De’Zhaun Stribling, Jaydon Blue and more 2026 fantasy football sleepers
In the year 2026, fantasy football sleepers are hard to find … if they even exist at all. We know the term is overused and not clearly defined, but “undervalued players” just doesn’t have the same ring. After all, do we consider a fifth-rounder with second-round upside a sleeper? Are players with double-digit round costs the only ones who qualify? Should the player have never previously posted a big season? Well, that’s the good thing about our staff sleepers — the staff was free to define it as they wished, so we have a nice variation within our collection of 2026 fantasy football sleepers, including three from me — a popular name, one closer to sleeper status, and another flier pick you shouldn’t overlook.
Quarterback
Malik Willis, QB, MIA
After everything we’ve learned regarding the importance of QB rushing floors, Willis still gets treated as an afterthought — yet he’s arguably the position’s best runner. What gives? Seventy percent of top-10 fantasy QBs over the past two years ran for over 20 yards per game. Check. And regardless of surrounding talent, Willis is a potentially far better passer than Justin Fields, who’s also a similar archetype and has gone off draft boards significantly earlier in years past. Willis ranked as fantasy’s QB6 over two weeks as a starter in 2025 despite having the 20th-most passing yards in that same timeframe. Sure, the sample is small, but the ceiling case is obvious, plus the cost is low. — John Laghezza
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Running backs
Rachaad White, RB, WAS
White has significantly outperformed his ADP in three of his four NFL seasons, and the one year he didn’t (2024, when Bucky Irving arrived on the scene), he still managed an RB22 PPR finish despite Irving taking the lead. In Washington, he’ll be reunited with QB Jayden Daniels (two seasons together at ASU) and will be vying for touches with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who caught nine passes as a rookie — White is the only RB to have 40+ catches in each of the past four seasons. White has never finished outside the top-36 RBs in PPR formats, and I expect he’ll land inside that range again, making his RB46 ADP a steal. — Brandon Funston
Chris Rodriguez, RB, JAX
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is a genius at tailoring work to the talents of his running backs. He did this with Rodriguez at Kentucky in 2021, and it led to 1,440 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns. Coen wants to build a thunder-lightning platoon, with Rodriguez as the thunder and Bhayshul Tuten as the lightning. That will lead to a 50/50 work split. Rodriguez also has underrated breakaway ability, ranking 25th out of 49 qualifiers last season in my new breakaway yards per carry metric. Add in a lot of goal-line work, and Rodriguez is a potential RB2 being currently picked as an RB4. — KC Joyner
Jaydon Blue, RB, DAL
Blue impressed during a brief audition in Week 18 last season before Dallas removed the rest of its starters. He’s carried over that momentum into an offseason in which he’s received nothing but praise from the Cowboys’ coaching staff. Blue recorded 14 touchdowns during his final year in college, and he offers an explosive element otherwise missing in Dallas’ backfield. It’s a Cowboys’ offense that routinely finishes among the league leaders in plays, so it’s one of the friendliest fantasy environments.
Blue will be active as a receiver, and he’ll benefit from Klayton Adams’ system and defenses focusing on stopping two star wide receivers. Phil Mafah would see plenty of work should Javonte Williams go down, but Blue’s situation gives him big fantasy upside. Blue’s ADP was dirt cheap most of the summer, but it’s been climbing thanks to some training camp hype. — Dalton Del Don
Wide receivers
Josh Downs, WR, IND
His ADP is outside the top 100, which is rare for a receiver who has the potential to be No. 1 on his team. All reports from camp indicate that Daniel Jones is healthy and as good as ever. Michael Pittman’s exit to Pittsburgh freed up over 100 targets and a 20% share of the team’s targets. While Alec Pierce will demand Jones’ attention, the newly paid receiver enters camp nursing an injury. In 2024, Downs averaged 13.1 PPR points with a 21.7% target share. If he has similar numbers this season, he’ll provide a nice return on investment — unless the Colts sign free-agent WR Keenan Allen, which could change Downs’ prospects, especially if Pierce is ready for the start of the season. — Jess Bryant
Jalen Nailor, WR, LV
Nailor is living his best life — despite never having 450 receiving yards in a season over four years in Minnesota, Nailor got $35 million and change over three years with $23 million in guarantees from the Raiders. Given the state of the wide receiver room in Sin City (Which is, um, better than Miami, I guess?), Nailor isn’t making that money to be “a guy.” He’s making it to be “the guy.”
