What Is a “Sleeper” In Fantasy Football?

Are you new to the world of fantasy football? If so, you may have heard the term “sleeper” being thrown around in conversations. But what exactly is a sleeper?

In this post, I’ll explain what a sleeper is and how it can be used to your advantage in fantasy football. 

What Is a Sleeper?

A sleeper is an NFL player who is not well known but has the potential to produce unexpected results for you in your fantasy football league. A sleeper can be any player that isn’t expected to do much in real life, but in fantasy football, they are seen as hidden gems.

For example, a wide receiver that was drafted late or undrafted could be seen as a sleeper because they can outperform their draft position and become one of your best players.

Why Are Sleepers Important? 

Sleepers are important because they can make or break your fantasy football team. While everyone else is focused on drafting the top-tier players, you can use sleepers to fill out your roster with players that could enter into starting spots if they perform better than expected. This way, you don’t have to rely solely on high-profile names to carry your team, and you can build depth at every position.   

How To Identify Fantasy Football Sleepers

One of the most difficult aspects of fantasy football is trying to predict which players will have breakout seasons and which will disappoint. It’s even harder to do this with rookies who have no NFL track record to speak of. This is where “sleeper” picks come in – players who are generally underrated and have the potential to significantly outperform their draft position.

If you’re looking for a sleeper pick in your fantasy football draft, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Look for under-the-radar players poised for increased roles in their offenses. This could be due to a change of scenery (e.g., a trade or free agent signing), an injury to a teammate, or simply because they’re in a better position to succeed than they were in previous years.
• Keep an eye on players who are part of offenses that are expected to improve in the coming season. This could be due to a new head coach or offensive coordinator, the addition of talented skill position players, or an upgrade at quarterback.
• Don’t overrate recent performance. Just because a player had a breakout season last year doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to repeat that success. Likewise, don’t write off a player who struggled last season – they could be due for a bounce-back year.
• Pay attention to the preseason hype. If a player is generating a lot of buzz in training camp and the preseason, there’s a good chance they’ll be a fantasy sleeper.
• Do your research, and don’t be afraid to take a chance on a player with a high upside. With so much uncertainty in the NFL, sometimes the best thing you can do is draft a player with the potential to vastly outperform their draft position.

When Should You Draft Sleepers?

The best time to draft a sleeper in fantasy football is typically late in the draft. This is because most of the top-tier players have already been drafted by this point, so you can usually find good value with a sleeper pick.

However, it’s important to do your research beforehand and make sure the sleeper you’re targeting is actually worth drafting. You don’t want to waste a late-round pick on a player who isn’t going to produce much for your team.

Conclusion

Finding sleepers for your fantasy football team boils down to researching before the draft and paying attention during the season. It can take some work, but if done correctly, it can give you an edge over other owners in your league by giving you access to talent that most people will only know about once it’s too late.