2016 BONUS NFL Fantasy Football Sleepers

By Ha Kung Wong

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

So you just want all our secrets for free?

We gave you a Mock Draft for Round 1 and Round 2.  Then we detailed and analyzed our own Fantasy Football Draft results.  And I even gave you my fantasy football sleepers for 2016!  But that’s not enough, is it?

Well, OK then, you’re the boss!  Because we love you, here are some BONUS Fantasy Football Sleepers, just for you, our readers!

Remember that these are “sleepers”, and aren’t necessarily late round flyers.  A “sleeper” is simply someone I think who will return significantly better value than their current Average Draft Position (ADP).  To help you out even more, I’ve included each player’s ADP pursuant to Fantasy Pros’ consolidated list and their current ownership percentage on Yahoo in standard 12-team head-to-head leagues.

Have questions?  Feel free to Tweet or DM me at @FBGarbagetime on Twitter!

Quarterback

Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott – Dallas Cowboys

ADP: 272 (23rd Round) / 44% Owned

  • Poor Tony Romo.  He returns from injury, is called fat in practice, then proceeds to literally break his back during the third preseason game and is now out 6-10 weeks.  Lucky for the Cowboys they drafted Dak Prescott, who has been simply amazing in the preseason.

  • Prescott so far has thrown for 454 yards, 5 TDs and NO INTs over three preseason games. For good measure, he also rushed for 2 more TDs.  He’s got some speed, and he’s obviously developed a good connection with the offense in short order.  In his senior year at Mississippi State, Prescott had the most pass completions (316), 2nd most passing yards (3793) and 3rd most passing TDs (29) of any player in the SEC.  On top of that, he rushed for 829 yards, 986 yards and 588 yards in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively, adding 37 rushing TDs over that three year period.  If you can get Prescott near the end of your draft, particularly in keeper or dynasty leagues, you may be looking at the next franchise starting QB of the Dallas Cowboys.
Trevor Siemian – Denver Broncos

ADP: Undrafted / 4% Owned

  • So raise your hand if, at the beginning of the preseason, you thought this was going to happen:

  • If you didn’t raise your hand, you’re not alone.  It was almost a forgone conclusion that Mark “The Sanchize” Sanchez was going to start under center following the loss of Brock Osweiler and unsuccessful talks with Ryan Fitzpatrick and other veteran QBs.  But then during preseason action, Sanchez proceeded to look like…well…Sanchez.  And Trevor Siemian, the 7th round draft pick from 2014, played well and ultimately started the third preseason game (otherwise known as the dress rehearsal for the regular season) completing 10 of 17 passes for 122 yards with a TD and an INT.  Siemian had some highlights, including managing to complete a one-yard touchdown to Virgil Green on play-action and connecting with Demaryius Thomas on a 42-yard pass near the sideline. Don’t get me wrong, Siemian is not shaping up to be something special, and he may only be a place holder until rookie Paxton Lynch figures things out, but for now, with weapons like Thomas, Sanders and Green, you could do worse on a last round flyer.

Wide Receivers

Kenny Stills - USA Today Sports Photo

Kenny Stills – USA Today Sports Photo

Kenny Stills – Miami Dolphins 

ADP: 299 (25th Round) / 12% Owned

  • When Kenny Stills was acquired from the Saints last year, we all expected him to take a big step forward.  But, when the Dolphins drafted DeVante Parker, it looked like Stills wasn’t meant to be more than a WR3 in the long view.  Parker dealt with some injuries and didn’t necessarily live up to the hype last year, but Stills managed to do even less.  But this is a new year, and although Jarvis Landry is set at WR1, WR2 is still up for grabs.  Stills consistently played ahead of Parker in all three preseason games.  The Dolphins will use lots of 3 WR sets because of new head coach Adam Gase, but that just gives further job security to Stills in the event Parker starts to put things together on field.  In Miami’s first two preseason games, Stills totaled 117 yards and two TDs on 7 catches.  In the dress rehearsal third preseason game, Stills caught 4 of 6 targets for 46 yards.  So far, he looks like what we thought he was going to be last year, and that’s worth your attention as a WR5/6 with upside in the late rounds of your draft.
Will Fuller – Houston Texans

ADP: 196 (17th Round) / 25% Owned

  • I admit it, I’m a little biased here being from Notre Dame.  Clearly, I really like No. 21 overall pick Will Fuller.  But more importantly to you, Texans new QB Brock Osweiler likes Will Fuller.  In fact, he even said this about Fuller:

    “Obviously, everybody knows about his speed — they saw him all last season, they saw him at the combine — but it’s his work ethic.  That’s what really makes him special.”

