20 fantasy football sleepers experts love to draft (2026)

When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football sleepers below. And check out all of the fantasy football sleepers experts love in our consensus sleeper rankings.

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Fantasy Football Sleepers Experts Draft

Here are fantasy football sleepers the experts love to target in drafts.

Who are Fantasy Football Sleepers?

Fantasy football sleepers are players who have a strong chance to exceed expectations and become surprise difference-makers for fantasy managers.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running Backs

Jonah Coleman walks into the Denver depth chart as the RB3 with the ability to climb the depth chart. If J.K. Dobbins is unable to stay healthy this year, Coleman could assume the early down duties opposite R.J. Harvey. If Harvey can’t continue to grow and improve after his rookie season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Coleman hop Harvey on the depth chart and become the passing-down option for Denver. Over his last three collegiate seasons, Coleman ranked 54th, 13th, and 1st in yards after contact per attempt and 61st, sixth, and fourth in elusive rating (per PFF). In two of those three seasons, he was also top 24 in yards per route run. Coleman is a wonderful late-round dart to toss in fantasy drafts in 2026.

Zach Charbonnet enters 2026 with an unknown timetable for when he’ll be available for Seattle or when he’ll be 100% after he tore his ACL in last year’s playoffs. With Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson, and George Holani on the depth chart, I doubt that Seattle rushes him back into duty and tasks him with a hefty workload before he’s ready. This unknown/moving timeline has me shying away from Charbonnet for 2026. Last year, he was the RB27 in fantasy points per game, while ranking seventh in missed tackle rate and yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Take those numbers with a grain of salt for this season, with Charbonnet’s health likely not 100% for most of the season. Charbonnet could be a decent flex play this season at some point.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide Receivers

Jalen McMillan’s 2025 season was essentially wiped out by injury, but the flashes he showed in limited action and previously as a rookie — remain intriguing. The former Washington product continued to post strong efficiency metrics when healthy, highlighted by a huge Week 17 performance and over 2.0 yards per route run in a small sample. The issue has never really been talent; it has been availability. McMillan remains an upside stash in deeper formats, but fantasy managers need to factor in the growing injury concerns entering Year 3.

Antonio Williams is a sneaky Day 2 value who projects into an immediate slot role in Washington’s offense. The former Clemson standout broke out at 19 and has consistently flashed strong efficiency (2.27 YPRR in 2025) despite battling injuries and an underwhelming team environment. With Deebo Samuel gone and the Commanders ranking top-3 in vacated targets, there’s a clear path to volume behind Terry McLaurin. Williams’ slot-heavy usage, versatility on special teams, and strong production profile make him a strong late-round sleeper in PPR formats.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough is a wonderful late-round quarterback who could be a QB1 in 2026. Last year, in Weeks 12-18, Shough was the QB6 in fantasy points per game while averaging 25 rushing yards per game. That rushing yardage mark per game would have placed him at 12th-best last year had he kept it up for the entire season. In Weeks 12-18, among 30 qualifying quarterbacks, Shough was 12th in yards per attempt and highly accurate throw rate, ninth in hero throw rate, and seventh in passing yards per game (per Fantasy Points Data). With Travis Etienne, Bryce Lance, Oscar Delp, and Jordyn Tyson added to the offensive firepower this offseason, I expect the Saints offense to take another leap this season if Shough is up to the task, which his strong finish to last season says he is primed for.

Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight Ends

Greg Dulcich could be THE late-round tight end to draft in 2026. Last year, he was absolutely awesome when on the field. Among 59 qualifying tight ends, he was fifth in target-per-route-run rate (24%), second in yards per route run (2.64) and yards after the catch per reception (7.69), fifth in first downs per route run (0.110), and sixth in fantasy points per route run (0.50, per Fantasy Points Data). Miami is starved for capable pass catchers for Malik Willis, and with only Will Kacmarek, Seydou Traore, and Ben Sims behind him on the tight end depth chart, Dulcich should be the Dolphins’ every-down tight end. I won’t be surprised if he finishes the season as a TE1.