Certainly a dated term in today's wide world of fantasy sports, a "sleeper" has historically been a player who will be sneaky good in the upcoming season. The term is dated, though, because with how much the fantasy industry has grown and plunged itself into the mainstream over the last few years, it is really difficult to assume any player will ever fly under the radar in the way that they used to be able to. With the amount of analysis put into fantasy sports these days, instead the term "sleeper" has more developed into "underrated." To put in the simplest of terms, where the players below are ranked lower by other fantasy football pundits, you may find higher value.
Quarterback:
Cam Newton, CAR
Cam's 2015 was a season for the ages, as he set career highs in touchdowns and career lows in interceptions. Accounting for a large majority of the Panthers' historically good offense that season, Newton was easily named the league MVP and was agreed upon, unofficially, as the best fantasy football player on the planet. One season later and that narrative has been completely flipped. Sure his 2016 was quite underwhelming in comparison to his record setting 2015, but for him to be ranked by some entering this season outside of the top-10 behind names like Dak Prescott, Russell Wilson, and Kirk Cousins is mind boggling. Cam is still the most physically gifted quarterback we have ever seen, and his offense just got a facelift. The Panthers will feature a vastly improved running game and their offensive line will be far better as well. With a more balanced attack, the Panthers will afford Newton better protection, which should only help him reclaim the confidence that was oozing out of his pores in 2015. Expect a huge bounce back season coming from Newton in 2017.
Eli Manning, NYG
If nothing else, Eli Manning has been consistent over the last three seasons, as he can rack up over 4,000 yards and 25+ touchdowns seemingly rolling out of bed in the morning. Knowing that, it is difficult to see Eli ranked as low as the 25th overall QB on some experts' rankings. To further the argument in his favor, the Giants just added an elite veteran in Brandon Marshall and a match-up nightmare in rookie Evan Engram to what was already one of the more dangerous receiving corps in the league. Where most see a back-up fantasy quarterback, we see top-10 potential for Eli this season, which makes him one of the most underrated players on this list.
Carson Wentz, PHI
Wentz started out his rookie season in excellent fashion, as he racked up three straight wins, four touchdowns, and no turnovers. As happens with most rookies, however, there was an overcorrection period where the league didn’t seem to come to him so easily. Ultimately Wentz finished 2016 with low fantasy ownership, and while that makes his more-tempered projections for 2017 reasonable, there is still tremendous upside. From the first to second year, quarterbacks generally take a large statistical leap. So right there, that should take Wentz from a back-up fantasy option to at least a fringe starter in deeper leagues. Then add into the mix the offensive weapons the Eagles added this offseason – a true number one wideout in Alshon Jeffery and a legitimate vertical threat in Torrey Smith – and you have all the makings of a breakout season for Wentz.
Paxton Lynch, DEN
Lynch is a true “sleeper” in the way of the old terminology, as his back-up status should keep him off most people’s radar during the majority of this offseason. However, as training camp gets underway and that quarterback battle out in Denver begins to heats up, Lynch’s name will too. The fact of the matter is that he is the Broncos most talented quarterback and the team has the most invested in him. Trevor Siemian did nothing last season to make his job untouchable this training camp, so look for this positional battle to be wide open this season. With a full year of NFL experience under his belt, Lynch will have a far better grasp of what to expect headed into this season. He should win the job out of camp, but even if he doesn’t, the Broncos will likely trot him out there sooner rather than later because, at some point, they have to see what they have in him. Once under center, Lynch’s physical ability and the talent surrounding him should do the rest. He’s got more than enough weapons to throw to and ample mobility to make him a legitimate fantasy option in 2017, which is more than most are giving him credit for at the moment.
Running Back:
Danny Woodhead, BAL
Woodhead’s name is not one we are hearing a lot of chatter about headed into the summer, which is why he made this list. Not only is he an underrated “do it all” talent, but he's seemed to find a great fit in Baltimore. The expectation is that he will replace the departed Kyle Juszczyk as the team’s receiving back, but now with Kenneth Dixon receiving a four-game suspension to start out the season, there is a good chance Woodhead will serve as the Ravens every-down back for at least the first month. To get that type of value in the middle-to-later rounds of a draft will prove critical in making it to your fantasy playoffs.
