Sleepers: 2 Quarterbacks to Target

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A fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. Value is available throughout a draft; 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 later in a fantasy draft). 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 in the second half of your draft.

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Here are the players who received the most votes:

• Deshaun Watson, Cleveland
• Bo Nix, Denver

And here are all of the players mentioned and the reasons why.

Sleeper Receiving 4 Votes

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland

Phil Alexander: I'll keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Watson is the only starting quarterback available late in drafts who offers added upside as a rusher. Draft him as your QB2, and pray he returns to form. If he flops again, how badly do you need a QB2 in single-quarterback leagues anyway?

Jason Wood: Watson hasn't been an impactful fantasy asset since 2020. Four years is an eternity in NFL parlance, and understandably, most want to fade Watson until they see him return to form. But with risk comes opportunity, and the fact that you can draft Watson outside the Top 20 is a potential gift from the fantasy gods, particularly in deeper leagues or Superflex formats. Before Watson was embroiled in his off-the-field travails, he was the reigning career leader in passer rating (ahead of Aaron Rodgers). While we don't need to relitigate all that's happened since we do need to remind everyone that his contract guarantees the Browns will commit to him again in 2024. They've also added Jerry Jeudy to the receiving corps, will get Nick Chubb back from injury, and added impressive depth to an already solid offensive line. Is there a risk with Watson? Yes. But we KNOW that, at his best, he's markedly better than ten quarterbacks being drafted earlier.

Gary Davenport: It's entirely reasonable that so many are out on Watson in 2024—how this Browns fan wishes Cleveland was. The last time he was fantasy-relevant has become a long time ago. There was the year lost to his contract dispute in Houston. Another mainly lost to the longest personal conduct violation suspension ever levied by the NFL. And then another lost to a shoulder injury. But Watson is still just 28. The addition of Jerry Jeudy gives Cleveland another offensive weapon. Nick Chubb will be back at some point. And this team won 11 games last year without any of those players for most of the season. If Watson can come anywhere close to 2020 with this offense, he'll win leagues. And at this price point, ain't that worth a dart?

Bob Harris: Watson compiled elite numbers during a four-year run with the Texans. He was a top-5 fantasy quarterback in three out of his four seasons in Houston. Limited by suspension and injury, Watson has played just 12 games since making his Browns debut late in the 2022 season. He's finished as QB36 in fantasy in both campaigns with Cleveland, averaging a mediocre 14.2 fantasy points per game. Can Watson regain past form? Incoming coordinator Ken Dorsey coaxing Josh Allen-like improvement (the Bills' signal tallied the biggest improvement in QB rating in the NFL in Dorsey's first season with Buffalo in 2019) out of Watson would be a great starting point. Getting Joe Flacco-esque results -- Flacco was QB4 over his four regular-season games filling in for the injured Watson last year -- would be the sweet spot. The equation is simple: Minimal risk versus potential reward makes Watson intriguing. 

Sleeper Receiving 2 Votes

Bo Nix, Denver

Jason Wood: Deep sleepers are supposed to be thought-provoking, and Nix fits that bill. In a star-studded rookie quarterback class, Nix is being discounted even though he may be in one of the best situations. Sean Payton is rebuilding the Broncos offense from scratch, and we know he can be an effective play-caller when his quarterback is willing to execute the plays and not improvise. Nix evolved collegiately into exactly that: A system quarterback capable of putting up big numbers when he's on script. There are many ways the Broncos could go wrong, but Nix has the experience, mobility, and demeanor to thrive if he wins the job outright in training camp.

Ben Cummins: Nix was drafted 12th overall into a favorable offensive environment paired with Sean Payton. Nix threw for 8,101 yards and 74 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Oregon and ran for 1,613 yards and 38 touchdowns over his collegiate career. Nix is an accurate short and intermediate passer who pairs well with Payton's offense and is a battering ram near the goal line, a la Josh Allen. His rushing upside is being overlooked, making him a fun and sneaky fantasy pick, thanks to his extremely low ADP.

Bonus Sleeper Quarterbacks

In addition to the two sleepers listed above, these players got a single vote each.

Justin Fields, Pittsburgh

Gary Davenport: It shouldn't be a matter of "if" Justin Fields should be starting games in Pittsburgh. It should be a matter of "when." And with a new contract extension in his pocket, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin should forego Russell Wilson's floor for Fields' ceiling. For the chance to be more than a 9-10 win team that gets whacked on the road in the Wild Card Round. Whether that will happen admittedly isn't that likely. But at cost I'd rather draft Fields and hope it does than take Wilson and have to frown and sigh (the dreaded frigh) every time I slot him in my lineup this fall and winter—as my QB2.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Hutchinson Brown: The Giants' offense has been a mess over the last handful of seasons, and Danny Dimes has become quite the laughingstock in the NFL world. I see some fantasy value to be had here due to his new stud wideout in Malik Nabers and his rushing ability. Jones has played poorly throughout his career but has had plenty of moments of being a QB1 in fantasy due to his rushing ability. Now that he has a true alpha receiver in Nabers, we could see some of that this season in the games he starts.

Bryce Young, Carolina

Ben Cummins: Bryce Young was an awesome prospect coming out of college and was drafted first overall just one year ago. His rookie season was abysmal, but his extremely low ADP allows us to dip our toes back into the water. Young's supporting cast was putrid in 2023, but he's now surrounded by the upgrades of Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette, and Jonathan Brooks. More importantly, Young's new head coach, Dave Canales, played crucial roles in the career revitalizations of both Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield over the past two seasons.

Derek Carr, New Orleans

Andy Hicks: Nobody is going to be excited to add Carr to their roster. He has never ranked higher than 12th for a fantasy season but has also been top 20 in every one of his 10 years in the NFL. Once some of these mobile quarterbacks and higher-upside players start going down, a player like Carr starts to look attractive to the guy who lost his stud. Carr has been durable and consistent, so he will be attractive trade bait. Or for yourself if you lose your starter.

Will Levis, Tennessee

Jeff Bell: Bryce Young will be recognized for how much the environment around him improved, but Levis may have seen an even bigger upgrade. Brian Callahan brings a young, offensive-focused approach, representing a complete 180 from Mike Vrabel's defense and toughness mantra. He is joined by his father, Bill, one of the most respected offensive line coaches. The team invested heavily in the line, drafting tackle J.C. Latham 7th overall and making Lloyd Cushenberry the second-highest-paid center in the league. They also overhauled the skilled talent, with Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd stepping into an offense where Nick Westbrook-Ikhine had the second most wide receiver targets at 45, followed by Chris Moore's 35. To make life easier in the passing game, Tony Pollard arrived to team with Tyjae Spears, creating an excellent pass-catching tandem. It is a make-or-break year for Levis, but at least the team gave him the tools to succeed.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay

Andy Hicks: Apparently, last year was a fluke fantasy season for Baker Mayfield. A career high in passing yards and touchdowns, great efficiency, and finishing the season ranked 12th is not enough. He will be drafted with the borderline starters, guys expected to give way to rookies, and career journeymen. He is almost certain to outperform his ADP again in 2024, so don't hesitate to grab him as your backup.

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