As the preseason nears its finale, we’re here to help you find the best fantasy football sleepers for 2022. Fantasy managers must unearth sleepers who can help win your league this season. Make sure you push to stash these unheralded stars on your deeper fantasy roster.
Top fantasy football sleepers in 2022
It’s common to see default leagues go 12 roster spots deep on platforms such as ESPN or Yahoo. If your league features 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, and 1 Flex, then these deep sleepers should serve as names you should watch for as waiver wire pickups throughout the year.
For those playing in a deeper league of 14-16 teams or larger rosters, you’ll need to take some chances on sleepers who bring real upside as potential starters or fill-ins. We’ve scoured the list of players with an average ADP of 200 or later and found four who fit the bill as quality picks.
Whether a backup who could fight their way into a bigger role or a starter not getting enough love, let’s dive into the best super sleepers who are rarely being drafted in normal-sized leagues.
Nico Collins, WR | Houston Texans
There aren’t many players with a greater disparity in their ADP and PFN’s fantasy rankings than Nico Collins. That’s a good sign of how our team of experts views the second-year Houston Texans receiver. Ranked No. 157 but with an average ADP of 208, Collins is going three to four rounds later than our recommendation.
It’s understandable why the public is fading Collins considering Davis Mills’ raw stats in 2021. Collins was stuck on a unit that ranked 30th in points and 28th in passing yards. He had zero touchdowns on 33 receptions with 446 yards.
But the Texans have only Brandin Cooks to throw to besides Collins. Cooks will get the bulk of targets, but Collins is far and away the No. 2 within the offense. He’s one of very few players going in his range who will play over 60% of snaps each game.
Collins’ opportunity and athletic upside are too good to pass up for someone like Van Jefferson or Donovan Peoples-Jones. It’s not unreasonable to think Collins will reach six or more scores and see his yardage get to at least 800 or more.
Sony Michel, RB | Miami Dolphins
While fantasy managers are understandably more interested in Miami Dolphins RB Chase Edmonds, don’t forget about Sony Michel. Michel was signed to a one-year deal after Miami already grabbed Edmonds and Raheem Mostert. Unlike the other two backs, Michel has a clear role where fantasy managers care the most: the red zone.
The former New England Patriots ‘first-round pick and backup on the 2021 Los Angeles Rams hasn’t quite lived up to expectations out of Georgia. He’s been fine but is more of a plodder than a special creator with the ball in his hands. Miami simply wants Michel to take what’s there in their new outside-zone scheme.
He can execute that and take the brunt of hits from linebackers near the goal line. With both Edmunds and Mostert having concerning injury issues, it’s not even unlikely Michel is eventually starting in Miami. The downside is he’s not much of a receiving threat and therefore has a clear ceiling.
That’s okay for someone with an average ADP of 202 overall. Our experts have him one round higher at No. 191 in our fantasy rankings. Michel looks like an especially good option compared to Mark Ingram, Kenyan Drake, and Tyrion Davis-Price, though.
It’s possible he becomes the touchdown vulture in this offense and earns four starts all year. That should be enough to justify rostering him as the fourth or fifth back who only plays a week or two.
Marvin Jones Jr., WR | Jacksonville Jaguars
The fantasy community is missing the boat on Marvin Jones Jr.’s potential with Trevor Lawrence in 2022. While the signing of Christian Kirk brought a shiny new toy into town, Jones still led the Jaguars with 120 targets last year. There’s no reason to expect that to change this season with Doug Pederson now calling the shots on offense.
Pederson often produced multiple fantasy-relevant pass catchers in Philadelphia. Without a star tight end, both Jones and Kirk should be solid depth options. Despite this, Jones has an average ADP of 210, and Kirk is going No. 106.
That discrepancy is the result of backward thinking. Our expert rankings have Jones at No. 141 overall and WR56. According to ADP, Kenny Golladay, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jarvis Landry are the options going in that range. Jones is a significantly better target.
Jones is a massive steal right now and should be a priority option deeper into drafts.
Eno Benjamin, RB | Arizona Cardinals
Every draft hits the point where everyone has to either take a familiar wide receiver or reach on a backup rusher. We’re seeing backs like Khalil Herbert and Tyler Allgeier taken around No. 140 overall, but Eno Benjamin rarely gets drafted. This is a mistake considering Benjamin has all but won the backup job behind James Conner.
Conner broke out with 15 touchdowns last year and has skyrocketed up draft boards thanks to his unique role. But don’t forget that he’s never played in every game in any season he’s been in the NFL. He’s missed two or more contests each season.
With Benjamin planting himself as his backup, it’s time to plan for the possibility of Conner missing games at some point or seeing a role change. Should Conner miss parts of four or more games, as he has in three of his five seasons, Benjamin will vault to the top of the waiver wire immediately. And he may become a starter on your team. That’s not bad for a player being taken No. 243 on average.