Biggest Sleepers at Every Position for Week 2 Fantasy Football 2025

If you have a low waiver-wire priority or want to save your free-agent budget, our Week 2 sleepers can give your lineup a boost.

Two mid-round rookie picks have quickly carved out significant roles—one especially after an early-season trade.

A veteran quarterback isn't getting enough respect in the fantasy realm, and that could change after Monday night. You'll find out why he's a top priority add and a plug-and-play starter.

A much-maligned wideout could be on the cusp of a breakout year, but few have him on their rosters.

Check out our eight sleeper options who are available in at least 50 percent of leagues based on FantasyPros' roster consensus percentages.

QB Michael Penix Jr. at Minnesota Vikings (30 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Last week, the Atlanta Falcons employed a pass-heavy game plan against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, demonstrating their trust in second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who threw for 298 yards and a touchdown. He also tacked on six rush attempts for 21 yards and a score.

Even though Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is one of the league's top play-callers, he has some holes in his secondary. Penix can exploit that unit.

The Vikings have one proven starting cornerback in Byron Murphy Jr. Fellow boundary defender Isaiah Rodgers has started in 14 out of 61 career games. Jeff Okudah, a 2020 first-rounder, is a reclamation project who only played 16 defensive snaps last week.

Moreover, six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith missed the Vikings' season opener because of an illness. After two limited practices at the end of the previous week, he still has some restrictions.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris expects Drake London to play through a shoulder sprain, and the team may get wideout Darnell Mooney back on the field for his season debut. Both receivers were limited at practice to start the week.

If Penix has London and Mooney on the field Sunday night, he'll be equipped to take advantage of a suspect Vikings secondary.

QB Geno Smith vs. Los Angeles Chargers (17 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith

Managers have not shown enough respect for Geno Smith as a fantasy-friendly quarterback. He finished as QB5 in scoring for the 2022 campaign and QB13 last season.

In Week 1, against the New England Patriots, he racked up 362 passing yards in chunks, completing nine passes for 20-plus yards, which tied his single-game career high.

Based on his recent production indoors, Smith is capable of posting another gaudy stat line at Allegiant Stadium on Monday night.

Last week, the Los Angeles Chargers allowed Patrick Mahomes to throw for 258 yards with a depleted receiver unit that lost Xavier Worthy after three offensive snaps.

Keep an eye on All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, who suffered a knee injury last Sunday. If he plays, the Las Vegas Raiders will have the offensive firepower to keep a high-scoring game close with their aerial attack.

Smith shouldn't be available in over 80 percent of leagues.

RB Bhayshul Tuten at Cincinnati Bengals (47 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/John Raoux

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten

At the beginning of the week, the Jacksonville Jaguars closed ranks in their backfield. They traded running back Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2026 fifth- and sixth-round picks.

With that move, Travis Etienne Jr. becomes a must-start player after he ran for 143 yards against the Carolina Panthers. Also, as the clear-cut No. 2 running back, rookie fourth-rounder Bhayshul Tuten is a priority add off the waiver wire and a sleeper option for Week 2.

Tuten only logged three carries for 11 yards against the Panthers, but he will likely take on an expanded role following Bigsby's departure.

At Virginia Tech, Tuten caught 50 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns, which illustrates his three-down potential.

The Jaguars could give him at least 10 touches per game, which is a decent workload for a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, who rank 11th in fantasy points allowed to running backs.

RB Kenneth Gainwell vs. Seattle Seahawks (3 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell

While managers who drafted and started rookie third-rounder Kaleb Johnson may need to exercise patience with him, you can plug Kenneth Gainwell into your flex spot now.

In the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener, Jaylen Warren led the backfield with 13 touches. Gainwell had 10. Johnson logged one carry for minus two yards.

If you have Johnson on your roster, Gainwell could help fill a void until the rookie carves out a bigger role.

While Warren took over Najee Harris' red-zone duties, logging four carries for 12 yards inside the 20-yard line, Gainwell saw four targets as the primary pass-catcher out of the Steelers' backfield in the first outing.

Two Steelers running backs could finish within the top 20 in scoring at the position in a matchup with a Seattle Seahawks team that gave up the second-most fantasy points to tailbacks last week.

WR Quentin Johnston at Las Vegas Raiders (10 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston

Is Quentin Johnston primed for a third-year breakout campaign? Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, but he should be on your fantasy radar going into Week 2.

Last week, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he caught five passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns, his second multi-score outing of his career.

Based on Johnston's roster percentage, managers don't believe in him yet, but he's worth another look this week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

In Week 1, New England Patriots No. 2 wide receiver Kayshon Boutte feasted on the Raiders' pass defense, hauling in six out of eight targets for 103 yards. By the way, he was featured on our season-opening sleepers list.

Johnston, with his big-play ability, could post a stat line similar to Boutte's Week 1 numbers. Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who typically favors the run, dialed up 34 passing plays last week. The Raiders' secondary is questionable at best, which makes it a vulnerable unit on Monday.

Justin Herbert's growing rapport with Johnston could help you win matchups this week.

WR Tyquan Thornton vs. Philadelphia Eagles (1 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton

The Kansas City Chiefs had to adjust their passing attack on the fly when Xavier Worthy dislocated his shoulder on the third offensive play of their season-opening game with the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chiefs lost their top deep threat, but Patrick Mahomes still took shots downfield and connected with Tyquan Thornton on a 38-yard completion.

Mahomes misfired on a couple of passes to Thornton, but the potential for them to convert on big plays is an intriguing development in Worthy's absence.

Worthy hasn't practiced this week, so Kansas City may roll with three-receiver sets that feature Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Thornton. With 4.28 40-yard dash speed, Thornton could be the most explosive playmaker in that trio.

Brown could see a lot of second-year cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in coverage, which would allow Thornton to match up against the Philadelphia Eagles' unsettled No. 2 cornerback.

If you missed out on Brown as a waiver-wire pickup, go for Thornton's boom potential.

TE Jonnu Smith vs. Seattle Seahawks (41 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jonnu Smith

The Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 2 matchup presents a rare case in which you could start their top two tight ends.

It's anyone's guess as to who makes a bigger splash between Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth in a favorable game for tight end production, but you must take a swing at one of them here.

Smith is the preferred option because he's more athletic than Freiermuth and, therefore, capable of making big plays in the passing game. Yet the ninth-year pro caught five passes for just 15 yards but scored a touchdown last week. Meanwhile, Freiermuth hauled in three passes for 28 yards.

In Week 1, the Seahawks gave up the most fantasy points to tight ends, allowing George Kittle and Jake Tonges to score touchdowns.

If you have a choice between the two Steelers tight ends, take Smith, who's available in more than 50 percent of leagues and coming off a Pro Bowl campaign.

TE Harold Fannin Jr. at Baltimore Ravens (5 Percent Rostered)

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AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr.

At the least, Fannin should be on your bench in case he maintains a big role in the Browns' aerial attack. If you want to spice up your lineup with more boom potential, consider starting him against the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed Buffalo Bills tight ends to record seven catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.

Fantasy points scored against statistics are provided by FantasyPros.

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

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