2024 Fantasy Football Sleeper Preview

by Michael Nazarek (UPDATED - 8/21/2024)

Editor's Note: Below you will find a portion of our Fantasy Football Sleepers for 2024. If you'd like to read about all 49 sleepers, please click HERE to order our 2024 Pre-Season Draft Guide.

Everyone knows about Josh Allen, Christian McCaffrey, and CeeDee Lamb. The top 50 players taken in most fantasy drafts will likely be the same group of players. What separates the men from the boys is knowing who will produce when they are not expected to produce. To this end, I will supply you with sleeper lists of players at each of the key fantasy positions. Consider each and weigh them against your league competition. I will list sleepers in three distinct categories... obvious, darkhorses, and long-shots. I have also offered my "deep sleeper" at each position. Note: The official projected statistics for these players were not posted, as they may change with each guide update.

 

The following DEEP SLEEPER was posted on these pages four summers ago. It just goes to show you that sometimes these players pan out in a HUGE way...

 

Justin Herbert ® (Los Angeles Chargers) - Hebert was drafted to be the QB of the future for the Chargers, now that QB Philip Rivers has moved on. That said, he may be the QB of the present if QB Tyrod Taylor struggles as the bridge-starter. Hey! It happened in Cleveland, when Taylor struggled and was replaced early in the season with rookie QB Baker Mayfield. That said, questions surround Herbert. Can he be a solid NFL starter? Can he consistently produce? It's too early to answer those questions, but that is normally the case for our Deep Sleeper for fantasy at the QB position every summer, and Herbert fits that mold well.

 

Yeah, I'd say he has talent. After he took over in Week #2 of 2020, he finished the season as a top 5 fantasy QB and has only gotten better!

 

The following DARKHORSE SLEEPER was posted on these pages last summer. It just goes to show you that sometimes old dogs can learn new tricks...

 

Adam Thielen (Carolina) - Thielen is coming off a poor season by his standards, but the Vikings pretty much made the decision to phase him out of the game plan even before the end of the season, then tried to make him take a paycut. That didn't work, and Thielen moved on to Carolina, where he will likely be the immediate WR1 playing with talented rookie QB Bryce Young. Add in the fact that he isn't getting any respect in ADP and you have a solid darkhorse fantasy sleeper!

 

Yeah, I'd say he was the clear WR1 for the Panthers and WR18 overall in PPR leagues in 2023! On to this year's lists...

 

Note: The UPDATED ADP mentioned below for all players applies to 12-team leagues.

 

RED - Positive Update

PINK - Neutral Update

BLUE - Negative Update

 

QUARTERBACKS

 

The Obvious

 

Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis) - Richardson was the hot new and fresh running QB in 2023 and got off to a big start, before he injured his shoulder, which knocked him out for the season after week #5. Well, he is set to return for week #1 and not only gets a healthy and happy (signed) RB Jonathan Taylor back, but also gets rookie WR Adonai Mitchell joining the WR corps with WR Michael Pittman re-signed along with WR Josh Downs and WR Alec Pierce also returning. A healthy Richardson should easily be a top 10 fantasy QB, and has top 5 potential if he stays healthy. ADP: Round 5-6 (I drafted him in round #9 in May). Update 8/21: Richardson has looked good in his return to camp coming off shoulder surgery. He's ready to pick up where he left off in 2024!

 

Jordan Love (Green Bay) - Love did his best to make Packers fans forget all about QB Aaron Rodgers in 2023. He got off to a bit of a rocky start, but from week #10 onward, really hit his stride. RB Josh Jacobs will help open up the passing game even more and without a clear WR1, he has too many good options to target to keep him down in any one game. He should easily be a top 10 fantasy QB again in 2024. ADP: Round 6-7. Update 8/21: Love has been impressive in camp and seems ready to take his game to the next level!

 

Brock Purdy (San Francisco) - It is tough to believe Purdy was once Mr. Irrelevant, but it's true. Simply put, he plays beyond his years and returns all his key weapons as a 49er for 2024. With CMC, WR Deebo Samuel, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and TE George Kittle in the fold, along with rookie WR Ricky Pearsall, Purdy should easily return to the top 10 QBs for fantasy this season. ADP: Round 8-9. Update 8/21: Purdy has been sharp in limited preseason play and is locked and loaded to go in 2024. Hopefully, the 49ers can finally extend Aiyuk this week, and the situation will be even better!

