Fantasy Football: Late Round Sleepers

The time has come when most fantasy football drafts will be taking place. Whether the stakes are high or none at all, bragging rights are an invariable reward for those who come out on top. 

Most people head into draft day with their eyes on a select few players who rank at the top of points-per-game projections. However, the reality is that Jonathan Taylor will only end up on one team; the same goes for Cooper Kupp and Christian McCaffrey. So, it is of paramount priority to have a list of players in the back of your head that you can fall back on in the event that your top choices are picked ahead of you. 

Here are some late-round sleepers that will make great additions to your fantasy football team. 

Round 1: Deebo Samuel (Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers)

The jack of all trades in Deebo Samuel is as close as you can get to a guaranteed 10+ points per game from a skill position player, whether he is carrying the ball out of the backfield or catching passes from Trey Lance. 

Out of 25 starting QB's in 2021, Jimmy Garoppolo ranked 20th in pass attempts. With Lance at the helm, who is known for his ability to sling the ball down the field, look out for Samuel's receiving production to take even more of a leap this year. The only limiting factor to Samuel's fantasy football success would be his own teammate Brandon Aiyuk, who averaged 14.8 yards per reception a year ago. His ability to get vertical will likely be rewarded by Lance, but to what extent, we are yet to find out. 

Round 2: Deandre Swift (Running Back, Detroit Lions)

One big factor I look at when picking running backs is their quarterback who hands the ball off to them. Take the Chiefs as an example. I probably wouldn't pick someone like Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Jerick Mckinnon because of the pass-heavy offense that they are a part of. With that being said, Patrick Mahomes will consistently get the ball down the field, which could lead to many red zone opportunities for his running backs to get a fair amount of 2–3 yard touchdowns.  

Now back to Deandre Swift. 

I first look at his quarterback in Jared Goff. Goff was below average in total pass attempts among starting quarterbacks and did not even crack the top 22 in yards per attempt. This tells me that Deandre Swift will have many opportunities out of the backfield to run the ball, and he will have a lot of field to work with. Swift is also a major receiving threat for the Lions, who don't have the strongest receiving core. 

Another factor to take into account with running backs is their offensive line. You can have someone with top-10 talent (like Saquon Barkley) but give them a below-average o-line (Giants' o-line ranks 18th in the league), and there is only so much they can do. Pro Football Focus ranks the Lions' offensive line as 3rd in the NFL. This will obviously have a huge impact on the success of Swift and his ability to get downhill. 

Round 3: Aaron Jones (Running Back, Green Bay Packers)

With the departure of Davante Adams, I think Aaron Jones will have an increased role in the offense. The Green Bay receiving core is not looking too strong this year, and Aaron Rodgers will have to rely on Jones out of the backfield quite often when his receivers aren't getting enough separation. I don't anticipate Jones to have a breakout year rushing, with the emergence of young back A.J. Dillon, however, I do believe that Jones's role as a receiver this year is where he will rack up most of his points. 

Round 4 and beyond: Gabriel Davis (Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills)

While his position rank is 58 on ESPN Fantasy Football, Gabriel Davis is someone you should keep an eye on in the late rounds. Through some research on Next Gen Stats, I found that Josh Allen was 8th in the league in Time to Throw, meaning the average amount of seconds it took on each pass for his to get rid of the ball. This indicates that Allen is willing to hold onto the ball a little longer than most quarterbacks, allowing deeper routes to develop. Davis's numbers didn't jump off the chart during the 2021 regular season, but his playoff production was greater than any of his fellow Bills receivers. In particular, his performance against the Chiefs, where Davis racked up 200 yards on eight receptions, with four touchdowns! I believe Josh Allen will have an added level of trust in Gabriel Davis this season, and you should too. 

Thoughts on Commanders Week 1 Preseason game

The NFL season is finally back! Preseason, that is. Over the next few weeks, teams will be able to see how their players gel with each other, and what changes need to be made before their final cuts. 

The Washington Commanders played their first preseason game this past Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. This was the first time Washington fans got to see Carson Wentz suited up in a real game. Overall, Wentz was in total control for much of the three drives he was out there for. He completed 10/13 passes for 73 yards and didn't turn the ball over. Other than an underthrown deep ball to Terry McLaurin on Washington's 3rd drive, Wentz looked very sharp for his first in-game action with the team. 

Let's get into some positives, and negatives that I was able to take away from this game. 

Positive: Great promise shown from Brian Robinson 

Washington brought in Brian Robinson to fill the role of a "power back" for the team: what they were missing in the absence of Peyton Barber. Standing at 6' 1" and weighing 225 pounds, Robinson was effectively able to make his presence known, after stepping in for Antonio Gibson, who committed a fumble on Washington's second drive. 

Robinson rushed for 26 yards and a touchdown on six carries: not a stat line that jumps off the page. However, it was Robinson's ability to get downhill and push the pile that caught my eye, which is exactly the skillset that Washington brought him in for. Robinson provides a change-up from the finesse-style of running that Antonio Gibson provides, and I think the two will complement each other well. If J.D. Mckissic continues his consistent play, Washington's backfield could become a scary three-headed monster. 

Negative: Defense looked a step too slow vs. Baker Mayfield

Carolina's new starting QB only played one drive; however, he made his presence felt early. Baker Mayfield led his Carolina offense methodically down the field, in the process converting multiple third downs. While this drive ended in a field goal, it seemed all too familiar to many drives that took place in the 2021 season, where Washington would make a good play on 2nd down but give up a 3rd down conversion. I am hoping that Washington's defense was only shaking the rust off. 

Positive: Return of Curtis Samuel

One of the things that Washington fans were most excited about leading into the 2022 season is finally getting a chance to see a healthy Curtis Samuel. While he only caught two balls for 13 yards, it was great to see him back, and we can all hope Samuel will fit right in with this offense that has top-10 potential. 

Negative: Special Teams Issues (sort of)

This one may not be as big of a deal but seeing Joey Slye miss that extra point after Robinson's touchdown run gave me a feeling of "here we go again." After Washington's kicking struggles in years past, I would hate to see them have the same problems in the upcoming season. 

All in all, there was a lot to be excited about with this preseason game. The biggest factor in Washington's success this year will once again come down to quarterback play. From Saturday's game, Carson Wentz showed precision and stable decision-making, and there is good reason for Washington fans to hope for a winning season. But only time will tell.