25 fantasy football sleepers to target at your draft

Bigsby is set to step in as Travis Etienne's backup after being drafted in the third round. Jags head coach Doug Pederson demonstrated a preference to manage Etienne's workload at times last season, and the Clemson alum also missed his entire rookie season to a foot injury. Bigsby has the potential to be more than just an insurance policy in fantasy.

"Sleeper" and "kicker" don't usually go well together, but Butker still has a chance to be a bargain after struggling last season. The strong-legged kicker was plagued by an ankle injury last season, resulting in making only 75% of his field goals. Now back to full strength, he has a chance to be the top kicker in the league in the explosive Chiefs offense.

For all of Chubb's accomplishments in five NFL seasons, he's rarely had an opportunity to be the sole running back option in the Browns offense. That could change this season after the team moved on from Kareem Hunt. Chubb was among the league leaders in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns last season, yet he still appears undervalued with a late second-round average draft position early this offseason.

Dobbins is being docked by many fantasy managers for his slow recovery from knee surgery, limiting him to only eight games last season. However, Dobbins was extremely productive when he was on the field, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He's set to be Baltimore's primary ball carrier this season, and has huge upside outside the top 50 draftees.

Dulcich was a surprise contributor in his rookie campaign, with 411 yards in only 10 games. New Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a history of productive tight ends, which could give Dulcich a boost heading into his second season. He's being drafted as a fringe starter in fantasy leagues, but has bigger upside.

Fields is the popular choice to be this year's Jalen Hurts, as a mobile quarterback with passing upside. The addition of D.J. Moore and a full season of Chase Claypool should help Fields in the passing game, but he's only being drafted as a bottom-tier starter.

The Rams were plagued by injuries last season, including Jefferson. The fourth-year wideout played only 11 games, and much of that time was without Matthew Stafford. Jefferson moves up on the depth chart following the departure of Allen Robinson, and should see significant targets with Stafford back on the field.

Big things were expected of Gallup as the Cowboys No. 2 wideout last season, but it was clear that he wasn't fully recovered from ACL surgery. He's moved down to the No. 3 option in the offense following the addition of Brandin Cooks, but full health should allow Gallup to regain his old form as a 1,000-yard receiving candidate.

Prominent rookie running backs are often undervalued in drafts, and Gibbs has the potential to be just that after the Lions spent their top pick on him. The former Alabama back has explosive speed, and should be an immediate threat as a receiver. He's being drafted outside the top 10 running backs early in the offseason.

With the departure of David Montgomery, Herbert steps in as Chicago's starting back. He's been highly productive in limited starts over his first two seasons and should see a large increase in touches despite the addition of D'Onta Foreman. An average draft position outside of the top 100 makes Herbert a great value.

Rookie tight ends are rarely a fantasy factor, but LaPorta could be an exception. He comes from Iowa, a school with a great track record of producing tight ends, including former Lions T.J. Hockenson. The second-round pick has already created some buzz in workouts this offseason, and his explosive offense gives him upside in the Red Zone.

Love is being drafted like a lower-tier QB2, but Aaron Rodgers' replacement showed upside when he found the field last season. The former first-round pick completed nearly 67% of his passes, and should have time to gel with a young receiving corps led by Christian Watson. The immediate upside is limited in an offense that should be more conservative, but Love could produce some big games as the Packers potentially play from behind more often.

Mattison is set to be the guy at running back after the Vikings cut Dalvin Cook. His production doesn't stand out as Minnesota's backup, including sub-4.0 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons, but the opportunity for touches should outweigh what we've seen so far. Mattison is rising up draft boards, but remains around the 20th running back drafted.

Rookie quarterbacks are rarely fantasy values, but Richardson's skillset could make him an exception. The Florida alum is more of a runner than a passer at this point, which should allow him to prosper in a quarterback-friendly offensive scheme. It might not be pretty, but Richardson has a chance to be a starter-quality fantasy option immediately.

The little-known Ross still has to win a roster spot, but the ceiling is high if it happens. The former Clemson star has struggled with injuries since early in his college career, though he's opened eyes since the Chiefs signed him as an undrafted free agent last year. With a youthful wide receiver room in Kansas City, Ross could emerge as a productive flier.

KC's playoff hero is now the unquestioned starting running back entering his sophomore season. He averaged five yards per carry and 83 yards from scrimmage per game over the team's last nine contests. If that production continues, Pacheco will be a bargain outside the top 25 drafted running backs.

Pickens showed off his immense talent with highlight catches last season, finishing his rookie season with 801 receiving yards. That could just be the start for Pickens, who could be set to emerge as Pittsburgh's top wideout due to Diontae Johnson's drops. With Kenny Pickett also getting more comfortable in the offense, Pickens has real WR1 upside.

Ridley was suspended for all of 2021, but has impressed the Jaguars this summer. A former elite fantasy option, Ridley has a chance to be a No. 1 wideout for an ascending offense with Trevor Lawrence under center. Drafted beyond the top 40 players, there are few opportunities for more upside in the fourth round.

Stafford missed much of last season due to injury, but is still only one year removed from winning the Super Bowl and being an excellent fantasy option. For all the Rams personnel losses, they still have go-to wideout Cooper Kupp and offensive mastermind Sean McVay calling plays. The injury risk remains significant given Stafford's age, but he could emerge as a starter-quality player late in drafts.

Stevenson emerged as the top running back option in New England last season, gaining over 1,000 yards on the ground in spite of only seven starts. With Damien Harris out of the way, Stevenson should see more touches this season. A more cohesive offense under new coordinator Bill O'Brien increases the upside, making Stevenson a possible value even as a third-round pick.

The optimism for Toney in Kansas City couldn't be much higher. The 2021 first-round pick of the Giants didn't have much chance to perform during the regular season after he was acquired at the trade deadline, but he started to flex his muscle in the playoffs. Following the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Toney has a chance to be the Chiefs No. 1 wideout. The history of injuries is a concern, but Toney could be a WR1 in fantasy if he's able to stay on the field.

While the Giants failed again to add a No. 1 wideout for Daniel Jones, they did bring in Waller. Formerly one of the top receiving tight ends in the game, Waller has missed significant time in back-to-back seasons due to injury. He's a good bet to return to the 1,000 receiving mark if he can somehow stay on the field, yet Waller is usually drafted after the top five rounds.

Pittsburgh seemed to fall in love with Warren in his rookie season, as the undrafted rookie averaged 4.9 yards per carry and showed excellent receiving ability. In contrast, former first-round pick Najee Harris had only 3.8 yards per carry and didn't appear to be very explosive. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Warren take a bigger share of the touches if the trends continue, leading to some late fantasy value.

Fantasy managers often bet on talent, but often the surefire opportunity is the way to go. White is in great position as the clear starter in Tampa Bay after the team moved on from Leonard Fournette. He averaged only 3.7 yards per carry for the struggling Bucs offense last season, but would seem to be a shoo-in for over 1,000 yards from scrimmage if he stays healthy.

The Panthers offense is revamped with No. 1 overall draft choice Young under center, new head coach Frank Reich, and a bevy of new weapons. The offense will likely play conservatively while Young learns the NFL game, but the rookie showed highlight playmaking and accuracy in college at Alabama. Young is going undrafted in some leagues, though he should at least be a viable No. 2 quarterback option in fantasy leagues.