To be clear, Brock Bowers should be the top option in the Raiders’ passing game. But Nailor should also be the No. 1 wide receiver in Vegas in terms of targets. He has 10 touchdowns in the past two years on just 95 targets. And he played with Kirk Cousins for two years in the Twin Cities. With an ADP in the 13th round of 12-team leagues, Nailor is a free weekly starter. Free is good. — Gary Davenport
De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, SF
Powerstation conspiracy theorists will flip their grid (Dad jokes!) over this selection, but burying the injury downside, the rookie could pump the wattage in Year 1. Throughout camp he’s routinely twisted onlooker heads, showcasing plus versatility and explosiveness. Savvy veterans Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel will command target share with Ricky Pearsall unplugged, but it’s conceivable Stribling commands 5+ targets per game. Given his well-built frame (6-foot-2, 207 pounds), blazing wheels (4.36 40-yard), and expansive route tree, the youngster is destined to be a Brock Purdy favorite. A final receiving line around 70-800-5 is entirely buyable. Still consistently going well after No. 150 overall in early drafts, Stribling is a solid late-round buy. — Brad Evans
Tight ends
Chig Okonkwo, TE, WAS
Okonkwo is entering his fifth consecutive season as a fantasy sleeper and his first with a team that isn’t the Titans, so he is very much on the Jared Cook plan — and, hey, it eventually worked out for Cook.
Okonkwo was stuck in a dreadful offensive environment for the first four years of his NFL career, catching passes from Will Levis, Mason Rudolph, end-stage Ryan Tannehill and early-stage Cam Ward. He landed in Washington in free agency, which means a significant upgrade in QB quality. Okonkwo is now competing for targets in a thin receiving corps, and he’s been a buzzy player in the opening week of camp. He’s a lock to set career highs in targets and receptions in 2026, assuming good health. Even with Stefon Diggs recently signing with Washington, there will be plenty of opportunities to go around. If end-stage Diggs is the X-factor that detonates Oknonkwo’s value, then he was never worth rostering. — Andy Behrens
Juwan Johnson, TE, NO
What if Tyler Shough is as good as he looked in the second half of 2025 when he was the No. 10 fantasy QB? Johnson was TE8 in that span — Weeks 10-18 (PPR fantasy points per game). Johnson’s 143 routes on third down were the sixth most at TE. He was eighth in total routes run and fifth in expected points added per target (min. 20 targets). And he did his scoring while being basically a zero in the red zone and end zone, which seems like a fluke. So I’m very comfortable with him being a top-10 TE, and he’s a great value at TE19 so far in August (NFFC drafts). — Michael Salfino
My Sleepers
Seems obvious
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, JAX: Coming from someone who thought many teams might view Tuten as a pure timeshare piece, I was happy to see a perfect marriage of skill and fit with the Jaguars drafting him. Admittedly, I did not think he was a threat to Travis Etienne as a rookie, but as you know, the man formerly known as ETN is in New Orleans now. While the Jaguars added Chris Rodriguez, he’s a complementary piece, not a true threat. Tuten’s skill matches what Liam Coen looks for, and he’s more explosive than both Bucs running backs under Coen in 2024. Additionally, for the concern of goal-line touchdowns, all five of Tuten’s rushing touchdowns were from the goal line. In fact, his 71.4% conversion rate was only behind Rico Dowdle’s 75.0% mark for players with 5+ goal-line attempts. Tuten has RB1 upside and likely has an RB2 floor, and best yet, he currently sits at a fringe RB2 cost. It will be fun to watch this play out, with Joyner (Rodriguez sleeper pick) and me advocating for opposite sides of this backfield.
A bit deeper
Jalen Coker, WR, CAR: This became clearer with the Chris Brazzell injury, which actually does more to save Xavier Legette’s job. His sleeper status was pretty clear when the Panthers gave Coker a contract extension despite having no pressure to do so. As I like to say, “Pay attention to what teams are telling us.” The Panthers essentially told us that Coker would be their No. 2 wideout this year. Coker is in the big slot mold with quick short-area speed, making him highly adept at exploiting zone coverage. Coker had a quiet two seasons to start his career, but it was clear to most that from Week 11 through the Panthers’ wild-card game that Coker was already Carolina’s second-best receiver. The main issue preventing Coker from ranking higher or being on everyone’s breakout list for WR3-plus value is his quarterback. If Bryce Young can show some consistency and put up a 3,500-yard, 25-touchdown season, then 100+ targets heading Coker’s way will turn into at least 800 yards and five touchdowns, or exactly what it takes to finish around WR30-35 most years.
Lotto ticket
Jalen McMillan, WR, TB: Believing in Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin doesn’t prevent the excitement potential for McMillan. Let’s not forget his team-leading nine targets, seven receptions and 114 receiving yards in Week 17 last year. That was with Mike Evans and Godwin playing. And while Egbuka was likely out there at less than 100%, Baker Mayfield and the offensive line weren’t 100% either. Those two things point to a rebound season for Mayfield. And the arrival of Zac Robinson as the offensive coordinator should also help — he loves three-wideout formations and pre-snap movement. It’s not out of the question for McMillan to have WR5 value with everyone staying healthy. If Egbuka or Godwin misses time, or even if Godwin doesn’t regain his form, McMillan would have WR3 upside. Don’t forget, he was putting up great numbers and in the conversation with his teammate, Rome Odunze, at Washington before his injury in 2023.