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Fantasy Football Sleepers: 8 WRs to consider late in drafts

dalton del don
Fantasy analyst
·6 min read
37

Wilson’s yards per route run (1.36) mark hardly jumps off the page, but it was better than teammates Marquise Brown, Greg Dortch and Rondale Moore last season. Wilson ranked top 15 in yards per target (9.7) among all wide receivers as a rookie and No. 26 in fantasy points per target. Wilson also ranked sixth in first downs per target, and the Cardinals had a top-10 offense after the bye last season.

Wicks enters the season fourth on Green Bay’s WR depth chart, but there’s a chance he finishes atop it. Wicks ranked top-20 in fantasy points per target, fourth in first downs per target and third in receiving DVOA, behind only Brandon Aiyuk and Nico Collins. Wicks is the classic “better in best ball” pick, but he also has potential to earn significantly more playing time.

Mitchell fell to the end of the second round thanks to off-field concerns, but his talent was worthy of a far earlier selection in this year’s draft. Mitchell’s relative athletic score ranked fifth out of 3,402 wide receivers since 1987. He earned targets as a true freshman on a crowded Georgia team in 2021, and Michael Pittman says he’s been learning from the rookie throughout camp.

Josh Downs has potential, but he also has a lengthy injury history and could be hampered into the season after suffering a high-ankle sprain. Mitchell gets to play indoors in a Shane Steichen offense that ranked top five in plays per game with Anthony Richardson last year, and it should improve during the QB’s second year in the league. Mitchell could be slower to develop, but the rookie could make a fantasy impact when it matters most late in the season.

Jacksonville enters 2024 with the fifth-most vacated targets (251), including the second-most air yards and the most inside the 10-yard line. Thomas’ 40-time was in the 98th percentile, and Trevor Lawrence attempted the second-most deep passes per game last year. Thomas recorded the most touchdowns (17) in college last season as a 21-year-old sharing the field with Malik Nabers. Newcomer Gabe Davis is not a target earner nor good at football, and Christian Kirk is already dealing with a calf injury.

There’s a good chance Thomas ends 2024 as Jacksonville’s top wide receiver.

The fastest player in NFL history gets to join Patrick Mahomes in an Andy Reid offense. Worthy ran a 4.21 40 and earned a 32% target share as a true freshman at a Power 5 school. Worthy may be small, but he was more effective as an “X” receiver against press coverage than Marvin Harrison Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb and many other star wideouts throughout college. His college stats would’ve looked better if he hadn't suffered from incredibly inaccurate quarterback play.

Worthy had by far the highest career off-target rate among this year’s WR prospects, but he’ll now be catching passes from Mahomes:

Reid apparently has a type of wide receiver he prefers, and Worthy fits perfectly; Mahomes lost by far the most air yards on drops last year. The KC coach has likened Worthy to DeSean Jackson, who was an immediate starter and led his team in targets as a rookie in Philadelphia with Reid. Worthy is already showing the type of impact he can make, recording an 89% route participation and a 25% target share over two preseason games with Mahomes.

Rashee Rice looks increasingly less likely to be suspended, but Travis Kelce will turn 35 years old this season, and the oft-injured Marquise Brown recently suffered a potentially serious shoulder injury that, at minimum, has his Week 1 status in jeopardy. Isiah Pacheco had never eclipsed 170 carries dating back to college before setting a career-high with 205 rush attempts last season, so opportunities for the rookie should be there. The Chiefs led the NFL in pass rate over expectation by a wide margin last year, and Worthy will benefit from KC’s use of motion. He’s going to smash as a rookie.

Meyers finished as a top 25 fantasy wideout last season (11.4 half-PPR points per game), just behind Chris Olave (11.7), DeVonta Smith (11.7) and Jaylen Waddle (11.6). Meyers also matched teammate Davante Adams in top-12 WR fantasy weeks last season. Adams is entering his 11th year in the league, when receivers have historically seen a 34% decline in baseline production. Meyers scored 10 touchdowns last season, and the Raiders rarely throw to their WR3, yet he isn’t being drafted as a top-50 WR in Yahoo leagues.

Palmer struggled during his first two years in the league but quietly improved last season. He ranked top 25 in yards per route run (2.2) and top 12 in receiving yards per game (71.1) after Mike Williams went down. Palmer’s target per route run rate has jumped to 20% without Williams on the field throughout his career, and Keenan Allen left during the offseason as well.

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Quentin Johnston might be the worst WR in the league, and rookie Ladd McConkey is a second-round pick who never earned targets, averaged just 562.3 receiving yards and battled injuries throughout college. Moreover, Austin Ekeler was replaced by two-down backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, so plenty of targets are up for grabs from Justin Herbert behind a strong offensive line. Palmer is going undrafted in 84% of Yahoo leagues.

Shaheed is looking at an expanded role with Michael Thomas gone, Juwan Johnson injured and Alvin Kamara aging out. Shaheed has been productive throughout his career when given 70% route participation, and he recorded a better win rate versus man than Chris Olave last season. Shaheed is a good route runner who’s impressed throughout camp. New OC Klint Kubiak will use far more two-WR sets and motion this season, creating better opportunities for New Orleans’ receivers.

Shaheed is a fantasy target.