Fantasy Football Sleepers: Gus Edwards & Jaleel McLaughlin (2024)

Thankfully, the 2024 fantasy football season is just around the corner. Each year, fantasy players want to construct their team with a proper mix of good-value players and upside sleepers while avoiding players with high bust potential.

Fantasy Football ADP Sleepers: AFC West

ADP via FantasyPros

Sleepers to Target

Gus Edwards (LAC): ADP 115.3 | RB38

Many expected the Chargers to pick Jim Harbaugh’s former Michigan running back, Blake Corum, during the NFL Draft. Instead, the team waited until the sixth round to select a running back, picking Kimani Vidal. Meanwhile, J.K. Dobbins has gotten some hype recently but is coming off a torn Achilles. While some think Vidal or Dobbins could steal the starting role at some point this season, Edwards is the only Los Angeles running back I will draft this year.

While he changed teams in the offseason, the veteran running back is coming off the best year of his career, totaling 13 rushing touchdowns. Despite playing alongside Lamar Jackson, Edwards had the third-most rushing scores among running backs and the fifth-most in the NFL. More importantly, he was the RB20 in 2023, averaging 10.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game despite seeing fewer than 13 touches per contest. Don’t be surprised if Edwards is the featured running back in Harbaugh’s run-heavy offense, especially near the goal line.

Jaleel McLaughlin (DEN): ADP 167.7 | RB52

Denver’s backfield is a wide-open competition heading into the 2024 season. However, McLaughlin is the guy fantasy players should want on their team. He impressed as a rookie, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 6.9 yards per rushing attempt in the four contests with at least seven attempts. More importantly, McLaughlin was the team’s top running back. The former Youngstown State star had the 12th-best explosive run rate among running backs, with at least 75 rushing attempts in 2023 (per Fantasy Points Data).

McLaughlin also led the Broncos in missed forced tackle rate per rushing attempt (29%) and yards after contact per attempt (3.49). Don’t be surprised if Sean Payton views him as his next Alvin Kamara and gives the second-year player a significant workload, especially in the passing game. Furthermore, McLaughlin could see an even larger role if Javonte Williams or Samaje Perine don’t make the final roster, potentially giving him top-24 upside despite having an ADP outside the top 50 running backs.