X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Later Round Gems - Deeper PPR Sleepers

What's up RotoBallers. The NFL and fantasy football seasons are right around the corner, and will be kicking off in just a few short days. At this point, you're getting ready for your final fantasy football drafts or anxiously awaiting your first.

Today I will help you win. I'm here to discuss some PPR draft values and potential sleepers to target - players that may be get a sneaky amount of pass targets/receptions and fantasy football production for you.

We're trying to identify high-upside, low-cost players who will provide sneaky PPR value for your teams.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

2017 Fantasy Football Sleepers - PPR Leagues

I'm not afraid to use the word sleeper. There's nothing like drafting a middle or late round player that produces like a stud. Those are my sleepers, because other people are sleeping on them. Last year, players like Jordan Howard, Tyrell Williams, Terrelle Pryor and Tyreek Hill were later-round draft picks or waiver wire adds that came up huge for fantasy owners. Not everyone can be stud, but finding player who outperform their costs is key.

For those who haven't drafted yet, and play in PPR leagues, consider this a list of undervalued running backs, wide receivers and tight ends that can outperform their current ADPs and draft day prices.

 

Running Back Sleepers - PPR Draft Values

Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN)

With a current ADP around 150, Gio can be had for dirt cheap in your drafts. The Bengals backfield also features Jeremy Hill and Joe Mixon, but let's not forget that Gio has been the best running back on the Bengals for several years now. Even thought he's returning from a season-ending knee injury, signs point to him looking healthy. He will have his usual role as the third-down back, which means he'll be seeing plenty of targets and receptions every game. He offers a high floor, and week-to-week consistency, while offering upside for more in an offense that should be robust. Sprinkle in a few carries per game, and a few touchdowns, and you have yourself a potential PPR stud for a an extremely low draft day cost.

Theo Riddick (RB, DET)

Riddick will again return to his role as the third-down back for a strong Lions offense. Even though Ameer Abdullah is the featured running back on this team heading into the season, Riddick should not be a forgotten man in PPR leagues. Last year, Riddick hauled in 53 catches while Abdullah missed the season. And in 2015, he racked up a ridiculous 80 catches out of the backfield. With an ADP close to 100, he offers much more value than his draft day cost in PPR leagues. Once the later rounds of the draft come around, snag Riddick as a perfect bench player and an RB3 with upside for more.

Charles Sims (RB, TB)

Doug Martin is suspended for the first three games of the season, which mean Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims will be seeing the running back touches. Rodgers was a great fill-in for the Bucs last year while Martin was out, but Sims has the ability to provide value for fantasy owners as well. In 2015, Sims finished as the 17th best running back in PPR scoring, and he's expected to be used as the third-down back regardless of whether Doug Martin is on the field. With an ADP around 210, he's pretty much an afterthought in fantasy drafts. But grab him in the later rounds as an upside play, on a team expected to score a lot of points this year.

Other PPR Running Back Options: James White (RB, NE) - ADP: 110, Shane Vereen (RB, NYG - ADP: 175), Dion Lewis (RB, NE) - ADP: 185

 

Wide Receiver Sleepers - PPR Draft Values

Adam Thielen (WR, MIN)

Let's start with the bottom line - Thielen is being undervalued in PPR drafts. Last year he emerged as a solid PPR option, and will be looking to build off that this year. With his move to the slot, Thielen should be seeing plenty of targets and receptions on a weekly basis. Last year he had games where he racked up 9, 11 and 15 targets - all of them coming in Week 12 or later. He clearly has chemistry with Sam Bradford, and should provide fantasy owners with a consistent weekly floor for PPR leagues. With an ADP around 105, Thielen has a chance to return big value in PPR leagues based on an extremely modest draft day cost. I will be targeting him in every league, and you should be too.

Zay Jones (WR, BUF)

Jones is in a great situation as a rookie wide receiver. He's probably the number one passing option on the team going into Week 1 given that Sammy Watkins was traded away, Anquan Boldin retired, and Jordan Matthews has been injured for most of the preseason. In college Zay was known for his route running, good hands, and heavy pass volume. He racked up 216 targets last year at Eastern Carolina, with very few drops, averaging 10.7 targets per game. Jones also set the NCAA Division 1 record with 158 catches. He's already showcased an eight-target game in the preseason, and it's not a stretch to think he can accumulate large target and reception totals. With an ADP of 132, he can be PPR gold.

Ted Ginn (WR, NO)

Two words: Drew and Brees. Ginn is a somewhat sneaky wide receiver pick this year, given that Michael Thomas and Willie Snead are also in the wide receiver picture. But Ginn is joining a prolific quarterback in a powerful offense. We've seen what Ginn is capable in the past, stretching the field for Cam Newton and providing explosive playmaking ability. He has been running with the first-team offense, getting involved in both the passing and running game. Brees will spread the ball around, and there are plenty of mouths to feed in New Orleans, but Ginn has an ADP around 150 making him a bargain. He's a perfect player to take a chance on later in drafts - if he emerges as a preferred option for Brees, he can obliterate his draft day cost.