Bilal Powell, NYJ
Powell also fits the mold of Woodhead in that he is a known receiving threat, but keep in mind that, down the stretch of last season, he also proved to be capable of handling the load on the ground, as he tallied 411 rushing yards in the Jets final four games of the year. It is believed that Powell could enter the season as the Jets featured back, while Matt Forte will be slowly phased out. At this point in their careers, Powell is younger, faster, and healthier than Forte, so it just makes sense that he should be the featured guy and should be higher in the fantasy rankings.
Joe Mixon, CIN
With two capable backs slotted ahead of him on the depth chart, you're probably scratching your head seeing Joe Mixon on this list. However, it won’t take long for Mixon to supplant both Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard as his talent is just that big. If it weren’t for his domestic violence issue four years ago, Mixon would have garnered top-10 consideration in this past draft. Instead he fell into the second round and will eventually prove to be a steal for the Bengals. Mixon not only has the build of Le’Veon Bell, but he has a similar skill-set. It won’t be long before Mixon could be considered one of the best backs in the game.
Samaje Perine, WAS
Perine is another rookie with some serious game, and ironically, played at Oklahoma with Mixon for the last few seasons. Already he is the most talented back the Redskins have on their roster, so it shouldn’t be long before he is serving as their featured guy. If you are looking for evidence on his ability, know that Perine is the NCAA single-game record holder for most rushing yards, as he tallied a whopping 427 yards on a single Saturday in 2014. At worst, he can be an early touchdown vulture candidate, which bodes well for his fantasy potential.
Jamaal Williams, GB
Right now, Williams is the only true back with game on the Packers roster. Sure Ty Montgomery was great last season, but the plan is to have a wide receiver serve as their featured back going forward is not a desired one. Throughout the draft process, Williams has received generous comparisons as this year’s Jordan Howard, as his skill-set and build resemble that of last year’s second leading rusher in the league. Expect Williams to have an instant impact in 2017, as at least the Packers primary goal line back and between the tackles runner.
Jacquizz Rodgers, TB
In the five games he received a starting workload last season, Rodgers managed to rack up nearly 500 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry. This season, he will begin the year as the Buccaneers undisputed starting back because Doug Martin will be serving his three-game PED suspension. If Rodgers continues where he left off in 2016 in terms of consistent production, there is a good chance that he wont relinquish the starting job when Martin is ready to return. That makes Rodgers is a nice mid-round “under the radar” option in your fantasy drafts.
D’Onta Foreman, HOU
The fact of the matter is that the Texans drafted with the knowledge that Lamar Miller doesn’t get into the end zone consistently enough. Last year he scored a mere five times, while his career high is only eight scores. With the addition of Foreman, the Texans were clearly looking to shore up their goal line deficiencies, as his hulking 6-foot-1, 250 lb frame already make him one of the most physically imposing backs in the game. It isn’t being wishful to assume that even as a rookie, Foreman will receive the lion’s share of the goal line carries from day one in Houston. Consider him as one of the deepest sleepers on this list.
Wide Receiver:
Corey Coleman, CLE
Keep in mind that just one year ago, Coleman was the first receiver off the board in a pretty good wide receiver draft class. When on the field in his rookie season, Coleman was really good; he just struggled with injuries, which limited his production. He enters 2017 as the undisputed best receiver on the Browns and another year both older and wiser to the NFL game. He should have a more accomplished route tree, and provided he can stay healthy, he should be a far more productive player than he was as a rookie. While the Browns quarterback situation isn’t ideal, the fact that they will be behind in so many games should force them to throw the ball a lot. Coleman will be Cleveland’s number one receiver this season, which should count for something when making your fantasy big boards.
John Brown, ARI
Michael Floyd is out of town and Larry Fitzgerald’s skills continue to diminish as his career progresses into his mid-thirties. That leaves John Brown as one of the prime candidates to breakout at the wide receiver position this NFL season. Admittedly, we don’t even know if it can be considered a breakout if he plays well in 2017, as in 2015, Brown more than “broke out” with his 1,003 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. In any event though, he will surely be a sleeper entering this season, considering the downturn in production he provided in 2016. He has tremendous talent and there is no way that this Cardinals offense is as dormant in 2017 as it was last season, so you can bet on Brown to bounce back this year.
