There was a time, not too long ago actually, where the term “sleeper” actually meant something. If you could find a wide receiver or running back in the 15th or 16th round who contributed to fantasy football, you were certain to be a contender in your fantasy football playoffs.
The term “consensus” didn’t mean anything. You had to go out to your local drug store and buy the newest fantasy football magazine, and even then, they were likely out of date by the time they were printed, shipped to the store, and got into your hands. You had to listen to the radio in order to hear local beat reporters, pick up newspapers from different states if you wanted to find out what was going on in training camp.
Get a FREE FantasyPros upgrade with our special offer
While those days don’t exist anymore, there are still diamonds hidden in the rough. Think about it the last few years – with all the information we have available, nobody was drafting Jared Goff, Dion Lewis, Alex Collins, Latavius Murray, Robby Anderson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Nelson Agholor, or Evan Engram last year. Going back to 2016, nobody was drafting Cameron Brate, Terrelle Pryor, Kenny Stills, LeGarrette Blount, Jordan Howard, or Dak Prescott.
Today, we’ll be going through each of the 32 NFL teams, trying to locate a player who can make a splash in fantasy football, yet are not being drafted inside the top-150 overall players in early ADP. I cannot promise that their ADP will stay where it currently is, because, well, the internet, but as of August 29th, this is where they are. If you’d like to stay current on where players are being drafted, we have a consensus ADP from various sites available right here.
Arizona Cardinals
Chad Williams (WR) Current ADP: 332 overall (WR114)
Most have already forgotten about last year’s third-round draft pick, but rumors have started to fly that he may be the team’s No. 2 wide receiver to start the season. While many are drafting Christian Kirk as the No. 2 wide receiver in this offense, he’s projected as a slot receiver, which is where Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald plays.
Atlanta Falcons
Mohamed Sanu (WR) Current ADP: 156 overall (WR59)
Look, there wasn’t a bigger Calvin Ridley fan coming into the draft, but why is he affecting the stock of Sanu as much as he is? Sanu is the primary slot receiver whose role is locked-in, while Ridley likely gets an extended Taylor Gabriel role. In fact, the addition of Ridley likely hurt Austin Hooper more than anything. In PPR formats last year, Sanu posted WR3 or better numbers in 67 percent of his games, which ranked 13th among wide receivers.
Baltimore Ravens
John Brown (WR) Current ADP: 171 overall (WR64)
While it was Hayden Hurst in this spot, Brown has been making plenty of noise throughout camp and it carried into the preseason where he caught a touchdown from Joe Flacco in the third preseason game. Many have forgotten that Brown finished as a top-24 wide receiver just a few years ago when he was healthy, something that’s been a rare case over the last two seasons. If he stays healthy, his skill-set matches Flacco’s big arm.
Buffalo Bills
Chris Ivory (RB) Current ADP: 21 overall (RB69)
You’ve likely heard about LeSean McCoy‘s off-the-field question marks, so seeing Ivory here shouldn’t surprise you. He’s not the most talented running back in the world (I’m actually not a fan of his game), but he’s the only other player on the depth chart capable of touching the ball 15-plus times per game. To get a running back who may start outside the top-200, even on a bad team, I’d consider that a win.
Carolina Panthers
Curtis Samuel (WR) Current ADP: 307 overall (WR105)
While everyone talks about the workload that Christian McCaffrey is getting, no one is talking about Samuel, the team’s second-round pick from last year. He’s reportedly making splashes on the practice field and it’s translated to games as well, as he’s now caught 9-of-11 targets for 166 yards this preseason. After a frustrating rookie season that was littered with injuries, Samuel is someone who if used correctly, can make plays.
Chicago Bears
Mitch Trubisky (QB) Current ADP: 169 overall (QB22)
New offense with one of the young premier offensive play-callers (Matt Nagy), upgraded offensive line (James Daniels, Kyle Long is back), upgraded pass-catchers (Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, Trey Burton, Taylor Gabriel). Seriously, what’s not to like? There are so many parallels between Trubisky and Jared Goff in 2017 that it’s ridiculous, only Trubisky offers you more upside with his legs. Did you know that he was the No. 14 fantasy quarterback over the final five weeks of 2017? That was before all the upgrades around him. Runner-up: Anthony Miller (WR) – didn’t use him because his ADP is creeping up to the 150 mark.