Update 6 pm EDT: it's been reported that Willie Snead will be suspended for the first three games. Ginn should have even more value and a larger role on the offense while he's out.

Kenny Britt (WR, CLE)

Britt had a surprisingly strong season for fantasy owners last year, coming in as the 28th overall wide receiver. He racked up 111 targets, 1,000+ receiving yards, and five touchdowns on a horrible Rams offense. It's a stretch to expect that kind of volume this year, given the Carey Coleman will be the primary WR and the Browns aren't expected to have a great offense. But this is all about draft value, and Britt offers that with an ADP around 110. He's worth a pick in the later rounds of drafts to see how the situation unfolds in Cleveland. If he emerges as the preferred target for rookie DeShone Kizer, he can greatly exceed his draft day cost. Either way, Britt makes for a solid speculative pick in any PPR league.

Other PPR Wide Receiver Options: Rishard Matthews (WR, TEN - ADP: 123), Kendall Wright (WR, CHI - ADP: 200), Taylor Gabriel (WR, ATL - ADP: 170)

 

Tight Ends Sleepers - PPR Draft Values

Cameron Brate (TE, TB)

While the targets volume may not be there, Brate is on a strong offense and was a big red zone threat last year. He only played 66% of the snaps, but his eight touchdowns lead all tight ends (tied with Hunter Henry). With an ADP of 170, he's being drafted as the 18th tight end overall. Even with DeSean Jackson in the fold, he should improve on last year's numbers and return value that exceeds his draft day cost.

Jared Cook (TE, OAK)

While I'm not expecting a huge season here, I am very intrigued with his move to Oakland and joining the strong Raiders offense led by Derek Carr. There's not much to go off of here yet, but I could see Cook becoming a real weapon in the passing game and providing consistent TE1 value for fantasy owners. With an ADP at 169, he comes as a dirt cheap late-round flier that can surprise.

Zach Miller (TE, CHI)

It's not the sexiest pick, but Miller was pretty good in PPR leagues last year. Cam Meredith is out for the year, and rookie Dion Sims is more of a blocking tight end. Last year Miller had a streak of seven or more targets in 5-of-7 games, including totals of 7, 8, 9, 10 and 10. A combination of Kevin White and Kendall Wright should leave a decent amount targets to be absorbed by someone else, and Miller may just be that guy.

Other PPR Tight End Options: Jason Witten (TE, DAL - ADP: 145), Coby Fleener (TE, NO - ADP: 162)

 

More PPR Draft Targets

 

More ADP Values & Draft Sleepers




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Onyeka Okongwu29 mins ago

Remains Out Thursday
Dejounte Murray38 mins ago

Questionable With Back Soreness
Jordan Romano1 hour ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Gerrit Cole1 hour ago

Yankees Put Gerrit Cole On 60-Day Injured List
Elly De La Cruz2 hours ago

Batting In Six-Hole On Opening Day
Anthony Rendon2 hours ago

Hitting Leadoff On Opening Day
Wander Franco2 hours ago

Placed On Administrative Leave
Aaron Ekblad2 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov3 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto3 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin3 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard3 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins3 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist3 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear3 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Keita Bates-Diop3 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season
Dyson Daniels4 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday But Nearing Return
LaMelo Ball4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Rest Of 2023-24
Jose Alvarado4 hours ago

Questionable To Face Milwaukee
Jaden Springer4 hours ago

Considered Questionable
Xavier Tillman4 hours ago

Sr. Questionable Thursday
Gabe Vincent4 hours ago

Expected To Return To Action On Sunday
Al Horford15 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White15 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl16 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon17 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter17 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic17 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio17 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday17 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton17 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid17 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray18 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert18 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
LeBron James18 hours ago

Officially Active Against Memphis
Eduardo Rodriguez18 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Anthony Davis18 hours ago

Won't Play Against Grizzlies
Garrett Mitchell18 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Chad Green18 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Erik Swanson19 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman19 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Gleyber Torres20 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard20 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson20 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer20 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia20 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen21 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers21 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers21 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers21 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar22 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark22 hours ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers23 hours ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB23 hours ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels23 hours ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB23 hours ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby23 hours ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith23 hours ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds23 hours ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti1 day ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga1 day ago

Throws Wednesday
Matt McLain1 day ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Doug Ghim1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA1 day ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry1 day ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox1 day ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak1 day ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan1 day ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg1 day ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn1 day ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby1 day ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin1 day ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord1 day ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark1 day ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler1 day ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder1 day ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen1 day ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama1 day ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr3 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR3 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
Rose Namajunas6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Amanda Ribas6 days ago

Set For Main-Event Matchup
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More