A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. Value is available throughout a draft; grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. This article specifically targets deep sleeper value (players that can be found later in a fantasy draft). To point out this value, we asked our staff to look deeper than the Top 150 and identify players that should significantly outperform their late draft position. These players should be your targets in the second half of your draft.
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Here are the players who received the most votes:
- Brandin Cooks, Dallas
- Jahan Dotson, Washington
- Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland
- Darnell Mooney, Atlanta
- Quentin Johnston, LA Chargers
- Demarcus Robinson, LA Rams
And here are all of the players mentioned and the reasons why.
Sleeper Receiving 6 Votes
Brandin Cooks, Dallas
Phil Alexander: The offensive pie in Dallas is large enough to support another pass-catcher behind CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. Unless you think Jalen Tolbert will suddenly become a target-earner after mostly failing to get on the field in his first two pro seasons, Cooks is going overlooked in early drafts. He'll belong in your lineup as a WR3 more often than not. The other wide receivers in his ADP range have hyper-fragile projections, whereas Cooks' volume appears written in stone.
Jason Wood: While it's fair to say Cooks' days as a must-start fantasy receiver are over, he should still be getting more attention in drafts than his current ADP suggests. Cooks finished WR46 on a per-game basis last year despite CeeDee Lamb becoming one of the league's most-targeted, elite receivers. Based on the Cowboys' offseason, including the release of Michael Gallup, Cooks' role and target share are secure. Dallas had the No. 1-ranked offense last year and returns all the key pieces. And in an NFL where injuries abound, Cooks is one Lamb malady away from being Dak Prescott's favorite downfield target.
Gary Davenport: Yes, Cooks has been traded 17 times (approximately), for reasons that are fodder for the imagination (Personality? Foot odor? It's a mystery.). And yes, Cooks is the wrong side of 30 and coming off a second straight disappointing season. But he's also a player who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards six times—on four different teams. The Dallas running game is a huge question mark. Expectations aren't. And CeeDee Lamb will have a safety drifting his way approximately 142 percent of the time. Until, that is, Cooks starts making defenses pay for that, logging another 1,000-yard campaign—for a fifth team.
Bob Harris: Cooks arrived in Dallas with six 1,000-yard receiving seasons to his credit. With his ability to stretch the field vertically or horizontally, Cooks looked like an ideal complement to CeeDee Lamb. Still, the veteran newcomer was disappointed in his first year in Dallas. He finished with 657 receiving yards, his lowest total since the 2019 season with the Rams. So why should we expect a turnaround with Cooks heading into his 11th season as a pro? Well, he's still fast. He runs excellent routes. As SBNation noted, he's also versatile, with 3,917 career snaps as an outside receiver and 1,688 in the slot. Now, heading into his second season in Dallas, there won't be a learning curve, and he'll have a greater comfort level with Dak Prescott. Drafting Cooks as your WR5 or even WR6 (his current Underdog ADP is WR61) is a sharp move.
Chad Parsons: Brandin Cooks is a veteran profile of production and a cog in one of the best offenses in the NFL last season. CeeDee Lamb is the unquestioned WR1, but Dallas has yet to do much to press Cooks for the WR2 role in recent years (Jalen Tolbert in Round 3, who is on the bust track, and Ryan Flournoy late on Day 3). Lamb stayed healthy last season, but Cooks would zoom up in prominence any game Lamb misses, plus Cooks has WR3/4 dart throw upside for a spike week otherwise. Cooks is an easy later-round wide receiver choice.
Ryan Weisse: Cooks is likely the number-two target in an offense that could lead the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. He started slowly in 2023 but was a top-20 fantasy option after the team's Week 7 bye. At this stage of his career, he is perfect as a complementary receiver. With defenses having to focus on CeeDee Lamb, Cooks should see a lot of open space in 2024.
Sleepers Receiving 3 Votes
Jahan Dotson, Washington
Phil Alexander: Dotson's 2023 ADP got steamed to WR34 after his impressive rookie season. One sophomore slump later, and everyone has bailed on him at age 24. Let's not forget Dotson's quarterbacks since entering the league were Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinecke, Sam Howell, and Jacoby Brissett. Jayden Daniels offers Dotson stability, familiarity (they used to train together before Daniels transferred to LSU), and exponential upside by comparison. With a consensus ADP of WR64, you don't have to believe in Daniels to risk a shot on Dotson. If he doesn't recapture his rookie form, send him packing to the waiver wire. But if he does, you'll enjoy a high-pedigree WR3 at tremendous value.
