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Mike's favorite fantasy football draft sleepers for 2024 in the double-digit-rounds. He recommends two RB, WR, TE and QB value picks and fantasy sleepers.
The 2024 NFL preseason is nearly here, meaning redraft fantasy football leagues will be starting up over the next several weeks.
Several factors go into building league-winning fantasy football rosters. Arguably, the most important one is finding fantasy football sleepers in the later rounds.
Let’s look at eight of my favorite sleepers to draft in the double-digit rounds this year. ADP for this article is via Underdog Fantasy.
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Fantasy Football Quarterback Sleepers
Jared Goff (DET): ADP 127.3 | QB16
Goff is one of my favorite quarterbacks to draft, especially if I wait until the double-digit rounds to pick one. The veteran was the QB7 in 2023, averaging 17 fantasy points per game. He had 30 passing touchdowns last season, the second most of his career. While Detroit thought Ben Johnson would leave this offseason, he returned as the team’s offensive coordinator. Therefore, Detroit’s offense should be an elite unit again this year.
The Lions get on the board first 😎@jaredgoff16 | @amonra_stbrown
📺: #Kickoff2023 on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/EBLJ3Rwf5g pic.twitter.com/ZtuqfWCMFt— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2023
Meanwhile, Goff is outstanding when he plays in a dome. Unfortunately, the veteran has struggled when playing outdoors. Last season, the former No. 1 overall pick averaged 2.1 passing touchdowns and 19.9 fantasy points per game in 12 contests in a dome. By comparison, he averaged one passing touchdown and 13.3 fantasy points per game in the five contests outside. Thankfully, Goff plays only three games outdoors in 2024.
Kirk Cousins (ATL): ADP 146.7 | QB18
The veteran quarterback has consistently been a low-end QB1 since becoming a full-time starter in 2015. Cousins has been a productive quarterback for fantasy players despite posing no rushing upside. The veteran has averaged only 6.4 rushing yards per game in his career. Yet, he has averaged 18.7 or more fantasy points per game in three of the past four seasons, including in 2023.
While the veteran is coming off a torn Achilles, Cousins expects to be ready for Week 1. He has an outstanding receiving corps in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Darnell Mooney, and Bijan Robinson. Furthermore, the veteran will play most of his games indoors and against suspect defenses this season. If Cousins is 100% healthy, he should have another top-10 finish.
Fantasy Football Running Back Sleepers
Jaleel McLaughlin (DEN): ADP 153.8 | RB47
Denver’s backfield is a wide-open competition. However, McLaughlin is the guy I want on my team. He was impressive as an undrafted free-agent rookie, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 6.9 yards per rushing attempt in the four contests with at least seven attempts. Furthermore, the former Youngstown State star was one of the more explosive running backs in the NFL.
McLaughlin had the 12th-best explosive run rate among running backs with at least 75 rushing attempts in 2023 (per Fantasy Points Data). Furthermore, he led the Broncos in missed forced tackle rate per rushing attempt (29%) and yards after contact per attempt (3.49). Don’t be surprised if HC Sean Payton views him as his next Alvin Kamara and gives the second-year player a significant workload, especially in the passing game.
Jaleel McLaughlin is this year’s version of 2023 Jaylen Warren
UDFAs who have legit receiving upside and juice.
Warren went from 28 receptions in ‘22 to 61 in ‘23.
McLaughlin could double his 31 receptions- or more.
Great fit with Bo Nix in Denverpic.twitter.com/iEJ46ExAuw https://t.co/f0GtfUUPER
— TheOGfantasyfootball (@TheOGfantasy) June 19, 2024
Jaylen Wright (MIA): ADP 157.1 | RB49
Dynasty fantasy players love the former Tennessee star. Wright shot up dynasty rookie draft rankings after the Dolphins traded a 2025 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the explosive rookie running back. He had an outstanding final college season, posting the second-best yards after contact per attempt average (4.35) among running backs with at least 60 rushing attempts in the rookie class last year (per PFF).
While Wright joined a crowded Miami backfield, the rookie running back could quickly make an impact for fantasy players. The Dolphins had an outstanding rushing attack in 2023. However, Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane have struggled to stay healthy in their careers. Don’t be surprised if the former Tennessee running back is a league-winner as a rookie.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers
Wan'Dale Robinson (NYG): ADP 164.1 | WR73
After weeks of speculation, Darren Waller announced his retirement from the NFL. Robinson is the biggest beneficiary from Waller’s retirement. Daniel Jones loves to target the middle part of the field, which will help the slot receiver. In the five games he played with Jones last season, Robinson had a 26% targets per route run rate and a 20.2% first-read target share (per Fantasy Points Data).
Furthermore, the former Kentucky star had six or more targets in 45% of his games last year. More importantly, he should be the No. 2 receiving option behind Malik Nabers. Robinson will be over a year removed from a torn ACL this upcoming season. Don’t be surprised if he has a third-year breakout.
Wan'Dale Robinson Best Ball ADP 166 🧐
45% of his games in 2023 he earned 6 targets.
4th in the NFL for Target Separation.
1 full year removed from the ACL injury.
2nd receiving option on the team in an offense starving for talent.
Love adding him late in drafts this… pic.twitter.com/hMD5j3HrL8
— PeteNova (@SuperrNova38) June 23, 2024
Javon Baker (NE): ADP 197.7 | WR83
New England had the worst wide receiver corps in the NFL last season. Thankfully, it used a pair of mid-round picks in the NFL Draft at the wide receiver position. While Ja'Lynn Polk was a second-round pick, Baker is the Patriots rookie fantasy players want on their roster. He had over 1,100 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his final year at UCF.
Fantasy players have recently seen NFL Draft Day 3 picks turn into fantasy stars as rookies, including Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Meanwhile, Baker had the 11th-highest PFF receiving grade in the draft class last season and posted a higher yards per route run average than Rome Odunze (3.21 vs. 2.93). The fourth-round rookie could quickly turn into the go-to target for Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye.
Fantasy Football Tight End Sleepers
Pat Freiermuth (PIT): ADP 133.3 | TE14
Anyone who spent a mid-round draft pick on Freiermuth last year quickly came to regret the decision. The veteran had the worst season of his career, averaging only 5.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He saw his targets (36.1%) and receiving yards per game (43.9%) significantly drop from 2022 to 2023. However, fantasy players shouldn’t let that stop them from drafting him this year.
The former Penn State star should have a bounce-back season after the Steelers hired Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator. Last year, the Atlanta Falcons tight ends averaged a 31.7% overall target share and a 29.3% red-zone target share. With Diontae Johnson in Carolina, Freiermuth should see the volume needed for a breakout season in the final season of his rookie contract.
Ja'Tavion Sanders (CAR): ADP 213.6 | TE31
Many thought Sanders would be the second tight end picked during the 2024 NFL Draft. Furthermore, some mock drafts had the former Texas star coming off the board in the first 40 picks. Unfortunately, his draft stock plummeted after a poor performance at the NFL Combine, resulting in Sanders sliding to the start of the fourth round.
However, he landed in an excellent spot for his fantasy value. Carolina has lacked a difference-maker at the tight-end position for years. Furthermore, Diontae Johnson is the only Panther guaranteed to see more targets than Sanders, as the team added several new pass-catchers this offseason. The rookie had the seventh-most contested catches among tight ends in 2023. Sanders has high expectations for himself this year and could quickly become one of Bryce Young’s favorite targets.
“I told everybody I’m trying to be the next
Greg Olsen here.” - Ja’Tavion Sanders 🫡 pic.twitter.com/9yY6ZgSVQg— Michael Rimmer (@avl_mike) May 11, 2024
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