Fantasy football may not officially begin until Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season, but because drafts are currently in full gear, managers should prepare their draught boards in advance, provided they haven’t already. An effective draft plan could mean the difference between a winning and losing campaign.
Fantasy managers can have a huge advantage in the draft by spotting sleepers that their rivals are unaware of. We will choose the top five sleepers who are currently being neglected in the draught rather than focusing on players who are certain to be available on the waiver wire following the draft. So let’s get started with the list right away.
1. Calvin Ridley, Jaguars of Jacksonville
Calvin Ridley experienced this after missing more than a year and a half of football, which increases the likelihood that people will forget about him. The problem is that Ridley is a part of one of the NFL’s top up-and-coming offenses with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he might wind up replacing Trevor Lawrence as the best pass-catcher right away.
While Ridley may be a little rusty at first, there’s no doubt he should be able to achieve some major heights with his new team in 2023. Ridley was one of the finest wide receivers in the NFL during his final full season there back in 2020 (90 REC, 1374 YDS, 9 TD). When the season is done, Ridley might well find himself back in the top wide receiver conversation that he was in before his lengthy absence, even though he isn’t one of the first wide receiver alternatives you will discover available this year.
2. Baltimore Ravens’ Rashod Bateman
Although the Baltimore Ravens’ wide out Rashod Bateman sometimes gets overlooked, he begins the season as probably their best wide receiver. While Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. are getting a lot of attention, Bateman has shown to be the explosive target who can overwhelm rival defences and free up space for Lamar Jackson to play in the pocket.
Mark Andrews is another potential threat to Bateman’s target share, but this season, Bateman has a lot of support after last year’s nearly solo campaign. For months, fantasy football managers have been ignoring Bateman. However, his familiarity with Jackson might be the key to helping him have a breakthrough season.
3. Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Even going into the 2023 season, there are still several unresolved issues regarding the Washington Commanders offence, with quarterback Sam Howell being the biggest one. Jahan Dotson, despite everything, is still one of the most underappreciated wide receivers going into the season, and if Washington’s offence can move the ball, Dotson probably has a good chance of having a huge year.
Dotson is going to follow Terry McLaurin as the number two receiver in 2023, but the two will probably share the Commanders targets for the season. Dotson had respectable rookie numbers (35 REC, 523 YDS, 7 TD), and if he can make the progress that is expected of him, he will unquestionably be one of the greatest value picks at wide receiver this year.
4. Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
It seems like Kadarius Toney is the strongest candidate to become Patrick Mahomes’ primary wide receiver target. Toney has had availability concerns in the past and has even dealt with a knee illness during training camp, but he is anticipated to be fully healthy for Week 1 of the season and is in the ideal offence for him to succeed as a top-tier wide receiver in fantasy football.
Toney, like Addison, should wait until the very end of your drafts, but he has great upside with Mahomes and the Chiefs. Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore will be fighting with Toney for touches at wide receiver, and even though Travis Kelce will see a lot of targets, he can’t do everything by himself. Toney has a great chance to be one of the steals of the drafts for fantasy football owners this year if he can stay on the field.
5. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Addison was only recently chosen by the Minnesota Vikings with the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draught, but he could be in line for a big season in Minnesota as a rookie. The rookie Addison will line up next to Justin Jefferson, facing single coverage out of the slot the whole season. While Jefferson will receive the majority of targets, Addison lurks as a sneaky good fantasy option.
There will be fierce competition for touches in the Vikings offence with players like T.J. Hockenson, K.J. Osborn, and Alexander Mattison also present. He will most likely not be selected until later in the draught, but if Addison is still available at that time, he might be a great player to keep on your bench in the early going since, if he settles in quickly, he will be a dynamic playmaker for Minnesota.