There's no better feeling in fantasy football than digging a diamond from the mines of the waning rounds of your preseason draft. Watching an underrated rookie thrive or a veteran emerge as a star after years of middling performances can be a league-winning boost -- or it can be the balm needed to heal the burn of, say, drafting Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in the first and second rounds.
This year's draft will be loaded with late-round talent capable of changing the trajectory of your team. A dearth of tight end and wide receiver help means guys who'll average 15 points per week can be found around the time the first guy in your league gets too drunk to finish things and winds up autodrafting three kickers. Today, I've teamed up with FTW's
resident fantasy football expert Mike "Yaj" Boyajian to break down our top 10 sleepers this fall.
Let's break down this year's Round 11 and later sleepers, starting with... whew, buddy, a Cleveland Brown. Surely this won't make us look stupid come December!
Christian: WR KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns (ADP: 141)
No, I don’t love leading off with a Brown either. But Cleveland’s quarterback situation is a mess. It was in 2025 as well, when a rookie with run after catch ability emerged as the team’s top target. Harold Fannin Jr. had an average target distance under six yards downfield, but turned that into 71 catches and 731 yards thanks to 95 yards after catch over expected (YACOE). More than half his output came with the ball already in his hands.
Enter Concepcion, who could supplant Jerry Jeudy at the top of the depth chart should he continue to forget how to play football. The Texas A&M star is a goblin after the catch, boosting his quarterbacks by creating space and picking up first downs. He averaged 7.2 yards after catch per reception last season at Texas A&M. That’s exactly what Cleveland needs – and potential balm for your fantasy team if he’s around come round 12.
Yaj: WR Stefon Diggs, Washington Commanders (ADP: 121)
OK, so this ADP was highly influenced by Diggs' lingering free agency and doesn't reflect where he'll be actually drafted in late August. Doesn't matter, kiiiiiiiid! The rule was just Round 11 or higher, so he fits.
I will gladly take last year’s leader in the Patriots WR room and WR24 overall in half-PPR leagues at his current discount of WR48 (!). He showed last season he still has plenty in the tank, even coming off knee surgery and being eased into action. Going from Drake Maye to Jayden Daniels should be somewhat seamless. It sounds like he is already acclimating nicely and developing a rapport with Daniels early on.
Washington has struggled to provide Jayden Daniels with a true, reliable No. 2 WR in the past (Deebo Samuel had to serve as the de facto WR1 with McLaurin’s slow start), which should serve as a boost to the offense as a whole. Diggs should serve as a safety valve for Daniels much like Zach Ertz did in the previous two seasons. I like Diggs’ potential to repeat his 2025 statistical output in 2026, making him a great target during those double digit rounds.
Christian: TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: 161)
Having propped up Parker Washington as a player I’d take well ahead of his ADP, it’s possible I’m buying too heavily on Jacksonville’s offensive explosion under Rhode Island High School Football Legend (™) Liam Coen. But Strange seems primed for a breakthrough. He thrived in the space created by a solid receiving corps, averaging just under four yards of separation per target. His 0.52 expected points added (EPA) per targetwere third only to George Kittle and Colston Loveland among tight ends with at least 50 passes thrown their way.
He brings downfield upside other tight ends may not. He caught nine of his 13 targets to travel at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage, showcasing his ability to be more than just a short range threat. With Jacksonville’s run game suspect, Trevor Lawrence may be throwing more than he did in 2025. That helps assuage concerns about too much cooks in the Jags’ receiving kitchen – and makes Strange a high-potential sleeper.
Yaj: WR Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots (ADP: 138)
Another wideout on a new team, Romeo Doubs left the Packers this past offseason with the hopes of securing a bag and a bigger role. He ultimately got both with the Patriots.
Doubs has always been a reliable, steady producer with a decent floor but somewhat low ceiling in a system with no true standout WR1. His last three seasons in Green Bay saw half-PPR WR finishes of 39th, 52nd, and 36th. Coincidentally, he had more points in 2023 than 2025, but the position was down as a whole last year, leading to a higher finish categorically.
Now, he has the benefit of being a solidified top-two option on an explosive offense with a still rising quarterback in Drake Maye. By all accounts, the two are building a connection and Doubs looks primed to have a career year given both his role and the potential of the offense as a whole. With the ramp up in schedule difficulty, this should lead to more passing and closer games from the Pats, leading to more opportunities for Doubs. I’ll take a chance on him late in the draft at this price without hesitation.
Christian: WR Jalen Nailor, Las Vegas Raiders (ADP: 168)
After thriving in limited touches behind Justin Jefferson (and, when available, Jordan Addison), Nailor gets the chance to be the undisputed WR1 in Vegas. Granted, that’s largely because his competition is Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton, but it should result in a massive increase over the 53 targets – a career high – he had in 2025.
