10 deep sleepers to target in 2020 fantasy football drafts

There are many ways to win your fantasy league, but none are quite as sweet as hitting on that late-round pick that turns into a fantasy stud. I’m approaching my 50th draft of the 2020 #DRAFTSZN and there are a number of guys I’m seeing available in the double-digit rounds that you should be stacking the back end of your rosters with for the new season.

(Note: All ADPs taken from fantasyfootballcalculator.com’s PPR rankings)

Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets (ADP 10.02, WR44)

If there is one player that you absolutely must target at the back end of your drafts, it’s Jamison Crowder. In his first year for the Jets last year, Crowder finished as the WR26, having been drafted as the WR51 in the 11th round. No one seems to have noticed this and you can still get Crowder in the 10th round as the current WR44. In Year 2 with Sam Darnold, we should see Crowder break 100 receptions for the first time and see his first 1000 yard season. This gives him top-25 potential with even more upside. Don’t hesitate, get Crowder and be smug about it.

2020 Fantasy Football Draft Guide

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Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (ADP 11.03, WR48)

In a year where the rookies face one of the hardest offseasons to adjust to the NFL we’ve ever seen, projecting any of them to fantasy relevance is a shot in the dark. However, when you look at opportunity, Justin Jefferson has just about the best situation of any rookie. Already established as the WR2 on the Vikings depth chart, Jefferson could see over 100 targets in his first year, and even if he does struggle to adapt early, the volume will produce a strong fantasy output and he should be solid flex option in 2020.

Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants (ADP 11.09, WR51)

I’m high on Shepard putting his injury-hit 2019 season behind him and putting up similar numbers to his 2018 season (66/872/4). When healthy last season, Shepard was the consistently most targeted receiver and having that trust with Daniel Jones in his second year can make Shepard not only the WR1 on the Giants, but a potential top-25 receiver going in the 11th round.

Preston Williams, WR, Miami Dolphins (ADP 12.11, WR55)

Creeping into the final rounds of redraft leagues, you can get your hands on a player who showed great promise as an undrafted rookie before tearing his ACL in Week 9. Williams was on pace for 64 receptions, 850 yards and six touchdowns in one of the league’s worst offenses in 2019. Williams is healthy and ready to take on his second year as the No. 2 receiver on the Dolphins. Currently going as the WR55, Williams has top-30 upside and is a great late-round swing for the fences.

Curtis Samuel, WR, Carolina Panthers (ADP 14.07, WR68)

This one is a puzzler. Curtis Samuel may not have set the world on fire in his third season in the league in 2019, but he played in all 16 games and turned that into 54 receptions for 627 yards and six touchdowns, good enough to be the WR36. Almost going undrafted in redraft leagues this year, Samuel had seven double-digit scores in 2019, including a high 23.8 points in Week 6 against the Buccaneers. He is a high upside flex option against the right opposition. An easy draft choice in the final rounds.

Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts (ADP 13.07, RB57)

Another player from last year’s sleeper list that overachieved their ADP and is being under drafted again in 2020. Hines played in all 16 games in 2019, totaling 519 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the Colts drafting Jonathan Taylor in the second round in this year’s draft, neither he or Marlon Mack are likely to have a major impact in the passing game. Hines also benefits from the free agent acquisition of Philip Rivers, who has thrown the third-most passes to running backs over the past three years. Hines saw 58 targets in 2019 and should see a nice increase this year, alongside spotting for Taylor and Mack with 3-4 rushes per game.

Jamaal Williams, RB, Green Bay Packers (ADP Undrafted)

Here’s your deep sleeper. Jamaal Williams is getting no love in drafts despite finishing 2019 as the RB34. Williams is a dual threat as he has a defined role in the passing game, but also sees enough work as a rusher to spot for Aaron Jones with some consistency. He has averaged 450 rushing and 250 receiving yards over his first three seasons, and though the Packers drafted AJ Dillon, he’s got to get ahead of Williams’ versatility to impact his production. A great spot start option, Williams is someone I’m grabbing late in most leagues this season.

Blake Jarwin, TE, Dallas Cowboys (ADP 13.12, TE19)

Jarwin takes over from Jason Witten as the Cowboys’ starting tight end in 2020 and has a massive opportunity to break into the top 10 at the position in fantasy. Witten rumbled his way to be the TE11 in 2019, seeing 83 targets from Dak Prescott. Jarwin himself saw 41 targets and turned that into 365 yards and three touchdowns, so the production was there from limited snaps. We could easily see 800 yards and six touchdowns from Jarwin in the Cowboys offense, which would be good enough to push towards the top 5 tight ends in fantasy in 2020.

Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams (ADP 13.05, QB19)

In what was a down year for the Rams as they suffered a Super Bowl hangover and missed the playoffs, Jared Goff was far from being a fantasy bust despite underperforming his QB8 ADP as he finished as the QB13 so was still a borderline starter. If we focus on the last five weeks of the 2019 season, the Rams really got their offense going. Goff averaged 330 passing yards and threw 11 touchdowns to 4 interceptions, and averaged 20.78 points per game. We also saw the emergence of Tyler Higbee as a real threat in the passing game at tight end, something we hadn’t seen in the Sean McVay offense until that point. Throw in a new and exciting running back in Cam Akers and Goff’s arrow is pointing upwards to rebound in 2020 and if you’re happy to wait on a QB in your draft, snagging Goff in the double-digit rounds could prove a draft bargain.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans (ADP 14.02, QB22)

Ryan Tannehill to me is a great option for a late-round steal in drafts. Despite all the fuss at the time around the crazy numbers Tannehill put up after he took over as starter for the Titans last season, the quiet playoffs where Derrick Henry was all of the Titans’ offense has meant fantasy players seem to see little value in Tannehill in his second season in Nashville. To bring it back to memory, Tannehill led the league in yards per attempt with a colossal 9.6 in just 11 games, and finished with 18.7 fantasy points per game, which was on pace to be the QB9. Tannehill won over the Titans management with his 11-game cameo, earning a contract that is good for at least the next three years, and he has also seen a deal get done with Derrick Henry, which can only help Tannehill in the passing game. Tannehill also offers his own sneaky rushing upside, with him not afraid to drop his pads and truck defenders at the goal line. As the QB22 in drafts, you’d be crazy not to at least add him as your QB2, though I’m riding with Tannehill as my QB1 in more than one league this year.