Fantasy football may not truly get underway until Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season kicks off, but with drafts in full swing right now, managers need to get their draft boards set ahead of time, assuming they haven't happened already. Having a plan of attack heading into your draft could be the difference between a winning and losing season.
Of course, it's tough not to get enamored with the first few picks you have in your draft, as typically speaking, those guys will be the top contributors on your squad. But in the later rounds, there is tons of value to be had, particularly in the wide receiver department, where there are a ton of sleeper picks who could end up becoming key contributors at some point this year.
Identifying sleepers that your opponents aren't aware of can give fantasy managers a massive advantage when it comes to the draft. Rather than looking at guys who will surely be available on the waiver wire afterwards, we will pick out the top five sleepers who are getting overlooked in the draft right now. So without further ado, let's dive into the list.
5. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Addison was only recently selected in the 2023 NFL Draft with the 23rd overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings, but he might be in the perfect spot to enjoy a breakout campaign in Minnesota as a rookie. Lining up alongside Justin Jefferson, Addison will be going up against single coverage out of the slot all season long, and while Jefferson is going to draw the lion's share of the targets, Addison lurks as a sneaky good fantasy option, despite being a rookie.
In an offense that also features the likes of T.J. Hockenson, K.J. Osborn, and Alexander Mattison, there will be a lot of competition for touches in the Vikings offense. He almost certainly won't be picked until the later rounds of the draft, but if Addison is hanging around at that point, he could be a fantastic guy to store on your bench in early weeks, because if he gets comfortable early, he's going to be an explosive playmaker for Minnesota.
4. Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
Well, somebody has to emerge as Patrick Mahomes' top wide receiver target, and Kadarius Toney seems like the best bet to do so. Toney has struggled with availability issues early on in his career, and is even dealing with a knee injury during training camp, but he is expected to be good to go for Week 1 of the season, and he is in the perfect offense to allow him to excel as a top-tier fantasy football wide receiver.
Similar to Addison, Toney shouldn't be taken until the end of your drafts, but his upside with Mahomes and the Chiefs is sky high. Toney will be competing for touches at wide receiver with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore, and while Travis Kelce will get a ton of targets as well, he can't do everything on his own. If Toney can stay on the field, he has a ton of potential to be one of the steals of the draft for fantasy football owners this year.
3. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
For our discussion on the best fantasy football breakout and sleeper candidates, listen below:
The Washington Commanders offense was a bit of a mess last year, and even heading into the 2023 season, there are still some question marks, chief among them being quarterback Sam Howell. Despite that, Jahan Dotson remains one of the most underrated wide receivers heading into the season, and if Washington's offense can move the ball, chances are Dotson will be in line for a big season.
Dotson enters 2023 as the clear cut number two receiver behind Terry McLaurin, but the pair will likely split the majority of the Commanders targets on the year. Dotson posted decent numbers as a rookie (35 REC, 523 YDS, 7 TD) and if he can take the step forward that is expected of him, he will almost certainly be one of best value picks at wide receiver this year.
2. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Rashod Bateman is a bit of a forgotten man at wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, but he's still arguably their top wideout heading into the season. Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers are drawing a ton of attention, but when he's able to suit up, Bateman has proven to be the explosive target that can take the top off of opposing defenses and help open things up for Lamar Jackson under center.
Mark Andrews also lurks as a guy who will eat into Bateman's target share, but Bateman has a lot of help this season after being virtually on his own last year. Bateman has been getting overlooked by fantasy football managers for months now, but his familiarity with Jackson may just be crucial in allowing him to put together a breakout campaign.
1. Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
When you miss over a year-and-a-half of football, chances are people will forget about you, and that's the case with Calvin Ridley. The thing is, Ridley finds himself on one of the top up-and-coming offenses in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he could end up becoming the top pass-catching option for Trevor Lawrence immediately.
Ridley was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL during his last full season in the NFL back in 2020 (90 REC, 1374 YDS, 9 TD), and while he may be a bit rusty early on, there's no doubt he should be able to reach some big heights with his new team in 2023. Ridley isn't one of the first wide receiver options you will find available this year, but when the season's over, he may just find himself back in the top wide receiver conversation that he was in before his lengthy absence.
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