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A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. There is value available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. This article specifically targets deep sleeper value (players that can be found very late in a fantasy draft). In an attempt to point out this value, we asked our staff to look deeper than the Top 150 and identify players that should significantly outperform their late draft position. These players should be your targets after the 12th round of your draft.
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Here are the players who received the most votes:
And here are all of the players mentioned and the reasons why.
Player Receiving 9 Votes
Evan Engram, Jacksonville
Jeff Bell: The last offense Doug Pederson coached that did not finish with a tight end as a top-two receiver was the 2013 Chiefs, his first season as offensive coordinator. Pederson knows Engram as an old NFC East division rival. Engram’s 722 rookie yards were the ninth-highest rookie total since 1961, but he has failed to deliver on that rookie promise fully. Engram finished as a TE1 in PPG each of his first three seasons but has fallen out of those standings, hitting a career crossroads, but he has the talent and opportunity to finish top two in yards on the Jaguars. Hitting that threshold almost assures finishing as a TE1.
Sigmund Bloom: The Jaguars paid a pretty penny (9 million, only ~2 million less than the franchise tag) for Engram's services, and Doug Pederson & Press Taylor know how to use tight ends effectively from their time together in Philadelphia. Engram could show us that the reason he busted with the Giants was mostly him, but it also could have been mostly the coaching and management, and the price to have him on your roster in Week 1 to get the first big clue is very cheap for a player of his physical talent at tight end.
Tripp Brebner: Our own Nick Whalen once called Evan Engram the second-best receiver in the 2017 NFL draft. Engram failed to build on a productive rookie campaign and will play on a one-year prove-it deal in 2022. His average depth of target has been among the lowest in the league throughout his career, like that of an outlet valve rather than a receiving threat from the tight end position. The new Jaguars head coach has a track record of using his tight ends to threaten defenses downfield. Engram, meanwhile, is among the fastest receivers on Jacksonville's roster. A new cast of pass-catchers opens the door for Engram to emerge as young Trevor Lawrence's preferred target. Higher-leverage opportunities could translate to new-found heights for Evan Engram.
Kevin Coleman: Evan Engram is one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL that has never quite had the breakout career many hoped for after his impressive rookie season with the Giants. Engram has dealt with injuries, and poor quarterback play his entire career. Fast forward to 2022, and Engram is playing on a new team with a head coach who can get the most out of him in Doug Pederson. Pederson’s features a heavy dose of “12 personnel.” During his last two seasons as a head coach, Pederson’s teams finished second and first in the league of two-tight end usage. The targets and usage will be there for Engram to smash his ADP.
Jeff Haseley: The role Evan Engram will play in Jacksonville in Doug Pederson's system could result in a 50- to 60-catch season with 700-800 yards and 5-6 touchdowns. That's not too bad considering he is going after 20 tight ends have been selected in drafts.
Andy Hicks: Evan Engram is not the only player to suffer from offensive issues on the New York Giants. Now with Jacksonville, he should be a key focus for Trevor Lawrence and the passing game under Doug Pedersen. Engram had one of the best seasons for a rookie tight end. The talent is there. If we combine that with the ability of Pedersen to use the tight end position, Engram is in a great situation to not only exceed his ADP but become a fantasy starter.
Chad Parsons: The Jaguars are one of the breakout offense possibilities this season after the Urban Meyer stink has cleared the air. Engram is on a one-year deal without a strong WR1 presence on the team. If Engram is not blocking or running five-year out routes as much as his frustrating closing years with the Giants, a return to the top-12 is firmly within the range of outcomes.
Christian Williams: Evan Engram's career has been a rollercoaster, but one thing has remained constant: targets come his way. Engram has been one of the more versatile pass-catching tight ends, consistently lining up wide or in the slot to create mismatches with defensive backs. Doug Pederson has always utilized tight ends efficiently, with his starter finishing no lower than TE6 in his first five years as head coach in Philadelphia. Engram isn't Zach Ertz, but if he can show Trevor Lawrence his hands are reliable, he certainly could continue his path of high target shares and be a steal at his ADP of TE23.
Zareh Kantzabedian: According to ADP, Evan Engram is being selected in the 15th round. Engram's opportunity cost is nowhere near the target volume I am anticipating for him in 2022. Doug Pederson is the Jacksonville Jaguars' new head coach. In five years, the Eagles under Pederson have never ranked lower than second in total team targets to tight ends. Engram's ADP will rise in the coming months but should remain a bargain towards the end of August.
