Sat Jun 7th 2025

Sophomore Sleepers

Every year, some players fail to break out in their rookie year. Whether they lacked opportunities due to veterans ahead of them, battled injuries, or played in unproductive offenses, they disappointed dynasty managers with their limited playing time and inconsistency, as well as their unproductivity when they did play.

At the same time, every year, sophomore players break out and live up to their potential, as well as their dynasty managers' hopes. They adjust to the NFL, circumstances change on their teams, and they get more opportunities in their sophomore season. These are the ten second-year players who will get more opportunities and produce for dynasty managers this season.

Michael Penix

• Penix didn't start a game until the last three games of the year, but he did enough in those three games, particularly the last one, to get his dynasty managers excited about his future. He has the starting job locked up for this season, so he'll get every chance to break out this season. He has a top target in Drake London and a top running back in Bijan Robinson to make the offense run, though the Falcons didn't add much in free agency or the draft to help the offense. He has a lot to improve, given that he threw an interception in each of his starts and only completed 58% of his passes. That's typical of rookie quarterbacks' first games. For instance, Drake Maye completed 60% of his passes and threw three interceptions in his first three games, and Caleb Williams completed 58% of his passes and threw two interceptions in the first three games of last season. The hope is high for Maye and Williams, even though they had a rough start as well. Dynasty managers should have the same hope for Penix. After all, he was a first-round draft pick, too. Penix will improve this season and become an every-week starter in superflex leagues and a streamable quarterback in one-quarterback leagues.

Ray Davis

• Davis is one of the players I'm most excited about this season, first because I was way higher on him than most managers and analysts were in last year's rookie class. Second, because he looked fantastic when given opportunities last year. Third, because James Cook continues to hold out due to a contract dispute. I believe the Bills are ready to move on from Cook after this season, making Davis the starter next year. If so, they need to see more of him before they make their final decision on Cook or if they will look to add a running back next year in free agency or the draft. The Bills already gave him touches in every game last year. He averaged six carries and almost one catch a game, and he had 20 carries, two receptions, and 16 fantasy points in the one week Cook was injured. He's sure to get more touches this year. The Bills would be grossly mishandling their roster if they do not give Davis more work this season. I've traded for Davis once this offseason and will continue to send trade offers for him, though I already have him on four of my nine dynasty rosters.

Jaylen Wright

• Wright barely saw the field last year with just 68 carries and three catches, and to my big surprise, De'Von Achane did not miss a single game, even though he touched the ball 310 times. Achane was used way more than any other back in the McDaniels' system than I ever remember. Raheem Mostert only had 104 touches last season, one-third of Achane's touches. If you add Mostert's touches to what Wright had last season, that leaves him with just 178 touches, but I believe he will see a lot more than that. The Dolphins did add Alexander Mattison in free agency and drafted Ollie Gordon, but these additions were made for depth. The Dolphins plan to center their running game around Achane and Wright this season. I did not like Wright as much as other dynasty managers and analysts in last year's class, but now I like his opportunity much better. Additionally, Achane is likely to miss games due to injuries, similar to his 2023 season, when he missed five games. 

Trey Benson

• Benson got almost the same amount of touches as Wright, 69 instead of 71. On the upside, he averaged 4.6 yards per carry. On the downside, James Conner, who dynasty managers thought would fall off the cliff, had 236 carries and also averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Conner did not fall off a cliff, and he'll be the lead back again next year. Still, at least the Cardinals did not bring in any competition at the running back position in free agency or the draft, indicating that they believe Conner can still carry the load and that Benson can take over for him if needed. As with Wright, I was not as high on Benson as most dynasty managers were in last year's class, mainly because James Conner signed a new three-year contract with the Cardinals, and he's a much better running back. After this season, however, the Cardinals have an opt-out with Conner, and if they don't opt out, he gets paid $ 6.4 million instead of the $ 3.6 million he is making this season. The Cardinals will need to move on from Conner after this season, which will give them a reason to take a more serious look at Benson this year. Dynasty managers with Benson can hope for more in his second year as a result.

