The NFL is filled with stars who garner headlines, grab attention and get all the glory. What about the other difference-making warriors who handle their business without getting the warranted notoriety?
A team sport to the core, success in the NFL isn't achieved without the efforts of every man on the roster. So, while quarterbacks, sack artists and acrobatic pass catchers net most of the highlights, there are dozens upon dozens of other players worthy of attention.
Pro Bowl voting is generally overwhelmed by a select few highlight-makers. It's often late to the party on deserving candidates who might not light up the scoreboard, win fantasy leagues, or be seen on NFL RedZone.
With Pro Bowl voting opening on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), I'm here to submit 10 players who deserve your vote.
Before we get to the sleepers, there are a few rules to qualify for this list: No rookies, apologies to Carson Schwesinger, Grey Zabel, Emeka Egbuka, Tyler Warren, Nick Emmanwori, Chimere Dike, etc. Also, I'm not considering players who have already been to a Pro Bowl. And no other big names who regularly get their shine -- i.e., QBs.
OFFENSE
It’s difficult to call any player with fantasy football relevance a true “sleeper.” By the very nature of the game, those weapons will garner attention. However, in our exercise, given how the Dolphins’ season has gone, it’s worth using space to highlight just how good Achane has been -- arguably the most vital player to the team's ability to cling to relevance.
The third-year pro is set to smash his personal rushing record of 907 yards in a season. In 11 games, he’s already at 900 yards and is on pace for nearly 1,400 this season. Only MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor and James Cook average more than Achane’s 81.8 rushing yards per game. His 370 receiving yards are the third-most of any running back this season, and tops among AFC backs (Taylor is second with 260).
Achane gashes defenses on the edges, but it’s not as if all his yards come on free-range gallops. His 3.96 yards after contact per carry ranks fourth among qualifying running backs, per Pro Football Focus. His 36 missed tackles forced is tied for fourth in the NFL, and he ranks second among RBs with 18 MTF on receptions (behind only Christian McCaffrey’s 19). Achane is rivaling Taylor in explosive runs. The Miami back has netted 29 runs of 10-plus yards and 16 of 15-plus, both tops among all backs. He’s second only to Taylor (497) with 413 breakaway yards.
It’s always excellent timing to enjoy a career season in the final year of a rookie contract. Pierce continues to be a big-play maven, leading the NFL with 20.9 yards per catch through Week 11 -- the only player above the 19 YPC mark. His 20.4 average depth of target ranks No. 2 in the NFL. He’s the deep threat that keeps everything open underneath for Daniel Jones and the rest of an explosive Colts offense.
The 2022 second-round pick is on pace to blast past his career-high in receiving yards. Even missing two games earlier this season, Pierce is on pace for 1,097 yards in 2025. His 73.1 receiving yards per game ranks ninth among all pass catchers. He’s generated those numbers despite seeing far fewer targets than most in the top 10. Pierce (52) and CeeDee Lamb (61), who also has missed time due to injury, are the only players in the top 10 in yards per game with fewer than 80 targets. His 28 catches are the fewest among any player averaging more than 70 yards per game.
Pro Bowl wide receiver is a tough nut to crack, with big names and big games littering the league, but Pierce has proven his value heading into free agency.
The 8-2 Colts' offensive line has been a big reason for their explosion out of the gate. While Quenton Nelson rightfully garners much of the attention, Bortolini’s emergence in Year 2 has played a key role. The former fourth-round pick has been a road-grader in the ground game, helping open up holes for Jonathan Taylor’s game-breaking runs. Bortolini has also yet to give up a sack this season, per PFF. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound pivot moves well for his size, consistently getting out to mash second-level defenders on screens. After making just five starts as a rookie, Bortolini has stepped in and solidified the middle of a revamped Colts offense next to Nelson. Indy wouldn’t be enjoying its early-season success without the young center.
The Broncos' right guard is one of those anomalies, having never been to a Pro Bowl but earning an All-Pro nod in 2024. It’s time to correct that incongruity. Mauling guards like Meinerz rarely receive the recognition they deserve, but it’s impossible to watch a Denver game and not see him repeatedly ragdoll defenders. The 6-3, 320-pound interior lineman moves big defenders like they’re inflatable Christmas decorations. He’s a bully in the ground game and sturdy in pass protection. The 27-year-old is a force on arguably the best line in football. He’s been doing all this while playing through an undiagnosed illness. Imagine if he were full-force.
