Which players are people still sleeping on in drafts?
Sean Koerner, Chris Raybon and Matthew Freedman reveal their eight favorite fantasy sleepers heading into the final stretch of draft season by position. You'll also find their consensus ranking for each player.
Note: Average draft position (ADP) data is for PPR drafts and via FantasyPros. That and rankings are as of Friday, so be sure to check out our Draft Kit for up-to-the-minute updates.
Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Consensus Rank: QB11 | Current ADP: QB17
Earlier in the summer I was able to target quarterback in Rounds 10-12 and land either Kyler Murray, Jameis Winston, Lamar Jackson or Prescott. The first three QBs have all seen their average draft position rise, yet Prescott still remains in the QB15 range.
People seem to be underestimating his upside along with his high floor.
He should only improve, getting a full offseason to work with Amari Cooper and could also see Michael Gallup make a big Year 2 leap. Not to mention Prescott gets his trusty old TE back in Jason Witten. It also appears likely that Ezekiel Elliott's holdout could spill over into the regular season, which means we'll see a lot of Tony Pollard out of the backfield. Pollard is a pass-catching back who will help raise Dak's floor/ceiling.
Finally, I think people are underestimating how new coordinator Kellen Moore should be able to make the Cowboys offense exciting again and maximize Dak’s fantasy value.
He's the perfect late(r) round QB to target right now.— Sean Koerner
Mitch Trubisky, Bears
Consensus Rank: QB13 | Current ADP: QB20
Only two quarterbacks — Patrick Mahomes and Drew Brees — had more 30-point fantasy games than Trubisky in 2018, and his situation should be vastly improved in Year 2 under Matt Nagy.
Allen Robinson is another year removed from his ACL injury and entering his age-26 season (when wide receivers typically peak). Swapping David Montgomery and Mike Davis in for Jordan Howard ensures that every Bears back can catch. And adding Cordarrelle Patterson into a mix that already included Tarik Cohen and Taylor Gabriel makes gives Trubisky three guys capable of taking a short pass to the house. — Chris Raybon
Running Backs
Matt Breida, 49ers
Consensus Rank: RB36 | Current ADP: RB42
Breida handled 12-13 touches in five of the final six game in which he wasn’t the lead back … and he might be the lead back this season.
I have him ranked as my RB31. — Raybon
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Darrell Henderson, Rams
Consensus Rank: RB42 | Current ADP: RB37
Henderson is an explosive playmaker who should operate as the Rams' shotgun back and push for 10 touches weekly. The median is Tarik Cohen on a better offense, but If Todd Gurley misses time, Henderson's upside is — dare I say — Alvin Kamara-like.
He's my RB30 as of writing. — Raybon
Tony Pollard, Cowboys
Consensus Rank: RB57 | Current ADP: RB50
There's no risk at his ADP — he's my current RB42.
At worst, you're getting a Zeke handcuff who could have standalone PPR value when Zeke returns. At best, you’re getting a dynamic lead back running behind one of the best offensive lines in football who starts the season with three fake matchups. — Raybon
Wide Receivers
Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
Consensus Rank: WR27 | Current ADP: WR37
I've been on Dede all offseason. I'm not about to stop now. I've been a Dede stan ever since he was a Biletnikoff Award-winning prospect entering the league two years ago, and now he has the best quarterback and offensive coordinator of his young career in Nick Foles and John DeFilippo.
A true speedster (4.34-second 40 time) who benefits from soft matchups in the slot, Westbrook led the Jaguars with 101 targets, 66 receptions, 717 yards receiving and five touchdowns through the air last season.
Westbrook should improve on those numbers in his third year, especially given that the Jags have few proven pass-catching options on the depth chart. He could be a WR2 in fantasy.— Matthew Freedman
Jamison Crowder, Jets
Consensus Rank: WR44 | Current ADP: WR52
Since 2013, the top slot receiver in Adam Gase's offense has averaged 7.2 targets, 5.1 catches, 50.3 yards and 0.33 touchdowns per game. Those numbers would have equated to a WR47 finish in standard, but WR30 in PPR last season — a format he's being undervalued in this season. — Raybon
Tre'Quan Smith, Saints
Consensus Rank: WR61 | Current ADP: WR67
The second-year receiver is unlikely to have a big season — but that's why he's a sleeper. Late in drafts, fantasy players should be chasing upside, and Smith has lots of it.
He's in a high-scoring offense with a Hall-of-Fame quarterback, he has a good combination of size (6-foot-2) and speed (4.49-second 40), he was productive in college (1,194 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2017), he carries significant draft capital (third-round pick) and last year he had two eruption performances (3-111-2 in Week 5 and 10-157-1 in Week 11). Over the past decade, just 19 wide receivers have had multiple 100-1 games as rookies, among them Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper and T.Y. Hilton.
Smith has the under-appreciated potential to have a league-winning campaign. — Freedman