J.J. Nelson, ARI
Much of what was said about Brown goes for Nelson in terms of his place on the Cardinals roster, as he too is poised to step up in a huge way for Arizona this season. We saw what Nelson was capable of down the stretch of last season, as he caught four touchdowns in his final five games, so expecting him to build off of that entering 2017 is a shrewd train of thought.
Willie Snead, NO
With Brandin Cooks being shipped out of town, Snead and Michael Thomas become the de facto number one and two options in this high-powered Saints passing game. As the third option last season, Snead neared 1,000 yards receiving, so more targets headed his way in 2017 should only help his potential production.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT
JuJu was a highly-touted receiver in this past draft, and has landed in one of the best scenarios possible. In Pittsburgh, he likely will see the second most targets behind Antonio Brown, despite the presence of Martavis Bryant – who is more likely to make big splash plays while stretching the field. Smith-Schuster is a terrific intermediate option, which should bode well for his PPR potential, while after the catch he reminds me of Dez Bryant. With Ben Roethlisberger throwing him the ball, his fantasy potential is very high even in his rookie season.
Zay Jones, BUF
As it stands, Jones is the number two receiver on the Bills, while the only player ahead of him – Sammy Watkins – can rarely remain healthy, so it is reasonable to assume that Jones may be the number one option for the Bills for large stretches of the season. That alone should give him serious fantasy potential, but when adding his high-end talent to the equation, then you may have a terrific sleeper on your hands. In college, Jones proved to be a productive, high-volume target, which is something that the Bills have been missing for quite some time. Expect instant impact from him this season.
Martavis Bryant, PIT
Bryant missed all of last season with a suspension, but if you remember prior to that he was one of the most explosive receivers in the game. He is expected to pick up right where he left off, only this time he will play a full season of 16 games for the first time in his career now that he has been sober for a full year. His numbers from 2015 fleshed out into a full season translate to 73 receptions, 1,113 yards, and nine touchdowns. That is serious production that is being undervalued according to most preseason fantasy rankings.
Jamison Crowder, WAS
Crowder is already regarded as one of the best slot receivers in the game, but now with both DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon leaving town, he – along with Jordan Reed – will become the featured targets in the Washington passing game. That should get his numbers up close to 85 catches, 1,000 yards, and 10 touchdowns according to projections, which certainly classifies him as a fantasy sleeper based on most experts expectations of him.
Tight End:
Dwayne Allen, NE
It has been difficult for Gronk to stay healthy throughout his career and because of this, historically the Patriots back-up tight end typically finishes in the top-15 of fantasy rankings at the position each season. Dwayne Allen should be no different this season, as once again the Pats have added a starting caliber tight end to backup Gronk as an insurance policy. While most experts have Allen ranked in the low 20’s at the position this season, we'll try to get ahead of the curve and say that Allen will finish inside the top-15 in 2017.
Evan Engram, NYG
Engram is not a tight end in pretty much any sense of the term, but if he gets that listing by most fantasy sites, he should be owned. He is going to serve as a mismatch slot for the Giants offense in a similar vein to how Quincy Enunwa and Jordan Reed are being utilized by their respective teams. He, along with Brandon Marshall, is going to see a lot of goal line targets in 2017.
Jared Cook, OAK
Derek Carr has been missing a tight end for the last few years and the addition of Cook finally seems to have remedied that issue. He’s a physical specimen who should see heavy involvement over the middle and down the seam in this Raiders offense that is otherwise very outside oriented. I like him to finish inside the top-20 at the position this season.
Zach Miller, CHI
Miller was off to a great start in 2016 until his season was cut short by injury. Prorated out into a full 16 games, Miller was on pace for 75 receptions, 778 yards, and six touchdowns. Those numbers would have had him finish inside the top-8 in the fantasy tight end rankings for 2016, so provided he remains healthy, there is no reason he cant shoot for a top-15 finish once again.
Jordan Leggett, NYJ
Leggett is one of the several rookies the Jets got at a really favorable price. He’s got big game experience, a huge frame (6-foot-5, 260 lbs.), is an accomplished blocker, and proved to be a consistent receiving threat in college. He has a shot to push Austin Seferian-Jenkins for the starting job as soon as training camp, which could spell a big fantasy season for the rookie, despite the Jets lack of tight end involvement in their offensive game plan. You can file Leggett into the “deep sleeper” category.