Over here at BellyUp Sports, we’re in full gear because fantasy football drafts are right around the corner! We’re here to help you get a leg up on the competition before Draft Day. InGoldWeTrust gets you ready for your fantasy draft with 3 sleepers at every position that can be drafted in the later rounds.

Why Sleepers Are Crucial

Sleepers are so crucial because they are low-risk investments that can potentially yield very high rewards. When you draft a stud like Derrick Henry or Christian McCaffrey in the first round, you expect monster numbers. What you don’t expect, however, is getting WR1/WR2 numbers from Justin Jefferson or Chase Claypool, who were both picked up much later in the draft than elite WRs like Julio Jones and Davante Adams. That amount of production from a player drafted in the later rounds is like finding a diamond in the rough. So without further ado, on to the good stuff. Here are three potential 2021 sleepers at every position.

Quarterback Sleepers

It can be difficult to find sleeper QBs because the number of starting quarterbacks is limited. With only 30 starting QBS and most teams grabbing at least 2, the remaining options are slim. That doesn’t mean you can’t grab a great QB later on in the draft. This allows you to use some early draft capital on an elite RB or WR.

One great option that may be able to be grabbed later on in drafts is Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill quietly put up Patrick Mahomes type numbers last year. All while playing on a run-heavy Tennessee Titans team. The same team that upgraded their receiving corps this offseason with the addition of future Hall of Famer Julio Jones. The addition of Julio Jones adds a big body receiver for Tannehill to line up across from the electric A.J. Brown, which should open the field up for both of them. Derrick Henry should continue his stellar play running the ball, which will only open things up further for Ryan Tannehill.. Tannehill could end up a top 10 QB by the end of the season making him a prime potential sleeper.

Another QB I like that can be snagged later in the draft is Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins is not an elite QB by any means, but the guy likes to throw. Justin Jefferson looks to be the real deal. Dalvin Cook is still a stud and similar to the Titans, the Minnesota Vikings are going to look to use Dalvin Cook to open up the passing game. There are not many duos better for a QB to throw to than Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. These guys will get open. The Vikings will get in some shootouts so I can see Kirk going off for 2 TDs and 300+ yards.

My final QB sleeper is Matthew Stafford. I know, I know. You’ve ridden the Stafford rollercoaster before, but not this one. Not with Sean Mcvay at the helm. Stafford is Stafford. He likes to throw and he has the ability to extend plays. With a few good slot receivers like Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods, I think he’s a lock for 250+ yards and 2 TDs a game.

Running Back Sleepers

RB sleepers are without a doubt, the most valuable in my opinion. There’s very few legitimate bell-cow running backs and even less that can catch. Enter D’andre Swift with a starting role and things get interesting for me. Last year, the Lions never gave him the usage that he deserved. They should have. Swift is a strong pass-catcher and showed flashes of greatness when his number was called. His ceiling was stifled by the likes of Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson. Well, the competition is no longer there this year and with a new QB in Jared Goff, I think the Lions will lean heavily on their running game and when Goff feels the pressure, he’s going to dump the ball to Swift a ton. Get him everywhere you can!

Another sleeper for me here is Najee Harris for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I know it’s early, but he looked great in the Hall of Fame game. Harris looked every bit a 3 down running back in my eyes. He’s got speed, elusiveness, and the ability to make space in the open field. That position is still up for grabs in Steel City. I could see Harris working himself into a full-time role by mid-season. He’s someone that you could grab late and If he takes lead duties over, you’ll be glad he’s on your team!

My final sleeper is James Robinson for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Without a doubt, there will be leagues with owners who had him last year that will snatch him up early. In drafts where he falls, snatch him up. James Robinson made a huge impact last year. Add in 5-star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and all of a sudden, the Jaguars have a passing game. Defenses are going to have to account for Lawrence, which should open up the field for Robinson. He should also catch a lot of balls out of the backfield when Lawrence needs a quick dump.

Wide Receiver Sleepers

My first sleeper at WR is Brandon Aiyuk for the San Francisco 49ers. I got Aiyuk in as many leagues as I could last year and he won me a few games. He is a strong receiver that can go up and get balls. If it wasn’t for a few run-ins with Covid protocols last year, he would’ve been a top 25 WR. With another year under his belt and a healthy George Kittle, Aiyuk will see a lot of balls thrown his way and can be grabbed after the first few rounds.

