Fantasy: Super-deep sleepers for 2022

4 years ago

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In an effort to shine a light on the unnoticed or outright ignored, we've built a list of players with average draft positions outside the top 200 who could become fantasy relevant if things fall their way this season.

Keep these players on your watch list and be ready to pounce when their opportunity arises.

Jacoby Brissett, QB, Browns

The search for a super-deep sleeper at quarterback forces you to look at backups who might have a path to a starting spot at some point in 2022.

Brissett might not be the most exciting choice, but he's likely to spend some time under center this season while Deshaun Watson serves a suspension.

There's been no clear indication of how many games Watson will miss, but the Browns' early-season schedule is quite favorable; three of their first four matchups come against teams that ranked in the bottom half of the league in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA last year. This includes the Falcons and Jets, who finished 29th and 32nd, respectively.

Brissett's fantasy accolades are limited, but he's shown he can keep an offense productive over short stretches. In three starts for the Dolphins from Weeks 3-5 last season, he averaged the 17th-most fantasy points among quarterbacks.

Cleveland will offer a much better situation than Miami did a year ago with its outstanding offensive line, a diverse array of pass-catchers, and one of the league's strongest rushing attacks to lean on.

No one will expect Brissett to win them their fantasy league, but if you're digging deep for help at the position, he could provide temporary relief, especially in two-quarterback and superflex formats.

Other super-deep sleeper QB candidates:

Gardner Minshew, Eagles - With the Eagles' offense loaded at almost every position, we're expecting a massive year for Jalen Hurts. However, if the dual-threat quarterback gets injured, it'll be Minshew stepping into the starting role. In his two starts last season, Minshew completed 67% of his passes while throwing for 428 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. And that was without a true No. 1 target like Philadelphia has now in A.J. Brown.
Tyrod Taylor, Giants - Daniel Jones should benefit from the arrival of new offensive-minded head coach Brian Daboll and a healthy supporting cast. If he doesn't make strides toward becoming a reliable option, the Giants have a capable veteran backup in Taylor, who finished as a top-15 fantasy QB in three of his five starts for the Texans last year.
John Wolford, Rams - Wolford's only full NFL appearance came in a Week 17 start in 2020 when he flashed intriguing rushing upside with six carries for 56 yards. But he's a name to keep in mind after Matthew Stafford rested his arm all offseason following an anti-inflammatory injection in his right elbow. While it remains likely that Stafford will be ready for Week 1, it's possible the issue pops up again later in the year, which would force Wolford into action.

Chris Evans, RB, Bengals

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Samaje Perine's hold on the No. 2 job in Cincinnati's backfield might not be as secure as it was this past season.

The team has openly discussed limiting Joe Mixon's third-down usage - a decision that could favor Evans. Last year's explosive sixth-rounder saw at least one target in nine games as a rookie despite playing less than 15% of the snaps in all but two contests.

He only saw more than 50% of the Bengals' offensive plays in Week 18 when he rushed seven times for 35 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards and a touchdown. The 24-year-old finished as the RB15 in fantasy on the week and might have given us a glimpse of the future.

The front office wisely invested in offensive line upgrades this offseason, rebuilding the entire right side with the additions of tackle La'el Collins, guard Alex Cappa, and center Ted Karras. That'll help keep Joe Burrow upright while also giving a boost to the ground game.

If Evans can beat out Perine in camp, he might be a Mixon injury away from becoming a difference-making fantasy starter in an offense that could be even more dangerous in 2022.

Other super-deep sleeper RB candidates:

Dontrell Hilliard, Titans - The interest in rookie Hassan Haskins is understandable since he profiles as more of a physical back behind Derrick Henry. However, Hilliard could get the first crack at backup duties after he totaled at least 55 yards from scrimmage and/or a touchdown in five of his seven appearances with the Titans last year.
Snoop Conner, Jaguars - If James Robinson is slow to return from the torn Achilles he suffered in late December or if he struggles to regain his pre-injury form, fifth-round rookie Conner will be the favorite to slide into the complementary role behind starter Travis Etienne. In that scenario, Conner would be an early-down grinder and short-yardage specialist who could handle the odd start if Etienne gets hurt again.
Abram Smith, Saints - We're really going deep for this one with Smith, who's an undrafted free agent with a chance to quickly move up New Orleans' depth chart. Alvin Kamara is facing a possible suspension to start the year, and the only depth behind him comes in the form of 32-year-old Mark Ingram. Don't overinvest in the hard-charging Smith, but be ready to pounce if/when news of Kamara's suspension is announced.

