I don't think I can recall a season in recent memory where there are so many sleeper options who I like. As such, I'm writing about more guys in Sleepers 3.0 than I ever have before. My apologies to the editors who have to read all of this, but hopefully it's a benefit to you.
I'm working off the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data and going with quarterbacks and tight ends being selected after pick No. 100 overall. At running back and receiver, however, I've split up the list into mid-round and late-round sleepers.
The reason for that is to give you some different options to consider at various points in the draft, as well as help those of you in shallower leagues. We want to cover as much as possible to help you win in 2020.
So let's get to it. And hopefully all of these guys are successful this year.
QB Sleepers
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The thing to look for with a late-round quarterback is either a high-volume passer or someone who runs, and Newton has been elite in the latter category when healthy. The hope is he's 100 percent with the foot and shoulder injuries that have plagued him the past two years, and that appears to be the case as he starts the new chapter of his career in New England. In 2018, the last time he was healthy, he averaged 23.5 Fantasy points per game in 14 outings, and hopefully that guy shows up again this season with the Patriots. He's 31, but the hope is he'll still run enough to help his floor. Remember, Newton has rushed for at least 488 yards and four touchdowns in seven of nine seasons in his career. The Patriots aren't going to make him play like Tom Brady, and we'll see how he does meshing with Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry, Mohamed Sanu and James White, among others. The best part about Newton is he's being drafted as QB15, and you can select him with a late-round pick, likely as a second quarterback. He should deliver a big reward if healthy, and it's great that he's back at 100 percent as a starter in 2020.
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The opposite of Newton as a quarterback is Roethlisberger, but both should be extremely productive. It's just that Roethlisberger will do it more with his arm than with his legs. And his arm is the biggest question after he was limited to two games last year with an elbow injury. But all signs point to him being 100 percent, and the last time we saw him play a full season was 2018 when he was the No. 3 Fantasy quarterback with 5,129 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, along with three rushing scores. He's coming off the board as QB17, and that's a steal given his upside. He doesn't have Antonio Brown anymore, but I'm excited for this receiving corps with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson leading the way, as well as newcomers in Chase Claypool and Eric Ebron joining James Washington and James Conner. All of these weapons should help Roethlisberger thrive, even at 38. He also has a favorable Week 1 opponent against the Giants if you're looking for a streaming option, and I'm all in on Roethlisberger as a low-end starter this year.
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Other sleeper quarterbacks to consider: Jared Goff, Gardner Minshew, Tyrod Taylor
RB: Mid-Round sleepers
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I was excited about Cohen this season prior to David Montgomery (groin) getting hurt in training camp. Now, Cohen is a borderline starter in PPR and 0.5 PPR and a potential flex option in non-PPR leagues. In 2018, we saw Cohen have a tremendous campaign with 99 carries for 444 yards and three touchdowns, as well as 71 catches for 725 yards and five scores on 91 targets. His stats declined last season with 64 carries for 213 yards and no touchdowns, along with 79 catches for 456 yards and three touchdowns on 104 targets. His average of those two seasons is probably what you should expect this year, but if he can approach 100 carries again and still be around 100 targets then he has the chance for 1,000 total yards and likely five touchdowns. And he should see 70-plus receptions again, which is the best aspect of his game. He's currently RB34 based on his ADP, and you can draft him in Round 8. That might change depending on how long Montgomery is out, especially in PPR, but Cohen's arrow is on the rise heading into this season.
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Devin Singletary is being drafted in Round 4 based on his ADP as RB22. Moss is being drafted in Round 10 as RB41, and that's just silly. There's a chance Moss is the better Fantasy running back in Buffalo from Week 1, and he's already having an impressive training camp as a runner and receiver. At worse, Moss could play the Frank Gore role in Buffalo's offense this year, which would be the team leader in carries (166), carries inside the 10-yard line (18) and carries inside the 5-yard line (11). But I expect the Bills to give Moss a shot to be the featured guy in their backfield, and he was a standout rusher at Utah over the past three seasons with 628 carries for 3,685 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and 36 touchdowns, as well as 65 catches for 681 yards and three touchdowns. Now, Josh Allen is going to be a detractor for Moss and Singletary since Allen led the team with nine rushing touchdowns in 2019. But Moss could steal some of those scores, and he has the chance to be a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues. I'm drafting him as early as Round 7.
