wideout.
If Johnson gets buzz in training camp, his ADP will shoot up. Right now, it doesn’t even exist. He’s been written off. If he can’t get it together this year, it’s probably over.
Calvin Austin III
Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s unlikely any Pittsburgh 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.
