For a lot of us, the 2024 fantasy football season has been one to forget.

Injuries aplenty at receiver have wrecked teams that woulda coulda shoulda been great. Thus, with the regular season winding down, interest can start to wane.

Unless you're in a keeper league, where the work for 2025 begins now.

If you've got nothing to play for, now's the time to start stashing players who could shift into bigger roles for next year. Some of these players may be worth a bench stash even on a contending team if you happen to have the space.

The players we want here are players who could either shift into larger roles down the stretch or become focal points of their offenses via offseason personnel changes. And we're not short on options.

Here are some players I'd be looking to stash in keeper leagues with an eye toward 2025.

Keeper League Stashes for 2025

JJ McCarthy

Even with some recent bumps, 2024 has shown us the value of a good coach and good pieces around a quarterback.

As long as all goes well with J.J. McCarthy's recovery from his knee injury, he should have all those pieces with the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. He is an optimal stash for superflex and two-quarterback leagues.

With Sam Darnold at the helm, the Vikings enter Week 12 ranked 13th in numberFire's schedule-adjusted pass offense rankings. That's despite some wild vintage Darnold mistakes, which have started to hurt the team at times recently. Each of those mistakes should increase the odds McCarthy takes the reins next year.

If he does, McCarthy would inherit an elite coaching staff, top-notch pass-catchers, and a solid offensive line (assuming Christian Darrisaw is healthy after his nasty knee injury this year). With that infrastructure, he should be a startable player in those multi-quarterback leagues.

McCarthy isn't really an option for single-quarterback leagues, though. There, you'd likely be able to draft him with a late-round pick and use your keeper slot on a higher-upside option at a different position.

Keaton Mitchell

Keaton Mitchell has played just two games since coming off his torn ACL, amassing four total snaps.

But head coach John Harbaugh has spoken glowingly about Mitchell, and we saw what he could do in limited action last year. We should expect that role to expand as he gets further removed from the injury.

Both Derrick Henry and Justice Hill are under contract for 2025 and have played well this year. This makes it unlikely that Mitchell has sole ownership of this backfield, putting a lid on his upside.

However, we want pieces of this backfield. It gives us exposure to Lamar Jackson, a quarterback who can make almost any running back efficient. Thus, even if the odds that Mitchell becomes the top guy are small, it behooves us to take a swing and see what happens.

If Mitchell fails to carve out a role, and both Henry and Hill are back, then we can look elsewhere for our keeper slots. I just think Mitchell is worth it given how well he played last year and how absurd this offense is.

Trey Benson

There's a really good chance that Trey Benson is already rostered in your keeper league. He's on 22% of all Yahoo! rosters, many of which are pure redraft.

I'd at least check just to make sure, though, because Benson is one of the better targets available.

Benson has been carving out a bigger role for the Arizona Cardinals of late. Two of his three highest snap rates came in their final two games before the bye. One was due to a blowout and the other because James Conner got banged up, but Benson totaled 18 carries in those games. He also earned three targets, which is a good sign given Emari Demercado's continued involvement in the offense.

Conner is an impending free agent and entering his age-30 season. He still is playing great football, so the Cardinals could absolutely justify bringing him back. But if they don't, Benson should be the lead candidate for the top slot, and it'd be within an offense that's up to seventh in numberFire's schedule-adjusted offensive rankings. Triple check to make sure he's not already rostered if you have keepers in your league.

Kimani Vidal

Kimani Vidal has gone back to the inactives list in two games with Gus Edwards off of injured reserve. But with J.K. Dobbins set to become a free agent, Vidal should still be on our radar.

When Vidal was active, the Los Angeles Chargers got him involved. He had three-plus carries in all four games, and he netted three targets, one of which went for a long touchdown. They liked him enough to get the ball in his hands, which is a good signal.

Similar to most players on this list, Vidal is in an offense we want to target. He's also likely to get work as a pass-catcher, which is key for a running back. He's a solid target even without a clear path to a role barring injury elsewhere in 2024.

Jermaine Burton

With Tee Higgins playing on the franchise tag, we want to take swipes at the Cincinnati Bengals' pass-catchers. If we get good news on Erick All Jr.'s recovery from a torn ACL, then he would fit that discussion. But Jermaine Burton is the top target.

Burton has had a slew of off-field incidents this year, including a missed practice that resulted in his being inactive for a game where Higgins was out. There's a reason he hasn't done much to this point.

That did start to shift in Week 11, though. Burton ran 14 routes there. In previous games with Higgins active, Burton had played 11 total snaps, meaning he was starting to eat into Andrei Iosivas' role a bit. Burton earned 4 targets on those 14 routes, ranking third on the team.

Burton's got talent. He averaged 20.5 yards per reception his final year in Alabama and was a third-round pick. Plus, he's tied to an efficient quarterback in Joe Burrow. He's worth the bench spot even with the risk that his off-field issues prevent him from becoming a bigger focal point here.

Kayshon Boutte

Drake Maye has looked really impressive this year, so I don't mind taking hacks at this offense.

In Kayshon Boutte, we can do so with a player who is already a key piece within the team.

Boutte enters Week 12 having had six targets in four straight games. He has been the target on 10 of Maye's 26 deep attempts this year (38.5%), double any other player on the team. It hasn't resulted in a ton of production, but those are high-variance throws that could eventually hit.

Boutte is also young for his draft class. He doesn't turn 23 until May, meaning he's actually younger than both 2024 picks Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. Given how much more involved he has been than them, this is a positive sign.

I don't mind swipes at Polk or Baker, given the draft capital tied to them, but Boutte has done enough to prove he belongs on our list.

Malik Washington

Even with Odell Beckham back, Malik Washington's role has been expanding for the Miami Dolphins. They seem to want the ball in his hands, too, providing optimism for his potential.

Washington scored on an 18-yard rush attempt back in Week 10. The next week, he played a season-high 39.7% of the snaps and tied a season-high with 3 targets. They were all gadget-y plays, but again, it tells us they are actively getting him in the mix.

Washington entered the year banged up, making it an uphill battle for a sixth-round pick. The fact he has gotten any work is impressive once you consider that. With Tua Tagovailoa playing good football, Washington is a prime target to get potential exposure to this offense.

Ben Sinnott

In order to burn a keeper slot on a tight end, that player needs a clear path to upside. That typically comes via an elite offense.

Ben Sinnott at least has that, even if his rookie season with the Washington Commanders has been a disappointment.

Across 56 routes, Sinnott has just 3 targets this year and is averaging 0.3 yards per route run, according to Next Gen Stats. For a player who has actually earned playing time, it can't get much worse than that.

But, Zach Ertz is an impending free agent, Sinnott is a good athlete, and they liked him enough to take him 53rd overall a few months ago. There's at least a path to relevancy for Sinnott if he can earn a role.

Other tight ends worth considering here are the aforementioned Erick All, Theo Johnson, and AJ Barner. Of the healthy members group, Sinnott is within the best offense and came with the best draft capital, pushing me to still consider him despite a nightmare start.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $150 in Bonus Bets if your first bet of $5+ wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which bets stand out to you this week in the NFL? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NFL betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.