  • Osweiler has gone to Fuller in the preseason to the tune of eight catches for 144 yards (18.0 YPC) and two TDs. If he continues to get opportunity, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him challenge the great Deandre Hopkins for looks.  He’s a great mid to late round flyer for those who want some WR depth with upside.
Chris Hogan – New England Patriots

ADP: 209 (18th Round) / 23% Owned

  • Let’s face it, no one is getting excited about the Patriots’ newly acquired WR Chris Hogan.  But you should be getting excited the prospect of mediocre Chris Hogan playing under Bill Belichick.  We all know Belichick can get the best of his players (just look at Wes Welker and LaGarrette Blount for examples).  Perhap Brandon LaFell wasn’t able to maintain his greatness in the system, but Hogan looks like he might be on the rise.  He played with both Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo in the third preseason game, managing to snag 5 of 6 targets for 62 yards and a touchdown against the vaunted Panthers defense.  Hogan also had 9 catches for 115 yards and a TD total in the first two preseason games. Don’t get too excited, as he may be no more than a 4th or 5th option in the Patriots system.  But then again, the 4th or 5th option in the Patriots system can at times be better than the 2nd or 3rd option on other teams.  Well worth a late round flyer.

Running Back

Tyler Gaffney

Tyler Gaffney

Tyler Gaffney – New England Patriots

ADP: 239 (20th Round) / 6% Owned

  • We all know that LeGarrette Blount isn’t the long term RB answer between the tackles in New England.  So for those looking to speculate, either because of potential injury or if looking for a keeper, Tyler Gaffney may be your answer.  Gaffney started the third preseason game over Blount and ended up splitting possessions while the first-team offense was on the field. He took advantage of the opportunity with 14-yard and 15-yard runs. Gaffney has been consistently working with the first-team offense, and looks like he’ll have a legitimate role at the beginning of the season. Feel free to speculate in the last round of your draft, or if you want to handcuff your LaGarette Blount investment.
  • Update – With Gaffney being waived with IR being a best case scenario, he’s obviously no longer a viable draft target.

  • Instead, target Terrance West of the Baltimore Ravens now that Justin Forsett has been released.

Tight Ends

Zach Miller

Zach Miller

Zach Miller – Chicago Bears

ADP: 163 (14th Round) / 54% Owned

  • Zach Miller had the makings of good move TE after being drafted in the 6th round in 2009 by Jacksonville.  But partially due to lack of opportunity and partially due to injury, that never happened.  He managed to get signed by Tampa Bay in early 2013, but failed to make the final roster, leaving him with what looked like a failed career.  Luckily for Miller, he was scooped up off the trash heap and brought to Chicago in December 2013, but then he unluckily suffered a foot injury in the preseason and was placed on injured reserve missing all of 2014.  In 2015, though, Miller finally managed to make an impact, catching 34 passes for 439 yards and 5 TDs.  And now with Martellus Bennett off in New England, Miller is the clear number 1 TE in Chicago.  If he can stay healthy, he could double those numbers as the Bears’ 2nd or 3rd passing option.  Of course, there’s a big IF there, since he’s already sustained a concussion which cost him close to a month in the preseason.  But for where he’s being drafted, he has legit top 5 TE upside.
Jared Cook – Green Bay Packers

ADP: 180 (16th Round) / 56% Owned

  • Another standout TE in the 2009 draft, Jared Cook was selected in the 3rd round by the Titans.  In 2011, he put up 759 yards and 3 TDs, putting him on track to be a top 5 TE.  He managed to parlay that into a move to the Rams, where he had two good seasons putting up 671 yards and 5 TDs and 634 yards and 3 TDs in 2013 and 2014 respectively.  But after regressing in 2015, he was released by the Rams.  Cook signed a 1 year contract with the Packers, and with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, anything is possible. He missed some time due to a preventative foot surgery, but quickly “developed a rapport” with Rodgers once he got back on the field. During the third preseason game he demonstrated that “rapport” by catching 4 of 5 targets for 54 yards.  There was thought that Richard Rodgers would be the primary TE in Green Bay, but Cook dominated first-team snaps, seeing 19 of 26 reps compared to just 2 for Rodgers while with Aaron Rodgers on the field.  His ADP is starting to creep up, but you could do worse if you didn’t manage to grab one of the first 10 TEs off the board and would like a little upside at your TE position.
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