Fantasy Football Sleepers

KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 09: Tight end Jordan Akins #88 of the Houston Texans stretches the ball over the goal line for a touchdown during the first half against defensive back Robert Golden #22 of the Kansas City Chiefs on August 9, 2018 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Fantasy Football Sleepers /

Big names like Ezekiel Elliot and Todd Gurley go early in the draft, but it’s often the players who get drafted in the later rounds or who don’t get drafted at all that determine which owners emerge as the victors from their respective leagues. As the season approaches, here’s a few fantasy football sleepers you’ll want to consider. This article focuses specifically on the WR and TE position. Follow me on twitter @BenMcD_Sports and let me know which guys you’re targeting as deep sleepers!

Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers – WR

John Brown BAL WR

Honestly, Brown should be considered more of a sleeper than a deep sleeper, but the new Baltimore receiver is currently being drafted so late that I think he qualifies for our Fantasy Football Sleepers. We’re only two seasons removed from 2015 when he finished the year with 65/1,003/7. The Ravens have him listed alongside Michael Crabtree as WR1 and for some reason fantasy owners are drafting him as the 70th WR, after guys like Danny Amendola and Keelan Cole. Baltimore has been gushing over their newly signed receiver and team reports say that he’s been extremely impressive in practices. There’s absolutely zero reason that a guy as talented as Brown, who happens to be starting for a pass-happy team, should be going as late as he is.

Jaron Brown SEA WR

According to stats compiled from profootballreference.com, In 2017, Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson combined to convert 176 targets into 101 catches, 1,223 yards, and 16 touchdowns. If Russell Wilson is going to be the top 5 QB that almost every site projects him to be, someone is going to have to replace a lot of that production. Enter, Jaron Brown. Former Seahawk, Jimmy Graham actually led the NFL in Red-Zone targets, and at 6’2/205, Brown has the kind of size that should Wilson’s eye. Brown becomes an even more intriguing deep sleeper when you consider the overall wide receiver situation in Seattle.

Doug Baldwin is expected to be ready for the season opener but has been dealing with a banged up knee. Tyler Lockett has never caught more than 51 passes in a season. Then there’s 74 year old Brandon Marshall, who will have to figure out how to get open while running his routes with a walker. According to both ESPN.com and FantasyPros.com, Jaron Brown is currently going undrafted. It isn’t impossible to see a scenario in which Brown is the late round flyer that helps deliver your team a fantasy championship.

Terrance Williams DAL WR

Do you know which wide receiver will lead the Dallas Cowboys in fantasy points? Me neither. Allen Hurns, Michel Gallup, and Cole Beasley are all being drafted ahead of Terrance Williams, but is it possible we’re overlooking the 6th year pro out of Baylor? To this point in his career, Williams has been an afterthought in the Dallas offense, but with the departure of Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, he now has the opportunity to step into a lead role. Hurns and Gallup are both shiny new toys, but Williams has two years of experience with Dak Prescott, and might have more of the QB’s trust than the other guys. Bryant and Witten’s departure means that there are 220 targets up for grabs, and Williams seems as good a bet as any to lead this group of wide receivers in fantasy points in 2018.

Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers – TE

Ben Watson NO TE

After having spent the last couple of seasons catching passes from Joe Flacco in Baltimore, Watson is returning to the greener pastures of Drew Brees and the Mercedes-Benz Super Dome in New Orleans. You might remember that in 2015, Watson’s last year with the Saints, he finished with 74 receptions, 825 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Those are outstanding numbers at the tight end position. There were concerns about how effective Watson could be after tearing his achilles in 2016, but he answered those questions last season by compiling a respectable 61 receptions, 522 yards, and 4 touchdowns. In an explosive Saints offense led by Drew Brees, Watson should have no problem improving upon the numbers he produced in a below average Ravens offense last year.

Jordan Akins HOU TE

If you have been reading my NFL DFS Lineup Advice articles, Akins is a name you should recognize. In his first preseason game, Akins turned two targets into two touchdowns. That’s what we call, “efficient.” While this is Akins’ first season as a professional football player, he’s no ordinary rookie. He is already 26 years old, having spent four seasons playing minor league baseball in the Texas Rangers organization. Also of note, he began his collegiate career playing wide receiver before converting to the tight end position.

The Texans didn’t spend a 3rd round pick on this kid to have him stand on the sideline. Houston’s depth at the tight end position is nothing to write home about, and the athletic rookie should have no problem finding his way onto the field this year. Houston fans better get used to hearing, “DeShaun Watson connects with Akins in the end zone for six!”

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Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers – WR and TE

By Ben McDaniel | Aug 21, 2018