I covered my top 10 rookies in a prior post, and a few of them could fall into the “sleeper” category when looking at the entire pool of selectable players in upcoming fantasy drafts. This is a post to cover some deeper sleepers, some names the fantasy community hasn’t spoken too much about.
Few, if any, players on this list are worth draft selections in mid-May, but as the pre-season progresses and training camp battles shake out, keep these names in mind.
Top 7 Rookie Fantasy Football Sleepers 2020
1 – AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers.
Dillon was a surprise pick in the 2020 NFL draft, as the Green Bay Packers selected him with the 62nd pick in the 2nd round. Considered a “reach” by many analysts, the selection – among others – hint at scheme and philosophy change in Green Bay.
After trading up for QB Jordan Love in the 1st round, the Packers have made clear that Aaron Rodgers is not in their long term plans. Second-year Head Coach Matt LaFleur ran a power run scheme with the Tennessee Titans in 2018 led by Derrick Henry and may want to take a similar approach with Dillion in 2020.
Rodgers isn’t getting any younger, and his play has declined over the past two years. Taking less pressure off his plate, and asking him to do a little less in the regular season may bode well for the Packers as the season progresses. Aaron Jones is still the number one back in Green Bay, but don’t be shocked if Dillon leads the Packers in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. If you select Jones early in your draft, I strongly encourage drafting Dillon later.
2 – Van Jefferson, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, Van Jefferson is an interesting name to monitor throughout the pre-season. The Rams, according to Sharp Football Stats, used 11 personnel (three WR formations) on 73% of their 2019 offensive snaps.
With Brandin Cooks now in Houston, there is a vacated spot in the Rams most heavily used offensive grouping. Three-year veteran Josh Reynolds has the head start on the number three job behind Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, but as a 23-year-old second-round pick, Jefferson should be expected to compete immediately.
Jefferson could be considered a handcuff considering the Rams scheme, but monitor the situation as the preseason picks up. If Jefferson is able to win the position, he has the potential to be considered a legitimate fantasy option week in and week out.
3 – Zack Moss, RB, Buffalo Bills.
It’s hard to get excited about Bills players from a fantasy perspective. Devin Singletary has been going late in my 2020 mock drafts, and just last year John Brown finished as a top 25 PPR WR but was available on my league’s waiver wire deep into the regular season.
Moss, a third-round pick from the University of Utah, now enters a Bills backfield that is no longer with Frank Gore, vacating 180 backfield touches. Moss should be in line to receive these touches, and at 5’9’’, 226 pounds, Moss should also be in line to receive the majority of the Bills goal-line carries.
With a career reception total of 66 in college (season-high of 29), Moss should provide additional production than Gore, who totaled only 13 receptions in Buffalo. Look for Moss to provide valuable change of pace work, and potentially be fantasy relevant regardless of starting running back Devin Singletary’s availability.
4 – DeeJay Dallas, RB, Seattle Seahawks.
Opportunity is the name of the game, and Dallas should have plenty of it to open the 2020 NFL season. With third-year running back Rashad Penny expected to start the season on the PUP list, Dallas could find himself second in line for backfield touches behind starter Chris Carson.
The 4th round selection from the University of Miami was underused in college, despite being an efficient collegiate runner and receiver. Dallas, who is a nice blend of size and speed, will compete with Travis Homer (also from Miami) for snaps.
It is a situation to monitor, but if Dallas is to fight off Homer in the pre-season and perform well during the early portion of Seattle’s schedule, he could hold onto the number 2 spot for the remainder of the season, even with Penny’s return. In Seattle’s run-heavy approach he is worth a late-round flier in deeper leagues, or as a potential handcuff to Chris Carson.
5 – Joshua Kelley, RB, Los Angeles Chargers.
Kelley was selected in the 4th round of 2020 NFL draft, as redshirt senior from UCLA. Kelley joins a Chargers team that’s in a bit of a strange spot. Melvin Gordon and Phillip Rivers are no longer with the team, and while the Chargers possess one of the deeper rosters in the league, they are unsettled at the QB position. Tyrod Taylor is projected to start, but 6th overall pick Justin Herbert looms closely behind.
Uncertainty at the quarterback position creates an interesting dynamic for all Chargers players from a fantasy perspective, but Kelley could be second in line for backfield touches behind returning starter Austin Ekeler. Kelley will need to hold off Justin Jackson for the number 2 role, but If Kelley is to succeed, he will have a clear path to fantasy relevance.
The Chargers have recently approached the position with a two-headed attack, and while the Chargers have suggested all three backs (Ekeler, Jackson, Kelley) will get opportunities in 2020, it is still not unreasonable to expect two of those three to receive the lions share. It is a situation to monitor, but keep Kelley on your radar as the pre-season progresses.
6 – Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Redskins.
Gibson comes way of Memphis University and was utilized as both a running back and wide receiver in college. Look, no one has any idea what is going on in Washington. They have about 7 competent NFL running backs headed into the 2020 NFL season, and how that backfield shakes out? Well, your guess is as good as mine at this point in the off-season. Gibson is a fun flier as a potential RB/WR weapon for a team that is severely depleted of offensive star power.
7 – Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens.
Duvernay was selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft and has an opportunity to receive valuable snaps this season with the Baltimore Ravens. Hollywood Brown returns as the number 1 WR, and it is essentially a lock (not counting Lamar Jackson) that Duvernay finishes behind Mark Ingram, Mark Andrews, and Brown in fantasy relevance. Frankly, It is unlikely he finishes ahead of rookie running back J.K. Dobbins either.
The 2019 third-round pick Miles Boykin and veteran Willie Snead are still with the Ravens, and it is likely that Duvernay will be competing with Boykin and Snead for reps. The hope is, already accepting the Ravens won’t abandon a run-first approach, Duvernay earns more snaps than either Boykin or Snead (preferably both), the playbook is opened up, Jackson takes another step as a quarterback, and the entire offensive unit takes another step forward.
For Duvernay in 2020? A lot has to go right. He is a name to monitor as the season progresses.
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