This upcoming season promises to be memorable. With the Washington Commanders going 12-5 in the regular season and making a storybook run to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1992, that gives us a thought as to which teams are sleepers to make the postseason in 2025.
What defines a sleeper team? It’s a team that people don’t expect to do much during the season, but they end up exceeding expectations and making a run. And here are the nine teams we’ve chosen as sleepers.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals went 8-9 last season and finished third in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Many people don’t believe in Arizona as a playoff team based on their division but they are a sleeper. In 2024, quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Certainly not a bad season by any means, but it’s time for him to take the next step forward.
The Cardinals have not made the postseason since 2021, but they have a talented team led by the aforementioned Murray, running back James Conner (pictured above), and a second year stud at wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. Arizona finished in the top 12 in scoring averaging 23.5 points per game. If all three of them stay healthy, they are a dangerous team.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons have a new quarterback leading their offense as they drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. It was a decision that sent shockwaves across the league. They are certainly hoping the gamble pays off in the long run. We believe the Falcons can be a sleeper playoff team. After an 8-9 record in 2024, it’s anyone’s guess what they do in 2025. With a full compliment of offensive weapons led by running back Bijan Robinson (pictured above), they have the pieces to contend.
If Penix stays healthy, Atlanta should be able to challenge the Tampa Bay Bucs for winning the NFC South or potentially snag a Wild Card spot at the worst.
Chicago Bears
Perhaps no team has more to lose this season than the Chicago Bears. They hired the number one coaching candidate on the market in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, as well as upgrading their offensive line significantly through free agency. They also drafted two more skill position players in the first two rounds: wide receiver Luther Burden and tight end Colston Loveland.
After having 14 wins combined over the last three seasons, expectations are for the team to improve record wise. However, we have them as a sneaky sleeper team this season because of how much they have invested in upgrading the team. Quarterback Caleb Williams will lead the team as far as he can take them.
After an up and down rookie season, he looks to bounce back and have a sense of stability. Last season, he threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. Now with a new coaching staff and more weapons to work with, there is an expectation for Williams to take the next step in his development. Let’s see if he can.
Dallas Cowboys
With all the attention on the Eagles and Commanders, nobody is really giving the Cowboys their just due. With Brian Schottenheimer taking over as head coach after being offensive coordinator the last two years, expectations are for them to be average. However, Led by quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Ceedee Lamb, the offense has been good to great. No major concerns on that side of the ball as long as everyone is healthy. Last season, Prescott missed nine games due to injury, which led to a disappointing 7-10 season. They have enough talent to contend.
The big question for them is how will they perform defensively. With new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in addition to having new younger talent, we shall see what they look like. Although they struggled mightily with stopping opponents, they did finish in the top three in most sacks, with 52 which means they can get to the quarterback which is a positive.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins had a rough year last year, as their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed six games due to injury which unfortunately has become an ongoing issue throughout his career. When healthy, Tua has shown he can play as an above average quarterback. We have the Dolphins picked as a sleeper playoff team.
After going 8-9 last year, this is a make or break year for their head coach Mike McDaniel and Tagovailoa. They have a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball with multiple receivers who go over 1,000 yards, a young star running back in Devon Achane and defensively, they made a huge trade this offseason trading cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers for saftey Minkah Fitzpatrick. Bottom line if Tua stays healthy and plays well, Miami will find themselves in the playoff hunt come December.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are truly a sleeper team heading into 2025. Although they went 4-13 last year, they clearly have their future of the franchise with second year quarterback Drake Maye leading the way. Signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs in free agency could turn out to be the missing piece for them to help Maye’s development. With a new coaching staff led by Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, it should provide some stability.
Defensively, can they find a way to turn things around? They ranked near the bottom of the league in almost every category. The only way to go is up. Led by emerging rising star Christian Gonzalez, he is perhaps the best defensive player on the team. With Vrabel being the defensive minded coach that he is, he can get a lot out of Gonzalez and the rest of the defense when the season kicks off. If they play average to above average, New England is a playoff team.
New York Jets
The New York Jets had a disastrous two years with Aaron Rodgers as he missed all of 2023 with a torn achilles and last season performed below his normal standards. Their head coach Robert Saleh was fired and Rodgers was cut from the team in March. Now they’ve turned the page and are a potential sleeper team for the playoffs next year. They now have a new coach in Aaron Glenn and he’s the exact coach the team needs: no nonsense and holding players accountable. They also have a new quarterback: Justin Fields.
Fields was signed to a two year, $40 million contract, $30 million guaranteed. No one is happier to be his teammate more than Garrett Wilson, as the two of them went to Ohio State together in college. For the longest time, the Jets have been hoping to find their quarterback to turn them into a contender. Their defense is elite led by cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was recently signed to a four year, $120 million contract extension. If the defense can remain top tier and they get decent play from Fields, they are a sneaky contender.
Pittsburgh Steelers
For several seasons now, people have said the Steelers are a quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender. After having a myriad of quarterbacks from Justin Fields to Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh signed Aaron Rodgers this off-season.
While Rodgers is not the same guy as he was years ago, there are still glimpses of the MVP he once was. In addition to Rodgers, the Steelers traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf to boost the offense. Along with a great young running back in Jaylen Warren and tight end Pat Friermuth, the offense should have enough to be a competitive offense. Their defense remains elite led by TJ Watt, who is arguably the best defensive player in the league. If the offense can put up 20 points or more a game, they have the talent to beat anybody in the AFC.
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