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Fantasy football can be a casual, fun-for-all game, easy to pick up for even the most novice player. With all the draft rankings, tools and strategies we provide, anyone can become an overnight success story.
But if you want to become a top championship contender — or better yet, a perennial league title winner — a deep, thorough knowledge of the game is paramount. Knowing the top 160 players for your standard league draft is a great start, but educating yourself on players deeper in the ranks is the best route to league dominance.
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That’s where this column comes in. What follows are my annual “deep sleepers,” players who by all accounts will not — and in most cases should not — be drafted in ESPN standard 10-team leagues, but who have reasonably good odds of becoming fantasy-relevant. This list serves two purposes: To give you a watch list as a starting point for in-season pickups and to provide managers in deeper leagues — the 12- or 14-teamers (or even larger), the deep-bench formats and dynasties — with draft targets for the challenging later rounds.
Carson Beck, QB, Arizona CardinalsAmong this year’s rookie quarterback class, Beck has the second-best chance at seeing significant 2026 snaps under center (Fernando Mendoza), making him a relevant target in dynasty drafts. But considering the Cardinals’ offensive weaponry, including otherworldly tight end Trey McBride, 2024 No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. and fantasy’s No. 2 wide receiver over last year’s second half Michael Wilson, Beck could be a factor in superflex formats and perhaps as a streaming option in ESPN standard leagues once he’s elevated to starter status. Beck dazzled during the Hall of Fame Game, completing 79% of his passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, including a pair of 30-plus-yard completions that heightened confidence in his deep-throw ability.
Greg Dulcich, TE, Miami DolphinsAfter three injury-plagued years in Denver, Dulcich brought his sizable frame and sure-handed skill set to Miami last season, where over the final 10 weeks he averaged 3.7 targets and 7.0 fantasy points. The Dolphins since jettisoned Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and pretty much anyone a fantasy manager could trust from their passing game, leaving Dulcich as one of the more proven targets within an anything-goes offense. Considering Dulcich’s 2025 metrics — he was first in yards after catch per reception (7.6), second in yards per route run (2.66) and third in targets per route (26.2%), among tight ends with at least as many as his 33 targets — he’s likely to have fantasy relevance, even if in a risk/reward context.
Editor’s Picks
Tai Felton, WR, Minnesota VikingsA 2025 third-rounder, Felton managed only 43 offensive snaps as a rookie, seeing his most significant usage on kick returns. After Jalen Nailor’s departure for Las Vegas, Felton appeared primed for an expanded role, only to watch the team bring in free agent Jauan Jennings during the offseason. Nevertheless, Felton should play an important part in what might well be a rejuvenated Vikings offense under new quarterback Kyler Murray. Felton’s NFL combine metrics were eye-popping — he had top-five positional vertical and broad jumps and a top-eight 40-yard dash time — and he has received praise for his preseason practices. He might press Jennings for the No. 3 wide receiver role during the season.
Tre’ Harris, WR, Los Angeles ChargersPerhaps the player with the most immediate chance at a fantasy-relevant role on this list, Harris has generated next-to-zero interest in ESPN drafts (3.9% roster rate and an ADP outside the top 170). There’s a reason: He played all 17 games of his rookie season and spent three of them as a clear starter/No. 2 wideout, yet had only 43 targets, 69.4 total fantasy points and zero double-digit fantasy outings to show for it. Still, Harris entered the league highly regarded for his speed and size, and he’s in both a better system fit for his skill set and more prominent role with Keenan Allen now in Indianapolis. Harris appears primed for a big step forward.
Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, Baltimore RavensThe buzziest name on the list, Lane has seen his roster rate in ESPN leagues more than quadruple over the past month, thanks to overwhelmingly positive preseason reports and a standout exhibition debut. The No. 80 overall pick and 13th wide receiver selected in the 2026 NFL draft, Lane’s height and wingspan makes him a probable mismatch for opposing defenders in the red zone, an area in which the Ravens badly struggled in 2025 (fifth-worst 78.0 passer rating; the league’s average was 93.6). He’s already angling to be the team’s No. 3 wide receiver, vaulting himself into the conversation in the final rounds in ESPN standard leagues.
MarShawn Lloyd, RB, Green Bay PackersA multitude of injuries limited him to 10 total snaps in his first two NFL seasons since being taken as a 2024 third-round pick, which is why it’s encouraging to learn that Lloyd spent multiple months during the offseason at the Meyer Institute of Sport in California evaluating past injury concerns and working on improving his strength. He’s reportedly healthy now, generating positive preseason reports and chipped in first-team work during the team’s preseason opener. Following the free agent departure of Emanuel Wilson, Lloyd figures to be the primary backup to Josh Jacobs, who is now 28 years old and facing a possible suspension under the personal conduct policy. Lloyd is likely to see a significant boost in work, even in a supporting role.
Seth McGowan, RB, Indianapolis ColtsThough he failed to impress in his preseason debut, he’s in an appealing roster situation for his fantasy prospects. McGowan, despite being an older rookie (he turns 25 in October) who spent time at five different schools, boasted the best vertical and broad jump numbers and the sixth-best 40 time among running backs from the 2026 NFL combine. He’s a bigger back with tackle-breaking ability who might be ideal in short-yardage situations. With DJ Giddens battling a hamstring injury, McGowan has a realistic path to the primary backup role behind Jonathan Taylor, who missed a combined 16 games from 2022 to ’24. That would make McGowan a must-have insurance policy in larger leagues.
Konata Mumpfield, WR, Los Angeles RamsWhile it’s tough to formulate a strong case for a wide receiver who plays behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, fantasy’s Nos. 1 and 9 scorers at the position last season, this can be a brutal game with unexpected injuries. Mumpfield, a 2025 seventh-rounder who saw only 29 targets while playing in all 20 Rams games (including the postseason), appears to have the edge in the race for the team’s No. 3 wide receiver role. Sitting the preseason opener was a surefire hint of that. He’s a good route runner with strong separation skills who has earned praise from Adams. Should Mumpfield get any chances to start, he’d immediately become fantasy-relevant.
Nicholas Singleton, RB, Tennessee TitansThe Titans’ featured back from their preseason opener and their fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Singleton seems likely to win their No. 3 running back role entering the season. A star college recruit in 2022 and Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year winner, Singleton’s four-year Penn State career concluded with his slipping into a timeshare with Kaytron Allen and totaling 549 yards (4.5 per carry) as a senior. Concerns about his elusiveness linger, and he does have a steep ladder to climb, with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears ahead of him on the depth chart. Singleton’s favorable size (6-foot, 220 pounds) and positive preseason reports, however, make him an appealing pick at his valuation tier.
Cyrus Allen, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Demond Claiborne, RB, Vikings
Mac Jones, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Darnell Washington, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Noah Whittington, RB, Houston Texans
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