The NFL regular season is almost here, which means it’s time for Pro Football Fantasy draft players to get their list of players ready.
Here is a look at the top 5 fantasy sleepers to look out for this draft season:
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Josh Downs won the Indianapolis Colts‘ slot receiving job in the 2023 preseason after getting drafted in the third round of the 2023 draft. Downs played at least 70% of Indianapolis's offensive snaps over the first eight weeks. A high target rate led him to rank 30th among fantasy wide receivers over the first eight weeks. He had the 17th-most receptions for the 27th-most yards, as reported by PFF. Despite suffering a knee injury that left him in a questionable state for two weeks and multiple other injuries since, Downs remains a good option to consider.
QB JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, JJ McCarthy was forced to sit out the entirety of last season due to an injury. This season, however, he is in a much stronger position with wide receiver Justin Jefferson and head coach Kevin O’Connell on his wing. Drafting him somewhere around the 12th round or later would appear to be a favourable option.
RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders
After spending four seasons as a running back for Alabama State, Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s transfer to New Mexico in 2023, along with significant improvement in running and passing, earned him a decent grade. He transferred to Arizona in 2024 and played one game, but an eligibility issue arose, which made him no longer eligible. He looked great on a relatively small sample, albeit against his former team, New Mexico. He played in the Shrine Bowl, gaining 97 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns, as reported by PFF. All this occurred before he ultimately found his place with the Washington Commanders and made his way through last season’s crowded back room.
RB JK Dobbins, Denver Broncos
{{/usCountry}}After spending four seasons as a running back for Alabama State, Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s transfer to New Mexico in 2023, along with significant improvement in running and passing, earned him a decent grade. He transferred to Arizona in 2024 and played one game, but an eligibility issue arose, which made him no longer eligible. He looked great on a relatively small sample, albeit against his former team, New Mexico. He played in the Shrine Bowl, gaining 97 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns, as reported by PFF. All this occurred before he ultimately found his place with the Washington Commanders and made his way through last season’s crowded back room.
RB JK Dobbins, Denver Broncos
{{/usCountry}}Listed top of the Denver Broncos’ unofficial depth chart, Dobbins remains a few rounds behind his rookie teammate, RJ Harvey. “Dobbins' main issue has been health (thanks to a series of injuries, he's appeared in just 37 games over five NFL seasons), not production (his career yards-per-carry mark is 5.2). Dobbins shocked fantasy managers last season, proving he could still be an efficient rusher by finishing as the RB18 in average scoring while serving as the Chargers' lead back,” writes Michelle Magdziuk on the official NFL website. “Don't forget that he scored nine rushing touchdowns in just 13 games in 2024. And at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, he has a larger frame than Harvey (5-8, 205 pounds), which should better position him for the physical workload that comes with snaps around the end zone.
WR Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Drafted 19th overall out of Ohio State to one of the league’s finest offense divisions, Emeka Egbuka is an all-rounder in all aspects. With Baker Mayfield recently calling him “the real deal”, Egbuka has a chance to rise to glory given Chris Godwin’s Week 1 unavailability due to injury.
By Stuti Gupta