Nailor had his most productive season as a pro with J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz slinging passes in his general direction. He should be well versed in navigating a Kirk Cousins/Fernando Mendoza quarterback timeshare. Factor in an average catch distance of 11.4 yards downfield and he could be the Raiders’ non-Brock Bowers go-to on third down.
Yaj: RB Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos (ADP: 150)
Coleman was drafted to join a RB room consisting of J.K. Dobbins (who pinky promised he wouldn’t get hurt... and got banged up already) and R.J. Harvey (wildly disappointing with his opportunities last season). Although he’s a rookie, Sean Payton has been singing his praises throughout training camp (ignore the stereotypical listing of sixth on the RB depth chart due to Payton hijinks). With the injury history of Dobbins and lackluster run from Harvey as the lead back, Coleman could end up playing a significant role in Sean Payton’s offense sooner than anticipated.
Camp reports are very positive surrounding Coleman, projecting a short yardage/goal line role to start the season. At 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, Coleman is perfectly capable of serving that role well, with potential for three-down duties if one of Dobbins or Harvey goes down with an injury. Now, there have been whispers of a Taysom Hill/Sean Payton reunion -- if that is the case I’m out. However, as the backfield is currently situated, I love a late round dart throw at Coleman.
Christian: WR Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins (ADP: 240)
(Deep sigh) Look, someone’s gotta catch passes in Miami. When Malik Willis runs into trouble or has to jump-cut down his list of reads, he’s going to default to the guy he thinks can win one-on-one most often. And, assuming he’s back from the torn ACL that cost him a chance at being a first-round pick last spring, that’s Bell.
He’s a big bodied (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) sideline target who can create space and plays faster than his size suggests. He’s good at using that frame to box out cornerbacks on contested throws – important, considering the Dolphins, uh, everything. And, importantly, the guys he’ll be competing for snaps against are Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert and Caleb Douglas. Health will be key here, but the opportunity is immense for a team that will be trailing often.
But hey, if Caleb Douglas is around in Round 11, and his current ADP is about 186, grab him first. I just like talking about Chris Bell.
Yaj: WR De’Zaughn Stribling, San Francisco 49ers (ADP: 163)
I was pumped to see Christian leave me someone of Stribling’s ilk to discuss in this section. Now, is this a calculated move by Christian to throw me off his scent in our upcoming draft? Highly likely. Does it really matter? Not in the least. Especially after his performance in Week 1 of the preseason (yes, I know it’s preseason, but still) with seven receptions and 63 yards, making contested catches all over the field and genuinely looking like an immediate difference maker in year one.
Purdy’s pass catchers have gone through an overhaul this offseason. Jauan Jennings departed for Minnesota. Ricky Pearsall is already done for the 2026 season. Brandon Aiyuk has done pretty much everything he could (short of freezing his feet in a cryogenic chamber) to force the 49ers to move on from him.
This leaves an aging Mike Evans, an aging George Kittle, an aging Deebo Samuel, and an already banged up Christian Kirk as Stribling’s main competition this year. Yes, there is always Christian McCaffrey, but he had over 400 touches last season and is dealing with soft tissue issues. For someone going, at the time of this article, around Round 13 or so in 12-team leagues, he’s an easy click for me.
Christian: WR Bryce Lance, New Orleans Saints (ADP: n/a)
Let’s wrap up with a longshot. The Saints have been in need of a field stretching wideout since trading Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks. Lance, a fourth round rookie, set a school record with 17 touchdown catches in 2024 and averaged more than 21 yards per catch in 2025. Granted, that was at FCS North Dakota State, but those are massive numbers for a team that will be relying on two young players with documented injury issues – Chris Olave and Jordyn Tyson – at the top of its wideout depth chart.
Yaj: RB Demond Claiborne, Minnesota Vikings (ADP: 243)
I’m going to wrap up this exercise with a real deep dive here. Claiborne is a name to keep an eye on as the 2026 season wears on. He’s a sixth-round pick from Wake Forest that can absolutely fly (he ran a 4.37 40 at the combine) and certainly looks the part if the Vikings want to employ a thunder and lighting RB room with Jordan Mason as the hammer.
Aaron Jones was brought back on a one-year deal this offseason, which is hardly an endorsement for the future. If the young Claiborne can carve out a role for himself, he could end up helping out fantasy managers for the price of a last round pick.
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This article originally appeared on For The Win: 10 late-round fantasy football sleepers who are league winners (hello, KC Concepcion)