DEFENSE
The Patriots' rise to the top of the AFC East standings is sure to come with more votes stuffed in the ballot box. Chaisson's transformation into a consistent force on the edge in Year 6 is a big part of the team's turnaround. The 26-year-old leads the Patriots with 6.5 sacks, is tied for the team lead with 41 QB pressures, and has earned a 15.2% pressure rate. He’s also added 13 quick pressures off the edge. When he missed time this season, it was noticeable. A first-round pick by Jacksonville in 2020 who never found consistency in his first five seasons, Chaisson has found a home and become a difference-maker in New England.
With big names littering the Eagles' defensive line, Ojomo might not get the attention to earn a Pro Bowl nod, but he’s been an undeniable difference-maker in Philly’s studly front. Helping fill the hole left by Milton Williams, Ojomo has been a revelation. Pro Football Focus charted the third-year pro with 35 QB pressures, tied for the third-most among interior defenders through Week 11. He's tied with Williams, coincidentally, and Chris Jones. The 6-3, 292-pound defensive tackle pushes the pocket, netting four sacks in 10 games after putting up a goose egg in his first two seasons. He’s also stout against the run, plugging holes and allowing second-level players to make plays. Ojomo is the latest example of the Eagles filling a gap with the next man up and watching him soar.
For all that’s gone wrong in Miami this season, Brooks has been right. The sixth-year pro has been in the middle of everything for the Dolphins. He leads the NFL with 125 combined tackles and 71 solo tackles on the season. No other player has more than 107 combined tackles. He’s added 2.5 sacks, 11 QB pressures, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He leads the NFL with 43 run stops. When the ball is in play, odds are Brooks is sticking his nose in the fray. In Week 11 alone, Brooks gobbled up a whopping 20 tackles. When he gets to the ball, he rarely misses. His 3.9 missed tackle rate ranks second in the NFL, per PFF. In a league in which tackling sometimes seems like a lost art, Brooks has been a beast.
Campbell has come into his own in Year 3. He’s arguably the key reason the Lions have been able to remain a top-10 defense despite the injuries that have decimated the secondary. With Fred Warner out for the season, Campbell has become the most well-rounded linebacker in the NFL in 2025. He’s studly against the run, ranking tied for sixth in the NFL in tackles with 91, and ranks second with 41 stops. He’s a timely blazer, generating 12 QB pressures (tied for 11th among linebackers) and four sacks (tied for most among LBs). And he’s stellar in coverage, allowing 7.1 YPC, fifth-best among LBs with at least 250 coverage snaps, per PFF. The hard-nosed defender is everything the Lions thought he could be when they made him a first-round pick in 2023.
After rookie struggles last season, the Bills entered 2025 counting on the second-year safety. It didn’t look pretty early, with Bishop missing run fits and giving up a few plays on the back end. However, he’s turned the corner as a glue piece in the secondary. The second-round pick has shown the ability to line up all over the field, whether deep, in the box or the slot. He’s generated three interceptions, seven passes defended, 54 tackles and two sacks. Bishop’s biggest improvement has been in coverage, where he’s shown a knack for being in the right spot. He’s allowed a 32.2 passer rating in coverage this season, the best mark among safeties, per PFF. He's picked off a pass in consecutive weeks, highlighting the upside of the young safety. The Bills defense has concerns down the stretch, but Bishop is proving he’s a playmaker.
Even before his two-INT game in Week 11, Kinchens was already a sleeper difference-maker in a domineering Rams defense. That performance clinched his spot. The second-year player is part of an L.A. safety crew that brings versatility and playmaking. Kinchens mainly lines up deep, but he's also shown the ability to step into the box in run support and has taken snaps out of the slot. The former third-round pick has performed splendidly in coverage, earning a -14.5 target EPA, per Next Gen Stats, tied for fourth-best among safeties, with a -0.61 EPA per target (fifth-best). A perfect fit in the Rams' zone-heavy scheme, Kinchens has earned a 23.8% ballhawk rate.