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Following the Melvin Gordon signing in Denver, most people -- myself included -- expected Lindsay to slide into a secondary role for the Broncos and not be a useful Fantasy option. But coach Vic Fangio appears to still want to use Lindsay quite a bit, and he's someone who could be a potential flex option to open the season. If Gordon were to get hurt then Lindsay would be a must-start running back in all leagues. Remember, he had consecutive years of more than 1,000 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry in his two-year career. He also had at least four catches in five of his first eight games last year, so maybe his role in the passing game could expand. He's the RB36 right now based on ADP, but you can draft him in Round 9, which is fantastic.
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The Dolphins upgraded their backfield with Jordan Howard and Breida coming to Miami, and I like Breida slightly more than Howard this year. He should have a bigger role in the passing game, which matters in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's offense. Breida didn't do much in 2019 with Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman doing most of the heavy lifting for the 49ers. But in 2018, he was San Francisco's best running back, and he scored at least 12 PPR points in seven of the 14 games he played. He tends to deal with injuries often, but he usually plays through them. And he's explosive when he's on the field, averaging 5.0 yards per carry in his career. He's never had more than 27 catches in a season, but that should change this year. I like Breida as a No. 3 Fantasy running back on Draft Day, but he has top-20 upside in all formats. And you can currently draft him as RB35 in Round 8, which is tremendous value given his upside.
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RB: Late-round sleepers
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We're hopeful that Miles Sanders is fine for Week 1, but he was considered "week-to-week" in mid-August with a lower-body injury, which is definitely something to monitor. And while we keep waiting for the Eagles to add another running back, for now Scott remains the No. 2 option on the depth chart. If that doesn't change then Scott is a great sleeper and potential lottery ticket, especially if you can draft him in Round 10 or later. He showed his ability in the final four games last year with at least 12 PPR points in three of those outings. And in Week 17 at the Giants when Sanders got hurt, Scott went off for 35 PPR points. In those four games, he had 23 catches, and he scored four total touchdowns. I wouldn't be surprised if Scott had some flex appeal playing in tandem with Sanders. But should Sanders miss any time this year due to an injury then Scott could be a starter in all leagues.
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Edmonds should be the handcuff to Kenyan Drake, and he's a lottery ticket to target in all leagues. While Drake is expected to be fine despite missing practice this week and in a walking boot, it's a reminder that Edmonds could be getting significant touches in an explosive offense. He showed his upside in 2019 when he had three games in a row with at least 14 PPR points from Weeks 5-7. The biggest outing came in Week 7 at the Giants when he had 27 carries for 126 yards and three touchdowns, as well as two catches for 24 yards on four targets. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said in mid-August of Edmonds that "we all feel like he's a starting running back in this league." If Edmonds does start you'll feel silly for not drafting him in Round 10 at the latest in all formats.
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Justin Jackson is still being selected ahead of Kelley based on ADP, but I'd prefer to have the rookie from UCLA. I expect Kelley to be the No. 2 running back for the Chargers behind Austin Ekeler, and he could be a borderline starter in all leagues given that role. There are 162 carries and 42 catches available in the Chargers' offense with Gordon gone as a free agent to Denver, and while Ekeler will take some of those touches, Kelley could see a good portion as well. He might even help replace Gordon as the touchdown leader for the Chargers, and Gordon has scored at least nine total touchdowns in four years in a row. Kelley hasn't fully pulled away from Jackson in this training camp battle, but he has taken the lead. As such, he's worth drafting as early as Round 10, and he's been one of my favorite sleepers all offseason.
