Jeff Ratcliffe's Fantasy Football Post-Hype Sleepers for 2024

There’s a constant ebb and flow in fantasy football, especially when it comes to hype. If last year’s hyped-up player didn’t hit, he’s often discarded by the fantasy masses. They fold their arms, furrow their brows like an angry bird, and say “I’m never going to draft him again.” The result: That player can be drafted at a much cheaper price tag than the year before.

Oftentimes, the football potential that led said player into hype territory is still there the following year, but the fantasy masses no longer have interest. As a result, they slide down the board in ADP, and that’s where we get an advantage. We call these players “post-hype sleepers.” They aren’t sleepers in the traditional sense of the word, but they are being slept on by most fantasy drafters. When your opponents sleep, you can gain an advantage.

Looking to this year’s fantasy football ADP, we have several interesting names who stand out as post-hype sleeper candidates. Before we break down the list, a quick word of caution. Just because they’re on this list doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed for success. There are no guarantees in fantasy football. Rather, these guys still have the potential to deliver favorable fantasy results, and if they hit, the return on draft day investment will be sizeable.

Note: The ADPs in this article were pulled from Sleeper July 31.

Fantasy Football Post-Hype Sleepers for 2024

Cooper Kupp (ADP 4.06, WR22)

Sure, he’s no longer the top target in the Rams’ offense, but Kupp is still going to see plenty of action in a 1 and 1A platoon with Puka Nacua. Reports out of Rams offseason work suggest Kupp is healthy and really stood out in offseason work.

INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 01: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) stands on the sideline during an NFL regular season game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers on January 01, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire) — INGLEWOOD, CA – JANUARY 01: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10) stands on the sideline during an NFL regular season game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers on January 01, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire)

No one expects Kupp to regain his 2021 form, but he’s still more than capable of producing WR2 plus numbers in 2024. And unlike 2023, you don’t have to draft him at pick 2.03 as the seventh wide receiver off the board.

Calvin Ridley (ADP 7.09, WR39)

Wait a minute. Aren’t I the same guy who said Calvin Ridley was overvalued last year? Yep. That’s me. And he was. By the end of fantasy draft season, drafters moved Ridley all the way up to the end of the third round as WR15. He got off to a bumpy start and ended up finishing as WR26 in what ended up being a roller coaster ride of a season.

Ridley switched teams in the offseason and will be playing with a much less proven commodity in Will Levis. Still, the pendulum has swung too far here. Ridley’s downfield speed pairs perfectly with Levis’ propensity to chuck the ball downfield. It’s still going to be a bumpy ride, but Ridley’s weekly ceiling is more than worth a look at this cost.

Kyle Pitts (ADP 6.02, TE6)

Unlike the previous two examples, Pitts is not a post-hype sleeper from last season. In 2023, he was TE7 with an ADP of 6.06, so there’s really no different in his draft stock year-over-year. However, Pitts was a third-round selection in 2022 as the third tight end off the board in fantasy drafts. Infamously, he failed to deliver on that draft position and the angry fantasy crowd gave us a hearty “see, I told you so” after last season’s lackluster fantasy performance.

Those folks still aren’t coming back to Pitts, but the times are a-changing in Atlanta. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has been moving Pitts all around the formation and new quarterback Kirk Cousins has a proven track record of heavily targeting his tight end. Just look to T.J. Hockenson’s production in his time with Cousins in Minnesota. This post-hype sleeper situation took longer to develop, but there’s a lot of value in Pitts at his current ADP.

Trevor Lawrence (ADP 11.05, QB17)

CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 30: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) warms up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals on September 30, 2021, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire) — CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 30: Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) warms up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cincinnati Bengals on September 30, 2021, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

He was the apple of many a fantasy drafter’s eye last year, but Lawrence failed to deliver on the hype. He was QB8 with a price tag of pick 5.07 in 2023 drafts, but only managed to finish as fantasy’s QB12. That isn’t terrible, but it certainly isn’t what people had hoped for when they slapped his sticker on the board on draft day.

Fast forward to this year, and we’re getting him a whopping six rounds cheaper as a late-round quarterback option. And yes, Calvin Ridley is gone, but the team brought in two downfield play makers in Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas. Lawrence still may not reach the heights some expected of him last season, but he screams value at this overreaction of an ADP.

Tony Pollard (ADP 7.11, RB25)

So, yeah. The Titans are being undervalued right now. Pollard came over from Dallas, where he served as the lead back last season. In that role, he racked up 307 touches, which was sixth-most in the league. At the same time, he turned those touches into a disappointing RB14 fantasy finish. Again, not terrible, but he was drafted as RB8 at pick 2.04.

He’ll get a crack at redemption in Tennessee, though he will be in a timeshare with Tajae Spears. The two are very similar players, though Pollard certainly has the edge when it comes to experience. He’s posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and caught an impressive 55 balls last season. He also comes with a cost-effective price tag as a Zero/Hero RB target.