NFL DFS Sleepers for the Super Bowl Single-Game Slate

The word "sleeper" gets thrown around a lot in the world of fantasy football, to the point where an actual definition may vary from person to person. In general, sleepers are NFL players that may be flying relatively under the radar in a particular field. That could be an under-rostered player in season-long leagues, a player with an exciting matchup in a given week, or even a potential star just ahead of their true breakout.

In any case, we all need to find a sleeper from time to time. Whether you're a fantasy football hipster looking to roster an exciting new player before your league-mates hear about him, a daily fantasy manager looking for a lower-salary player to fill out a lineup loaded with studs, or even just a manager in a pinch due to byes or injuries, we have you covered.

With just one game remaining in the regular season, the definition of a "sleeper" becomes even blurrier -- it's hard to have many under-the-radar players when only two teams are playing. So, instead of our usual style, we'll be highlighting some players with lower FanDuel salaries that could help you add some spice to FanDuel single-game lineups for the Big Game.

Per the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, the San Francisco 49ers are 2.5-point favorites over the Kansas City Chiefs in a game with a 47.5-point total.

Super Bowl Sleepers

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $7,500

Our least sleepy sleeper for the week is KC wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The former Green Bay Packers speedster had a disappointing regular season campaign but has been making impactful catches for the Chiefs in the playoffs. Notably, he has 4 catches for 100 yards across the Divisional Round and AFC Championship games.

The Chiefs have been slowly narrowing down their receiving corps all season. While players like Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross saw some run earlier in the year, the team has leaned more heavily on their consistent players in the playoffs. MVS has seen his playing time rise in each consecutive playoff game and was in on 83% of the Chiefs' offensive snaps against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.

Considering that Valdes-Scantling caught both of his targets versus the Ravens, it seems reasonable to assume that he'll play plenty of snaps in the Super Bowl, as well.

We didn't see it much from him this year, but MVS -- whose receiving yards prop is 19.5 yards at FanDuel Sportsbook -- has historically been the kind of player who can make a splash in fantasy on just a couple of catches, something that's valuable on a single-game slate. If he takes a long Patrick Mahomes pass to the house on Sunday, you'll wish he was in your lineups.

Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $7,000

The Niners have consistently fielded one of the league's strongest rosters over the past few seasons, which has kept former seventh-round pick Jauan Jennings off the field for much of his young career. Jennings has flashed some impressive playmaking chops when given the chance, though, and has showed up in a big way for the 49ers in the playoffs.

When Deebo Samuel suffered an early shoulder injury in the Divisional Round, Jennings filled in admirably, hauling in 5 of his 6 targets for 61 yards and 4 first downs. His playing time took a hit in the NFC Championship game with Samuel back in the lineup, but Jennings still made an incredible highlight reel grab to save a critical drive.

In short, Jennings typically makes the most of his opportunities.

However, Jennings is still the WR3 on a team that uses both of its top two receivers, plus an elite pass-catching tight end, as well as the best pass-catching running back in the league. That makes it difficult for him to rack up catches in any given game, and it's why he's +114 to go over 1.5 catches.

But we've seen his individual talent shine enough this year to know he's capable of a big game, and against an elite Chiefs defense, the 49ers could end up looking his way more often than usual if Deebo and compay are bottled up.

Noah Gray, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $5,500

If you're looking for a deep sleeper, consider Noah Gray, the Chiefs' TE2.

The third-year Duke Blue Devils alum has been a consistent presence behind Travis Kelce over the last two years and has been playing roughly 60% of the Chiefs' offensive snaps over the last two games.

Gray's on-field production obviously pales in comparison to Kelce's, but Gray could make for an interesting sleeper -- after all, head coach and play-caller Andy Reid loves to scheme up unique plays, particularly in the red zone.

With Kelce surely attracting the attention of 49ers' defenders, the Chiefs could draw up some high-value targets for Gray. It would be pretty on-brand for Reid to draw up some tight end leak plays against Kyle Shanahan, who has used the play to great effect for the 49ers since taking over the team.

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $6,000

Jerick McKinnon is worth consideration as a sleeper for Sunday but comes with an asterisk -- he might not play. The veteran running back -- and former 49er -- has been on injured reserve since Week 16 and could sit out the Super Bowl. The team opened up his 21-day practice window with the belief he has a chance to play, but it's far from a lock (as of Tuesday).

McKinnon's usage waned this year while he dealt with injuries and a surging Isiah Pacheco, but the veteran still managed to score five touchdowns in just 12 games. He scored four of those touchdowns on targets inside the red zone, illustrating just how much the Chiefs value him near the goal line.

With such a narrow player pool for Sunday's FanDuel contests, anyone with a quality track record in the red zone should be on your radar, and McKinnon's +550 anytime touchdowns odds are the shortest TD odds of anyone I wrote up in this piece.

In McKinnon's case, you'll just want to monitor the Chiefs' practice reports before locking him into your lineups.

Chris Conley, WR, San Francisco 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $5,000

Chris Conley barely played a snap for the 49ers during the regular season but has been showing up here and there in the closing weeks of the year. He operated as one of their top receivers in the 49ers' meaningless Week 18 game -- during which he caught 3 of 6 targets for 69 yards -- and brought in his lone target for 17 yards in the Divisional Round after Deebo Samuel went down.

In all, Conley has played 33 total snaps over the past two games.

The 49ers' offense runs a tight ship -- which we talked about in the Jennings sections -- but Conley could see increased opportunities during the game if things go awry for the 49ers. And if you are a believer in revenge game narratives, Conley spent the first four years of his career with the Chiefs before they elected not to re-sign him.

Richie James, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

FanDuel Salary: $5,500

Speaking of revenge game narratives, Richie James grinded away on special teams for the 49ers for three years to open his career. The former seventh-round pick signed on with the Chiefs this offseason and has operated as their primary returner as well as their WR4/5.

The Chiefs have slowly steered away from mistake-prone players like Toney, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore, allowing for James to operate as the team's fourth or fifth receiver of late -- he has played at least 20% of the Chiefs' offensive snaps in each playoff game. That gives him a chance to catch passes from Mahomes, which is always nice for fantasy.

James was one of the more efficient punt returners in the league in 2023, averaging 10.0 yards per return. By operating as the team's exclusive punt- and kick-returner, James should get the ball in his hands a few times during the game -- something we can't say for pretty much anyone else with a salary this low.

If you do like his -- or anyone's -- chances of scoring a punt- or kick-return TD, you can get +980 odds on there to be a kick or punt-return touchdown.

Are you ready for February 11th? All FanDuel customers get a No Sweat Same Game Parlay to use on the big game! Plus, new users have the chance to win $200 in Bonus Bets. See the promotions page for more information.

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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.