Cincinnati Bengals
John Ross (WR) Current ADP: 213 overall (WR76)
Last year’s No. 9 overall pick is reportedly 100 percent healthy heading into 2018 and has been working with T.J. Houshmandzadeh this offseason to become a more well-rounded route runner. Previously battling Brandon LaFell for the No. 2 wide receiver job isn’t a very tall task, and don’t forget what Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones were able to do alongside A.J. Green while with the Bengals.
Cleveland Browns
Rashard Higgins (WR) Current ADP: 381 overall (WR135)
Many will write this one off, but Higgins isn’t a bad football player. When being targeted by DeShone Kizer, you’re bound to be less than efficient as a receiver. Higgins has flashed at times last year and has reportedly earned a spot as a starter in 3WR sets alongside Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry. If Gordon were to miss any time, Higgins would be a fantasy option with Tyrod Taylor/Baker Mayfield under center.
Dallas Cowboys
Rod Smith (RB) Current ADP: 270 overall (RB74)
We had Michael Gallup in here just a month ago, but his ADP has shot through the roof recently, allowing us to put Smith into the sleeper conversation for the Cowboys. He’s currently being drafted as the RB74, which would be considered a third-string running back (32 teams times two equals 64, duh). But the truth is that he’s the clear-cut backup to Ezekiel Elliott behind what might be the best offensive line in football. How he’s being drafted this late is a mystery.
Denver Broncos
Jake Butt (TE) Current ADP: 221 overall (TE27)
He was someone who I compared to Jason Witten during the draft process last year, though he suffered a torn ACL early in 2017 which knocked him out for the season. The competition for targets in Denver is light at tight end, as he’ll have to beat out Jeff Heuerman and Austin Traylor for the starting job. Early reports from new quarterback Case Keenum is that Butt “continually wants the ball,” which he loves. He may not be a top-five tight end with all the wide receiver talent they have, but he could be a streamer.
Detroit Lions
Kenny Golladay (WR) Current ADP: 151 overall (WR51)
I didn’t want to put Golladay here, but he’s the only one outside the top-150 on the Lions that I felt had the possibility to have a breakout season. He’s still the No. 3 option at wide receiver, but one sign pointing to it being spread out more than most think is the splits that Marvin Jones had with Golladay in/out of the lineup. Jones averaged 9.8 targets per game with Golladay on the sideline, compared to just 5.3 targets per game with him on the field. Should Jones or miss time, Golladay will have a big role.
Green Bay Packers
Geronimo Allison (WR) Current ADP: 183 overall (WR68)
I’ve been saying he’s fantasy football’s best kept secret this offseason, though that’s coming to an end now that there’s reports about him starting for the Packers. If you’ve been paying attention, it’s what we expected all along. Outside of Davante Adams and Randall Cobb, nobody else in this offense has the chemistry that Allison does with Aaron Rodgers, which means a lot. With Cobb playing the slot more often than not, Allison could technically be considered the No. 2 wide receiver on the team.
Houston Texans
Keke Coutee (WR) Current ADP: 275 overall (WR96)
A human highlight reel waiting to happen, Coutee wound up in a crowded wide receiver corps, but he quickly ascended up the depth chart after a massive mini-camp. He’s got the on-demand speed that can turn any play into a touchdown, similar to Tyreek Hill. While many are reaching to snag DeAndre Hopkins and/or Will Fuller, Coutee might provide the most value in relation to where he’s being drafted, as he should take over slot duties from Bruce Ellington relatively soon. The fact that he missed much of the preseason hurts his role to start the season, though.
Indianapolis Colts
Ryan Grant (WR) Current ADP: 283 overall (WR92)
A few weeks ago, there were three wide receivers on the Colts being drafted ahead of Grant? Seriously, Chester Rogers? Grant won the No. 2 job in the Redskins offense last year, despite Terrelle Pryor being paid to hold down that job. He was then offered a massive contract by the Ravens, who got out of it in a shady way. The Colts signed him almost immediately after that to a one-year, prove-it deal where he’ll be the starting wide receiver opposite T.Y. Hilton. If Andrew Luck proves to be healthy, Grant could be an upgrade on Donte Moncrief, who was continually drafted as a top-30 wide receiver with Luck. Grant is one of the better late-round steals. Runner-up: Eric Ebron (TE)
Jacksonville Jaguars
T.J. Yeldon (RB) Current ADP: 191 overall (RB62)
I’ve been on record as saying Yeldon should be considered in the RB35-RB40 range of running backs, as he’s got standalone value without a Leonard Fournette injury, but would become a must-play RB1 should Fournette miss time. By drafters taking him as the RB62, it says that they essentially view him as third-string, which is laughable. Even with Chris Ivory on the roster last year, Yeldon racked up 41 targets in just 10 games, and eventually passed Ivory as the starter when Fournette was out.