Will Shipley

• Shipley was barely involved last year with Philadelphia as Saquon Barkley dominated the NFL. He carried the Eagles to a Super Bowl championship, compiling 480 touches over the 22-game season. I can't imagine the Eagles giving Barkley that kind of work again. It would be irresponsible to do so.  Gainwell was the RB-2 in Philadelphia last year, though he just amassed 75 carries and 16 receptions. The Eagles let Gainwell go in free agency, and they added A.J. Dillon. Dillon missed the entire season last year due to an injury and was unable to hold onto the RB-2 position in Green Bay. I see Dillon as a depth piece, not the RB-2 for Philadelphia next season. Shipley had a couple of great plays in the NFC championship game. It's an extremely small sample size, but I believe it was enough to prove that he can do more than what Gainwell did last year, and he will get more touches as they limit Barkley's. After all, they let Gainwell go for a reason. He had 34 touches in his rookie season. In his sophomore season, he will have at least 150, even if Barkley is healthy, and significantly more if Barkley gets injured. 

Rome Odunze

• Odunze is the player I am most hesitant to add to this list because the Bears have added two exceptional pass catchers in the first and second rounds of the draft: Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Still, Odunze's talent, draft capital, and the Bear's new head coach, Ben Johnson, make me believe Odunze will make a drastic improvement in year two, even if his target competition increases. Odunze and all the Bears' receivers struggled last year because Caleb Williams played so poorly.  Odunze, Keenan Allen, and D.J. Moore were each among the top ten receivers in the NFL to receive inaccurate throws. Odunze was the worst, in sixth place, with 22.7% inaccurate throws. In Ben, I trust. Ben Johnson will make the offense easier for Caleb Williams, just as he did with Jared Goff. Odunze will radically improve on his 54-catch season in his rookie year and begin to live up to his top-of-the-first-round rookie draft value from last year. His dynasty managers should no longer fret.

Xavier Legette

• Legette was one of my most drafted players last season because I was far higher on him than other dynasty managers and analysts. He played most of the games, though he had lingering injuries throughout the season. His biggest issue personally was his case of the drops. His biggest problem outside of himself was Bryce Young's terrible start to the season. Thankfully, by the end of the season, Young figured out the offense, and the Panthers looked like a competent NFL offense. The Panthers scored 25 points per game after their week-eleven bye. They averaged 17 points per game before their bye week. My confidence in Young and the offense makes me hopeful for a second-year breakout for Legette. The Panthers' addition of Tetairoa McMillan in the draft will help Legette produce more while the offense gets even more productive. Early in camp, Legette acknowledged his problem with dropped passes and vowed to improve. At least he's making an effort. I believe in him and the growing offense and expect a great second year from Legette.

Keon Coleman

• Coleman is the player I am most reluctant to put on this list because I was far lower on him in rookie drafts last year than almost every dynasty analyst and manager. Still, the Bills' modest free-agent additions, Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore, suggest the team expects Coleman to improve and become a bigger part of the offense after his relatively underwhelming rookie season. His season started reasonably well, but he digressed significantly after missing four games due to injury. He had more than one catch in only two of the last seven games he played. That was a terrible end to his rookie season. Khalil Shakir became Josh Allen's top target last season, and they did sign him to a new contract. However, his role is very limited and much different from what Coleman's could grow into. Shakir only had 76 catches and four touchdowns, and Dalton Kincaid had just 44. There's a lot of "meat on the bone" in this passing game, and Coleman is the most ready-to-eat. He'll have every chance to become the WR-1 in Buffalo this season and for years to come. Although I question his talent, I appreciate his opportunity.

Ja'Tavion Sanders

• I have already discussed the improving Carolina offense, so I will not repeat that here, but there are additional reasons to believe Sanders will have a significantly more productive second year than he did in his first. Tommy Tremble is projected to start ahead of Sanders this season, especially since they re-signed him to a two-year contract, but he injured his back and is not expected to return until the preseason. With a back injury, I highly doubt that. Even if he is healthy by the preseason, Sanders will get all the first-time reps in the training camp, giving him every opportunity to pass Tremble, whose lock on the starting role was already suspect. Sanders is an outstanding pass catcher, but he still has a lot to learn about blocking and the nuances of the position in the NFL. Sanders had just 33 catches last season, but I expect more than double that in his second season.

Theo Johnson

• It took until halfway through the season, but Johnson took over as the most productive tight end on the Giants after week seven before getting injured. He had 3, 3, 4, 3, and 5 catches in the five weeks before his injury and was starting to give dynasty managers who drafted him late in last year's rookie draft great hope. They didn't get to see how it played out since he missed the last five weeks of the season. This year, however, he has no competition for the starting role and can hit the ground running from day one. The quarterback play in New York will improve this season, too, whether Russell Wilson can hold off Jaxson Dart or not. I'm disappointed that I have no shares of Theo Johnson because his dynasty stock will rise significantly this season, and his future with Jaxon Dart as his quarterback is very bright.

Leave your comment using the form below

Name
Comment
Enter the code