One of the most enjoyable experiences in Fantasy Football is Draft Day. It’s when you and your league mates get together to crown last year’s champion and talk smack to one another. The draft is also when you construct your team for the new season. Whether you play in an Auction, Keeper/Dynasty, or Redraft league an overlooked but important piece to your team is Fantasy Football sleepers. A sleeper is a player in your draft typically drafted after round ten, that your league mates may not know or have forgotten about. This player also exceeds the expectations of their late draft position and impacts your team immensely. You need to wake up, and don’t miss on these three fantasy football sleepers in 2023.
Rashid Shaheed
Rashid Shaheed reached a top speed of 21.13mph in last season’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, on which he scored a 53-yard house call. So yes, he’s a burner! Last season as a rookie Shaheed managed 17.4 yards per catch. Now, he only caught 28 balls last season with ho-hum Andy Dalton under center. Derek Carr signed a 4-year contract this offseason to help the Saints, who have struggled to find consistent play at the quarterback position in recent years. Saints fans is Carr the answer? The Saints organization sure thinks so! Shaheed can emerge as the number two wide receiver due to the oft-injured Michael Thomas only playing 10 games in the last three seasons. Shaheed will make an impact on the Saints but more importantly, your fantasy team finishing the season with 68 catches, 875 yards, and 6 touchdowns. He is one of the mostly unknown fantasy football sleepers.
Isaiah Likely
This silky-smooth route-running second-year tight end for the Ravens will make a lot of noise in 2023. Partnered with the precise routes he runs he also has 10” hands, which he uses to suck in the football like an industrial-strength vacuum. Lamar Jackson has the most weapons he has ever played with. This includes the recently signed Odell Beckham Jr. This means more pass attempts could be in Jackson’s future and fewer designed runs. Jackson’s goal this year is to throw for 6,000 yards, which is a lofty goal to say the least! If this comes true, that means all pass catchers including Likely will eat this season. Enter new Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken to Baltimore. Monken will become a strong supporter of Likely. Recently Monken ran the Georgia Bulldogs offense, and he loves the Tight End position. This will be huge for Likely and Andrews. Likely should not be overlooked as he posts 57 catches for 675 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Samaje Perine
Running back Samaje Perine is a 235-pound wrecking ball. Perine has never been a workhorse running back, but who is these days? He did, however, have a stretch of games with the Bengals last season from weeks 11-13 where he averaged more than 15 touches per game and over 26 points per game for Yahoo Point Per Reception (PPR) leagues. This stretch of games came without their number one back, Joe Mixon. Perine will help fill an early to mid-season void for Javonte Williams who suffered a horrific knee injury last season. Durability has not been a concern for Perine just the normal bumps and bruises any NFL player is accustomed to. Coach Sean Payton is known for running a balanced offense that will benefit Perine. Potentially, a day-one starter Perine will carry the load for the Broncos earlier and often. As Perine finishes the season with 200 touches for 1150 total yards and 8 touchdowns.
Remember the importance of Fantasy Football Sleepers on Draft Day. These players will give you an upper hand over the competition. Most championship teams have taken a chance on grabbing a Sleeper to give themselves an overwhelming advantage throughout the season.
Main Photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
