Sleeper wide receivers to consider in your 2020 fantasy football drafts
We begin with the usual sleeper-related caveat: It's a relative term, requiring context.
A sleeper in one person's league can be a fifth-round pick in another. Your definition of the word is heavily influenced by the size and competitiveness of your fantasy format. For our purposes here, "sleeper" can refer to any player who A) has an ADP above 120.0, and B) is rostered in less than 60 percent of Yahoo leagues. A player fitting that description — drafted outside the first ten rounds, if he's drafted at all — is clearly being slept on by the fantasy community.
Today, we're digging in the mid-to-late rounds for receiving talent ...
Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders
58 percent rostered, ADP 125.8
Here's the thing about 4.27 speed, you guys:
Henry Ruggs III showcases ELITE level speed for six!
(Via @CBSSports)pic.twitter.com/FmTOaixIdY— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 14, 2019
It makes every target a potential touchdown. Ruggs enters the league as one of the game's fastest players, regardless of position. He's a blur. Vegas drafted him No. 12 overall this spring, and it's become clear he's going to be a Day-One starter. From the slot, he'll be a nightmare. The Raiders actually seem likely to lean heavily on a pair of rookies right away (Ruggs and Bryan Edwards), so let's not assume last year's target distribution has any relevance in 2020. Ruggs has a relatively unobstructed path to 100-plus targets, which might very well result in a top-30 (25?) positional finish.
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
54 percent rostered, ADP 128.8
Here's another rookie who should be an absolute lock to see immediate opportunities. Jefferson landed in a terrific spot for first-year value. Stefon Diggs averaged 6.3 targets per game for Minnesota last year and 9.9 the season before, and all those looks are up for grabs. The Vikes used a first-round pick on Jefferson, a receiver who feasted in the slot for LSU (and feasted outside as well). He caught a ridiculous 111 balls on 134 targets last season, making 18 house calls and gaining 1,540 yards. You might recall that Jefferson was pretty fair after the catch:
This Justin Jefferson juke. 😳 @JJettas2
(via @LSUfootball, h/t @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/9qdGwXDrJP— NFL (@NFL) April 16, 2020
He's gonna see a substantial workload this season, playing with a quarterback who's completed 69.7 percent of his throws over the past two years.
Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears
51 percent rostered, ADP 133.6
Back in the day, we used to think of a receiver's third season as the point at which they were likely to break out, if it was ever gonna happen. Miller is clearly a prime candidate for a jump in production as he enters Year Three. His playmaking ability was evident in his rookie season when he hauled in seven touchdown receptions despite dealing with a shoulder issue that eventually required surgery. But he was a relative disappointment last year, despite an uptick in targets.
Bears coaches have been talking up Miller's readiness entering 2020 compared to prior seasons, which can't be a bad thing. He was a dominant collegiate player, producing back-to-back 1,400-yard campaigns at Memphis, so his talent has never really been in doubt. He's now the clear No. 2 option in Chicago's receiving corps, behind only Allen Robinson. Miller won't lack opportunities this season, and an improved QB situation should help his cause. If you were a believer in prior years, don't give up now.
Parris Campbell, Indianapolis Colts
22 percent rostered, ADP N/A
A medley of injuries made a mess of Campbell's rookie season, though he still flashed plenty of upside:
Parris Campbell turns on the JETS. 💨 #INDvsCIN
📺 @Fox59 pic.twitter.com/5tnNMMVTrl— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) August 29, 2019
He's a slot receiver with blazing speed (4.31) and his team upgraded at quarterback, signing Philip Rivers back in March. If we can get a mostly healthy season from Campbell, he'll produce a few monster weeks. He's a late-round gift, exactly the sort of high-ceiling player you should target with your reserve slots.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers
27 percent rostered, ADP N/A
Green Bay's passing offense obviously isn't what it used to be, but that's not to say Aaron Rodgers is completely cooked. He can still support a second roster-worthy fantasy receiver beyond Davante Adams. Devin Funchess originally seemed likely to serve as the team's No. 2 option after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, but he's since opted out for 2020. Thus, Lazard is essentially unchallenged in the Packers' receiving hierarchy. He's not a burner, but he's a huge target (6-foot-5) who clearly earned Rodgers' confidence last season. Lazard is a contested-catch winner, too. He was one of just 30 players last season to average better than 9.0 yards per target on 50 or more chances. He's a final-round flier who's a good bet to be flex-worthy.