2023 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Heath Cummings' Sleepers 3.0 highlights Anthony Richardson's upside
Ten sleepers who are ranked way too low by current ADP
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Anthony Richardson's preseason debut was a mixed bag. He threw a terrible interception on his first drive, but bounced back and should have had a long touchdown pass to Alec Pierce later. He looked very much like a raw rookie quarterback, but because it was the preseason, we didn't get to see his best attribute, his athleticism.
Richardson put on a show at the NFL combine, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and grading out as the most athletic quarterback to ever appear at the combine. This comes as no surprise to anyone who saw him average nearly 7 yards per carry at Florida. Richardson has the profile of one of the best running quarterbacks ever and he landed in the perfect place as well, with Shane Steichen as his head coach. Steichen spent the past two years as the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, and oversaw Jalen Hurts averaging 10 rush attempts per game.
All of this is to say, if Richardson starts 17 games this season, I project he will lead all NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards. As Justin Fields showed us last year, that's enough to be a top 10 Fantasy QB even if you aren't great at passing. Fields finished as QB7 per game in 2022 despite averaging just 149.5 passing yards per game.
So why is Richardson available in Round 10 as the 16th QB off the board? I can only assume people think Gardner Minshew will start Week 1. I don't think that's very likely considering Richardson was drafted fourth overall and started the first preseason game, but even so it's not a reason to wait this long for Richardson. That's because Russell Wilson, Daniel Jones, and Geno Smith are available in Round 10 or later as well according to CBS ADP.
If you're really worried about Richardson's floor, just draft a second QB to start Week 1. Whenever Richardson does take over for the Colts, he'll force his way into your starting lineup in a hurry.
Here are nine more sleepers available in Round 10 or later:
Sleepers 3.0
Projections powered by
Sportsline
Speaking of Jones, he's actually going one pick after Richardson, at QB17. I'm not the biggest fan of Jones as a passer, but he's one of the best running QBs in the league and he just added Darren Waller. He should improve on last year's 19.7 FPPG and be a solid high-end QB2 you can stream against the right matchups.
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Collins is entering Year 3, a common breakout year for wide receivers and got a big QB upgrade when the team drafted C.J. Stroud. He'll face competition from John Metchie, Robert Woods, and Tank Dell, but Collins is also the odds-on favorite to lead the team in targets this year. The expectation should be that he is a borderline No. 3 WR.
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Moore literally does not have an ADP in CBS leagues right now despite the fact that he played seven full games last year and averaged 12.6 PPG FPPG despite scoring just one touchdown. The new offense may not be as favorable to him, but he is essentially free, so it's not as if you have to bet on him doing what he did last year. If he can stay healthy he is going to beat his WR ADP by at least 10 spots.
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Remember Romeo Doubs' spectacular camp as a rookie? He's already off to a good start in 2023, with a touchdown in the Packers' first preseason game. Jordan Love has been raving about Doubs this summer and it's possible Doubs actually leads the Packers in targets. Doubs has a path to a top-36 season even if Watson plays every game. If Watson misses time again, Doubs could be a must-start Fantasy wide receiver.
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With Kadarius Toney hurt, Moore profiles as the WR1 in Kansas City. I'm willing to give the second-year wideout a pass on 2022 because of the complexity of Andy Reid's offense and Moore's inexperience at the position. Moore has earned rave reviews at camp, and if that translates to regular season games he'll be a league winner at his cost in the double-digit rounds.
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Remember Smith? He was a tight end sleeper fixture for a couple of years. He may finally wake up. One of the undercover stories of the offseason is that Smith appears to be the No. 1 tight end for Joe Burrow and the Bengals. That role has been worth five targets per game in the past, which is more than enough to sustain a top-12 tight end in an elite offense. Smith is free in most leagues right now.
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I know Higbee isn't exciting, but he's likely the No. 2 target for Matthew Stafford behind only Cooper Kupp and he faces Seattle in Week 1. No team gave up more Fantasy points to tight ends in 2022. I love the idea of pairing Higbee with Dalton Kincaid, Sam LaPorta, or Trey McBride and starting Higbee Week 1 against Seattle.
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It looks like Warren has already secured the pass-catching role in Pittsburgh and he may be infringing on Najee Harris' role in the ground game as well. At the very least, Warren is a value as one of the very best injury-dependent backup running backs in the league. But don't be surprised if Warren carves out a role to be flex-worthy even if Harris stays healthy.
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Gainwell was mostly an afterthought after the Eagles signed D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny in the offseason, but he's led the first team in rush attempts in practice and looks to have a much bigger role than expected. At the very least, Gainwell is a lottery ticket behind two backs who have an extensive injury history. More likely, it sounds like he'll pair with Swift to form a one-two punch, at least as long as Swift stays healthy. Gainwell had at least 11 touches in every postseason game for them last year and averaged 12.2 PPR Fantasy points in the process.
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