Dave's deep dynasty fantasy football sleepers to target in trades for 2026. His top deep sleeper trade targets and values for 2026 dynasty football leagues.
We are just a handful of weeks away from the start of rookie draft season. There hasn't been as much hype surrounding this year's rookie class, but you can be sure dynasty managers are still hard at work scouting this year's crop of first-year players.
While the focus this time of year is understandably placed on rookies, this can also be a great opportunity to buy undervalued players. Most of the players we'll discuss today aren't sexy and lack pizzazz, but in the right circumstances, they could provide a boost to your roster. The best part about the players listed in this article is that none of them should be that expensive to acquire in trades. Considering this is viewed as a weaker rookie class, it might not be the worst idea to use a few draft picks to acquire some of the names listed below.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your dynasty football needs. Here are five cheap players that you should acquire in your 2026 dynasty fantasy football league.
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Kirk Cousins - QB, Las Vegas Raiders
After being released by the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins signed a five-year, $172 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Comp update: Kirk Cousins will sign a five-year, $172 million deal with the Raiders that in reality is a one-year, fully-guaranteed $20 million deal that also contains a club option for two years at $80M.
The Falcons will pay Cousins $8.7 million this season, the Raiders another… pic.twitter.com/MHYqOOfBs7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 2, 2026
It looks like quite the payday for Cousins after he played very poorly the last two years in Atlanta. Don’t be fooled, though, when you look at the specifics, this is essentially a one-year contract for $20 million fully guaranteed.
While he hasn’t looked like the same player since tearing his Achilles tendon, some of Cousins' advanced metrics show he might have a little bit left in the tank:
2025 (Among 45 quarterbacks with 100+ dropbacks)
- 14th in PFF Passing Grade
- 33rd in PFF's adjusted completion percentage
2024 (Among 47 quarterbacks with 100+ dropbacks)
- 23rd in PFF passing grade
- 20th in PFF's adjusted completion percentage
These scores aren’t elite, but they indicate Cousins might not be fully cooked either.
Even though Las Vegas is set to draft former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, Cousins could still be a viable QB3 option in superflex leagues. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has previously expressed his belief that young signal-callers should sit on the bench and watch a veteran quarterback operate an NFL offense before taking the field.
Cousins certainly fills that role. Given the fact that Las Vegas will likely struggle again in 2026, it’s probably for the best that Mendoza sits out most of the season. That means Cousins would hold some value for superflex managers.
It’s also worth noting that Kubiak and Cousins previously worked together during their time with the Minnesota Vikings. Kubiak was Cousins’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021. Cousins had some strong seasons during those years, so there’s a chance Kubiak could help Cousins rediscover that form.
Unsurprisingly, Cousins won’t be too expensive to acquire. RotoBaller’s Dynasty Trade Chart estimates his current value is a 2026 third-round pick.
If you need a cheap QB3, Cousins could be a viable trade target. His days as a starter are limited, and there is a chance Mendoza wins the starting job right away if he proves capable enough, so this move is not without risk. Luckily, Cousins is cheap enough that these concerns don’t matter too much and are sufficiently baked into his dynasty value.
Jalen Coker - WR, Carolina Panthers
After watching Coker prove his worth by posting a 9-134-1 line in Carolina’s Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams, I was expecting the dynasty community to finally put some respect on Coker’s name.
YOUNG. COKER. @PANTHERS LEAD ONCE AGAIN!
LARvsCAR on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9V5X60bAJL— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026
However, KeepTradeCut has him ranked as just the dynasty WR57.

Coker was a popular sleeper entering 2025, but a preseason calf injury forced him to miss the first six games of the year. From there, he struggled to get going. However, his postseason play proved he’s a starting-caliber NFL receiver.
Coker’s performance to end the year shows there is untapped potential here. He does have some issues with Bryce Young as his quarterback and will always play second fiddle to Tetairoa McMillan. However, talent is talent, and it’s usually a good idea to bet on talented players in dynasty.
If you’re looking for some extra receiver depth, Coker is a great name to target. He’s a sneaky third-year breakout candidate, and he’ll likely once again be a popular sleeper once redraft season rolls around in August.
Marquise Brown - WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Brown signed a one-year deal with the Eagles following a disappointing two-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. He joins a crowded wide receiver room and slides in behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the pecking order.
Marquise Brown turns 29 in June, and it’s unknown how much he has left in the tank. However, he could still be a viable big-play threat thanks to his speed.
Mahomes HEAVES it on 4th and 7 and finds Hollywood Brown!
KCvsLAC on YouTube https://t.co/JVXS9sMZhB pic.twitter.com/CjTzI4tffq
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2025
What makes Brown an intriguing deep league stash is the fact that Philadelphia could trade A.J. Brown sometime during the summer before training camp. Trade rumors have been following A.J. Brown since the middle of the 2025 season, and the team most closely linked to him this offseason has been the New England Patriots. While the accuracy of those reports has recently been called into question, there’s still a possibility that Philadelphia moves on from its star WR1.
If they do, Marquise Brown could potentially benefit from it and could emerge as a deep league flex play in PPR leagues. He won’t cost much to acquire in a trade and could be sitting on waivers in some leagues, so he’s worth stashing on the off chance he emerges as Philadelphia’s WR2.
Will Howard - QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh drafted Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was a flawed prospect and had much to learn, which is ultimately why he lasted until the sixth round. However, it has been reported several times this offseason that Howard has a lot of fans in the Steelers organization, and some within the team view him as a legitimate franchise quarterback prospect.
Pittsburgh’s new head coach, Mike McCarthy, has plenty of flaws, but he has done well working with various quarterbacks throughout his career. Perhaps he can help Howard emerge as a franchise quarterback and give the Steelers what they’ve been missing since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
At the time of this writing, Aaron Rodgers has not decided if he’ll return in 2026 for his 22nd NFL season. He is expected to decide before next week’s NFL Draft. This is noteworthy because Rodger’s playing status directly ties into Howard’s dynasty outlook. If Rodgers decides to retire and Pittsburgh does not invest significant draft capital in a quarterback, Howard could open 2026 as Pittsburgh’s QB1.
We’ll see how this all unfolds, but if you’re in a superflex league and want to take a cheap flyer on a quarterback, Howard is worth a dart throw.
Jakobi Meyers - WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars acquired Meyers from the Las Vegas Raiders in a midseason trade last year. Jacksonville needed wide receiver help following the unfortunate injury to Travis Hunter and the unexpected poor play of Brian Thomas Jr.
Meyers proved to be the shot in the arm Jacksonville’s offense needed. His willingness/ability to operate in the middle of the field filled a key role in head coach Liam Coen’s offense and helped improve Trevor Lawrence’s play.
Jakobi Meyers picks up 50 yards!
JAXvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/DYWkJmWQIl
— NFL (@NFL) November 30, 2025
KeepTradeCut currently has Meyers ranked as the dynasty WR53. That feels very cheap for a player who immediately produced upon his arrival in Jacksonville.
Meyers’ price will likely increase following the news that Jacksonville plans to play Hunter at cornerback full-time this year. While that’s less than ideal, Meyers was highly effective for Jacksonville in 2025, and the team subsequently signed him to a contract extension, which shows exactly how the organization values him.
Expect Meyers to remain heavily involved in Jacksonville’s offense, and don’t be surprised if he has a career year in 2026.
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