Fantasy Football Sleepers 2023: Top Picks

SI Fantasy asked its team of experts to give their picks for top sleeper this upcoming season. Here’s what they had to say.

Sleepers. They are among the biggest keys to success in fantasy football. If you can identify a “sleeper” -- a player that most fantasy managers are sleeping on but is actually ready to have a big season -- then your roster immediately gets a boost.

• 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit

In most cases, a sleeper is a mid- to late-round pick that puts up numbers more worthy of players with a much higher average draft position (ADP). We surveyed members of the SI Fantasy and SI NFL teams to provide their picks for top sleeper in 2023. Here are the results:

Rachaad White, RB, Buccaneers

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Michael Fabiano, Sr. Fantasy Analyst: White is in prime position to outperform his middle-round average draft position, as the Buccaneers cut ties with Leonard Fournette in the offseason and didn’t replace him in the draft or free agency. Head coach Todd Bowles believes White can “become a complete, three-down back,” and it appears Tampa Bay will give him a chance to achieve that goal. He could emerge into a nice No. 2 fantasy runner.

Treylon Burks, WR, Titans

Jennifer Piacenti, SI Fantasy/Betting Analyst: Burks has the opportunity to be the top passing option in Tennessee now that Robert Woods and Austin Hooper are out of the picture. The sophomore wideout was a top-regarded prospect, and if Burks can stay healthy, he should have a good share of the 199 targets up for grabs in Tennessee as projected by 4for4.

Aaron Jones, RB, Packers

Kyle Wood, SI Fantasy/Betting Writer: A player of Jones’s caliber would typically not be considered for a category like this. But with an average draft position of RB16 in the fifth (!) round, people are clearly sleeping on Jones, which therefore makes him a sleeper. Here’s his PPR finishes the last four seasons: 9, 10, 5, 2. Among running backs, only Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Alvin Kamara have scored more points than him over that stretch. Aaron Rodgers’s exit does not mean it’s the end of the road for Jones. He should be even more involved as a receiver this year as Jordan Love adjusts to the starting gig and another 1,000 yards on the ground is well within reach for a runner of his caliber.

Christian Watson, WR, Packers

Gilberto Manzano, SI NFL Writer: Many are overlooking the Packers because Aaron Rodgers is gone and Jordan Love is the new inexperienced starting quarterback. But that shouldn’t affect Watson, who already displayed chemistry with Love after the two connected for a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown last season versus the Eagles. The 6'5", 208-pound Watson is poised for a breakout second season after producing 523 yards and seven touchdowns in the final eight games of 2022. With his sizable catch radius, Love will likely target Watson often as his No. 1 target.

Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders

Matt Verderame, SI NFL Writer: Dotson was excellent in 12 games with the Commanders last year as a rookie, catching 35 passes for 523 yards and seven touchdowns. The big question is whether Washington's quarterback play holds him back, but after thriving in 2022 with Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke, there's reason to believe. Look for Dotson to consistently beat single coverage with Terry McLaurin drawing the toughest assignments.

Skyy Moore, WR, Chiefs

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Bill Enright, SI Fantasy/Betting Analyst: The hype for Moore leading into his rookie season went hyperbolic. The second-round pick playing with the best quarterback and a brilliant offensive coach quickly went from being a late-round flyer to an early sixth-round pick and those lofty expectations became out of reach. But the Chiefs wide receiver room a year ago was much more crowded. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman both left via free agency this offseason, as did their 135 targets, 103 receptions, 1,230 yards, and seven touchdowns. That’s a lot of opportunity ripe for Moore’s taking. Sure, Kansas City drafted Rashee Rice but, as we saw with Moore during his rookie campaign, first-year receivers might not get a lot of playing time. Moore’s current average draft position is 143 overall (60th wide receiver) -- that’s 55 picks after teammate Kadarius Toney. Pick up a potential WR2 in the league’s best offense in the 11th round and thank me in December when he’s helping you bring home a championship.

Craig Ellenport, SI Fantasy/Betting Sr. Editor: The last time we saw Moore on the gridiron, he was scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. That’s a nice momentum-builder heading into his sophomore season. It was the only touchdown of Moore’s rookie season, but the Chiefs could afford to bring him along slowly. With JuJu Smith-Schuster moving on, that’s 101 targets from Patrick Mahomes up for grabs. Kansas City has other weapons, but Moore can do some damage from the slot position.