Jason Wood: Dotson's promising rookie season led many to flag him as a breakout last year, but things didn't turn out that way. He struggled with consistency and finished with fewer fantasy points in 2023 than he had in 2022. His WR71 finish last season makes him a forgotten man, and that can be used to your advantage. Third-year breakouts are far from uncommon at the position, and with a new coaching staff and Jayden Daniels under center, Dotson represents a free lottery ticket that could pay off massively.
Andy Hicks: The numbers for Jahan Dotson in his first two seasons are remarkably similar outside the touchdowns. Expectations in 2023 were much higher. What now? A new coaching group and better options at quarterback portend a better season for Dotson. At his current price, his upside is worth the chance of something special happening rather than on a guy that has an upside of 600 yards. Dotson could be the future of this offense with McLaurin turning 29, so let him slide and take a chance.
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland
Jason Wood: Jeudy never materialized into Denver's alpha receiver, as hoped, and Sean Payton's total house cleaning led to Jeudy becoming a Cleveland Brown. But don't misconstrue this as Denver parting ways with a failed talent. The Browns quickly signed Jeudy to a new 3-year, $52 million contract with $41 million guaranteed. He will be given every opportunity to step into the No. 2 receiver role behind Amari Cooper. That should be more than enough to justify a higher year-end finish than his ADP implies.
Gary Davenport: My biggest concern (and this is from a lifelong Browns fan) about Jeudy ain't Jeudy—it's Deshaun Watson. But I'll still throw a late dart—because last I checked Jameis Winston can put up numbers. We saw a Watson-less, Nick Chubb-less Browns offense last year—and they won their most games in over two decades. Last year it was Njoku who broke out. This year it will be Jeudy. Are we sure the former first-rounder hasn't just been trapped in quarterback purgatory? That playing for Nathanial Hackett didn't give him WRPTSD? Jeudy was WR22 in PPR points two years ago. That he's an afterthought is why I still draft RB early.
Andy Hicks: With so much expected of him, Jeudy has only had one decent season in four to date. Will that change in 2024? Hopefully, but if a change of scenery doesn't work, nothing will. With lead receiver Amari Cooper hitting 30 and Jeudy still a relatively young 25 and on a very healthy contract expect Jeudy to get the targets. What he does with them will determine if his career takes off or fades away. At this price, he is an excellent gamble.
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta
Jason Wood: It's hard to believe Darnell Mooney caught 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, but he looked like an ascendant player capable of becoming the Bears top-receiver for years to come. But injuries have beguiled him in 2022 and 2023, leading most to write him off. But he quietly signed a three-year deal in Atlanta, and as long as Kirk Cousins is healthy, the passing volume will be more than enough to justify rostering both Drake London (a potential star this year) and Mooney.
Gary Davenport: Polly want a cracker, because apparently I'm a parrot now—price of having colleagues smarter than me (although a Dairy Queen would probably also fulfill that requirement—don't judge me, or something will happen to your Blizzard). But explain to me why Drake London will be awesome in 2024, but Darnell Mooney's a late-draft “meh?” Mooney has had more statistical success in a season than London. On a laughably bad offense—worse than the Arthur Smith Falcons bad. If you believe the hype around Atlanta at all in 2024, you gotta target Mooney.
Bob Harris: After a breakout season in 2021 in which he totaled 81 catches for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns, injuries, regression, and scheme changes stunted Mooney's last two seasons in Chicago. The 5-11 receiver had a career-low 31 catches for 414 yards and a touchdown in 2023, one season after his 2022 campaign was cut short by an ankle injury. Beyond the injury and significant changes to Mooney's route tree, Sharp Football noted that nearly 40 percent of deep targets in Mooney's career have been inaccurate. Over that span, the most accurate quarterback on deep targets (20-plus yards downfield) is Mooney's new triggerman, Kirk Cousins. Mooney will be down the list of targets here after Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson. However, there is a role, and fantasy managers shouldn't overlook Mooney as a late-round opto.
