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We’re all on the hunt for fantasy greatness, and it’s even better if we can get that greatness at a discount. That’s what fantasy football sleepers are all about. Whether it’s a fifth-rounder who returns first-round value or an undrafted player who regularly cracks the starting lineup, getting bonus value on your draft pick is the key to winning it all.
With that in mind, we performed a simple exercise. We asked the FTN Fantasy team, “Who is your fantasy sleeper for 2021?” From there, interpretation was up to them. Is it a player who is seen as good but could be great? Is it someone who is forgotten but shouldn’t be? That depends on who you ask.
(Take advantage of the FTNFantasy Platinum package for the 2021 season!)
2021 fantasy football sleepers
Here are the FTN Fantasy team’s sleepers for fantasy football in 2021, along with their current ADPs per the FTN Fantasy ADP tool.
(Want to see our 2021 fantasy football busts? Check them out here!)
Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
(ADP: 62.64, WR23)
Thought of as the WR3 on a team that will be throwing a lot, Diontae Johnson led the team in targets last season and has been Ben Roethlisberger‘s security blanket. In PPR leagues, he needs to be the first Steelers WR drafted. — Gilles Gallant
Odell Beckham, WR, Cleveland Browns
(ADP: 81.99, WR29)
Going as the consensus WR28 is simply too low. We won’t see 12-15 targets per game, but his gamebreaking ability, rapport with Baker Mayfield and great O-Line have Odell Beckham set for a top-20 WR campaign with a clean bill of health. — Joe Metz
(Diontae Johnson or Odell Beckham? Adam Pfiefer dives in.)
It feels odd saying Beckham is a sleeper, but recency bias is a little crazy. People seem to have forgotten just how talented a wide receiver he is. He is being drafted in the same range as Chase Claypool and Robby Anderson, and I believe Beckham’s ceiling is much higher than those two and others being selected around him. — Nick Penticoff
Leonard Fournette, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(ADP: 100.00, RB35)
(Fournette at ADP? One of the best picks of the year, per Tyler Loechner.)
Leonard Fournette played second fiddle to Ronald Jones last season until the playoffs, but then he averaged 20.5 touches, 112 yards, and 1 TD per game. The RBBC still exists, but Fournette may well have earned the top spot. He’s being drafted at his floor in the 10th round. — Tyler Loechner
Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans
(ADP: 109.33, WR39)
Yes, the Texans are bad, but they will likely have to throw since they’ll be playing from behind. TyRod Taylor is OK, and I can see Brandin Cooks becoming a target monster. — TwoGun
Curtis Samuel, WR, Washington Football Team
(ADP: 114.58, WR41)
Curtis Samuel is currently WR40 in ADP, but is set to be one of the key elements of an upgraded Washington offense. With the ability to carry the football as well, his floor is too high for this ADP. — Josh Collacchi
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Kenyan Drake, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
(ADP: 117.07, RB41)
A first-round pick in fantasy football drafts a year ago, Kenyan Drake is now being drafted as the RB40. The Las Vegas Raiders brought him in on a two-year deal worth up to $14.5 million for a reason. I expect this Raiders’ backfield to be a committee with Drake seeing tons of action in the passing game. DraftKings Sportsbook currently has the Raiders with a win total set at 7, which means they should be trailing in most games. Drake could end up seeing a majority of the snaps late in games. — Dom Cintorino
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
(ADP: 126.46, WR47)
There’s a world where Tua Tagovailoa takes a leap forward and Jaylen Waddle sees a target share over 20% and beats his ADP by 15-20 WR spots in the ranking. — Matt Jones
Darnell Mooney, WR, Chicago Bears
(ADP: 137.33, WR50)
Darnell Mooney showed the ability to separate at a high level in his rookie year, especially down the field. However, the quarterback play was less than ideal. Mooney saw 23 deep targets last year but only caught four of them, failing to drop any. Only 32% of his deep targets were deemed catchable, a bottom-five rate in football. The addition of Justin Fields will help tremendously. — Adam Pfeifer
Corey Davis, WR, New York Jets
(ADP: 138.67, WR51)
He’s the top target on his team, and he’s available at too low a price. — John Laghezza
Marvin Jones, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
(ADP: 147.89, WR54)
Marvin Jones is a stud whose skill set perfectly complements Trevor Lawrence’s style of play. Jones is being drafted as the WR54 behind teammates D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault. I think Jones finishes ahead of both and also ahead of Ja’Marr Chase and Chris Godwin, guys currently projected as WR2s. — Brett Whitefield
(Marvin Jones is one of Eliot Crist’s 5 receivers to leave your draft with.)
