In July, I wrote about 20 late-round sleepers with starter upside. The idea was to find this year's version of players like Nick Chubb, Tarik Cohen, Tyler Lockett, Calvin Ridley and George Kittle, among others.
All of those guys were drafted, for the most part, in the double-digit rounds in 2018. And all of them became amazing Fantasy options.
Now, with the CBS Sports Average Draft Position updated since that previous story, let's highlight some of my favorite players you can target after pick No. 120 overall. Not all of them are going to be great -- or even good.
But these are players you should invest in with a late-round pick, and hopefully they can become starting Fantasy options at some point during the year.
By Position
Sleepers
Quarterback
We have yet to see what this Dallas offense will look like this season with Ezekiel Elliott's holdout and Amari Cooper battling a foot injury. But I love the set-up for Prescott in 2019. He played better last season after the Cowboys acquired Cooper via trade from Oakland, and he gets new weapons this year with Jason Witten and Randall Cobb. I'm also expecting improved play from Michael Gallup in Year 2, and the Cowboys offensive line is upgraded with a healthy Travis Frederick. Prescott has been the No. 6, 12 and 13 Fantasy quarterback in the past three years, and you can draft him this season as the No. 17 quarterback, which is amazing value.
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Garoppolo looked lost in his first preseason game against Denver when he passed for no yards on six attempts, but he rallied last week at Kansas City with 188 passing yards and a touchdown on 14 of 20 completions. He's going to be a work in progress coming off last year's torn ACL, and his receiving corps is also a little shaky, especially with Dante Pettis struggling. But I still expect Garoppolo to challenge to be a top-15 Fantasy quarterback this year, and he's a great streaming option for Week 1 at Tampa Bay and Week 2 at Cincinnati.
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Trubisky was an inconsistent Fantasy quarterback in 2018 when he scored more than 20 Fantasy points just six times in 14 starts. But I'm hopeful that Year 2 in Matt Nagy's offense helps improve his production, especially if his receiving corps can stay healthy after Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller and Trey Burton all battled injuries last year. Trubisky isn't someone I want to be a starting Fantasy quarterback for my roster in Week 1, but I would speculate on him with a late-round pick as a high-end backup in all leagues.
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Allen helped a lot of Fantasy managers in the playoffs in 2018 when he scored at least 21 Fantasy points in four of his final six games, averaging 26.0 Fantasy points over that span. Buffalo improved its offensive line and receiving corps this offseason, and Allen could end up as a weekly starter once again. You clearly don't have to draft him as a No. 1 quarterback, but he is a great stash candidate. Don't be surprised if Allen is once again your starter down the stretch in 2019 like he was last season.
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The more I've watched Darnold play this preseason, the more I'm excited for his Fantasy outlook this year. He has the chance to be a top-15 Fantasy quarterback in his sophomore campaign — if not better. His receiving corps is underrated with Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder and Chris Herndon, who is starting the season serving a four-game suspension. And let's not forget what Le'Veon Bell can do as a receiver, which we haven't seen yet in the preseason. I don't expect Darnold to open the season as a starting Fantasy quarterback, and having a bye in Week 4 isn't ideal to drafting him in most leagues. That said, he could emerge as a weekly starter as the season moves on, and I plan to stash him in several leagues where I have at least 16 roster spots.
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Sleepers
Running Back
Freeman isn't going to overtake Phillip Lindsday for the starting job, and it will likely take an injury to Lindsday for Freeman to become a weekly Fantasy starter in most leagues. And let's see what happens with Theo Riddick (shoulder) when healthy. But I still believe the Broncos want to increase Freeman's workload from the 10.2 total touches he averaged as a rookie in 2018. And he could be Denver's best bet to work at the goal line. He's not sexy, especially with Lindsay still the lead guy, but he is a great stash candidate in all formats.
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Pollard's ADP might skyrocket this weekend and early next week if Elliott remains out. Pollard's looked amazing in the preseason, and it's a great situation when a running back with talent plays behind an exceptional offensive line. Pollard would be a weekly starter for any games Elliott misses in the regular season. Every Elliott owner should prioritize drafting Pollard, maybe as early as Round 8, but he's also a great player to speculate on in Round 10 or later if you don't draft Elliott. Pollard is looking like one of the best lottery tickets in 2019, and he could be this year's version of James Conner, who was a star in place of Le'Veon Bell in Pittsburgh last season because of a holdout.