Sleepers Receiving 2 Votes
Quentin Johnston, LA Chargers
Andy Hicks: Writing off a first-round receiver after a bad rookie season can be a mistake. 38 receptions for 431 yards is hardly the stuff of nightmares for a debut from a player needing seasoning. A new coaching team and the departure of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams opens up opportunities for others, chief among them Johnston. He could take a backward step, but a player with his potential could also be the elite receiver the Chargers need. He has the quarterback and coach to excel. Now it's up to him.
Chad Parsons: The Chargers' depth chart is wide open entering 2024, a year of transition with Jim Harbaugh added and Keenan Allen and Mike Williams notably gone. Quentin Johnston was largely ignored as a 2023 rookie and middling (at best) when targeted. However, the Round 1 pedigree should keep drafters in on Johnston, at least for this year, with a minimal price point as the WR1 (and WR2) role is available attached to Justin Herbert.
Demarcus Robinson, LA Rams
Bob Harris: The Rams re-signed Robinson after he emerged as a legitimate contributor late last season. While his 29-catch, 415-yard, four-TD totals are easily overlooked, his first catch of the season didn't come until Week 9, and he didn't establish a consistent role until Week 13 against Cleveland. In the six games he played from the Browns matchup until the team's playoff loss, Robinson pulled in 24 catches for 363 yards and all four touchdowns. For me, that high-end production to close the season puts him on the map as a viable last-round flier in best ball drafts and an outlier with proven scoring equity in daily fantasy tournament play.
Jeff Bell: It is easy to dismiss Robinson as a journeyman who happened to be in the right place and caught some touchdown luck for a four-week stretch. Digging deeper shows there may be something here. He had six targets or more in four of his last five games, hitting ten twice. The Rams recognized his importance, signing him before free agency. They then doubled down, notably not adding any real competition for the third receiver role. With significant questions around Tyler Higbee's health, there is a path to nearly 100 targets, even with a healthy Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. If one of them misses time, Robinson can smash a WR81 ADP. Vets coming off a good month have burned us before, but the Rams need Robinson to claim the WR3 role, and this offense has produced three viable receivers in the past.
Bonus Sleeper Wide Receivers
In addition to the six sleepers listed above, these players got a single vote each.
Javon Baker, New England
Jeff Bell: I know, gross, the Patriots offense. Theory suggests at least one out of Ja'Lynn Polk, Demario Douglas, or Baker beats ADPs ranging from WR67 to WR82. Baker has two things going for him. First, he is the cheapest bet. Second, he has the best potential to deliver big plays that make him startable. I firmly believe in hunting out ambiguous receiving situations late in drafts, especially in best ball drafts. Nothing is more ambiguous than the Patriots.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore
Jeff Bell: Bateman should be locked into a near-every-down role on one of the best offenses in the NFL. As a former first round pick, there is blue chip stock here, but injuries have prevented a breakout. Via pure proximity, Bateman has the potential to be a double-digit touchdown scorer. In the best-case scenario, he establishes himself as a downfield physical receiver who compliments Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers well, rounding out an explosive trio. He is worth the bet at an ADP in the 70s of wide receivers, especially as a cheap late stack with Lamar Jackson.
Jermaine Burton, Cincinnati
Phil Alexander: Burton is a borderline Round 1 talent who lasted until Round 3 of the NFL Draft, probably due to a 2022 incident where he struck a female Tennessee fan during a postgame field-storming celebration. If you don't mix fantasy football with morality and like to gamble, Burton is the deep sleeper wide receiver for you. With Tyler Boyd's 98 targets from 2023 vacated, Burton has a strong chance of breaking into the top 50 wide receivers. But his ceiling outcomes are being dismissed too easily. What if Tee Higgins gets traded? Or what if either Higgins or Chase gets injured (again)? If Cincinnati had drafted a wide receiver in Round 1, he would get drafted in the same neighborhood as fellow rookies Xavier Worthy and Ladd McConkey, based on landing spot alone. Those guys typically go in Round 7, making Burton a steal in Round 13.
Gabe Davis, Jacksonville
Hutchinson Brown: Last year, Davis finished with six different games of 15 or more PPR fantasy points, along with a couple of other startable games. He had plenty of relevance for fantasy in Buffalo. He is now on a team that paid him a big bag of money and has a lot of questions at wide receiver. Brian Thomas is a rookie, which makes him a question mark. Christian Kirk is good but not great, and outside of that, there are no wideouts that could demand a big target share unless you want to count Evan Engram as a wide receiver. There's an opportunity for Davis to carve out a role in this offense as a big play asset with red zone usage. He will disappear on you some weeks because that just is a part of the Gabe Davis experience, however his week winning upside at the end of bench with one of the last picks of your fantasy drafts is very worth it. If you're in need of a flex or an upside play Davis has a very clear path to be that player who can fill in for you.
