Nailing your first, second, and third-round picks in a fantasy football draft feels great but is also expected to an extent. Nabbing that player who ends up finishing top ten at their position in the ninth round because you did a little homework or got lucky on a hunch; that’s where the bragging rights really escalate.
Players like Geno Smith and Jared Goff were drafted late, if at all, in 2022 and finished as QB5 and QB10, respectively. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver Christian Kirk finished as the 11th-best players at their position in half-PPR formats. Those were unforeseen improvements for players picked near the middle of the seventh round last season after 35+ of their peers had been selected.
Moves like these can determine a fantasy team’s success for a season, and 2023 could be the year you find the sleeper that puts your team over the top. We’ll preview some of the best candidates to make that unexpected impact for the upcoming season here.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Vikings (ADP 82, RB30)
Mattison has been one of the more reliable second options at tailback in the NFL since his rookie season in 2019. He’s spelled Dalvin Cook at times and carried the entire workload for the Vikings when Cook missed time, racking up over 1,600 yards on 404 carries in four seasons.
With Cook released this offseason, Mattison should be in line to see 15-20 touches per game in an offense that can beat teams in various ways. Mattison is a steal at this draft position and will be a starting caliber back in most formats and league sizes.
Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders (ADP 95, WR41)
Dotson was highly effective when healthy as a rookie, catching seven touchdown passes in 12 appearances for a team with inconsistent quarterback play.
He should have more stability at that position this year and will have had an entire offseason with Sam Howell in preparation for a breakout second year.
From weeks 13-18 last season, Dotson was a top-20 receiver three times and was WR19 over that span while posting 21 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns.
Greg Dulcich, TE, Broncos (ADP 136, TE15)
The name from the Denver tight end room that was more common on draft boards in 2022 was Albert Okwuegbunam, who was TE14 in ADP. He caught just ten passes in eight games, but Dulcich emerged as a reliable option for Russell Wilson from his debut in Week 6.
Dulcich was a top-12 TE in half-PPR formats for six of the ten weeks he suited up and ranked as TE10 from Weeks 6-16. His new head coach, Sean Payton, has an excellent track record of utilizing tight ends, and Dulcich should be the primary beneficiary.
Rondale Moore, WR, Cardinals (ADP 148, WR56)
Moore only played seven full games last season, which partially explains his lower standing in ADP, but he saw 56 targets and caught 41 balls for 414 yards in that small sample.
The top dog in the Cardinals receiver room is now Marquise Brown after DeAndre Hopkins left the team, which likely puts Moore in a position for a healthy increase in target share if he can stay on the field.
His performance also depends on the health of quarterback Kyler Murray, but even if Colt McCoy needs to step in, that should bode well for Moore. The Purdue product saw 13 targets and snagged nine catches in the one full game he played with McCoy in 2022.
