Came here looking for fantasy football sleepers? Well, let’s clarify something. At PlayerProfiler we are not going to throw around the term “sleeper” loosely. No, Zamir White is not a sleeper. To the Fantasy Drafter who pays no attention to anything whatsoever, maybe he is, but the day of someone blurting out “Who is that?” at live drafts is long gone.
The fantasy football consumer is more educated than in any prior season. This is the information age. Despite all the sources of information, tools and instant news available to fantasy managers, sleepers hit every year in fantasy football. This list will contain some.
Unlike other sleeper lists, none of the players I list will be drafted in the seventh round of competitive leagues. None will be drafted in round 10. Some will be undrafted completely and be available on waiver wire. But some of these players will become fantasy relevant. All of these players possess a trait or are in a situation where they can thrive, or both.
Consider drafting some of these fantasy football sleepers as your late-round pick. Save your FAAB money when some of these players become waiver wire targets.
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J.K. Dobbins – RB | Los Angeles Chargers
Gus Edwards signed with Los Angeles as a Free Agent, and Kimani Vidal was everyone’s favorite Day Three draft pick. And then there is Dobbins. He signed late this summer, reuniting with Edwards and OC Greg Roman. Dobbins has been an afterthought for much of the offseason, and he continues to fly under the radar as a late-round pick.
Deneric Prince – RB | Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco is the unquestioned starter in KC and will receive all the volume he can handle. But in terms of contingent upside, Prince benefits greatly from playing alongside of one of the games best signal callers ever in Patrick Mahomes in what should be one of the league’s best offenses.
Dylan Laube – RB | Las Vegas Raiders
Despite his late-round NFL Draft capital, Laube has a number of pathways to fantasy viability. He has high-level pass-catching ability and will see immediate time as a third-down back in the two-minute offense.
When you combine Zamir White‘s lack of historical volume and Alexander Mattison‘s inefficiency, Laube could have a much larger role than anticipated. He could be Danny Woodhead 2.0.
Michael Wilson – WR | Arizona Cardinals
Can Arizona’s offense be fantasy-friendly to support a third pass catcher? Marvin Harrison Jr. is selected as a top-10 WR, and Trey McBride is one of the first few TEs off the board. But if this offense breaks out, Wilson could be a weekly flex consideration. He has size, speed and athleticism, and Day 2 NFL Draft Capital.
Isaiah Likely – TE | Baltimore Ravens
Betting on two TEs from the same team to produce has historically been a terrible fantasy football bet. But in Likely, Baltimore has a pass-catching weapon who has produced in limited sample sizes for multiple seasons. There are reports out of Baltimore that the Ravens will be routinely lining up in two TE sets and that Likely will be the No. 3 target in the passing game behind Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers.
Jonnu Smith – TE | Miami Dolphins
TEs do nothing in Mike McDaniel offenses. Or do they? Smith will put that theory to the test. He has speed and YAC ability- two traits McDaniel exploits with his WRs and RBs.
Smith also has the benefit of playing alongside Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle – two elite pass catchers who will command the attention of opposing defenses week in, week out. Will Smith see consistent high-end usage? Probably not. But can he beat his positional ADP by ten spots on spike weeks and TDs? Absolutely.
Ja’Lynn Polk – WR | New England Patriots
Polk is hardly an unknown but remains an ADP bargain. The New England Patriots selected him early in the second round of the NFL Draft, but he goes significantly later than players with similar draft capital. Polk is the best bet of any Patriots WR to breakthrough this year. His situation is not unlike Terry McLaurin in 2019- a Day 2 pick who becomes an ADP bargain and viable weekly flex play.
Bucky Irving – RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving is an exciting handcuff to Rachaad White, but could he become more than that? His role could be more of a handcuff plus than a traditional handcuff, and 10+ touches a game on a weekly basis should be expected. If White were to miss any time, Irving’s upside would be on full display. He should be valued at least a round ahead of ADP if not more.
Jalen Tolbert – WR | Dallas Cowboys
Tolbert had buzz as a rookie and fizzled. Last season, he had no buzz and again did very little. This season could finally be the breakout that Dallas bet on when selecting Tolbert in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Brandin Cooks is 31 years old, and Tolbert could overtake him in the pecking order. This offense could lean into the passing game even more this season, and Tolbert could be a gut shot WR3 and one of the better fantasy football sleepers at cost.
Bo Nix – QB | Denver Broncos
There are some strong vibes out of Denver with Nix. Drafters brushed him aside for much of the offseason as an afterthought. No one wanted to draft Broncos, and Nix being selected No. 12 overall in the NFL Draft was more of a “reach” from the Broncos than a reflection of his talent. But Nix landed in a situation where he can succeed, and he can do so right away. He has accuracy as a passer and mobility. Additionally, he will fit in well in Sean Payton’s scheme.
For more from Theo Gremminger, check out this article – 2024 NFL Training Camp – Early Winners and Players to Watch (playerprofiler.com)