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Another good lottery ticket, Samuels showed the impact he could make when Conner got hurt late in the 2018 season. Samuels closed last year with at least 11 PPR points in five games in a row. He had three games over that span with at least 15 total touches, and he scored at least 15 PPR points in each outing. The Steelers will likely use Samuels in tandem with Conner at times this year, and he could have standalone value with a late-round pick. I'm trying to get Samuels in every league this season, especially in Round 10 or later.
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In full disclosure, Thompson's ADP gets a little pumped up because our projections on SportsLine have him as the No. 34 running back in PPR. That could be accurate, especially if Thompson stays healthy, but he's missed 12 games over the past two years. He also has to contend with Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson, which shouldn't leave him many opportunities for carries. Now, he should be the third-down back for Washington, and he scored 59 PPR points in his first three games in 2018 before injuries became a problem. I would absolutely take a flier on Thompson with a late-round pick in PPR, and he could be a starter for you as long as he stays on the field.
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I love drafting Jackson in every league, and I usually draft him in the Round 8-9 range depending on format. I'm concerned Melvin Gordon is going to miss most of the regular season because of his holdout, and Jackson should work in tandem with Austin Ekeler. While Ekeler is the running back to own in this tandem — look for him in Round 6 in PPR, Round 7 in non-PPR leagues — I still expect Jackson to get a decent workload. And he could be the running back working at the goal line and killing the clock for the Chargers, which is valuable. Remember, Gordon has scored 28 rushing touchdowns over the past three seasons.
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It didn't seem like Singletary would be able to make an impact early in the season, but the Bills' decision to release LeSean McCoy creates an avenue for immediate value. Frank Gore is likely to still have a role, but this figures to be a good opportunity for Singletary as a rookie. Singletary could be fun to have on your Fantasy team if he gets an increased workload. It might not happen right away, but it could be great if Buffalo turns him loose.
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I don't love Mattison as a talent, but he could have a tremendous opportunity as the backup to Dalvin Cook. I'm hopeful that this is Cook's breakout season, and he's someone you should draft with confidence in Round 2 in all leagues. But let's face it, he's been injury prone, missing 17 of a possible 32 games over his first two seasons in the NFL. Should he go down again this year, Mattison appears to be next in line, and he's worth a late-round pick, especially as a handcuff for Cook.
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Hill is one of my favorite rookies this season, and I like his setup in Baltimore as the likely second running back behind Mark Ingram. The Ravens are going to be among the league leaders in rushing attempts, and I expect to see Hill working in tandem with Ingram. We'll see what Baltimore would do if Ingram misses any time with an injury, but I have no problem stashing Hill on my bench for a few weeks. It could be worth it later in the year.
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Sony Michel will remain the starter for the Patriots, and James White is locked into his role as the pass-catching running back. But Harris should have the chance for a few touches each week, and Michel has already shown last year and this offseason that he could miss time because of his knees. I would love to see what Harris could do with an extended workload, and the Patriots won't be afraid to use him if he's capable of getting the job done, even as a rookie. He will likely need a Michel injury to become a Fantasy starter, but he's a good running back to stash in all leagues.
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We saw Anderson star for the Rams last season when he took over for Todd Gurley for the final two games of the year, and he could do the same thing this season for Kerryon Johnson in Detroit if he gets hurt. Johnson missed six games last season with a knee injury, and Anderson could become at least a flex option should he get an increased workload in Detroit. I expect the Lions to be a good running team, which is why I like Johnson in Round 2, and Anderson isn't a bad handcuff option. He also has some standalone value in deeper leagues since Detroit seems content giving Anderson a handful of touches each week.
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Sleepers
Wide Receiver
I've been talking about Valdes-Scantling for weeks now after my colleague Pete Prisco went to Green Bay and members of the Packers told him that Valdes-Scantling should be the second-best receiver in this offense behind Davante Adams. I'd still take a flier on Geronimo Allison as well, and his ADP is also in this range at 129.9. But Valdes-Scantling should have the chance for more yards and touchdowns than Allison, and he's a No. 4 Fantasy receiver with upside.
