4 Deep Sleepers for 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts

Deep Sleepers in Summary

• Jordan Mason, Vikings
• Stefon Diggs, Commanders
• Denzel Boston, Browns
• Tank Bigsby, Eagles

Everyone who plays fantasy football wants to get their hands on the big breakout player or sleeper. Hitting on a player who significantly outperforms his average draft position (ADP) can have a sizable impact on your chances of having success.

Which sleepers should you target in 2026?

Here are four sleepers who are on my radar in half-PPR formats. For this article, I’m classifying a sleeper as a player going outside the top 100 picks who I think has the potential to become a weekly fantasy starter.

All ADP references come from FantasyPros' half-PPR ADP, and ADP may change after this article is published.

Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers for 2026

Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings

ADP: 106th Overall (RB38)

Jordan Mason might be classified as Aaron Jones' backup by some fantasy managers, but the Minnesota Vikings don’t appear to view their backfield quite that simply.

Mason led the Vikings with 159 carries for 758 yards and six rushing touchdowns last season, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. Jones, meanwhile, was limited to 12 games and finished with 132 carries for 548 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The most interesting development has come this summer. Minnesota listed Jones and Mason as co-starters on its first unofficial depth chart.

That obviously doesn’t guarantee a 50-50 split, especially because Jones remains the superior receiving back, but it reinforces the idea that Mason can have standalone value even when Jones is healthy.

Mason has also been consistently efficient throughout his career. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry while rushing for 789 yards with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024 and followed it with another strong rushing season in Minnesota.

And we've already seen what happens when his workload increases for a game. Mason produced 116 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries against the Cincinnati Bengals last season, and he has repeatedly demonstrated that he can handle a lead-back workload when necessary.

Barely going inside the top 40 RBs, Mason gives fantasy managers two paths to value. He can contribute as part of Minnesota's regular rotation, and an injury to the 31-year-old Jones would immediately give Mason substantially more upside.

That's exactly the type of running back worth targeting in the later rounds.

Stefon Diggs, WR, Washington Commanders

ADP: 117th Overall (WR46)

Calling Stefon Diggs a sleeper would have sounded ridiculous a few years ago, but his current draft cost makes him one in 2026.

Diggs signed with the Washington Commanders in August after demonstrating last season that he can still produce at a high level. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns with the New England Patriots. He also averaged 11.9 yards per reception and 9.9 yards per target.

Now he's going from New England to an offense quarterbacked by Jayden Daniels.

There are legitimate reasons his ADP is depressed. Diggs is 32, Washington already has Terry McLaurin, and joining a new offense in August creates some uncertainty regarding his early-season role.

But we're talking about a receiver who just surpassed 1,000 yards for the seventh time in his career.

Washington didn't sign Diggs simply to provide veteran depth. His route running and ability to beat man coverage give Daniels another proven option alongside McLaurin.

Even if Diggs doesn't approach the elite target totals he received earlier in his career, he doesn't need to at this draft cost. An 80-catch receiver attached to Daniels would have little trouble beating an ADP in the 12th-round range.

However, his name recognition might prevent him from having this ADP for long.

Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns

ADP: 165th Overall (WR59)

Now we're getting into true late-round territory.

The Cleveland Browns selected Denzel Boston with the 39th overall pick in April after the 6-foot-4 receiver finished his final season at Washington with 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.

That combination of size, touchdown production and second-round draft capital is already intriguing. His training camp usage makes him even more interesting.

Boston has been taking most of his reps with Cleveland's first-team offense alongside Jerry Jeudy and first-round rookie KC Concepcion. He has also consistently made plays throughout camp, particularly on contested catches and downfield targets.

That's significant because Boston's skill set is different from Concepcion's. Concepcion projects as a receiver who can generate production from the slot and after the catch, while Boston offers Cleveland a big outside target who can win vertically and in the red zone.

We also shouldn't underestimate the importance of draft capital. The Browns spent the No. 39 pick on Boston despite already using a first-round selection on Concepcion. That's a major investment in the passing game.

There will be volatility here, particularly with uncertainty at quarterback, but that's built into Boston’s ADP.

Boston doesn't need to immediately become Cleveland's No. 1 receiver. If he simply earns a full-time outside role, his size and touchdown upside could make him a valuable bench receiver with weekly flex potential.

He's one of my favorite final-round wide receiver swings.

Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

ADP: 166th Overall (RB53)

Tank Bigsby isn't being drafted for his Week 1 projection. He's being drafted because of what could happen if his opportunity changes.

Saquon Barkley remains the Philadelphia Eagles‘ unquestioned starting running back, which explains why Bigsby is available outside the top 150. But among late-round backup running backs, few offer a more appealing combination of proven efficiency and offensive environment.

After Philadelphia acquired Bigsby from the Jacksonville Jaguars early last season, he rushed 58 times for 344 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles. That's 5.9 yards per carry.

Bigsby also demonstrated his ceiling when given additional opportunities. Against the New York Giants in Week 8, he exploded for 104 rushing yards on only nine attempts.

Philadelphia's backfield remains crowded behind Barkley, but Bigsby has already shown that his physical downhill running style fits the Eagles' offense. The team has also emphasized his ability to contribute as a runner, receiver and pass protector during his first full offseason in Philadelphia.

Bigsby’s floor is admittedly low as Barkley will dominate touches when healthy, but that’s why Tank is basically free in drafts.

Late in drafts, it makes more sense to chase players whose value could change dramatically than to pick low-ceiling options. If Barkley were forced to miss time, Bigsby's combination of rushing efficiency and Philadelphia's offensive environment would give him enormous waiver-wire appeal.

Drafting him late lets you avoid the potential waiver hassle if Barkley goes down.

Check our our fantasy football WR rankings.

Fantasy Football FAQ

• What's the difference between PPR and non-PPR scoring? PPR (Points Per Reception) gives players points for each catch, which typically elevates receiver value and makes your league’s overall scoring less reliant on touchdowns. There’s also half-PPR scoring, which awards 0.5 points per catch. Standard scoring doesn’t give any points for receptions, counting only touchdowns and yards.
• How many teams are in a fantasy football league? Leagues usually feature 10 to 12 teams.
• What's the waiver wire actually about? The waiver wire consists of all the free agents in your league. These players can see their value impacted by injuries to other players as well as role changes and can sometimes become coveted assets.
• What's the difference between season-long and DFS strategy? Season-long rewards consistency and floor; DFS rewards ceiling and volatility. High-variance boom/bust guys are usually better DFS plays than season-long anchors.

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