2023 Sleepers

Antonio Gibson, RB

Gibson was my bust last season, and although he was a hit for me, I am making him one of my sleepers this season. Last summer Gibson was close to being a cut candidate until Brian Robinson was shot, and once Robinson was back, Gibson’s snap count crashed. However, Robinson never showed us much of anything, so Gibson was able to up his snap percentage at the end of last season. Gibson has been lining up as receiver a lot this offseason, and this is a team who should be down in most games during the season, so Gibson should be able to be on the field more often in 2023. In his first two seasons, he was able to provide back-end RB1 finishes, so with him being drafted around the RB35 spot this year, he should be able to smash his average draft position. He finished better than RB35 in 2022 and that was with a low snap percentage. He can only go up from here. (Scott Miln)

Michael Gallup, WR

If you had asked me a month ago, I don’t think Gallup would have even been on my radar as a sleeper. But with ADP data leaking out, and Gallup slotting in as the 60th WR off the board in Half PPR formats (and the 164th player overall), it’s hard to imagine a world where he doesn’t outperform this ranking. As the “third option” in Dallas I get the hesitation, but as a guy who does a lot at the WR position differently than the guy they brought in, Brandin Cooks, I don’t have as much hesitation as some other fantasy football experts. I think he will benefit most from the departure of Dalton Schultz, and find himself utilized as the crisp underneath route runner more than the downfield threat he has been in the past. Dak will have plenty of options outside, so to grow his role Gallup may look to work in that intermediate space. (Cory Dows)

Jerick McKinnon, RB

If you ask my fellow TSF Model Dows, he will just say how McKinnon sucks, but I want to write at least a few sentences to tell you why I believe he is a sleeper. McKinnon is the ageless wonder and likely should have been out of the NFL years ago, but he was able to stick around KC the last few seasons and it paid off. Once CEH was officially out for the season, that is when McKinnon flashed. Sure, Pacheco took over the starting RB role, but McKinnon was the pure third-down/pass catching RB on the team. From Weeks 13-17, he scored a total of 8 TDs (only 1 rushing). In those weeks, he was RB #2 in all of fantasy football. I am not saying he will be close to that at all in 2023, but with his ADP of RB43 this season, he should easily pass that. McKinnon is not a handcuff to Pacheco like people think he is. They both have a different role in this offense and I will take McKinnon way later in drafts because I want the pass-catching RB on the best team in the NFL. (Scott Miln)

Rashod Bateman, WR

Currently sitting at an ADP of WR51, he is being selected after the likes of rookie teammate Zay Flowers (WR49) and veteran trouble maker Odell Beckham (WR45). To me, this is ludicrous. I could understand the Zay Flowers bump considering the bulk of fantasy drafts to this point have likely been dynasty-heavy, but Odell going over Bateman makes no sense to me. With an ADP of WR51 and overall draft position of player 132, you are looking at Bateman in the 10th-13th rounds, depending on your number of teams (Update: I just got him with pick 11.02 in my hometown league, a competitive 12-team SuperFlex league). For a guy who could easily finish as a WR2 if he stays healthy, I don’t think you can call Bateman anything but a sleeper at this point. (Cory Dows)