This writer has a confession to make. One time, at band camp…
That I'm legitimately unsure how many people will even get that reference makes me feel that much older.
I'm a geezer. A legit old man. Get off my lawn.
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Kidding aside, I loathe the term "sleeper." Have for a very long time. From now until the end of August, there will be a bajillion articles written about sleepers—league-winning secret weapons available late in drafts. Many of those articles will reference the same players.
Folks, a player isn't a secret weapon if everyone knows about him. That "sleeper" is wide awake.
This isn't to say that late-round picks who go on to shatter their modest asking prices aren't valuable. They are incredibly so—fantasy managers who drafted Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams as a low-end RB3 last year or got New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson at the end of drafts reaped major rewards. Late-round gems like that are like Mega Millions tickets—the odds of hitting may not be especially good, but if you do—jackpot.
But the term "sleeper" is as ingrained in fantasy football as trophies and White Claw.
So, if it's sleepers that you want, it's sleepers you shall have.
For I am a man of the people.
Quarterback Sleepers
Malik Willis, Miami (ADP: QB21)
The good news for Malik Willis is that the 27-year-old signed a three-year-deal in the offseason worth $67.5 million that includes $45 million in guarantees—not bad for a guy who has made six starts over four years with the Tennessee Titans and the Green Bay Packers.
The bad news is that deal came in Miami, where the offensive weapons now feature running back De'Von Achane and a who's who of poo.
It can't be argued that Willis' weapons are, um, bad. The Dolphins will be as well. This is a team that will be playing from behind approximately every week. But Willis offers significant rushing upside (he averaged 58 rushing yards per game over his starts in Green Bay), and the last this writer checked, "garbage time" points count the same as all the rest.
Embrace the suck in South Florida.
Cam Ward, Tennessee (ADP: QB24)
As is often the case when a quarterback is drafted first overall by a tomato can, Ward's inaugural season with the Titans was a bumpy one—a completion percentage under 60, 3,169 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Ward was sacked a league-high 55 times and finished 22nd in fantasy points among quarterbacks.
Bigger and better things are coming in 2026.
Ward improved as the season wore on. From Week 12 on, he was quietly a top-15 fantasy signal-caller. He now has a year of experience under his belt. The Titans have a new offensive coordinator in former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. The team added a pair of passing-game weapons in rookie Carnell Tate and the aforementioned Wan'Wan'Dale Robinson. The offensive line should be better.
Ward is the ideal backup to a guy like Lamar Jackson—a quarterback capable of more than just starting for fantasy managers on their QB1's bye week.