Greg Dortch, Arizona
Corey Spala: If we are talking about deep sleepers, Dortch may as well be the REM deep sleeper. It would be beneficial if Arizona utilizes him in their slot role exclusively. Head Coach Jonathan Gannon noted this offseason they should “keep expanding his role.” Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride figure to lead the offense in targets, the third option is unclear. There is an opportunity in this offense for Dortch to claim a meaningful role, especially if he does operate as their main slot receiver. I am intrigued with Dortch and the potential he may provide at some point during the 2024 season.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis
Corey Spala: Downs accumulated 98 targets as a rookie and flashed his potential despite nursing a knee injury and still playing all 17 games. Indianapolis drafted Adonia Mitchell with their second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which could explain why Downs is being recommended as a deep sleeper. He has an existing rapport with QB Anthony Richardson; the rookie duo had an 18% target share when playing together in four games. I would not be surprised if Downs will be the second-leading target in the Indianapolis offense.
Joshua Palmer, LA Chargers
Ryan Weisse: Everybody wants the new pieces in this offense, but don't discount the chemistry between Palmer and Justin Herbert. In the last few seasons, we've seen Palmer fill in during injuries to both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Now, both are gone, and Palmer has the tools to fill either role. While Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey learn the ins and outs of being a professional wide receiver, Palmer already has his quarterback's trust. There is a non-zero chance that Palmer will lead the Chargers in targets in 2024.
Ja'Lynn Polk, New England
Julia Papworth: Rome Odunze was not the only talented wide receiver to be drafted out of Washington this year. Ja'Lynn Polk was the 37th pick in the second round of the draft by the New England Patriots, and where Odunze will be battling for targets, with a good camp, Polk could start the season as New England's WR1. His competition is light - DeMario Douglas, an aging Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster, and Kendrick Bourne, to name the prime contenders. Polk had 943 receiving yards, eight touchdowns, and a killer 14.5 ADOT in his final college season and is currently going as the WR76 in drafts. A possible WR1 that late in a draft? That, my friends, is the definition of a steal.
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay
Julia Papworth: Who doesn't want a piece of the Green Bay Packers offense this season after seeing how Jordan Love moved the football in 2023? Love supported multiple fantasy assets for various weeks, one of them being Dontayvion Wicks. Wicks was not always the first option for the Packers, but he did manage three top-25 finishes, including in Week 18 against the Bears. Wicks was just as efficient as his teammate Jayden Reed with 2.04 yards per route run and almost equaled Christian Watson with his 14.9 yards per reception. Everyone assumes Reed is the Packers' WR1 this year and is going as the WR33 off the board in drafts, but I am perfectly content waiting. Give me Wicks near the end of some drafts with his upside in that offense and solid potential to emerge as the primary pass catcher in 2024.
Michael Wilson, Arizona
Julia Papworth: With all the confetti and sparkles surrounding the Cardinals' first draft pick, Marvin Harrison Jr., little has been discussed regarding the pass catchers behind him. Sure, tight end Trey McBride has gotten some discussion, Greg Dortch is still there, and Zay Jones has come over from Jacksonville, but the real diamond in the rough could be second-year pass catcher Michael Wilson. Wilson ended his rookie campaign with only 565 yards receiving and three touchdowns, but there were moments of brilliance. He was WR6 in Week 4 against San Francisco and WR22 in the Week 17 battle against the Eagles. Wilson will have to battle with Jones (an older receiver who battled injuries last year) and Dortch (unable to yet find his footing consistently in the NFL) to become the WR2 in Arizona. Still, if he gets there, this potential high-flying offense and a reinvigorated Kyler Murray could skyrocket him into being a major draft value with deep sleeper status.
Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh
Andy Hicks: Pittsburgh has an incredible record of drafting wide receivers, especially in the first three rounds. Over the last 20 years, busts are almost invisible, yet the success stories approach double digits. Given that the competition opposite George Pickens is Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, and Quez Watkins, Wilson is more likely than not to add to the incredible string of successful draft picks at the position. Early success is a common feature as well.
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