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WR: Mid-Round sleepers
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Robby Anderson is gone, and replacement options in Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims have battled injuries in training camp. Sam Darnold needs someone he can rely on, and that guy is Crowder, who is easily the best receiver for the Jets. He had a solid season in New York in 2019, and he plays the slot for Adam Gase, which has always been a good role (see Jarvis Landry in Miami). Last season, Crowder had seven games with at least 15 PPR points in the 13 games Darnold played (he missed three games with mono). If you take the stats Crowder produced in the 13 games with Darnold and project that over 16 games, he would have finished with 86 catches for 932 yards and six touchdowns on 132 targets. We'll see how everything fits with the Jets with Mims and Perriman, and Chris Herndon is also back after being out all of last year, along with Le'Veon Bell. But I'm excited to draft Crowder as a No. 3 PPR receiver with a mid-round pick, and he could end up as a weekly starter since he should still be the go-to receiver for Darnold in 2020.
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In non-PPR leagues, I'll draft Darius Slayton as the No. 1 Giants receiver just on potential alone. But in PPR, I'd rather have Shepard, who could lead the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Shepard played seven games with Daniel Jones last year, and he averaged 14.3 PPR points in those outings. He also had at least nine targets in six of those games. Now, the Giants have a lot of mouths to feed if everyone is healthy with Slayton, Shepard, Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Golden Tate. But the Giants could be a high-scoring offense, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are a lot of shootouts with a rebuilding defense. Shepard is getting drafted after Slayton based on ADP, which is understandable, but Shepard is the better value pick. His floor is also higher than Slayton, and he could have a solid year if he's healthy for 16 games. I plan to draft Shepard a lot as my No. 3 or 4 receiver, but he could be a weekly starter based on his role for the Giants and rapport with Jones.
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It's going to be fun to watch the competition to be the best rookie receiver this year, and there are plenty of talented options, including CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Jalen Reagor and more. Ruggs could easily be the best given his role for the Raiders, who could be without Tyrell Williams (shoulder) to open the season. But even if Williams is active we should still see Ruggs in a prominent role, and I love the idea of him playing in the slot. Keep an eye on another rookie receiver for the Raiders in Bryan Edwards as a deep sleeper, but Ruggs was the first receiver taken in the NFL Draft for a reason. He has world-class speed (4.27 40-yard dash) and can make plays all over the field. I plan to draft Ruggs as a No. 4 Fantasy receiver in Round 8 or 9, but he could easily emerge as a low-end starter in all formats.
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I continue to move Williams up in my rankings with every positive report in his comeback from last year's torn ACL. And if he stays at his current ADP in Round 11 then that would be amazing, but I'm looking for him in Round 8 or 9. DeVante Parker was the breakout receiver for the Dolphins in 2019, but Williams was headed there first before suffering a torn ACL in Week 9. He was starting to take off before he got hurt with at least 12 PPR points in two of his final three games. And he started the season with three games in a row with at least 10 PPR points as the Dolphins were trying to figure out their quarterback situation with Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen. Miami could have another quarterback problem this season with Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa, but the more games Fitzpatrick starts the better it is for Williams. He has the chance to be a sensational sophomore in 2020, and he's someone to draft as a No. 3 receiver in all leagues.
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WR: Late-round sleepers
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I was getting a little nervous about Miller because he wasn't fully cleared to practice in training camp until this week after offseason shoulder surgery. But he's fine now, and I'm expecting a big year in his third season in the NFL. He's one of my favorite late-round targets in all leagues, and Miller is locked into a featured role as the No. 2 receiver in Chicago behind Allen Robinson. Miller produced at a high level when Taylor Gabriel missed the final five games last year with a concussion, and Gabriel was released this offseason, with no significant replacement option brought in to compete for targets. With Gabriel out, Miller scored at least 13 PPR points in three of the final five outings of the season, including two games with at least 23 PPR points. Chicago also should get improved quarterback play from Nick Foles over Mitchell Trubisky, which is a plus for Miller and Robinson. You can draft Miller in Round 10 or later, but he should outperform his ADP by a wide margin if things go right.
