NFL Expert Picks: Fantasy Football Sleepers for 2024

As we turn the calendar to August, it's officially fantasy football draft season once again.

Hallelujah.

With that, over the next month, we're going to roll out weekly polls of the FanDuel Research staff, outlining their favorite values, busts, bold predictions, and more.

Today, we begin with every fantasy footballer's favorite topic: sleepers.

Below, you can see the top sleeper from our staff members and why they think that player is worth targeting. All average draft position (ADP) data referenced will be based on FantasyPros' half-point-per-reception (PPR) ADP.

Top Fantasy Football Sleeper Picks

Austin Swaim, Senior Editor

Sleeper: Josh Palmer

Unless you're willing to "Men In Black" memory wipe Quentin Johnston's rookie season, Josh Palmer is an obvious target to be the Los Angeles Chargers' top wideout this season and smash his ADP -- even in a projected run-first offense.

Palmer's efficiency numbers were excellent behind Keenan Allen a season ago, posting 12.2 receiving yards over expectation per game. That was tops on the team among those who played at least half the games.

Late-season injuries might have masked exactly how much work Palmer could take on in an offense, and he's a deep threat who posted an 11.4-yard average depth of target (aDOT) last season. That can help make up fantasy points in a hurry if Jim Harbaugh does indeed pound the rock to set up home-run balls.

Kenyatta Storin, Senior Editor

Sleeper: Khalil Shakir

With all of Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Trent Sherfield, and Deonte Harty out of the picture, Khalil Shakir is quite literally the only wideout of any significance left from last year's Buffalo Bills roster. Yet, he's typically being drafted as the fourth Buffalo pass-catcher off the board behind tight end Dalton Kincaid and new WRs Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel, per FantasyPros.

In the nine games with Joe Brady as OC, Shakir led the team with 1.91 yards per route run (YPRR) -- a significantly higher mark than Diggs (1.43) over that span -- and when Davis was injured over the final three games (including the playoffs), Shakir would see a 17.3% target share and 80.4% route rate.

While there's no guarantee the slot receiver sees a leap in 2024 amidst all the new faces, there's potential value in taking a chance on the WR with the lowest cost yet most experience in this passing attack.

Austan Kas, Senior Editor

Sleeper: Chase Brown

The Cincinnati Bengals should be one of the league's top offenses -- our Jim Sannes projects the Bengals to score the sixth-most points -- and we're not sure who will be the lead guy in their backfield. That creates breakout potential for both Zack Moss and Chase Brown, the likely top two backs for Cincy. Between the two, I lean Brown.

A pretty dope prospect coming out of Illinois, Brown ran for at least 100 yards in 10 of 12 games his final season in college and then tested well at the combine. In limited playing time as a rookie in 2023, he showed receiving juice down the stretch, hauling in 11 of his 12 targets for 149 yards and a score across the final five games.

Brown checks a few boxes as a back with both rushing and receiving skills and can be a breakout star in fantasy if he winds up with the lead role.

Aidan Cotter, Writer

Sleeper: Taysom Hill

What if I told you that, in each of the past two seasons, you could've drafted the same top-10 tight end outside the top 150 picks?

What if I told you that you can do it again this season?

Taysom Hill -- 2022's TE5 and 2023's TE10 -- is currently being drafted as the TE19 and the 166th player overall, according to FantasyPros' consensus ADP. That's despite his recording a career-best 114 touches last season.

The New Orleans Saints have a new offensive coordinator, but Hill was allegedly getting reps out of the backfield in OTAs, and that was before presumptive starting tight end Juwan Johnson had foot surgery that resulted in his beginning the year on the PUP list.

The top of the postion is pretty deep, but if you miss out on one of the top-eight guys, I'm happy to just punt it and snag a potential TE1 in the back end of drafts.

Riley Thomas, Writer

Sleeper: Wan'Dale Robinson

Selecting a New York Giants receiver not named Malik Nabers?

I know, but bear with me.

Wan'Dale Robinson performed very well in several areas last season, including sitting in the top 10 of target separation and average cushion. Robinson knows how to make things happen as he was one of five receivers to finish in the 60th percentile of yards after the catch per reception, contested catch rate, and separation rate, per PFF.

From Week 4 on last season, Robinson also ranked second on New York in target share (18.6%) behind the newly-retired Darren Waller (20.7%). Reports have also emerged that the Giants are working to incorporate Robinson in the backfield alongside his receiving work, adding even more value.

This kind of efficiency and potential usage is a steal at his current WR73 ADP.

Skyler Carlin, Writer

Sleeper: Dontayvion Wicks

It is tough trying to decipher who the WR1 is going to be for the Green Bay Packers entering the upcoming season. The Packers have a handful of viable weapons with Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks slotted in at wide receiver.

Despite being a fifth-round pick and limited to a 49.9% route rate a season ago, Wicks registered the second-most yards per route run (2.14) among Green Bay's wideouts who played in 10-plus games, via NextGenStats. When looking at the receivers on the Packers, Reed is deployed in a variety of ways, Watson has experienced injury concerns, and Doubs excels in contested-catch situations.

Of the bunch, Wicks possesses the highest ceiling thanks to his do-it-all abilities, and it will be tough for Green Bay to keep him off the field as much as they did last season. With Jordan Love carrying lofty expectations this year, I want to take a home-run swing on one of his pass-catchers, and Wicks could realistically emerge as Love's favorite target.

Jim Sannes, Managing Editor

Sleeper: Rashod Bateman

Surely it's gotta work this time, right?

Rashod Bateman's start to his career has been a borderline disaster, but he's the clear WR2 tied to a two-time MVP at quarterback. We know the downsides, but those are fully baked into his ADP outside the top 200.

There's more upside than that number would imply, which is why I'm going back despite the pain.

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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.