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2019 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Deep sleepers you've got to know about before Week 1
Dave Richard combs through preseason games and NFL rosters every summer to find the deep sleepers you'll want for every kind of Fantasy need.
By
Dave Richard
•
8 min read
I guess you could say I live for this.
Football, Fantasy Football, the whole thing. It's my job and I love it. But finding the players who become Fantasy studs before anyone else does is what fuels my excitement when I'm watching third stringers play in the fourth quarter of preseason games.
There are sleepers for every situation, every league format and every kind of Fantasy owner. We'll get into all of them, but as always, there's always one guy I always recommend above all others.
The deep sleeper we're gonna get and root for together
Every year I look for the next great tight end to pop out of nowhere and become a Fantasy stud. Jon Gruden's trying to do the same thing. Waller has been fast-tracked to the starting lineup to replace Jared Cook in part because of his size/speed combination of 6-foot-5, 255 pounds with 4.4-second speed.
Gruden's been trying to hide him, practically refusing to talk about him in an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio because he's "doing very well." To that end, Waller has played just 13 preseason snaps but left plenty of evidence of him not only as a speedster but also as a tall, long-armed route-runner who did the dirty work blocking for Josh Jacobs. He's going to play a lot, and with Derek Carr checking down and getting the ball out quickly, there's potential for a fantastic year, even while sharing the field with Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams. Defenses will have a tough time matching up with him, starting with the Broncos and their 5-foot-10 strong safety in Week 1.
CBS ADP: 156.5
Steal him by: Round 12 or later
My favorite sleeper receiver
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The Bills run game could be a liability based on the elder backs on the roster. The offensive line figures to be improved, but even if it's not, the second-year quarterback has a knack for moving out of the way of trouble. The quarterback also has an absolute cannon for an arm, perfect for any fast receiver. Brown is among the league's fastest, but is also a crafty route runner who is willing to cross the field. And just to dismiss the whole one-speed receiver thing, 13 of his last 17 scores have been inside of 20 yards. He is the Bills' top receiver, working as their No. 1 guy this preseason.
His injury track record isn't bad (only one season in five with less than 15 games played) and he was actually on-pace for over 1,000 yards and seven scores last year with Joe Flacco in Baltimore with 13-plus PPR points in five of nine games. With opening slate matchups at the Jets and at the Giants, Brown is good enough to start as a low-end No. 3 receiver or Flex right away.
CBS ADP: 143.6
Steal him by: Round 9 or later
My second-favorite sleeper receiver
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Miller has played all of seven snaps this preseason and looked as fleet-footed as last year, primarily lining up in the slot of the Bears offense. He suffered an ankle sprain after that but might not have played much anyway as the Bears didn't use any of their starters during their final three preseason games.
We remember Miller scoring a touchdown every five receptions as a rookie, playing through shoulder injuries, but he still averaged just 2.2 catches and 28.2 yards per game. To buy into him as a sleeper is to take a leap of faith, but the talent is unmistakable, the role should be consistent and the creative Bears offense should provide him opportunities to break out.
CBS ADP: 145.7
Steal him by: Round 10 or later
PPR sleeper receivers
Sometimes all you need is a receiver who you can rely on for 12-plus PPR points per week. These are my favorites, ranked:
Best of the bunch: Jamison Crowder, WR, Jets There's a good track record of slot receivers in Adam Gase's offense, and Crowder has good speed to make plays after the catch. A career-best season is in play. CBS ADP: 149.1 | Steal him by: Round 9 in PPR | Fantasy roster role: No. 3 receiver or quality bench guy
Next best PPR sleeper receivers:
Rounds 12-13
Keke Coutee, Texans
Albert Wilson, Dolphins
Rounds 14-plus
Adam Humphries, Titans
Cole Beasley, Bills
DaeSean Hamilton, Broncos
Randall Cobb, Cowboys
Trey Quinn, Redskins
Parris Campbell, Colts
Danny Amendola, Lions
Running back sleepers
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Finding late-round running backs with some appeal is like trying to find money in casino parking lots. But Anderson, despite his speed limitations, has once again found himself in a good spot. The Lions have this strange philosophy of doing what's best for the team and utilizing multiple running backs instead of doing what's best for our Fantasy interests and giving Kerryon Johnson 20 touches per game. They've consistently used two, even three backs, in their offense and continued the trend this preseason. So while Johnson will probably be in line for 15 touches from week to week, Anderson's going to have a role, too.
