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USATSI

As Fantasy Football managers, we're always looking for the next big thing. The young player who is about to have a breakout season. The rookie who could make an impact right away. We want someone new and exciting -- not old and slow.

But there's always going to be a handful of veterans who surprise us. It might not be for a full season, but there could be several weeks where you're getting quality production from an unlikely (older) source.

For example, in 2024 you might have started and relied on guys like Sam Darnold, Kareem Hunt, Adam Thielen or Jonnu Smith. Those are just a handful of veterans who made a big impact last season and might have contributed to you winning your Fantasy league.

So who will be those surprise veterans this season? I went through each roster to pick out someone who might not get drafted in your Fantasy league or could be a late-round pick, but there's a chance for them to be relevant at some point this year. 

They are likely names you know but might not want to draft anymore. However, they could still provide one last Fantasy surprise in 2025, and they might be top waiver wire options during the season.

Today, we'll break down sleepers I'm targeting in all 2025 Fantasy Football drafts from the NFC West. Check back on the site throughout the end of this week and into next for sleepers from every single team in every single division. 

NFC West Sleepers

Rams

Tyler Higbee, TE

Higbee could eventually lose his starting job to rookie Terrance Ferguson, but Higbee could also end his Rams tenure (he's in the final year of his contract) on a high note. He returned in Week 16 last year from a torn ACL suffered in 2023, and he scored three touchdowns in five games, including the playoffs, and averaged 11.2 PPR points per game over that span. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams should easily lead the Rams in targets if both are healthy, but Higbee could still have a prominent role, even with the addition of Ferguson. And Higbee's ADP on FantasyPros is Round 22.

49ers

Demarcus Robinson, WR

The 49ers main Fantasy options are easy to identify, and none of them qualify for this story. Robinson does, even if he's not expected to be a primary factor in the passing game. San Francisco's receiving corps is led by Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk, who is coming back from a torn ACL. Robinson could have some early production in place of Aiyuk, and we'll see where things go from there. Robinson scored seven touchdowns last season with the Rams and had a five-game stretch in 2023 from Weeks 13-17 where he scored at least 13.2 PPR points in each outing. He currently doesn't have an ADP on FantasyPros, but he could be a waiver-wire option early in the season if he steps up with Aiyuk out. 

Seahawks

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR

Valdes-Scantling reunited in Seattle with former Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and we'll see if that relationship helps Valdes-Scantling earn a prominent role with the Seahawks. Seattle is locked in atop its depth chart with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, but the latter has struggled to stay healthy the past three seasons. And the Seahawks lost 182 targets from 2024 with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett gone. Valdes-Scantling played eight games for Kubiak in New Orleans last year and had 17 catches for 385 yards and four touchdowns on 35 targets. He could have some big weeks with Seattle, and his ADP is Round 26 on FantasyPros.

Cardinals

Michael Wilson, WR

It's hard to envision Wilson having a big role for the Cardinals if Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr. are healthy given how Kyler Murray struggles to support multiple targets at a high level. But Wilson can still make some plays for Fantasy managers in deeper leagues, and he had four games in 2024 with at least 12.8 PPR points. This is his third season in the NFL, and maybe he can take a step forward with his production if teams focus on taking away McBride and Harrison. Wilson has yet to average more than 8.8 PPR points per game in his first two seasons in the NFL, but I'm hopeful he can do more in 2025. His ADP on FantasyPros is Round 19, and he's a good late-round flier in deeper formats.