Kansas City Chiefs
Spencer Ware (RB) Current ADP: 209 overall (RB67)
Flip-flopped from last year, Ware is sliding down draft boards while Kareem Hunt is taken in the first- or second-round. Truth be told, both have plenty of value in Andy Reid’s offense that has produced an RB1 in 10 of the last 14 seasons. Ware’s relevance does rely on a Hunt injury, but as we saw with Ware last year, things happen.
Los Angeles Chargers
Tyrell Williams (WR) Current ADP: 176 overall (WR65)
Even though I believe we can see a Mike Williams breakout season, we shouldn’t forget about Williams who’s totaled almost 1,800 yards and 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He’s running alongside Keenan Allen in 2WR sets, so he actually has the leg-up in the competition, though their ADPs are multiple rounds apart with Williams now inside the top 130 players.
Los Angeles Rams
John Kelly (RB) Current ADP: 277 overall (RB77)
It blows my mind that nobody is drafting the running back who is the handcuff to the No. 1 running back in football. Fantasy points for running backs are often tied to their offense and the Rams have a great one. Kelly was one of the best pass-catching backs in the draft this year and can play on all three downs. Runner-up: Gerald Everett (TE)
Miami Dolphins
Albert Wilson (WR) Current ADP: 282 overall (WR91)
I’m a fan of DeVante Parker this year, but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore Wilson, who is walking into an offense where Jarvis Landry netted 150-plus targets per season. I’m not saying he’ll see Landry-type targets, but they obviously felt the need to spend $24 million to get Wilson under contract. He’s going to have a role and he’s absolutely free in drafts right now.
Minnesota Vikings
Laquon Treadwell (WR) Current ADP: 347 overall (WR111)
Many have forgotten the former No. 23 overall pick, likely because he’s caught just 21 passes over his first two seasons. But as we head into 2018, it appears Treadwell has worked his way into the starting lineup alongside Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. While he’s not going to be a big-time fantasy producer with those two healthy, he’s someone who would step into the top-40 wide receiver conversation if either of them was to miss time.
New England Patriots
Cordarrelle Patterson (WR) Current ADP: 319 overall (WR100)
This seems crazy given the year is 2018, but we’ve seen players come alive when they hit the Patriots roster. While Eric Decker and Jordan Matthews couldn’t stick, Patterson has been making plenty of splash plays this preseason. The talent was always there, as most compared him to Dez Bryant coming out of school. If Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels get him snaps, he’s going to be a thing in fantasy.
New Orleans Saints
Ben Watson (TE) Current ADP: 203 overall (TE23)
While he’s 37 years old, Watson is coming off a season in which he finished as the No. 15 fantasy tight end while playing with the ineffective Joe Flacco. He caught 77 percent of his targets, which was higher than any other tight end with at least 20 targets, so there’s still a competent player in the uniform. The last time he suited up with Drew Brees (2015), he tallied 74 receptions for 825 yards and six touchdowns. I’m not expecting that, but someone to fill your tight end slot in a good matchup? Oh yeah.
New York Giants
Eli Manning (QB) Current ADP: 165 overall (QB22)
When you have a running back inside the top-five because of his pass-catching ability, two wide receivers ranked inside the top-40, and a tight end that’s ranked top-five, where’s the disconnect with their quarterback? While some will be overvalued, it’s not crazy to think Manning returns to the quarterback he was pre-2017 when he finished top-15 in eight straight seasons. The addition of Pat Shurmur did wonders for Sam Bradford and Case Keenum in Minnesota.
New York Jets
Quincy Enunwa (WR) Current ADP: 273 overall (WR89)
It’s easy to forget about Enunwa after missing a full season, but going back to 2016, he outplayed both Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker en route to a 58/857/4 line at the end of the season. Now working alongside Robby Anderson and Terrelle Pryor, it may actually be easier for him to see more targets. It’s likely that Sam Darnold will develop a favorite in the offense, and if he’s pressured often, it could be Enunwa who will primarily play in the slot.