Player Receiving 6 Votes
Robert Tonyan Jr, Green Bay
Sigmund Bloom: Tonyan is reportedly in the lead to be the first of the three Packers who tore an ACL last year to get back on the field, and signs point to no problem being ready for Week 1. The Packers have a vacuum in the offense created by the departure of Davante Adams, and Tonyan is one of the top candidates to benefit from it, especially in the red zone. He went for 11-148-4 in two games that Adams missed in 2020, and 3-49 in three quarters of a game Adams missed in 2021 before tearing his ACL in the late October loss to the Cardinals.
Ben Cummins: Reports regarding Robert Tonyan Jr’s ACL recovery are positive, he caught 11 touchdowns in 2020, he’s paired with the back-to-back MVP, and the Packers will need him without Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Jordan McNamara: A cheap bet on a potential leading option for Aaron Rodgers, particularly where there is a lot of uncertainty in the offense, is a good upside bet. Tonyan had a breakout season in 2020 where he had 59 targets and 11 touchdowns before a torn ACL cut his 2021 season short. Tonyan could easily pass his career-high 59 targets in the post-Davante Adams offense.
Sam Wagman: Everyone seems to be throwing Tonyan to the side. Regression was inevitable last year after posting over a 20% touchdown rate in 2020 — 11 scores on 52 receptions. Then he not only started slow but also tore his ACL, and the season for him was over. With Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling now gone, Aaron Rodgers needs someone to trust in the passing game. It stands on Tonyan, who is on track to return by the start of the season, to pick up the slack and he has the opportunity and the ability to put up a TE1 season once again.
Matt Waldman: Okwuegbunam has TE1 upside and could emerge as such this year because of his red-zone prowess and Russell Wilson's skill with seam routes. He's a speedy player with proven NFL-caliber contested-catch skills and an underrated feel for underneath routes. Rookie option Greg Dulcich could factor early in the Denver offense as a heavily schemed speedster in the open field, but not enough for him to overtake the veteran. Okwuegbunam's blocking is far superior and this will not only keep him on the field, but it will also lead to some excellent play-action opportunities, which is a staple of Wilson's game.
Jason Wood: Tonyan's 2020 breakout was driven entirely by an absurdly high touchdown rate (11 TDs on 59 targets), which is why he was a fade last year. Those who faded him were served well as he struggled in the first half before tearing his ACL. But with Davante Adams gone, and Tonyan looking like a sure bet to be 100% for the regular season, Aaron Rodgers is going to need targets he trusts, particularly in the red zone. Tonyan is a good bet for 7+ touchdowns.
Players Receiving 4 Votes
Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay
Drew Davenport: Despite seeing a snap share below 50 percent for just about every week of 2021, Brate finished tied for the ninth-most red zone targets among all pass-catchers in the NFL last year. Brate's ADP is likely to continue to rise, but with Chris Godwin potentially missing time and Rob Gronkowski retiring, the Buccaneers and Tom Brady are going to turn to veteran options to get things done. Brate is practically free in drafts right now (18th round) and is attached to a prolific offense that will throw the ball plenty. He's an easy late pick to see what role he can develop as the TE1 in Tampa Bay.
Sam Wagman: The numbers weren’t that pretty for Brate in the 4.5 game span he performed as the TE1 for the Buccaneers last season when Rob Gronkowski went down, but he is a big, reliable target for Tom Brady. It is also notable that a lot of Brady’s supporting cast will be absent for possibly the majority of the season with Chris Godwin recovering, Gronkowski retiring and Russell Gage new in town. The stage is set for Brate to break through the typical wasteland that exists after the top 10 or so tight ends and be a back-end TE1 in this offense.
Ryan Weisse: It seems like we've been waiting an eternity for Brate to be the starting tight end in Tampa Bay, but it happens this year. At 32 years old this year, he's entering his 9th season and only started 34 games. In that time, he's also scored 33 touchdowns. I'm not saying he'll average a touchdown per start in 2022, but Rob Gronkowski scored six in 12 games last year. Gronkowski was also on pace to be a top-5 tight end in fantasy and finished as the TE7 despite missing five games. Brate has easy top-10 potential, and he's free in fantasy drafts.
