The fantasy football season is winding down. For some teams, it is time to churn the bench in search of players with upside to fuel a final push toward a championship. For others, it represents a last chance to play spoiler and take risks. In either case, only two or three weeks remain before the fantasy playoffs.
The following players could unexpectedly emerge as league winners down the stretch. Each is rostered in fewer than 50%of Yahoo fantasy leagues.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: 19%
Few quarterbacks have better fantasy matchups than Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins to end the 2025 season. From Weeks 13 to 17, Miami plays just one opponent outside the top 12 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks (Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints). Three of their six opponents (New Orleans, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals) are also among the bottom 12 in pressures generated, which helps against Miami’s struggling offensive line.
All five of Miami’s opponents during this stretch rank in the top 14 in touchdown passes allowed in 2025. The stage is set for the Dolphins’ passing attack to have its best stretch of the season when fantasy managers need it most.
Tyrod Taylor, QB, New York Jets
Rostered: 3%
The New York Jets turned to Tyrod Taylor in Week 12. While the move didn’t change the result on the scoreboard, it added stability to the team’s passing attack. Taylor’s 222 passing yards against a stout Ravens defense were the fourth-most passing yards the Jets have had in a game this season. His 28 passing attempts were the third-most for the Jets in 2025.
Over the final five games, the Jets face four teams in the top 20 of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, including two matchups in the top 10 (Miami in Week 14 and Jacksonville in Week 15). They are also a bottom-10 team against quarterbacks this season, meaning every game could turn into a shootout environment.
Taylor is far from a fantasy goldmine, but he has enough rushing upside (at least three attempts in four games this season) to be relevant in the right matchups.
Devin Neal, RB, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 50%
Alvin Kamara suffered a knee injury in Week 12’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The injury is not expected to be season-ending, but there is little incentive for the Saints to rush him back for a two-win team.
2025 sixth-round pick Devin Neal is in line to take on the bulk of Kamara’s role in the backfield while the veteran is sidelined. Neal has carved out a role in the passing game over the last four weeks (14 targets, 12 receptions, 64 receiving yards) and handled seven carries against Atlanta once Kamara was injured.
Devin Neal’s skill set should translate well to the Saints’ offense.
Good jump cut to give 87 time to come across on the split zone kick.
Once his seam flashes, you can see the burst to get to top speed.
He had 200 carries a season at 6.0 Y/A his final three years at Kansas pic.twitter.com/1rp3Sk2VcA
— Dan Fornek ↗️ (@fornekdf) November 27, 2025
There may not be a team with a better fantasy playoff schedule than the Saints to close out the season. New Orleans faces four of the top 10 teams in fantasy points allowed to running backs. The only team outside the top 10 (the New York Jets) traded away their best defensive lineman at the trade deadline and is steadily declining.
At worst, Kamara returns, and Neal maintains his role as a pass-catching back. At best, he could be the lead back for the Saints during one of the softest stretches for fantasy running backs this season.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers
Rostered: 26%
On the surface, there isn’t much reason to get excited about San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. He is firmly behind Christian McCaffrey on the depth chart, racking up just 64 carries for 302 yards and two touchdowns this season. He has had more than 50 rushing yards in a game only once but has hit at least 40 yards in three of four games.
Robinson is arguably the most appealing handcuff in fantasy football, given how the 49ers are utilizing McCaffrey this season. McCaffrey, who missed the 2024 season due to Achilles tendonitis, is on pace to set career highs in carries (307.4) and targets (145.9) through 12 games. McCaffrey averages 18.1 carries per game and handles 38.6% of the 49ers’ touches — both first among NFL running backs.
If McCaffrey’s body can’t hold up under the workload, Robinson, the only other running back to log a carry this season, would take over the bulk of the work. Robinson should be stashed in all leagues, as his potential upside outweighs the bench spot he occupies if McCaffrey stays healthy.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers
Rostered: 38%
Jayden Reed is close to returning from injured reserve for the Green Bay Packers, meaning his under-the-radar status in fantasy leagues is ending. Reed has not played since Week 2 due to a broken collarbone (and a foot injury), but his 21-day return window was activated before Week 12. He could return in Week 13.
Reed’s role has never been as prominent as hoped, and he has struggled to expand beyond a slot-only player for the Packers. But he has shown the ability to will his way into fantasy relevance thanks to his efficiency as a pass catcher and rusher in his first two seasons. Reed was the WR22 in Week 1 this season.
Green Bay needs a player who can generate plays after the catch with Tucker Kraft sidelined due to an ACL tear. Reed is the most equipped to provide that, especially given the struggles of rookie Matthew Golden in his first season.
Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears
Rostered: 10%
Luther Burden III’s role to start his rookie season was limited. From Weeks 1 to 8, Burden caught just 13 of 15 targets for 171 yards and a touchdown on a 24.2% snap share. Nearly all production came in a Week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys, where he caught three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown on a trick play.
Over the last three weeks, Burden’s role in Chicago’s offense has grown. Since Week 9, he has caught nine of 13 targets for 124 yards. While there haven’t been any big plays or fantasy performances, the Bears have found ways to get the explosive rookie the ball, and he has rewarded them with strong production after the catch.
In the last three weeks, Burden ranks third on the Bears in receiving yards and first in yards after the catch per reception (6.89). He also leads the Bears in slot snap rate (44.3%) during that span, a historically productive role in a Ben Johnson offense.
Burden has the skill set to maximize his modest opportunities. If he continues to make plays as both a receiver and blocker, more opportunities are likely, and he could break out in Chicago’s passing attack down the stretch.
Mason Taylor, TE, New York Jets
Rostered: 21%
The Jets’ pass-catching group is limited, creating an opportunity for rookie tight end Mason Taylor to emerge, especially if Tyrod Taylor can stabilize the passing attack.
The rookie has earned 11 targets in Taylor’s two starts, catching seven passes for 39 yards. He also had his third-highest snap share in Week 12 (88.1%). He ranked 14th among tight ends in route participation (73.5%) and slot rate (56%).
New York has three matchups against defenses ranked in the top 10 for points allowed to tight ends in the final five weeks of the fantasy season, two of which come during the fantasy playoffs.
Gunnar Helm, TE, Tennessee Titans
Rostered: 0%
The Titans have made a concerted effort to get rookie tight end Gunnar Helm more involved since their Week 10 bye. Over the last two weeks, Helm has led the team in targets (11) and receptions (10) despite logging just a 44.1% target share.
Helm ranks second on the team in yards per route run (1.95), thanks to a team-leading 49 yards after the catch in the last two weeks. He has been the first read on six of his routes during that span, trailing only Chimere Dike.
Helm’s upside is slightly limited by the presence of Chig Okonkwo on the depth chart, but the Titans are evaluating young talent down the stretch. Helm is poised to benefit from additional looks as the team works to establish its core for the future.