Preseason has come to an end, and already there have been many injuries that have hurt fantasy hopes from Rams RB Akers to rookie hopeful Jags RB Etienne. For teams that have already drafted, this article isn’t for you. For those that have waited, here are my top 3 sleepers, that will surprise you and help you win numerous games and maybe even a championship.
Corey Davis WR NY Jets-
Ok, I know what you are thinking, after all, it is the Jets, but have you watched Zach Wilson thus far. He looks calm, poised, and his arm strength is undeniable. Wilson doesn’t have all the tools yet, but he is slowly putting things together. Last season, Davis ended at WR 30 having his best season yet Tannehill under center, and AJ Brown battling injury issues. Davis averaged 13.7 yards per game in PPR formats and 984 yards with five touchdowns. Now, his competition is fellow wideouts Jamison Crowder, Keelan Cole, TE Tyler Kroft, and rookie Elijah Moore, and the only one I see interfering with his targets each week is Moore. Davis has a clear-cut path to a large share of the targets and has been establishing rapport nicely with Wilson. I don’t expect him to be a top 10 WR, but if he can stay healthy, I see him easily putting up 15 points a week and being an excellent WR3 to slot into a flex position.
Philip Lindsay RB Houston Texans–
For now, David Johnson remains the starter, but I do not foresee that lasting long. Johnson had a decent season last year but at 29 years of age, he is just one small injury away from getting benched for good. Lindsay was picked up in the off-season from the Broncos where he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He had back-to-back 1,00 yards seasons until he was hurt last season and MGIII was the main back. I believe in Lindsay. It hurts me to see him in Houston given the bad juju surrounding the teams with Watson’s troubles, but Lindsay is going to be the bright spot. Take a late-round flier on him and stash him for now, because he is going to end up starting and be the safety blanket for whoever ends up under center. At 5’8” and 190lbs, Lindsay is a powerhouse and a very elusive inside runner who bowls over defenders on his way to the endzone. I haven’t left many drafts without him. His upside is far better than anything else in Houston right now especially Johnson who is his main competition.
Tua Tagovailoa QB Miami Dolphins-
This might not be the true definition of a “sleeper pick” as he is a starting QB in the NFL, but I feel as if everyone has written him off since he had a bad 2020 season and Fitzpatrick took over. Lest we forget what Tua did At Alabama before he got hurt which by all accounts should have been a career-ending injury. His collegiate career saw 7,442 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those are crazy, great numbers. Then the injury happening and his NFL career looked doomed, but he was drafted and even though he got off to a rocky start, he has looked fantastic in preseason games. He has re-established connections with rookie WR Jaylen Waddle and Veteran TE Mike Gesicki. The Dolphins also added Will Fuller who loves the deep ball connection that Tua is capable of producing. Goggle preseason highlights of Tua. He is a man on a mission to prove that he is the right choice to lead this team. He is currently being drafted with an ADP of QB22, and I truly believe he finishes in the top 15 QB this season. I have been stacking him and Waddle in many drafts, and he is about to have one incredible bounce-back season. Draft him knowing there might be some harder games but come midseason or sooner, he will be producing week in and week out 20 plus fantasy points and help you win! Even better, now that Mac Jones is going to start for the Patriots, he and Tua will face each other in Week 1…how exciting!!
Let me know your thoughts. Drop me a line on twitter and as always my DMs are open for questions redraft and dynasty.