Fantasy Football: 3 Deep Sleepers for Week 1

If you're in a deep league or are playing some large-field NFL DFS tournaments on FanDuel this week, you'll probably need some deep sleepers on your squad.

Here are some players who are on the majority of waiver wires but need to be on your radar this week.

We'll reference our fantasy football projections. All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook, and lines may change after this article is published.

Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers: Week 1

Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons

FanDuel Salary: $4,800 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 17%

In sifting through DFS and deep-league sleeper options, I want to find guys who are available in at least 80% of fantasy football leagues and come into the week with a modest DFS salary.

Darnell Mooney is one of those candidates. Mooney is for the taking in 83% of leagues (via Yahoo), and his cheap DFS salary can grant you massive roster flexibility otherwise.

But I'm not just keen on Mooney due to affordability and availability.

Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons own a 22.5-point implied total in Week 1 despite a draw versus the defense-oriented Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts figure to eat up a boatload of usage and fantasy points.

Pitts (hamstring) has been limited in practice this week and is marked as questionable versus Pittsburgh, though he himself has stated that he will be ready to roll on Sunday.

However, we've gotta remember that Rondale Moore recently sustained a season-ending knee injury, pitting Mooney as Atlanta's clear WR2. Cousins has a strong history of maintaining multiple fantasy-relevant wideouts, so I'm at least willing to consider Mooney's potential this season, especially at this buy-low salary in Week 1.

Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

FanDuel Salary: $4,900 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 4%

Here's another breakthrough candidate who we may want to get in on as early as Week 1.

Mike Gesicki earned TE11, TE7, and TE11 finishes with the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021. We've seen him put up noteworthy numbers before. Now that he's fled those pesky New England Patriots and joined a legit offense with Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals, he might just manage to have the public rethink his forgettable 4% rostership rate.

The Bengals are actually hosting Gesicki's former Patriots team this weekend. While New England's stellar rush D has saved the team from total embarrassment, the pass defense ranks out with a sour 27th standing, per numberFire's metrics.

Given the matchup, the market is handing Cincinnati an intriguing 24.5-point total for this Sunday. Quite notably, Ja'Marr Chase had been skipping out on key practice sessions as his contract negotiations with the team linger on. Chase appeared in practice with limited availability on Wednesday, so it seems he is tracking to play on Sunday, though mum's the word on his official status opposite New England.

Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised to see Gesicki take on a massive portion of tight end duties this season, which leaves him in a sneaky spot to produce in Burrow's offense, particularly in this Week 1 meeting with the Patriots.

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

FanDuel Salary: $5,000 | Yahoo! Roster Percentage: 20%

Bucky Irving has been on people's radars, but his 20% rostership rate and $5.0K FanDuel salary are both low enough for me to squeeze him onto this list.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Chase Edmonds is out for the season, so Irving and Rachaad White will sit in a world of their own in Tampa Bay's backfield.

Now, sitting alongside just White wouldn't have meant much in 2023. White was handed a meaty 272 carries last season, the second-most in the NFL. But word out of training camp and the preseason indicate that Tampa Bay may be opting for a more equitable approach to their running backs room this go-around. White has been named the team's starter, but his underwhelming 3.6 yards per carry a season ago may put him in a vulnerable spot.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Irving has "impressed the coaches in camp and during the preseason, and he is a candidate to earn a lot more work if White and the run game don't improve on last season's inefficiency."

I'm not the biggest fan of placing too much weight into whatever word has come out of camp, and Tampa Bay's supposed sentiment indicates that if Irving is to take on a massive role this season, it will be due to White's shortcomings. Perhaps that doesn't leave Irving in the best possible spot for Week 1.

However, the Bucs are taking on the Washington Commanders this weekend in a matchup where the former owns a 23.5-point total. Washington comes in with the fifth-worst rush D (per numberFire) and a positive game script for Tampa Bay, the 3.5-point favorites, could lend itself to more running plays. Even though we may have to hold out a few weeks for major usage from Irving, I still think he will get enough run on Sunday to make him a worthwhile sleeper target.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.