It’s almost fantasy football draft season! Over the last few years, managers who’ve put a greater emphasis on grabbing rookies in their drafts have been rewarded with sleeper stars and draft bargains the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Chase Claypool and Brandon Aiyuk. Of course, a vital cog to that success is picking the players who could have a shot to be big parts of their offenses.
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Also, the reality of this fantasy situation is that there are far more disappointments than rookies who blow up in the stat sheets. It’s not exactly finding a needle in the proverbial haystack, but knowing what to look for (depth charts, personnel, etc.) can help us avoid busts and hit on some rookies who produce on the field.
SEE ALSO: Potential Rookie Busts
In an effort to make some late-round gains in our fantasy redrafts, here’s my look at eight sleeper rookies who could exceed expectations in Year One.
Note: Players are listed based on current average draft position (ADP) data.
Devon Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Achane is small at 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds, but he’s a strong pass catcher who could come right in and make an impact for the Dolphins. Their current backfield is unimpressive with Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Myles Gaskin, and none of the trio are as strong as Achane as a receiver. In PPR leagues, he makes a lot of sense as a mid to late-round choice who could bring back some flex value.
Kendre Miller, RB, Saints
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Miller joins a crowded Saints backfield but he could see a bigger role since Alvin Kamara is facing a suspension. If that happens, the TCU product could wind up seeing work in the offense behind Jamaal Williams. He is a bit one-dimensional, as he wasn’t used much as a receiver, but he could be a player to watch if Kamara is forced to miss time this season. I'd take him with a late-round flier.
Michael Mayer, TE, Raiders
Mayer, considered the best all-around tight end in the entire 2023 draft class, was surprisingly the third player picked at his position. He still landed in a great spot with the Raiders, who traded Darren Waller to the New York Giants and have a need at tight end. While veterans Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard are in the mix on the depth chart, Mayer has the highest ceiling of this tight end trio.
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Panthers
Mingo is an athletic wideout who posted a 51-861-5 line in his final collegiate season at Ole Miss. He still needs some work to make a big impact at the next level, but it’s not like the Panthers are loaded at wideout. Veterans Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark and Terrace Marshall Jr. will be ahead of him entering camp, but Mingo could etch out a role in the pass attack and maybe pass one of them.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
LaPorta is the latest in a very long line of solid, pass-catching tight ends to come out of Iowa. In fact, he’ll replace another Hawkeye, T.J. Hockenson, who was traded last season, as Detroit’s projected starter. LaPorta might not be a consistent point producer, but the Lions like to use their tight ends in the offense and LaPorta certainly has the most upside on the roster. He's worth a late-round selection.
Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
Rice landed in a great spot, as the Chiefs traded up in the second round to land the SMU wideout. With JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman no longer in the mix, Rice will compete with Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore for targets. Catching passes from a superstar quarterback in Patrick Mahomes helps his stock, so Rice is very much worth a late look in redrafts.
Marvin Mims, WR, Broncos
The Broncos moved up five spots to draft Mims, a speedy receiver who averaged 13.5 yards per target in his final two years in college. The Broncos do have a crowded wide receiver room with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and Marquez Callaway on the depth chart, but coach Sean Payton won’t be shy about using the rookie if he pops in camp. He's worth a late pick and is one to watch.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans
Spears is coming off a monster season with the Green Wave of Tulane, rushing for nearly 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also put up 22 catches, so Spears can be used as a pass catcher, too. While he has no chance to start, Derrick Henry is entering his age-29 season and has a ton of wear and tear. If Henry misses time due to injuries or otherwise, Spears could turn into a league winner.