Oakland Raiders
Doug Martin (RB) Current ADP: 156 overall (RB55)
Look, I’ve come around to Marshawn Lynch as a borderline RB2 this season, but I won’t ignore the fact that they went out and signed Doug Martin with plenty of other good running backs available. Martin has never played behind an offensive line that’s this good, and he’s never played behind another running back period. If something should happen to Lynch, Martin would likely be an every-week RB2 behind one of the best offensive lines in football.
Philadelphia Eagles
Mack Hollins (WR) Current ADP: Undrafted
The signing of Mike Wallace definitely deflated the hope for Hollins to breakout in 2018, but the dream shouldn’t be dead just yet. Wallace will be 33 years old when the season starts, so it’s possible that he was signed simply for depth. We also don’t know if Alshon Jeffery will miss time at the start of the season. It was clear that Hollins had chemistry with Carson Wentz last year, as he turned 22 targets into 16 receptions for 226 yards and a touchdown. As a 2017 fourth-round pick, expectations for him should be to start sometime soon.
Pittsburgh Steelers
James Washington (WR) Current ADP: 220 overall (WR74)
Rookie wide receivers have gotten a bad rap over the last few seasons, but do you know two of them who actually produced? JuJu Smith-Schuster, who produced 917 yards and seven touchdowns in just 14 games last year, and then Martavis Bryant, who totaled 549 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games his rookie season. Washington was likely the best deep-ball tracker in the draft class and should fill Bryant’s role seamlessly. If Smith-Schuster or Antonio Brown were to miss any time, he’d be an every-week starter. Runner-up: Vance McDonald (TE)
San Francisco 49ers
Matt Breida (RB) Current ADP: 153 overall (RB53)
If you’ve watched Jerick McKinnon on first- and second-down while with the Vikings, you likely understand why Breida is here. McKinnon is a great receiver, but there’s a reason that he lost the workhorse job to both Matt Asiata and Latavius Murray while in Minnesota. Breida was involved last year, and more so when Carlos Hyde was struggling, as he totaled double-digit carries in four of the last five games. You can argue that Joe Williams should be alongside Breida in this paragraph, but Breida was beating him out last year prior to Williams suffering a year-ending injury.
Seattle Seahawks
Nick Vannett (TE) Current ADP: 351 overall (TE44)
There are so many wide receivers who are fighting for a spot on the Seahawks that it’s hard to land on one of them, though Jaron Brown deserved consideration for this spot. But going with Vannett makes sense to me because I’m not automatically handing the starting tight end job to a 31-year-old career backup that was signed on the cheap in free agency (Ed Dickson). Vannett has been with the team for three years now, has some rapport with Russell Wilson (15 targets last year turned into 12/124/1), and was a third-round pick, so the Seahawks obviously saw something in him, enough to let both Jimmy Graham and Luke Willson walk via free agency. In each of the last five years, Seahawks tight ends have accounted for at least 757 yards and four touchdowns, which included multiple seasons without Graham.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin (WR) Current ADP: 192 overall (WR68)
It was said this offseason that Godwin deserves a spot in the starting lineup, though there’s reportedly a competition between him and Adam Humphries. Godwin should win that, as he showed what he could do late in the season last year, compiling 16 catches for 295 yards and a touchdown over the final four weeks of the season, and was the No. 14 fantasy wide receiver in that span. He’s someone who should be moving up the draft boards really soon.
Tennessee Titans
Taywan Taylor (WR) Current ADP: 214 overall (WR73)
While everyone is expecting a breakout from second-year wide receiver Corey Davis, most are overlooking the impact that Taylor could have in the offense. He was drafted in the third-round last year and the Titans decided to let Eric Decker walk in free agency because of their confidence in Taylor, who showed some big-play ability out of the slot last year, averaging 14.4 yards per reception. With Delanie Walker getting up there in age, Taylor could start to become the safety valve over the middle of the field.
Washington Redskins
Josh Doctson (WR) Current ADP: 151 overall (WR54)
I was shocked to see Doctson this low in early ADP, as he flashed at times last year in the same offense he’s currently in. Despite seeing some of the best cornerbacks in the league once he became the starter in Week 9, Doctson was the No. 35 wide receiver from Week 9 through Week 16. His quarterback situation has changed, though I’m not one to automatically say that Alex Smith is a downgrade from Kirk Cousins. When Doctson was drafted, his current head coach said that he wants Doctson to be their version of A.J. Green. While that doesn’t seem likely at this point, he was widely considered as the No. 1 wide receiver in his class. He’s healthy heading into camp for the first time in his NFL career.
Subscribe: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS
Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.