We’ve reached the dead zone of the fantasy football year. Rookie drafts have wrapped up, and redraft leagues don’t start for several more weeks. While dynasty startup drafts are always a blast, it leads to a larger workload during the season. Instead, best ball drafts are a great way to pass the time and scratch the fantasy itch.
Best ball is different in many ways compared to traditional fantasy football. However, the one thing that remains the same is finding sleepers in the later rounds. Finding values in the later rounds can be the difference between winning the league and just missing out on making money.
Today, I have five sleeper wide receivers you should target outside the top 48 in your best ball drafts.
The average draft position (ADP) used for this article comes from Underdog Fantasy.
Rondale Moore (WR – ARI): ADP 119.2 | WR55
After the Cardinals lost Christian Kirk in free agency, many were excited to see what Moore could do this season. However, Arizona re-signed A.J. Green and traded for Marquise Brown. While that’s not ideal, Moore has become a value at his current ADP. Last year, he had only three games with over five targets. Moore averaged 74.7 receiving yards and 14.6 fantasy points per game in those contests. More importantly, DeAndre Hopkins struggled to stay healthy last year and is suspended for the first six games this season. Moore will be the No. 2 wide receiver to start the year and should continue to have a role once Hopkins returns. While last year was disappointing, Moore is a prime second-year breakout candidate.
Jahan Dotson (WR – WAS): ADP 136.1 | WR63
Now that Terry McLaurin has received a contract extension any slim hope of Dotson becoming the No. 1 wide receiver in Washington this season is dead. However, the former Penn State star still offers plenty of fantasy value. Carson Wentz and Dotson have built a strong connection during mini camp without McLaurin on the field. The Commanders lack proven playmakers other than McLaurin. Furthermore, Logan Thomas likely misses the start of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Dotson’s big-play ability and impressive route-running skills will make him a consistent player for the Commanders and your fantasy team this year.
Nico Collins (WR – HOU): ADP 192.4 | WR84
The Texans have one of the youngest passing attacks in the NFL. However, they have several developing young talents, led by Collins. The former Michigan star had a quiet rookie season, scoring over 10 fantasy points only once. He played only 61.9% of the snaps last year but showed flashes when given a chance. In the three games he played over 70% of the snaps, Collins averaged seven targets and 9.5 fantasy points per game. The only meaningful addition to the Houston receiving core is John Metchie. However, he is coming off a torn ACL and likely misses the first several weeks of the year. With Davis Mills heading into his first year as the full-time starter, expect Collins to have a breakout season.
Romeo Doubs (WR – GB): ADP 213.1 | WR97
Even after losing their top two wide receivers from last year’s squad, the Packers didn’t draft a wide receiver in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Instead, they waited till the middle rounds to grab Christian Watson and Doubs. Meanwhile, Doubs had over 2,100 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns in his final 20 games at Nevada. He won’t turn into the next Davante Adams, but Doubs could become the new No. 1 wide receiver in Green Bay this season. Furthermore, there have been several reports so far this offseason of Doubs impressing during minicamp. He is a total wild card, but if Doubs impresses during training camp, his ADP will be at least 75-100 spots higher come late August.
Kyle Philips (WR – TEN): ADP 215.9 | WR128
Do not disregard your last-round pick simply because you’ve already built an incredible roster. Anyone who took a dart throw at Cordarrelle Patterson with their last-round pick probably won their league last year. While Treylon Burks gets all the attention as A.J. Brown’s replacement, don’t sleep on the fifth-round pick. The former UCLA star has a realistic shot at earning meaningful snaps as a rookie. Robert Woods is coming off a torn ACL and recently turned 30 years old, while Burks has struggled to stay on the field during camp. During the pre-draft process, some compared Philips to Hunter Renfrow. If he builds a connection with Ryan Tannehill during training camp, Philips will become the steal of the draft with your final pick.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