Jason Wood: With Rob Gronkowski retired, Ivy Leaguer-turned-NFL veteran Cameron Brate vaults back to relevance. I know some are excited by rookie mini-camp reports touting Cade Otton, but it's easy to be a stand-out in rookie camp on a veteran-laden team. When the real bullets start flying, expect Brate to step into a featured role and easily outstrip his current ADP.
Albert Okwuegbunam, Denver
Ben Cummins: Albert Okwuegbunam caught 23 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons and has been efficient so far early in his NFL career. With Russell Wilson brought in and Noah Fant shipped out, Okwuegbunam has extreme touchdown upside, which is exactly what we’re looking for at the tight end position.
Gary Davenport: Any tight end selected after 12-plus rounds is going to be a dart throw, but there are reasons for optimism with Okwuegbunam. The 6-foot-5, 258-pounder showed at Missouri that he can be a legitimate threat in the red zone. Okwuegbunam made the most of his 40 targets with the Broncos last year, posting a catch percentage of 82.5. With Noah Fant catching worm burners from Drew Lock in Seattle now, Okwuegbunam is now the No. 1 tight end for the Broncos. And with Russell Wilson leading the offense in Denver, Okwuegbunam is playing with a quarterback light-years better than what he had in 2020 and 2021.
Andy Hicks: The departure of Noah Fant and the arrival of Russell Wilson opens up a huge opportunity at the tight end position in Denver. Although Denver used a reasonably high pick on a rookie at the position in Greg Dulcich, this is a position where little should be expected of a player just coming out of college. Albert Okwuegbunam will be in his third year and has flashed elite athletic potential. Add in opportunity and although there is a risk, especially with the new coaching staff, the current price is worth the upside.
Jordan McNamara: Albert Okweugbunam has been extremely efficient on limited volume in his career, ranking in the top 10 percent of production on a per-route run basis. Enter Russell Wilson and an opportunity to step into Noah Fant's starting role in the offense, and Okwuegbunam is the type of high-efficiency player who could capitalize on a bigger role in 2022.
Players Receiving 3 Votes
Gerald Everett, LA Chargers
Alfredo Brown: We’ve been waiting for a Gerald Everett breakout for a long time, but I think it’s finally here. In 2021, he was the TE9 from weeks 10-16. A good portion of his season was ruined by Russ’ injury and the Seahawks' overall lack of a passing offense. Now he goes to an offense with a top two or three QB in the league in a division that will be filled with scoring. In 2021, Jared Cook and Donald Parham combined for 110 targets. If Everett can find himself in the 70-80 target range he’ll likely be a top-12 TE with a TE21 ADP, I’ll take a shot on him late in drafts.
Gary Davenport: Everett's lone season in Seattle wasn't especially impressive at first glance—he barely finished inside the top-20 tight ends in PPR fantasy points. But Everett's 48 catches, 478 yards, and four scores actually represented career-highs across the board for the 28-year-old—career-highs that he has a good chance of eclipsing this season in Los Angeles. Justin Herbert targeted Jared Cook 83 times last season—and Cook was a shell of his former self. If Everett gets that same target load in 2022 and hits his career average in catch rate and yards per reception, throw in 4-5 touchdowns and you have a top-15 PPR fantasy option. Add one more fantasy point per game and he's flirting with the top-12.
Christian Williams: Gerald Everett had a down year in 2021, finishing as the TE22 in fantasy points per game after heading to Seattle. Everett's talent has always been apparent, but his production has never quite lived up to it. He now enters an offense that threw to tight ends 137 times in 2021 and gave a 34-year-old Jared Cook 61% of such targets. Everett's sure hands and dynamic ability after the catch could have him reaching career highs in efficiency and production now that he's tied to Justin Herbert; his ADP of TE22 could be the late-round steal everyone is coveting.
Austin Hooper, Tennessee
Jeff Bell: The Titans gave a tight end room of Anthony Firkser, Geoff Swaim, and MyCole Pruitt a total of 108 targets, ranking 19th in the NFL. Hooper failed to separate in a crowded Cleveland tight end room but is building an early rapport with Ryan Tannehill and represents a talent upgrade at the position. Hooper had back-to-back TE1 seasons in 2018 and 2019, peaking at TE3 in PPG in 2019. At 28, he still has a prime production window and one of the most uncertain target rooms with the team’s changeover at wide receiver.