Who’s to say last year’s WR17 won’t be Trevor Lawrence’s guy this season? He certainly was in Week 1 of the preseason as he racked up 52 yards on four targets. Jones caught a career-high 76 passes in 2020 and he’s averaging 58 per season over his last seven years. If you can believe it, Mecole Hardman, Marquise Brown and Jarvis Landry are all going ahead of Jones. Lawrence may finish inside the top 10 in passing attempts, which is great for Jones’ upside. — Chris Meaney
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
(ADP: 150.25, QB18)
The only question with Justin Fields is when he will start, but I’m not scared of Andy Dalton. As soon as Fields gets the opportunity, expect him to produce like a top-10 fantasy QB thanks to his rushing ability. — Matt LaMarca
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks
(ADP: 155.79, RB50)
Penny sat out most of the 2020 season trying to come back from an ACL tear in December of 2019. Out at training camp, he stated he lost some weight (which was his offseason goal) and he feels “way faster” like he’s in high school again. The Seahawks failed to pick up the fifth-year option with Penny, making him a free agent after this season — now he has something to prove. — Brooke Kromer
(Take advantage of the FTNFantasy Platinum package for the 2021 season!)
Terrace Marshall, WR, Carolina Panthers
(ADP: 189.15, WR68)
Terrace Marshall will play majority of his snaps from the slot. In comes Sam Darnold, who is known for heavily targeting his slot receivers. Think of Marshall as a younger, bigger version of Jamison Crowder. — Matthew Davis
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
(ADP: 217.96, WR75)
I loved what I saw on film from Amon-Ra St. Brown in college. Now he finds himself on the Lions, who have a glaring need at WR. St. Brown is a talented do-it-all WR who could see large amounts of volume early and often, at a very cheap draft cost. I’m all in. — Luke Sawhook
Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots
(ADP: 226.86, WR77)
Jakobi Meyers had more ceiling weeks last year than Nelson Agholor and a higher floor, and that was despite no receiving TDs and an awful QB situation. He’s the Pats receiver to target. — Daniel Kelley
Bryan Edwards, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
(ADP: 228.60, WR78)
At WR61 in ADP, Bryan Edwards has massive upside. Edwards has the talent and opportunity to be a weekly WR3 in fantasy. — Derek Brown
Edwards is the potential No. 2 option in Las Vegas and going way lower than that. — Nelson Sousa
Xavier Jones, RB, Los Angeles Rams
(ADP: 234.43, RB65)
Darrell Henderson is a walking injury. — Stefano Vaccarino
Tyrell Williams, WR, Detroit Lions
(ADP: 246.25, WR83)
His ADP on Underdog is currently in the 170s, and it’s even lower in traditional season-long leagues. He’s likely the No. 1 WR in Detroit, a team many expect to play from behind often. I like him more than guys like Tre’Quan Smith in that range if I need a WR. — Benny Ricciardi
Dalton Schultz, TE, Dallas Cowboys
(ADP: 257.62, TE31)
(Why Schultz is a key last-round pick in best ball.)
Finishing with the fifth-most receptions among tight ends last season, Dalton Schultz has outproduced and is younger than Blake Jarwin, who is the presumed starter. He caught 17 of 24 passes from Dak Prescott last year, with 12 of them going for first downs and two going for touchdowns. Going in the last round of drafts, Schultz is free exposure to one of the league’s top offenses and has top-10 tight end upside. — Eliot Crist
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
(ADP: 281.50, WR89)
No one can argue the Houston Texans are an absolute hot mess. But volume is volume. Nico Collins is getting drafted as a complete afterthought. The rookie wideout has a huge opportunity to be the WR2 and threaten Brandin Cooks as WR1. His competition for WR2 is in Chris Conley, which is not a tall order. Collins will see a lot of targets early given the lack of competition. The Texans lost 31.4% of their target share, opening up availability for Collins. No matter who ends up as the QB, they will be forced to throw the ball, only increasing opportunity for their pass catchers. — Stephanie Smalls
Quez Watkins, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
(ADP: 297.72, WR146)
There is no proven NFL talent in the Eagles wide receiver room, and Quez Watkins has been the talk of Eagles training camp. He is a last-round pick who could see significant playing time alongside DeVonta Smith and Jalen Reagor if other WRs continue to not impress — Chris Wecht
