The most important thing in the earliest parts of your pre-season prep is knowing which sleeper players to keep an eye on. These are guys that can give you great value late into a season and can usually be drafted late into a draft.
This means you can focus on your high-priority draft picks in the early rounds and then hit your sleepers in the late rounds.
Austin Hooper, Tight End
Hooper, who plays for the Falcons, has a stellar 76.7% snap rate and 390 routes run, making him a solid newcomer to the Atlanta team.
Rico Gathers, Tight End
Keep an eye out for this Dallas player. While rumor has it the front office for the Cowboys isn’t enamored with this player, he had a fantastic preseason last year. Gathers posted 7-106-2 on 89 snaps in the preseason, making him a standout for Dallas.
Jake Butt, Tight End
Butt was set to be second for the Broncos as tight end in his rookie season, but he tore his ACL and spent that season on the bench. He’s healthy and ready to rock and may even start for the Broncos. Keep an eye on this guy.
Erik Swoop, Tight End
While Swoop was out of action last season due to a knee injury, he’s a player worth watching this season. Swoop plays for the Colts and was a very productive tight end for them in the 2016 season. Expect to see him start as 3rd and likely escalate throughout the season.
Peyton Barber, Running Back
Barber, playing for the Bucks, has been pushed back to the 13th round draft pick. That’s odd, given his stats: he’s a solid running back and will likely overperform from his low pick rating.
Joe Williams, Running Back
Williams posted 160.0 ADP before his ankle injury took him out last season. While he’s not high in the pick rate this season, he shouldn’t be discounted early. Keep an eye on this player this preseason: he shouldn’t be too far off from his great performance last season.
Geronimo Allison, Wide Receiver
In week 3 in 2017 Allison went 6-122 on eight targets, his most notable flash of greatness in recent memory. He may take the 3rd slot on the Packers team depending on how some of his teammates shape up.
Demarcus Robinson, Wide Receiver
Robinson, playing for the Chiefs, is a player worth watching in the pre-season. He’s largely untested but looks promising in this early stage. He’s a worthy bet in the mid- to late-stages of your draft.
John Brown, Wide Receiver
Brown plays for the Ravens and is an excellent sleeper pick. He boasts an 82.2% snap rate, 65 catches and 1003 receiving yards.
Curtis Samuel, Wide Receiver
Playing for the Panthers, Samuel’s impressive stats include 4.31 40-yard dash, which is what we’d call “Next Man Speed.” He’s got a 65.1% snap rate, and easily earns a spot as sleeper pick.
Jeff Janis, Wide Receiver
This wide receiver, playing for the Browns, has had an impressive first few seasons. He’s posted an average of 4.4-2.7-43.1, making him a solid value draft pick in the late draft.