 

The Darkhorse

 

Jayden Daniels ® (Washington) - The rookie from LSU is a big-time talent, and a running threat to boot. He will start immediately for the Commanders, and has already developed quick chemistry with WR Terry McLaurin along with rookie WR Luke McCaffrey. Even WR Johan Dotson is excited about the change. Now, I'm not saying you should draft him as your starter for fantasy, but he has mad upside when taken as a fantasy backup. ADP: Round 9-10. Update 8/21: Daniels has been very impressive in camp and in preseason action so much so that he's been named the official starter for the team in 2024.

 

Caleb Williams ® (Chicago) - Just like Daniels, Williams comes into a ready-made starting job with veterans WR D.J. Moore and WR Keenan Allen along with rookie WR Rome Odunze. Now, Williams is not a runner, so he may be a bit more inconsistent than Daniels, but he has pro-level talent, taken as the first overall draft pick in April. Like Daniels, he's got huge upside as a fantasy backup. ADP: Round 10-11. Update 8/21: Williams has been solid in camp and in preseason action, having already locked down the starting job. All is well here too!

 

Aaron Rodgers (New York Jets) - We all know what a healthy Rodgers can do, but it only took him four plays in 2023 to tear his Achilles. Another year older and questions arise whether he truly still has it. The weapons around him as solid, especially WR Garrett Wilson, but until we actually see it, the doubters will still exist. And that is what makes Rodgers a very interesting darkhorse fantasy sleeper for 2024. ADP: Round 12-13. Update 8/21: Rodgers has been solid in camp, but hasn't played yet this preseason. No matter. We all know what he can do and he is 100% healthy!

 

The Long-Shot

 

Will Levis (Tennessee) - The Titans have overhauled their offense, letting RB Derrick Henry sign elsewhere, while signing WR Calvin Ridley and WR Tyler Boyd to boost the passing game. It's clear if this team is to have success, it will be because the offense is clicking and that means Levis will be front and center, producing big games for his fantasy owners. That said, there is no guarantee that will happen on a team with continued offensive line issues. That is what makes Levis a longshot fantasy sleeper at best. ADP: Round 16-17. Update 8/21: Levis has been solid in camp and assuming WR DeAndre Hopkins (knee) returns for week #1, all should be prime for a possible sleeper season for fantasy!

 

J.J. McCarthy ® (Minnesota) - (REMOVED 8/21) McCarthy is unlikely to begin the 2024 as the starter, but at some point, he will start. He is talented and WR Justin Jefferson along with TE T.J. Hockenson (torn ACL) when he's healthy will help him get his feet under himself. McCarthy is likely to be up and down in his production early, but by December, he could be cruising along as a nice fantasy option for those who take him as a backup or a QB3. ADP: Round 17-18. Update 8/21: McCarthy injured his knee and is lost for the season, so he's removed form our list.

 

Sam Darnold (Minnesota) - (DEBUTS 8/21) Darnold is not flashy, but he will not only start week #1, but play a full season as the starter with rookie QB J.J. McCarthy (knee) lost for the season. Anytime your starter has WR Justin Jefferson as a target, there is potential for solid fantasy production, so Darnold debuts on this list this week. That said, keep in mind, he is only a long-shot fantasy sleeper at best for 2024!

 

Bryce Young (Carolina) - We all know that terrible season Young had as a rookie in 2023, but smart fantasy owners will turn the page. The team is much more talented around Young now, with the addition of rookies WR Jonathan Brooks (torn ACL), WR Xavier Legette, and veteran WR Diontae Johnson. Bottom Line: Young will improve in 2024, the only question is just how much will he improve? I'm betting it will be good enough to be a longshot fantasy sleeper at QB this summer. ADP: Round 17-18. Update 8/21: This is a neutral update. Young has been OK in camp, but has yet to show much in preseason action. Still, he has upside, so he stays on this list right now.

 

The Deep-Sleeper

 

Bo Nix ® (Denver) - Nix was drafted in April to start for the Broncos as some point in 2024. Heck, it could even be in week #1. The Broncos have many RBs competing to start, but do return WR Courtland Sutton as the primary WR1. When he plays, Nix is likely to struggle, but he wasn't drafted in the first round to not play at all. He is talented, but most don't believe he will have instant success, at least not enough by fantasy standards. That said, I consider him a solid choice as my deep sleeper at QB for 2024. ADP: Round 17-18. Update 8/21: Technically, Nix has just been named the starter. Why? He's looked fantastic in camp and in preseason action. He's a great deep sleeper to target late in your draft this summer!

 

 

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