Byron Pringle, WR, Bears

The Bears didn't make any big-ticket moves to bolster their skill positions around sophomore quarterback Justin Fields, but they did acquire several under-the-radar players who could turn into significant contributors.

Returning stars Darnell Mooney, David Montgomery, and Cole Kmet will handle the bulk of the touches in Chicago's attack, with new wideouts like Pringle, Dante Pettis, and rookie Velus Jones vying for targets behind them.

Pringle should have a distinct advantage in that competition, coming off a career-best 42-568-5 line with the Chiefs last season. The 28-year-old had at least 50 yards and/or a touchdown in 47% of Kansas City's games. He also found the end zone five times over his last five contests, including the playoffs.

Even in what's projected to be a lower-volume passing attack, Pringle should return value as a late-round pick or early-season waiver wire add.

Other super-deep sleeper WR candidates:

James Proche, Ravens - Similar to the Bears' passing attack, the Ravens are looking for a new No. 2 receiver. If they don't add anyone, the battle will come down to Proche, Devin Duvernay, and Tylan Wallace. Each brings a unique skill set, but it was Proche who consistently stood out during minicamp, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Jaelon Darden, Buccaneers - With Chris Godwin likely to sit out the first month as he recovers from a torn ACL, Tampa will need other receivers to emerge behind Mike Evans and Russell Gage. Darden's contributions during the season were limited, but he's already garnering praise around Tampa as a potential breakout candidate in 2022.
Amari Rodgers, Packers - As Green Bay searches for pass-catchers to fill the void left by Davante Adams, don't forget about last year's third-round pick, Amari Rodgers. His rookie campaign was uneventful, but the Packers took a similar approach with running back A.J. Dillon, barely using him in Year 1 before giving him a significant weekly role as a sophomore.

Tyler Conklin, TE, Jets

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The Jets gave out not one, but two notable contracts to tight ends in free agency. C.J. Uzomah received a three-year, $24-million deal before Conklin got a three-year, $21-million pact two days later.

While Uzomah was the more well-known name thanks to his Super Bowl run with the Bengals last season, the similar dollar amounts left some uncertainty as to who would be the better fantasy asset.

As it turns out, Conklin was the one who separated himself from the pack during OTAs, according to The Athletic's Connor Hughes, who specifically mentions Conklin's presence in the red zone and suggests he might be the Week 1 starter over Uzomah.

Several guys are hoping to see targets in the Jets' offense, including first-round rookie wideout Garrett Wilson, sophomore breakout candidate Elijah Moore, and veteran Corey Davis. But the team is also anticipating a second-year leap from quarterback Zach Wilson. If that happens and Conklin earns the top spot on the tight end depth chart, he'll be worth considering as a late-round option.

With Irv Smith Jr. sidelined in Conklin's final year with the Vikings, Conklin quietly posted the 10th-most receptions (61) and the 13th-most yards (593) among all tight ends.

Other super-deep sleeper TE candidates:

Foster Moreau, Raiders - Moreau has been stuck playing second fiddle behind Darren Waller, but he got an opportunity to spread his wings this season with Waller sidelined for part of the year. Moreau reached 50 yards or scored a TD six times, including three of his last four outings. The arrival of new head coach Josh McDaniels has also brought talk of two-tight end sets, which could help Moreau become a more frequent contributor.
Harrison Bryant, Browns - Austin Hooper's departure opens the door for Bryant to see more work in two-tight end sets. Though David Njoku just signed a new deal that locks him in as the Browns' starter for the foreseeable future, Bryant is one injury away from a sizeable role in an offense that likes to use tight ends.
Cole Turner, Commanders - With Logan Thomas still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in December, it's unclear whether the Commanders will have their starting tight end in the lineup for Week 1. Turner might be a long shot to produce fantasy-relevant numbers as a rookie, but the opportunity could be there if Thomas' return is delayed.

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