CeeDee Lamb is my next WR sleeper. CeeDee Lamb is a stud. He looked great last year and I think he would have posted monster numbers if Dak Prescott didn’t get hurt. Lamb is quick and a strong route runner. Watch for CeeDee to take the WR1 spot early in the season and Dak will look to him a ton! I think the Cowboys have a bounce-back year and Lamb ends up a top 25 WR.

My final WR sleeper is D.J. Chark. Chark had a ton of hype last year but just didn’t deliver. He dealt with some injuries and subpar quarterback play that kept him from making a big impact. That changes this year. Trevor Lawrence will make a statement this season and Chark will be a huge beneficiary. I’m grabbing Chark in the later rounds everywhere that I can and locking him into my flex spot with confidence.

TE Sleepers

Dallas Goedert is a TE that you can wait on in the draft and still get great value. It has been all Zach Ertz for a while in Philadelphia, but this year it’s going to be the Dallas Goedert show. If it wasn’t for injury, he would’ve been a TE on everyone’s radar. He will be the TE1 in Philadelphia this year and will act as the safety valve. Look to him to consistently put on top 10 numbers on a weekly basis.

Last year was somewhat of a disappointment for Jonnu Smith. He’s an extremely talented tight end, but he battled injuries and had trouble finding separation when running routes. I think he’ll bounce back this year. Don’t be scared by the Patriots adding Hunter Henry as well. They both got paid to play and Bill Belichick will integrate both of them into his system. The Patriots WR corps is nothing special so they will end up running a lot of two TE sets. Smith will get looks. With his end zone prowess, those looks may just translate to fantasy points. I think Smith can be trusted to get 3 or 4 catches for 50 or 60 yards a game. Throw in a TD or two, and Smith may just win you some games this year.

My final sleeper at TE is Anthony Firkser. With Jonnu Smith going to the New England Patriots, Firkser will be the #1 tight end. There is a lot of mouths to feed in Tennessee this year, but I think everybody eats. Firkser will get a lot of play-action looks. He should be a guy that you can draft late and get a lot of value from.

Defense/Special Teams Sleepers

I’m all for streaming defenses to prioritize other positions like QB, RB, and WR. If you follow this strategy, a good sleeper defense to pick up is the Cleveland Browns. The Cleveland Browns are tough and with a running back tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, the Browns should keep offenses off the field enough for the Browns defense to score consistent points.

Another good sleeper defense that you could pick up late is the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were quietly a top 10 defense last year and were a consistent option week to week. They were among the league leaders in points against, interceptions, and fumble recoveries. The addition of 1st round pass rusher Jaelen Phillips should keep them as a defense you can trust.

The Denver Broncos are my final sleeper defense. They had a down year last year with injuries, but with a healthy Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, they will get after passers this year and should have a healthy number of sacks by the end of the year. Their secondary made up of Justin Simmons and veteran Kareem Jackson is one of the stronger units in the league. Drafting Patrick Surtain with their first overall pick should further boost this defense. They should be a team that you could pick up late and get some good value from.

Kickers

Similar to defenses, kickers are often streamed or picked up with one of the final draft picks. I’m totally fine with that. Without a doubt, players will reach and grab someone like Justin Tucker early, but I would advise against that. I’m waiting until the end and my first choice would be Joey Slye from the Carolina Panthers. Slye has a huge leg and plays for a Panthers team that can move the ball, but struggles to score. I think Slye will get plenty of opportunities including some 50+ yarders that should translate to solid fantasy points.

My next sleeper kicker would be Indianapolis Colts K Rodrigo Blankenship. Unlike me, Rodrigo actually wears his glasses and is an accurate kicker with a decent leg. He is also part of an offense that can struggle getting touchdowns. Blankenship also has the benefit of playing in a dome so he should be a consistent fantasy scorer.

My final kicker sleeper is Ryan Succop for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Succop is a veteran who comes through when needed. He will benefit from a high-powered Buccaneers offense that will put points on the board. He is reliable enough to be a solid starter that you can pick up at the end of drafts.

Choose Wisely

Draft choices are crucial so grab these sleepers late where you can and get them in your lineups. Draft day is approaching quickly. Make sure to follow @InGoldWeTrust and @BellyUpfantasy on Twitter, Instagram, and BellyUp Fantasy Sports for all your fantasy needs. We will be breaking down every team, every position, and every player to give you an advantage over the competition.