I keep saying it, but it finally feels real: we are, indeed, so back. It’s the biggest fantasy football draft weekend of the year. It’s the second Fantasy Football Friday of the year here at DraftKings Network. And I’m here to get you set, in this inaugural 2025 Five Lists of Five, with some of the most undervalued players (some of them deep) for your fantasy football drafts this weekend.
And let’s just roll back into the common refrain, shall we? All I want is for you to be better than your friends. You’re going to be surrounded by them on Sunday, probably. How sweet would it be if you could be sure you’ve checked every box possible that might guarantee you a resounding victory this week? Some kick-your-feet-up insights? I’ve got some.
I know my audience. The smoke-break audience. The quick-scan-of-the-phone-on-the-way-to-the-fridge audience. The give-me-as-much-info-as-possible-as-fast-as-possible audience. I’m a man of the people.
And so: the Five Lists of Five series. Think of these as byte-sized, two-minutes-to-yourself lists to scan during your weekend as you foam at the mouth for any competitive fantasy edge. As much relevant analysis as I can fit into, like, 250 words per player.
Below: Top five unsung heroes to draft. These are deepish guys I have ranked markedly higher than consensus on my big board, and whose names aren’t exactly sexy.
Here are the other offerings from my Five Lists of Five: 2025 Fantasy Football Draft edition:
– Top five breakout wide receivers to draft for 2025 fantasy football
– Top five breakout running backs to draft for 2025 fantasy football
– Top five fantasy football sleepers in 2025 fantasy drafts
– Top five league-winners to draft for 2025 fantasy football
Follow my handle @dansby_edits for all preseason and fantasy draft kit content—as well as plenty of NFL betting goodies—all summer long. All my other fantasy football draft kit content is at the bottom of this list!
Top five unsung heroes to target in 2025 fantasy football drafts
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (RB26)
Pacheco has been strangely undervalued all offseason (ADP hovering around RB24) despite anchoring one of the NFL’s most stable workloads. In 2024, Pacheco logged 279 touches for 1,344 yards and 10 total touchdowns, finishing as a PPR RB16. Yet FantasyPros ADP prices him closer to a fringe RB2. His efficiency remains overlooked: 3.07 yards after contact per carry (top 10 among qualified RBs) and a 16% explosive run rate (carries of 10+ yards) prove he’s more than just volume. Pacheco also improved as a pass-catcher, logging 48 targets with a 79% catch rate, giving him a secure third-down role. Andy Reid’s offense leans on him in high-leverage spots — he logged 78% of red-zone carries last season, converting 10 inside the five.
Unlike backs with fragile roles, Pacheco has both floor and ceiling stability, especially given Kansas City’s offense projects for 65+ red-zone trips again. I consistently rank him inside the top 18 at RB. It’s also worth noting Pacheco’s 0.27 missed tackles forced per attempt, one of the best marks in the league, underscoring that his power-running style is backed by advanced efficiency. With RB24 pricing, he’s one of the cleanest “profit” plays on the board, delivering proven RB2 output with RB1 spikes when the touchdowns pile up.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers (WR38)
Pearsall’s ADP has lagged (mid WR40s) due to skepticism about target competition, but the path to volume is real. Brandon Aiyuk’s ACL recovery could limit his early-season effectiveness, and Deebo Samuel is gone. Pearsall, drafted in the first round in 2024, quietly proved his NFL readiness last year: he posted a 12.9% target share from Week 7 on, nearly matching Samuel’s 15.7%. In the final two games, with fuller usage, he saw 18 targets and scored twice, finishing as WR7 and WR14 in PPR. His efficiency was even more promising: 75% contested catch conversion and just a 1.8% drop rate. That signals NFL-ready hands and reliability.
Pearsall’s role as a power slot fits seamlessly in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme, where receivers who excel in leverage and zone-beating thrive. He logged nearly 40% of his pass snaps inside last year, showing inside-outside versatility. I’m quietly bullish, and let’s note Pearsall’s 83.6% success rate vs. zone coverage at Florida. We praise his ability to find soft spots underneath. Perhaps most impressively, Pearsall earned a 2.01 yards per route run mark in the final three weeks, a threshold often used to project future breakout wideouts. He doesn’t need to be a vertical dominator; in this offense, 7–9 weekly targets with red-zone schemed looks is plenty. Pearsall is undervalued because the market hasn’t priced in how much volume is vacated. He’s a legitimate WR3 with room to climb toward WR2 territory if Aiyuk’s recovery lingers.
Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers (WR48)
Reed is one of the sharpest ADP discounts on the board. After a rookie campaign of 64 catches, 793 yards, and 10 total TDs, consensus still has him buried outside the top-36 at the position. That’s a massive disconnect for me. The advanced stats back that optimism: Reed earned a 22.8% targets per route run rate, already in line with established No. 1 receivers, and added 2.02 yards per route run — an elite efficiency threshold that has historically predicted WR2-level outcomes.
