We’re still in the early stages of the 2024 NFL season. Yet, in a sport as volatile as football, every week presents a new opportunity. Rather than remaining complacent, savvy managers should be trying to find hidden gems. As we enter Week 2, here are some sleepers that could help you win your DraftKings DFS matchup, your season-long matchup, or even help build towards a fantasy championship.
Top Fantasy Football Sleepers
RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DraftKings DFS $4,900)
Rachaad White was a true RB1 last season, but it was due more to volume than ability; he led the NFL in touches despite a meager 3.6 yards per carry.
The Bucs were aware of this and drafted Irving in the third round to complement their starting running back. White had another inefficient performance on the ground Sunday against Washington (15 carries for 31 yards), but Irving managed to rack up 62 rushing yards on just nine carries.
Facing the Lions in Week 2 is no easy task; they had the second-best run defense in football last season. Still, Todd Bowles is clearly willing to make Tampa’s backfield more of a committee this year. On a playoff-quality offense led by Baker Mayfield, the same quarterback who fed both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt in Cleveland, there’s a strong chance that Irving enters flex territory sooner rather than later.
WR Adonai Mitchell, Indianapolis Colts (DraftKings DFS $4,000)
We go from one rookie to another. A star at Texas, Mitchell was one of the higher-profile prospects drafted on Day 2 when the Colts selected him in the second round.
After Josh Downs was ruled out of last week’s game against the Texans, there was hope that an instant connection could form between the neophyte and Anthony Richardson. That wasn’t the case; Mitchell only snagged one catch for five yards.
On paper, Sunday was not much to get managers excited, but look a little closer. Richardson may have a cannon for an arm, but accuracy issues prevented him from connecting with Mitchell on three different occasions, including what would have been a wide-open touchdown:
Downs might return this week, but that alone isn’t enough reason to sleep on a more talented receiver. The Colts have the potential to become an elite passing offense; Mitchell deserves another week or two on your roster.
WR Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants (DraftKings DFS $4,300)
This isn’t exactly an under the radar pick; Robinson is one of the trendier Week 2 waiver wire targets. Yet, it still feels like he should be rostered on closer to 50% of teams, rather than 14%.
Part of the hesitation many managers might have is Robinson’s role on a Daniel Jones-led offense, and that is understandable. The Giants looked so feeble on Sunday against the Vikings that it’s impossible to say with confidence that any New York receiver (other than Malik Nabers) can offer consistent production.
However, if any wideout can carve out a meaningful role, it’s Robinson. The former second-round pick was one of the few Giants standouts last week, hauling in six catches (12 targets) for 44 yards. Despite New York’s fear of throwing the ball deep, Robinson’s ability out of the slot offers a much-needed safety blanket for Jones.
With Nabers limited in practice this week, Robinson could be in store for a big game against Washington’s porous secondary. The time to snag this potential flex option is now.
WR Tyler Johnson, Los Angeles Rams (DraftKings DFS $3,300)
Now that Puka Nacua is headed to the IR, someone on the Rams needs to step up next to Cooper Kupp. The early consensus is that former Chief Demarcus Robinson will be that guy, but there could be enough targets to supply two receivers.
Smart managers know to zig when everyone else has decided to zag. Although Robinson certainly could be the new no. 2 in LA, it’s certainly no guarantee. In fact, there’s an argument to be made for Tutu Atwell and preseason star Jordan Whittington as well.
So what stands out for Tyler Johnson? While Robinson led the pack of pass-catchers with 92% of snaps on Sunday night, Johnson was on the field a solid 65% of the time. He tied Robinson in targets but clearly outpaced him in receiving yards (79 to 42) and looked more explosive in the open field.
For someone with a roster rate hovering around 9%, the upside here is fairly high. There’s a dream scenario in which Johnson picks up the majority of Nacua’s gigantic production, but even something closer to a third receiver role on a passing offense has value in deeper leagues.
Heading into a potential shootout against the Cardinals, (total set at 48 points on DraftKings Sportsbook) it makes sense to grab Johnson while we figure out what Sean McVay is cooking.
RB Samaje Perine, Kansas City Chiefs (DraftKings DFS $4,500)
Finding a sleeper who can contribute right away at running back isn’t easy this week (when is it ever?). With so few of the sub-5% guys putting up meaningful numbers last weekend, we need to look for high-quality roles with a track record of success.
Andy Reid has made a habit of involving pass-catching running backs in his offense. Recent examples who became roster-worthy in fantasy include Jerick McKinnon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Darrel Williams. Samaje Perine could be next.
The former Bronco didn’t exactly hit the ground running last Thursday, catching just one pass for 10 yards against Baltimore. To be fair, he didn’t sign with Kansas City until the end of training camp, so it’s understandable if the team didn’t want to give him a full workload.
Since Edwards-Helaire is due to miss at least three more weeks on the non-football injury list, there’s an opening on the running back depth chart. Going into a major AFC showdown against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Perine get more involved on Sunday.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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