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The Steelers have a lot of production to replace with Antonio Brown and Jesse James gone, and Moncrief, James Washington (ADP of 127.8) and Vance McDonald will do their best to help JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner in the passing game. Moncrief will open the season as the starter opposite Smith-Schuster, and he's worth taking a gamble on in this range. He's going to get plenty of single coverage in a high-volume passing attack, and hopefully Ben Roethlisberger will lean on him. If he fails, Washington will be the next man up, and he's looked great this preseason. You should consider drafting both Steelers at this point in the draft.
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My colleague Heath Cummings has been hyping up Williams all offseason since he signed with the Raiders, and he makes a compelling case. He will start opposite Antonio Brown, and hopefully he'll get more than the 67 targets he's averaged over the past two seasons with the Chargers. We saw Williams in a featured role in 2016 when Keenan Allen suffered a torn ACL, and he looked the part of a starting Fantasy option with 69 catches, 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns on 121 targets. I don't expect him to get that kind of production without Brown missing time, but I'm still interested in stashing Williams to see how he does in Jon Gruden's offense.
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I'm excited for Gallup in his sophomore campaign, and he's played well this preseason. He scored a touchdown in the third preseason game against Houston, and he had a second score called back because of a penalty. Even though Dallas added Jason Witten and Randall Cobb this offseason, and Amari Cooper (foot) will hopefully be healthy for Week 1, it seems like Gallup is developing a good rapport with Prescott. And should Cooper miss any time with this injury, Gallup could emerge as the best receiver in Dallas.
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Brown should be the No. 1 receiver for the Bills this season, and he's worth drafting well before his ADP. I'm looking for Brown as early as Round 10. I'd also put Cole Beasley in this category as a sleeper, especially in PPR, and he currently doesn't have an ADP on CBS Sports. If you go back to 2018 when Brown played with Joe Flacco in Baltimore, he was having a breakout campaign. He scored at least 13 PPR points in five of his first seven games with Flacco before the Ravens switched quarterbacks and went with Lamar Jackson. In seven games with Jackson, Brown had only eight catches for 114 yards and one touchdown. Throw that out because Baltimore didn't throw much with Jackson, and buy back into Brown this season with Allen. He's a great late-round pick in all leagues.
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It's a good thing Miller is back after being out two weeks with an ankle injury, and hopefully this is the last injury he has to deal with in 2019. Miller didn't have a great rookie season in 2018, but he did lead the Bears in receiving touchdowns with seven. And he did that while playing through a shoulder injury, which required surgery in January. He should be healthy by Week 1, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he's the best Chicago receiver this season, even ahead of Allen Robinson. He's someone to draft as a No. 4 Fantasy receiver, but he could emerge as a weekly starter during the year.
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One reason why I like Darnold this season is that I like his receiving corps with Robby Anderson, Crowder and Chris Herndon. And Crowder should do well as the primary slot receiver. Crowder has been good at times in his career with Washington, but he's struggled to post consistent production, as well as stay healthy. But I like the pairing of Crowder with coach Adam Gase, who has done well with slot receivers in the past, especially during his time in Miami. According to ESPN, the Dolphins ranked first in receiving yards (3,472) from slot receivers and second in catches (276) during Gase's three seasons there, and a big reason why was Jarvis Landry for most of that production. I'm not expecting Crowder to be Landry, but at his ADP, it's an easy investment to make in Gase's new toy in the slot.
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Dante Pettis is having a miserable preseason, and the 49ers are clearly looking for a No. 1 receiver as a running mate to tight end George Kittle. Goodwin looks like the best option given his previous track record with Jimmy Garoppolo, but I'd also take a gamble on Deebo Samuel (ADP of 158.9) in this range. For Goodwin, he closed the 2017 campaign with an average of 14.4 PPR points in five starts with Garoppolo. That didn't carry over to 2018 before Garoppolo got hurt, but maybe this duo can be productive once again. I'm hopeful for Goodwin, and I plan to draft him in most of my leagues.