Drew Davenport: Hooper had a rough couple of years in Cleveland, failing to eclipse 70 targets in either of his two seasons there. The Browns did give their tight ends 143 targets in 2021, but that was spread between all three guys on the roster and Hooper was a poor fantasy producer. But things are different on his new team. The Titans have a transition happening not only at the tight end spot, but also at wide receiver, and word has come from Tennessee that quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Hooper are developing chemistry. So the question is, did Hooper suddenly get worse at football in Cleveland, or was he just not used enough? Take a chance on the Titans rediscovering his value and see what develops for the price of a 16th-round draft pick.
Ryan Weisse: Hooper had a rough go in Cleveland. After an excellent 2019 in Atlanta, where he paced as the overall TE3 in fantasy and finished as the TE6 playing only 13 games, he chased the money to Cleveland. In two seasons with the Browns, he only scored 14 more combined fantasy points than his 2019 season. Now in Tennessee, his primary target competition is Robert Woods, returning from an ACL tear, and Treylon Burks, a rookie who has barely been healthy enough to practice. There is a good chance that Hooper will lead this team in targets in 2022.
Player Receiving 2 Votes
Brevin Jordan, Houston
Kevin Coleman: Brevin Jordan comes into the 2022 season as the unquestioned starter, and for a player with his ADP, that's a bit unheard of. He also isn’t fighting for targets from that receiving room outside Brandin Cooks and possibly a healthy John Metchie III when he returns from his ACL surgery. The opportunity is there for Jordan to outperform his current ADP. He showed flashes after week eight, scoring at least 9.0 PPR points in half his games to finish the season. Davis Mills and Jordan seemed to find a connection towards the end of 2021 that could be duplicated this season.
Chad Parsons: Jordan produced enough as a 2021 rookie to be in the intriguing bucket for uptick tight ends in Year 2. Houston has passing game question marks beyond Brandin Cooks and did not address tight end notably this offseason. Jordan was strongly productive in college and entered the NFL at an ideal 21.2 years old. Jordan is one of the cheapest NFL starting tight ends with strong profit potential.
Players Receiving 1 Vote
Daniel Bellinger, NY Giants
Jeff Haseley: The Giants' tight end room is Ricky Seals-Jones, Jordan Akins, and rookie Daniel Bellinger. During the Giants' OTAs Bellinger was inserted with the first-stringers. He is a good blocker but he also has capable hands. He should see the field often, even as a rookie, and he has a chance to be this year's Pat Freiermuth.
Greg Dulcich, Denver
Anthony Amico: My teammates have stumped for Albert O quite a bit, but Dulcich deserves some love too as a talented pass-catching tight end in a great offense. While Okwuegbunam has shown some productivity in the past, he has struggled with injury and has no ties to the current decision-making group in Denver. It perhaps speaks the best volumes here that the team used the 80th overall pick on Dulcich with Okwuegbunam in tow. Dulcich averaged 17.6 yards per reception for his collegiate career and accounted for over 30 percent of UCLA's receiving yards in his final two seasons. With so many other weapons available, the tight end who can do more with less is inherently desirable.
Foster Moreau, Las Vegas
Matt Waldman: I was going to list Logan Thomas, who is ahead of schedule with his 10-month ACL rehab timeline and could be available for Week 1 with Carson Wentz, a good feeder of tight ends. However, Moreau is worth broaching here. He might be the best backup tight end in the league. He has legitimate top-12 fantasy receiving talent and should earn a starter contract elsewhere when his rookie deal expires. If Darren Waller misses significant time, Moreau is a priority addition from your waiver wire. If Josh McDaniels decides to emphasize the two-tight end approach he utilized multiple times in New England, and not lean as hard on an RB in the passing game, Moreau could also post fantasy starter production as the Raiders' TE2 in a base alignment of Davante Adams and Darren Waller split outside, Moreau as the in-line tight end, and Hunter Renfrow in the slot.
Tommy Tremble, Carolina
Tripp Brebner: Tommy Tremble entered the league as a young, raw rookie. His snap counts, routes run, and slot deployment all increased as the season progressed. He overtook incumbent starter Ian Thomas in routes run, targets, and receptions in December 2021. Most fantasy gamers are off the scent of Tremble due to Thomas's new three-year contract; however, Thomas signed for less than his peers in terms of average annual value including Austin Hooper, Gerald Everett, and the Jets' new tight ends. Tremble will play for offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo in 2022. As the Giants' head coach, McAdoo oversaw then-rookie Evan Engram's most productive season as a pro.