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The Carolina Panthers allowed the most points in NFL history (534), resulting in 31.4 points per game allowed, last season. Although a poor defense certainly makes it difficult to win, it can benefit Fantasy football production with the need to pass often to keep pace on the scoreboard. You'd have to imagine the Carolina defense is better than historically bad when forming a 2025 Fantasy football strategy, but it may not be drastically improved, so how should that alter where you place Panthers options in 2025 Fantasy football rankings?

Quarterback Bryce Young showed signs of why he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in a bounce-back sophomore season, finishing as the QB7 in Fantasy football over the final seven weeks. He'll have a pair of young first-round wide receivers, including rookie Tetairoa McMillan, who was selected No. 8 overall, and Xavier Legette, entering his second NFL season. Could the Panthers have some of the biggest surprises in 2025 Fantasy football drafts? Before crafting your 2025 Fantasy football draft strategy, be sure to check out the 2025 Fantasy football rankings and cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last year, the model accurately predicted that Bills running back James Cook would comfortably outperform his ADP (RB14). The result: Cook rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding 32 receptions for 258 yards and two more scores as a receiver. He finished as RB8 in CBS Sports PPR leagues and his maturation into a scoring threat cemented his status as a Fantasy football superstar.

The same model has a proven track record providing Fantasy football tips, identifying A.J. Brown as a sleeper in 2020, nailing Jonathan Taylor's monstrous season in 2021 and correctly predicting C.J. Stroud would take a step back in 2024. Additionally, it's called past Fantasy football sleepers like Derrick Henry in 2019, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara in 2018, and Davante Adams in 2017. Anybody who banked on players like those made a run at their league title.

Now, SportsLine has simulated the entire NFL season 10,000 times and released its latest Fantasy football rankings 2025, along with plenty of sleepers, breakouts and busts. Head to SportsLine now to see them. 

Top 2025 Fantasy football sleepers

One of the 2025 Fantasy football sleepers the model is predicting: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Despite offseason speculation that the veteran quarterback would be playing elsewhere, Stafford and Sean McVay are back together in LA for their fifth year together. Stafford's yardage (3,762) and touchdowns (20) declined last year from 2023, but his quarterback rating rose as the Rams won the NFC West yet again. He lost one of his favorite weapons from his Rams career in Cooper Kupp, but the addition of Davante Adams could make Adams and Puka Nacua one of the top receiver tandems in the NFL.

Adams had 1,063 yards last year, as he's had more than 995 yards in each of his last nine seasons with no signs of his production slowing down. Kupp's statistics did fall last year though, so this could be a receiver upgrade for Stafford. The 37-year-old Stafford still has one of the strongest arms in the NFL for a team that remains focused on competing for the postseason. Stafford is going outside the top 20 quarterbacks in many 2025 Fantasy football drafts, but the model has him ranked above multiple quarterbacks going earlier than him, making the veteran a sleeper candidate for deeper Fantasy football leagues. 

Another sleeper that SportsLine's Fantasy football rankings 2025 have identified: Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. He wasn't on many people's radar during Fantasy football drafts last year, but the fifth-round pick was one of the most productive rookies in Fantasy football, rushing for 839 yards and five touchdowns while adding 38 receptions for 284 yards. Tracy became New York's unquestioned RB1 as the season progressed, playing at least 60% of snaps in eight of nine games. Despite the Giants selecting Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and retaining veteran Devin Singletary, the model still has faith in Tracy, especially where he's going in 2025 Fantasy football drafts. 

Tracy is being selected outside the top 30 running backs in Fantasy football this season, despite finishing as RB26 last year. The model expects Tracy to benefit from an improved Giants offense and likes his chances to emerge as a viable running back option with a high upside for 2025 Fantasy football lineups. See which other Fantasy football sleepers 2025 to pick here.

How to find proven 2025 Fantasy football rankings

SportsLine is also extremely high on a veteran wide receiver to surprise with his production. The model says this wideout is a shocking top-10 option ahead of younger stars like A.J. Brown and Drake London. You can only see who it is, and the 2025 Fantasy football rankings for every player, at SportsLine.

So which 2025 Fantasy Football sleepers should you target, and which wide receiver shocks the NFL with a top-10 performance? Visit SportsLine now to get 2025 Fantasy Football cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called James Cook's huge season, and find out.

2025 Fantasy football ADP

(PPR, via CBS)

1. Saquon Barkley (2.24)
2. Bijan Robinson (2.54)
3. Ja'Marr Chase (3.12)
4. Jahmyr Gibbs (3.99)
5. Derrick Henry (5.69)
6. Josh Jacobs (9.85)
7. Justin Jefferson (10.10)
8. Christian McCaffrey (10.71)
9. Ashton Jeanty (11.14)
10. Lamar Jackson (11.35)