10 Sleepers to Target After Pick 150

Sep 01, 2020

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I like to go to the grocery store early in the morning. It's usually, around 7 am in an effort to shop freely and load up on everything I want. No worries about items not being available or struggling to find exactly what I’m looking for.

A fantasy football draft isn’t much different. The early rounds are like me shopping bright and early. If I want a running back, there are plenty of good ones. A dominant wide receiver? No problem. But when a draft enters picks 150 and later, suddenly, the bruised apple is starting to look tempting. I’ve never tried oat milk, but I’m guessing it tastes a lot like a Kalen Ballage's 24 touch, 45-total yard, Week 10 stat line.

But sometimes, you can find that marbled pork butt, that fresh-pressed apple cider, that hot-out-of-the-oven pack of tortillas. Last year’s edition found a few with Darren Waller, John Brown, and Jamison Crowder populating the list. We will try to do that again and hopefully leave you hungry for more but satisfied nonetheless.

If you want to explore more sleepers, check out the 4for4 ADP Bargains Tool

Joshua Kelley, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Some may point to Austin Ekeler’s time without Melvin Gordon last year, managing 15-plus carries in two of those four games, as evidence that Ekeler will now be a workhorse runner for the Chargers. But the fact that he never exceeded 12 carries in a game with Gordon, his only double-digit outing during those 12 weeks, is a more likely outcome for the young running back. That’s ok as Ekeler’s true value lies in his receiving ability. Enter Joshua Kelley, the rookie from UCLA who has the size (5-foot-11, 212 pounds) to be an effective runner who can handle a decent workload. Kelley averaged over 20 rushes per game at UCLA. He could easily become the goal line option as well with Gordon vacating eight red-zone touchdowns including seven inside the 10-yard line. He is still battling with Justin Jackson for the role but if he emerges, there is upside even as Ekeler's backup. In 10 and 12 team leagues, Kelley is basically undrafted (276 ADP) but could be a solid fourth running back for a fantasy team and one Ekeler injury away from cracking the top 24.

Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears

Somehow, Miller continues to fly under the radar in fantasy football drafts. He was electric down the stretch, finishing at the WR19 from Weeks 11 to 16 after the Bears finally committed to giving the second-year receiver meaningful snaps. He helped more than a few teams reach their title games after a monster Week 15, even if he did falter in the championship week. Now, he no longer has to deal with Taylor Gabriel and Ted Ginn is more of a depth addition than true competition. The tight end field remains a mess and Nick Foles gives the Bears a chance to field a passing offense that can support multiple receivers. Miller could easily see 100-plus targets this year but remains a 14th round pick (161 ADP) in 12 team leagues. There is a path to a top 36 finish and an injury to Allen Robinson would turn Miller into a target monster.

Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Football Team

This organization is very good at being indecisive, as evidenced by their team name. That extends to depth charts and general personnel decisions as they navigate a talent-deprived roster desperately looking for answers. Gibson should be on everyone’s radar as he is already the most dynamic skill player on the roster and capable of filling multiple roles for the offense. Derrius Guice is no longer with the team, creating a vacuum at the running back position, especially for rush attempts. Most likely, Gibson is a complementary runner but emerges as the top receiving back on the team. That’s ok as Chris Thompson has shown that can be a lucrative gig, even on a shaky offense, and with limited options at tight end and wide receiver, the door is wide open. Gibson is going at pick 178, basically a 15th round pick in 12 team leagues but the possibility of 50-plus receptions is real. That could give him real value as a top 40 running back and if he gets the wide receiver designation as well, the versatility would be huge for those seeking a bye week option.

Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Similar to buying ice cream at the grocery store, I try to wait until the last possible minute to draft a tight end. Captain Jack could have new life in 2020 as Eric Ebron is gone, vacating nearly six targets per game and 3.6 receptions per contest over his two seasons in Indianapolis. Doyle flashed fantasy relevance when Ebron was hurt in 2019 including an 11 target performance in Week 12. He also gets Philip Rivers, a quarterback who has always found a place in the pecking order for his tight end. Coming in at an ADP of 159, Doyle is a 14th round pick in 12-team leagues and a full 16 games could lead to a fringe top-12 finish. Not bad for a late pick that looks like the equivalent of Breyer’s Vanilla ice cream.