The time period sleepers in fantasy football may be considerably overused just because everybody has totally different interpretations of that time period. For some, a sleeper merely refers to a participant they view as being barely higher than the remainder of the fantasy panorama. For others, a sleeper defines a little-known participant anticipated to grow to be a family identify. For this text, to ensure that a participant to be a fantasy sleeper in 2022, he must be ranked not less than 10 spots greater at his place than his Sleeper PPR ADP as of July 21, 2022.
Cordarrelle Patterson | Atlanta Falcons
Sleeper ADP: 84 (RB31)
There may be a variety of concern surrounding the function of Cordarrelle Patterson with the Atlanta Falcons this yr. The 2021 season noticed Patterson set highs for carries (153), touches (205), speeding yards (618), receiving yards (548), complete yards (1,166), and touchdowns (11). In the meantime, he matched a profession excessive for receptions with 52 for his finest profession fantasy end. These numbers led Patterson to complete because the RB9 in PPR and the RB12 in standard formats.
Anticipating him to have a repeat efficiency could be extraordinarily optimistic. The experiences out of camp that Patterson’s workload will probably be managed additionally add to the questions over his workload. Nonetheless, it’s a giant drop-off from a high 10-12 RB to at least one who’s being chosen outdoors the highest 30 on the place and on the again finish of Spherical 7.
One factor that makes the priority round Patterson considerably unusual is the just about complete lack of significant competitors for touches on the RB place on this roster. The opposite backs on this roster are rookie fifth-round choice Tyler Allgeier, and veterans Damien Williams, Avery Williams, Qadree Ollison, and Caleb Huntley. Allgeier and Williams are stable choices, however neither appears prone to take an enormous workload this yr.
The important thing to Patterson’s worth — particularly in PPR — is the ground that his receiving work affords him. He performed 16 video games final yr and averaged 4.3 targets per sport. If he can repeat his 75% catch fee, that’s 3.2 receptions per sport at a mean of round 10 yards per reception. Even at a line of three receptions for 30 yards, that’s six fantasy factors with none speeding work or touchdowns baked in.
On the present price, Patterson solely must be an RB2 to return worth. In the meantime, along with his receiving work and the shortage of competitors, he retains that RB1 upside.
Gus Edwards | Baltimore Ravens
Sleeper ADP: 175 (RB55)
Individuals may be considerably forgiven for forgetting about Gus Edwards after he missed final yr with an ACL tear. Nonetheless, when he’s been on the sphere for the Ravens in the previous few years, Edwards has been a substantial issue. In a three-headed backfield in 2020, Edwards led the place with 144 speeding makes an attempt and a 26% market share. In 2019, he managed 133 carries with a 22.3% market share.
Going all the way in which again to his first season with the group in 2018, Edwards has by no means had fewer than these 133 speeding makes an attempt or 22.3% market share. Granted, he’s by no means had greater than 144 makes an attempt or the 26% market share from 2020, which caps his ceiling. Nonetheless, the important thing level is that the Ravens have very a lot operated with a backfield-by-committee method lately. The 202 carries by Mark Ingram in 2019 had been probably the most by a single participant in anyone season.
That’s the prime purpose why Edwards is a sleeper for fantasy this yr at his present worth. Each he and J.Ok. Dobbins are getting back from season-ending accidents suffered final preseason. Whereas Edwards is being chosen as RB55 and barely contained in the fifteenth spherical, Dobbins is being chosen inside the highest 50 and simply fractionally outdoors of Spherical 4.
Except you anticipate the Ravens to fully change their principle and out of the blue give a participant in Dobbins, who’s getting back from severe damage, 250+ carries, that discrepancy merely doesn’t make sense. Edwards has confirmed to be productive with a comparatively restricted workload. In 2020, he was the RB28 in normal and RB37 in PPR.
The important thing for Edwards is to see what his ground is with that workload. Nicely, in 2019, he was the RB52 in PPR and RB43 in non-PPR codecs. Meaning the value for Edwards proper now could be his ground. Given the actual fact we’ve seen that he has RB3 upside, the danger with this choice is low. Don’t be afraid to take Edwards a spherical sooner than his ADP, as a result of even when he struggles, at this level within the draft, you’re not risking a lot.
Kenyan Drake | Las Vegas Raiders
Sleeper ADP: 250 (RB70)
Relating to Kenyan Drake in 2022, the value is just so low that he turns into a no-risk sleeper for fantasy managers. Final season, Drake struggled with accidents and a complicated function as Josh Jacobs’ backup. Even when Jacobs was injured or restricted, the Raiders checked out different choices, regardless of Drake having the pedigree.
Now he has a brand new head coach and one which has been working an offense the place they’re comfortable to combine and match their RB choices relying on the scenario. The important thing for Drake is the function he performs within the passing sport. We’ve seen James White be an inexpensive and enjoyable fantasy possibility in New England due to his work within the receiving sport. Drake has the statistics to show he can play that function for Las Vegas.
Drake has a profession 73.7% catch fee on 270 targets with 1,535 yards and 7 touchdowns. In 2019, White turned 95 targets into an RB29 end in normal codecs and RB18 in PPR. Even in 2020, when he had simply 62 targets, White was nonetheless RB42 in PPR and RB57 in non-PPR. There’s no purpose Drake can’t not less than attain these numbers from 2020, and the 2019 numbers are greater than attainable.
Moreover, Drake may simply be the first backup to Jacobs. The opposite backs of observe on the roster are Brandon Bolden and Zamir White. Bolden is a helpful, however restricted working again, and it could be shocking if Drake didn’t beat out White as the first backup.
The information that Drake can be again for coaching camp may even see his ADP bump barely. Nonetheless, it’s significantly low proper now that the bump shouldn’t have a significant influence. If you happen to draft Jacobs, Drake is a stable late-round handcuff. Nonetheless, even when you haven’t drafted Jacobs, Drake has the ability set and the potential alternatives to have RB3/RB4 worth on his personal accord.
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