Every week, I gaze into my crystal football to find deep-league and dynasty waiver darlings who could emerge later, so you can acquire them now for practically nothing. I'm looking for players with a plausible path toward playing time, but not necessarily this season. I'm only looking for players who are rostered in fewer than one-third of Sleeper dynasty leagues because players above that threshold are typically already gone in deeper leagues.
Even the deepest rosters don't have unlimited bench space. Look ahead for roster holes when injuries mount and bye weeks take healthy players out of your lineup, as you decide whether to take a flier on these potential dynasty stashes.
I'm writing this right before the NFL trade deadline, so the situations I describe here may change by the time this is published. Anticipating trades and the opportunities they may present gives savvy dynasty managers an edge over league mates, leading to lower acquisition costs. You may be wrong, but you've taken a relatively inexpensive bet that's easy to undo, much like picking up deep-bench flyers like the ones we discuss here.
TE Sam Roush, Chicago (16% Rostered)
The Bears selected Sam Roush in the third round of this year's draft, one year after selecting Colston Loveland with a first-round pick. Veteran Cole Kmet was also expected to play significant snaps. "He's going to be a phenomenal football player for a long time in this league," said head coach Ben Johnson late in training camp. "The faster we can get him to play, the better off he's going to be in the long run." Roush has played in every game this season, and he's played more than half of the team's snaps since Kmet was lost for the season with a knee injury two weeks ago. Roush hasn't been fantasy-relevant yet, with just seven targets so far, though he flashed his receiving chops in the preseason. Dynasty managers will need patience; tight ends typically take several seasons to develop.
Roush, the grandnephew of Hall of Fame defensive tackle Merlin Olsen, played four seasons at Stanford and appeared in 12 games each season. He caught 49 passes for 545 yards and two touchdowns in his senior season under coach Frank Reich. Roush isn't an exceptional blocker, but he's willing and selfless, qualities that quickly endeared him to Johnson and his teammates. Expect to see more of Roush, particularly in 12 and 13 personnel packages, which Johnson has employed nearly 50 percent of the time so far this season. Kmet is signed through 2027 and is expected to return, so it may be a couple of years before Roush is the team's clear TE2.
WR Reggie Virgil, Arizona (16% Rostered)
WR Harrison Wallace III, Arizona (0% Rostered)
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