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Brown finally seems to be over the foot injury he's been dealing with since February, and hopefully he can emerge as the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore. But all of the Ravens receivers are worth taking a flier on with a late-round pick, especially Brown and fellow rookie Miles Boykin, who doesn't have an ADP on CBS Sports. Willie Snead and Chris Moore are also worth a look in deeper formats, but Brown has the most upside. He could end up as the best rookie receiver in 2019 as a key weapon for Lamar Jackson.
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Hamilton's value is down with Emmanuel Sanders making an amazing recovery from last year's Achilles injury. But I still like Hamilton as a reserve receiver in PPR. He's likely going to play in the slot when Denver goes to three-receiver sets with Sanders and Courtland Sutton, and he did well in that role last year after Sanders got hurt. In the final four games of 2018, when Sanders was out, Hamilton averaged 13.3 PPR points, including two games with at least 16 PPR points. He saw at least eight targets per game over that span, operating primarily in the slot. He won't be that productive with Sanders back on the field, but in PPR leagues, I'd stash Hamilton with a late-round selection.
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Sleepers
Tight End
We got good news on Reed from Washington coach Jay Gruden on Monday when he said that Reed should be ready for Week 1. He suffered a concussion in the third preseason game against Atlanta, and hopefully that's the last injury we'll have to worry about for Reed this year. Unfortunately, given his track record — he's never played 16 games in a season in his career — that's probably not the case. But Reed is more than worth the gamble with a late-round pick given his upside. He should be Washington's best weapon in the passing game, and he could finish the season as a top-10 tight end in all formats.
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Hooper is the forgotten man at tight end. In 2018, he was the No. 6 tight end in PPR, and he's being drafted as the 13th tight end based on his ADP. I don't necessarily disagree with that, but it just presents great value if you want to wait on the position. Even with a crowded receiving corps in Atlanta and what should be an improved running game, Hooper can still be successful more times than not. He was the No. 8 PPR tight end last year in points per game at 10.2, and hopefully he will stay in that range in 2019.
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I'm so curious to see how Andrews will do once the season starts. He's gotten plenty of hype for his performance in practice, but we haven't seen anything from him in the preseason to warrant drafting him as a Fantasy starter. I still expect him to be productive in his second year, and it would not be a shock if he was the go-to option in this passing game from Lamar Jackson. While I did downgrade him from a No. 1 Fantasy tight end to a backup option, I would still draft him with a late-round pick in all leagues.
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I was thoroughly impressed watching Hockenson in Detroit's third preseason game against Buffalo when he had three catches for 52 yards on four targets with the first-team offense. We always knew Hockenson had a chance to be Fantasy relevant this season, although rookie tight ends don't tend to produce at a high level. That said, it appears Matthew Stafford will make him a priority target in this offense — which could hurt Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones — and I would consider Hockenson a starting Fantasy option to open the year. He's also a perfect streamer with his Week 1 matchup against Arizona.
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If you've watched HBO's Hard Knocks, you can see that Waller is in a good spot, and it doesn't take a genius to recognize that he's got a chance to be Fantasy relevant this season. He's a popular late-round sleeper at tight end among most Fantasy analysts, and the casual fan is just starting to catch on because of his exposure on the show. Remember, he's replacing Jared Cook, who had 68 catches for 896 yards and six touchdowns last season on 101 targets. The additions of Antonio Brown, Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow make it impossible for Waller to come close to those stats. But he's not a bad second tight end to invest in on Draft Day. Just don't overvalue him because of Hard Knocks.
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Even Deeper Sleepers
No ADP
Players without an ADP on CBS who I'm targeting in deeper leagues include Dare Ogunbowale, Malcolm Brown, Damarea Crockett, Adam Humphries, Trey Quinn, Hunter Renfrow, Jaron Brown, Cole Beasley, Ted Ginn, D.J. Chark, Miles Boykin and Chris Herndon.
So which sleepers should you snatch in your draft? And which RB2 can you wait on until late? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy Football cheat sheets from the model that called Andrew Luck's huge 2018, and find out.
