Whether you’ve already drafted or you’re still working on your draft strategy, here are a few more receivers to consider picking up off the waiver wire or in the late stages of your draft/auction. After all, the word is pretty well out on Sterling Shepard, Kevin White, Tyler Boyd, Michael Thomas and some of the other receivers we highlighted before they were household (fantasy) names.
MORE: Ultimate fantasy football cheat sheet
Note: We’ll be updating our Top 200 and position rankings throughout the rest of the preseason, so check back often.
2016 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide receivers
Tajae Sharpe, Titans. The rookie out of UMass rose quickly in fantasy circles after the trade of Dorial Green-Beckham, and he appears to be a favorite of Marcus Mariota after a solid preseason. Playing ahead of Rishard Matthews, Sharpe could easily make some waves, but keep in mind the Titans were only 21st in pass attempts last year, and they beefed up their running game this offseason. Sharpe will be behind TE Delanie Walker for targets and will be competing with Matthews and Kendall Wright for looks, too. He’s certainly worth drafting late, but don’t bank on him being a starter right away.
2016 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS: Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Eli Rogers, Steelers. It seems like everyone loves Sammie Coates (including us), but Rogers has been the guy starting in the slot for the Steelers this preseason. There isn’t much of a book on the second-year receiver out of Louisville, as he didn’t catch a pass last year and had just 2,020 yards and 12 TDs in his college career, but clearly the Steelers see something in him. With Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton operating as the clear top-two pass-catchers, it’s tough to imagine Rogers consistently putting up big numbers, but in the Steelers’ high-powered offense, he’s at least worth watching.
Braxton Miller, Texans. First-round pick Will Fuller seemingly has more upside, but Miller looks like he has the inside track to start the year as Houston’s slot receiver. Still relatively new to the position, Miller has a long way to go before he can be counted on as a consistent fantasy performer, but he could be a PPR steal late.
SLEEPERS: 12 WRs | 7 QBs | 14 RBs | 9 TEs | One from each team
Chris Hogan, Patriots. Hogan has looked good in the preseason (9-115-1), and while his role isn’t completely defined, would it surprise anyone if he suddenly became a major part of the Patriots offense? Early on (read: pre-Brady), he might not do much, as Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski are clearly the top two targets for Jimmy Garoppolo, but we know Brady will spread it around, and Hogan has legit upside once the Pats offense really gets rolling.
Josh Gordon, Browns. So, Gordon isn’t exactly a secret in fantasy leagues – and you’ll need at least a mid-round pick to get him – but just how high should he be drafted? He quickly made his presence felt in his first preseason game, catching a 44-yard pass and a 43-yard touchdown. You can’t ignore him, even with the season-opening four-game suspension and the potential for more missed time with just one slip-up. Gordon clearly has talent (remember his 1,646-yard, nine-TD performance in 2013?), but he comes with a ton of red flags. His current consensus ADP is 96, which puts him right at the end of the eighth round in a 12-team league. You might have to reach a little higher than that if you want to make sure you get him.