Additionally, Johnson has habitually dealt with injuries and would open the door for Anderson to see plenty of work if he were to miss time in 2019. We can joke about his size all we want, but Anderson averaged 5.5 yards per carry with the Rams with three goal-line touchdowns. He's not a total slug and he'll see some work. Can you say the same with other running backs you'll take after Round 11?
CBS ADP: 157.8
Steal him by: Round 12 or later
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We've seen this interesting trend where Patriots running backs drafted late turn into Fantasy heroes. James White was that guy last year, Dion Lewis did it two years ago and LeGarrette Blount went from zero to hero rather quickly. Harris actually fits in nicely as that kind of Fantasy option because he's best suited to fill in for Sony Michel on rushing plays. He even might end up getting the chance if or when Michel botches a short-yardage conversion -- that was one of Harris' specialties at Alabama. Additionally, he is adept enough as a pass protector and receiver to aid in replacing James White if need be.
Harris had three straight seasons with over 1,000 total yards for the Crimson Tide and has the kind of maturity the Patriots tend to crave. He's worth stashing and is a must-get if you draft Michel to be a No. 2 running back.
CBS ADP: 152.5
Steal him by: Round 10 or later
Malcolm Brown, RB, Rams: If Todd Gurley's knee becomes an issue, Brown's going to find playing time. Darrell Henderson hasn't looked capable enough of becoming an every down player, so he'll work alongside Brown in case Gurley misses time.
Fantasy roster role: Late-round handcuff for Gurley, late-round stashee for everyone else.
Dare Ogunbowale, RB, Buccaneers: Perhaps he's Tampa Bay's only physical running back who is also capable of pass blocking and adeptly catching passes. That versatility will earn him a roster spot, but it's a little tough to believe he'll be their best running back anytime in September.
Fantasy roster role: Bench stash
Two for one sleeper receivers
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The solution for solving receiver depth with a late-round pick comes in a two-headed speed racing duo in Baltimore. As soon as Brown sets foot in a regular-season game, he'll be among the NFL's fastest receivers. He crushed college defenses not only on deep routes but also on catch-and-runs off screens and slants. Boykin is also pretty fast, but he's also bigger than Brown (nearly 6-foot-4) with a wide catch radius. Talent meets opportunity in this passing game because both Ravens rookies could find playing time rather quickly given the lack of competition.
Willie Snead will man the slot and the Ravens could always opt for a couple of tight ends on the field at a time, but these young players should play plenty right away. Drafting both should yield one good No. 3 type of Fantasy receiver, but you'll take them both much later.
CBS ADP: 156.9 for Brown; no ADP for Boykin
Steal them by: Rounds 13 and 14 or later
Bench-stash sleepers AND desperation Week 1 starters!
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This is the outside receiver the Bengals will roll with while A.J. Green is sidelined. He might turn into the outside receiver they stick with when Green comes back, too. The undrafted rookie has taken advantage of the opportunities provided in camp and has proven to be a tall (6-foot-3) downfield threat who fights for jump balls. He's the perfect kind of final-round risk because if he stinks, you just toss him back onto waivers. But he's going to have a chance to make some plays as soon as Week 1. As for the long-term, Green's return will obviously cramp his targets, but the Bengals should play in three-receiver sets pretty regularly, so at least his playing time should remain solid.
CBS ADP: ADP?! No one knows who he is!
Steal him by: Last pick
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The Colts offense is going to operate differently with Jacoby Brissett under center. They're probably going to play conservatively, not challenging downfield very often. They'll also probably find themselves in a number of competitive games where they can't sit on leads with the run game. Hines didn't even play in the Colts' third preseason game when they rested their starters. That's telling. This is the running back who will play in passing situations with the Colts, and I think it'll happen as soon as Week 1 at the Chargers.
CBS ADP: 153.9
Steal him by: Round 12 in PPR
So what others sleepers should you snatch in your draft? And which RB2 can you wait on until late? Visit SportsLine now to get 2019 Fantasy Football cheat sheets from the model that called Andrew Luck's huge 2018, and find out.