The Packers’ offense is also tilting Reed’s way. Green Bay ran four-wide on nearly 20% of their snaps last season, one of the league’s highest rates, which maximizes Reed’s slot presence (he lined up inside on 71% of snaps). Jordan Love targeted him on a staggering 42% of red-zone dropbacks—higher than Christian Watson’s rate—showing Reed’s usage wasn’t just volume, but high-leverage. Reed’s 8.9 aDOT keeps him involved in chain-moving plays, while his 6.2 yards after catch per reception ranked sixth among wideouts with 70+ targets.
The floor is already WR48. Reed’s median projection is closer to WR24, and his ceiling is much higher. With the Packers poised for offensive growth, Reed looks like the quintessential undervalued PPR asset: a player I consistently value in the fringe WR2/3 tier, but drafted by others as a WR4.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints (RB65)
Kendre Miller steps into 2025 as a high-upside dart throw priced as a mid-round RB—with ADP around RB63 overall, RB40 for me (+52 value). He’s firmly in “undervalued” territory, especially considering his athletic profile and offensive context.
Miller has already proven explosiveness when healthy. From his college days at TCU, he posted an explosive play rating (EPX) of 96.0, with an elite 98.7 rushing EPX and 82.5 receiving EPX — numbers that signal dynamic potential as a bell-cow or high-leverage three-down back. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry in his final college season, generating 4.1 yards after contact per attempt (92nd percentile) and forcing a missed tackle on 30% of his carries, which ranked top-10 among FBS qualifiers.
This offseason, Saints coach Kellen Moore noted Miller claims to be in the “best shape of his career”, and training camp buzz frames him as a breakout candidate if he stays healthy. With Alvin Kamara’s health and age (30) in play and only depth options behind him, Miller could find himself locked in as the RB2 with standalone flex value. Notably, he logged 2.32 yards per route run in limited rookie-year action, a mark that would’ve ranked top-five among RBs had he qualified, underscoring his pass-game upside.
Durability is the lingering risk—he’s missed 20 games over his first two NFL seasons. But his efficiency profile is outstanding: in his limited 2024 work, Miller produced 0.36 missed tackles forced per carry and had an 11.8% explosive run rate (carries of 15+ yards), both above league average. If he delivers even 120–140 touches, his efficient burst and pass-catching ability suggest he could flirt with low-end RB2 outcomes at RB63 value. That efficiency combined with significant upside makes Miller worthy of a late-round swing in PPR formats.
Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers (WR75)
Jalen Coker enters 2025 as one of the league’s most intriguing depth-chart climbers. After going undrafted, he posted a shockingly solid rookie campaign: 32 catches for 478 yards and 2 TDs on 47 targets across 11 games, essentially mirroring first-rounder Ricky Pearsall’s numbers. Coker logged 62% of his snaps from the slot (88th percentile), operating primarily as a “big slot” while averaging 23 routes per game. His average depth of target (11.0 yards) was respectable for a slot-heavy role, showing he wasn’t just catching layups.
What stood out was how steady he looked against NFL coverage. He registered two top-24 fantasy finishes despite playing in Carolina’s bottom-tier passing offense, posting an 11.0 aDOT and drawing four targets per game. Harris notes he looked “unperturbed, coordinated, and savvy,” with highlight grabs on contested sideline shots and seam routes. He’s not a burner, but his 6’3” frame and strong hands (graded B+) make him an asset on digs, slants, and red-zone leverage routes.
His contested-catch skills popped: he secured multiple high-difficulty balls, and his drop rate stayed under 5%. He compared stylistically to reliable possession receivers like Michael Crabtree or Jordan Matthews. Those are former players who soaked up targets without elite speed but won on timing, positioning, and toughness.
The challenge is Carolina’s crowded room. Adam Thielen remain for nows, while Tetairoa McMillan (Round 1) and Xavier Legette are penciled in outside. Still, Coker proved he can carve a role against long odds, and early camp buzz suggests he’s competing for WR3 snaps. If his target share edges toward 6–7 per game in this retooled offense, his “big slot” profile makes him a sneaky PPR flex. Already pushing into Carolina’s plans, Coker embodies the kind of undervalued late-round flier who can stick on rosters.
Dan Johnson’s full fantasy football draft-kit (Fantasy Frontlist 2025)
If you’re interested in my other rankings, which do inform some of my departures from the industry consensus (FantasyPros) rankings here, check them out:
Fantasy football 2025 WR ranks: Top 30 wide receivers to target on draft day
Fantasy Football 2025 QB ranks: Top twelve quarterbacks to target on draft day
Fantasy Football 2025 RB ranks: Top 25 running backs to target on draft day
And, of course, here’s my Fantasy Football Frontlist for 2025—full rankings, big-board, cheatsheet, everything you need. The white whale!
