When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city to join a marching band ... wait, that's the beginning of “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance, not this article. More importantly, what do they have to do with dynasty fantasy football?

I guess I was feeling nostalgic thinking about the early 2000s. Pop and Hip-Hop ruled the music world. Nobody would have ever guessed that an Emo/Punk Rock band would be able to cut through and not only resonate with people but dominate the airwaves for a decade straight. They were a longshot in fantasy terms; they were back half of the draft and risky bets even in dynasty. Regardless of the odds, they made it.

For fully updated dynasty fantasy football rankings, click here!

Identifying Dynasty Fantasy Football Sleepers

Every year, in dynasty, we are trying to find players that are equivalent to that meteoric 2000s band. They come out of nowhere, rise quickly, or, after a couple of seasons of incubation, and are able to remain relevant for many years following their initial rise.

There are some players that may be barely on the radar or missing from it altogether, like ghosts of fantasy, who emerge and haunt all of the fantasy managers who looked them in the face, only to bypass them for safer, more well-known selections.

I have combined a group of players that are deep grabs in fantasy who may have a chance to break out, in dynasty, this season or in the coming seasons. “Because one day, I'll leave you, a phantom, to lead you in the summer, to join the black parade.”

We'll carry on!

 

Five Sleepers For Dynasty Fantasy Football Ahead of 2025

Bryce Young | QB | Panthers

Young definitely had an extremely rocky first season and a half in the NFL. Many were ready to write the former Heisman trophy winner and Panthers 2023 first-overall pick off as nothing more than a bust. What he showed over the second half of the 2024 season was not only someone capable of playing well at the position, but someone who can be a legit weapon in fantasy. 

Over the last 10 games of the season, he threw all 15 of his touchdowns and only turned it over five times. He completed 61% of his passes for 2,104 yards, but what really excited me was what he did with his legs. He rushed 37 times for 231 yards. That's a 6.24 yards per carry average. He also added five rushing touchdowns during that time. He finished in the top 15 four times over that span, and played with confidence and passion.

If he continues to trust his legs in 2025 and beyond, he has a chance to eclipse a lot of the quarterbacks who do not provide a rushing element to their game.

Mason Taylor | TE | Jets

While everyone is talking about Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland and whether they can be the next breakout at the position, Taylor has a chance to work under the radar on a team where the tight end has a chance to become a major target for the offense.

The Jets have a new regime led by Aaron Glenn, the former Jets defensive back and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator. He saw firsthand how a good receiving tight end could open up an offense. Taylor has hands that go well with his athletic pedigree.

On top of his impressive 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, he is a savvy route runner who understands how to detach from defenders or use his frame to box them out. That's great when you consider he will be catching passes from Justin Fields.

In his final season as a full-time starter with the Bears, tight end Cole Kmet finished as the second-leading receiver on the team. He had 90 targets and caught 73 passes for 719 yards and six touchdowns. Last season, during his six starts for Pittsburgh, Fields targeted tight ends 36 times, and they accounted for 30 receptions.

If (and when) Taylor gets his shot, he has a chance to be significant in fantasy for years to come. 

Trey Benson | RB | Cardinals

Each year, we sit back and try to predict when James Conner will finally fall off and start to decline. While there is no way to predict that drop off, it is easy to see that Benson should be in line for a larger share of the carries in 2025.

His 4.6 yards per carry average in 2024 was just as good as Conner's. He also missed out on double his carries and three times his touchdowns by the backup carries being split among three backs in 2024. He should earn many of those carries this season.

At 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, Benson has a great combination of size and sub-4.4 40 speed. Last season, he had a chance to acclimate himself to the NFL and cut down on his dancing in favor of being a more decisive and explosive downhill runner. He also continues to improve as a pass receiver, where he hauled in all six of his targets for a 9.8-yard average. He averaged 11.2 yards per reception in college and could add to his future value that way as well.

It's just a matter of time until he gets the nod; it could be this year or next. 

Isaac Guerendo | RB | 49ers

Jordan Mason is gone (Vikings), Elijah Mitchell is now a Kansas City Chief, and Christian McCaffrey is coming off a missed season due to injury. Isaac Guerendo suddenly finds himself in an enviable position. He is the RB2 on a team that embraces running the football, and the starter has a history of injury. He could be in line for a much bigger role for San Francisco this season.

At 6-foot and 221 pounds, Guerendo could be used more on short yardage and on the goal line to cut down on the amount of damage McCaffrey takes. He runs with great balance to go with that size and 4.33 40 speed. He has good hands and knows how to block in pass protection.

Jack Bech | WR | Raiders

Sometimes your prediction about a player doing well in fantasy has less to do with the players themselves and more to do with the situation the player finds themselves in. A rookie receiver could not have found a more perfect situation to land in than the Raiders. Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers are the only two established receiving options. They hired Pete Carroll as the new head coach, and in turn, Carroll hired Chip Kelly fresh off his coordinating Ohio State's offense to a national championship. 

They drafted Ashton Jeanty to be the focal point of the offense and traded for Geno Smith, the most accurate quarterback in the league. Here comes Bech to slide into a role in the slot that fits him perfectly. Bech is a big, strong slot receiver who has outstanding ball skills.

He knows how to use his body to shield defenders and own the space he is in, and he has really sticky hands. He is not afraid to get dirty and take hits, and he is capable of running well after the catch. He has a chance to receive the third-most targets on the team and establish himself as another reliable option for Smith to get the football to, and that means he has a chance to be viable in fantasy right now and well into the future.