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Sims is another of my favorite late-round targets, and I love his outlook this season as the likely No. 2 wide receiver for the Washington Football Team behind Terry McLaurin. He closed 2019 on a tear with at least 15 PPR points in each of his final three games. Over that span, he had 16 catches for 190 yards and four touchdowns on 29 targets, and he should be the slot receiver for Dwayne Haskins this year. Aside from McLaurin and Sims, Haskins doesn't have many reliable targets, although I like rookie wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden in deeper leagues. Sims currently has an ADP of Round 14, but I would look for him as early as Round 11. He's the type of player you can stash on your roster, and hopefully he starts turning heads in Fantasy and reality early in the season.
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The Packers are desperate for a second receiver to emerge behind Davante Adams, and Lazard seems like that guy for 2020. Will that lead to huge production? Probably not. But he could end up as someone you start in a three-receiver league, and hopefully gets close to 100 targets for the season. He's also being selected in Round 12, so the price is perfect given the potential upside. Lazard got the chance for increased playing time last year starting in Week 6, and his role continued to grow over the season. He had five games with at least five targets, including the final two regular-season games with 17 combined, and he averaged 11.0 PPR points in those outings. While he might not become a superstar if Adams stays healthy, he should be a borderline starter or flex if things go right. And, based on everything you hear out of Green Bay in training camp, things are pointing up for Lazard this year.
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Dede Westbrook (shoulder) has missed time in training camp, which has allowed Shenault to showcase his skills. He could open the season as the slot receiver for the Jaguars, and I love drafting him with a late-round pick in all leagues. It also helps that the Jaguars coaches are raving about Shenault, and someone associated with the team told my colleague Pete Prisco that Shenault has some Andre Johnson to his game. Shenault didn't have a dominant campaign as a receiver in 2019 at Colorado with 56 catches for 764 yards and four touchdowns, but he also added 23 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. And in 2018, he had 86 catches for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns, as well as 17 carries for 115 yards and five touchdowns. He is expected to touch the ball in a variety of ways with the Jaguars, much like he did in college, and he should see a quality amount of targets from Gardner Minshew. He's a great receiver to stash on your bench with a late-round pick, and he could emerge as a low-end starter if things go right for him during the season, especially if Westbrook isn't healthy.
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Tight End
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As stated above, the Jets have dealt with injuries to Perriman and Mims, and who knows what's going on with Bell. That leaves Crowder and Herndon as the potential top receiving options for Darnold, and Herndon has drawn rave reviews in training camp. He only appeared in one game in 2019 because of a four-game suspension and a rib injury, but he's expected to return this season at 100 percent and play a prominent role. Ryan Griffin was the Jets' top tight end last year, and he scored five touchdowns in the nine games he played with Darnold in 2019. And Herndon is a much better talent than Griffin. Most Fantasy players aren't going to draft Herndon as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end, and his ADP is TE21. But I like Herndon as a top-12 option, and he could be this year's version of Darren Waller or Mark Andrews as a top-tier tight end that you selected at the end of your draft.
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The Cowboys are loaded with weapons after adding Lamb to a roster that already includes Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, Ezekiel Elliott and Jarwin. But they also have a lot of production to replace with Randall Cobb and Jason Witten gone, and that duo accounted for 118 catches for 1,357 yards and seven touchdowns on 166 targets in 2019. While Lamb should help fill most of that void, so will Jarwin if things stay the same for Dak Prescott and this passing attack. And Jarwin already walks into this season after having 41 targets in 2019, so he should get north of 80 targets for sure. Keep in mind that 11 of the top 13 tight ends in PPR last season had at least 80 targets, with only Hunter Henry (76) and Jared Cook (65) falling short of that mark. Jarwin might not have the highest ceiling with all those mouths to feed in Dallas, but he could turn out to be a low-end starter in all Fantasy leagues as he replaces Witten this year. He's a good fallback option at tight end if you need a starter with a late-round pick, and he's currently TE17 based on his ADP.
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Other sleeper tight ends to consider: Jonnu Smith, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson
So what Fantasy football sleepers should you snatch in your draft? And which WR1 candidate can you wait on until late? Visit SportsLine now to get cheat sheets from the model that was all over Derrick Henry's huge season, and find out.
