Championships are won and lost in the draft room. While everyone goes for safe picks, successful managers load up on fantasy sleepers before training camp inflates their price. Use our Draft Analyzer to grade your picks in real time and cross-check the latest 2026 fantasy football rankings before you’re on the clock.
A sleeper isn’t a cheap player, but someone who is hugely undervalued. Their current value (ADP) is significantly lower than their projected ceiling.
What Makes a Fantasy Sleeper Before Training Camp?
Here’s what managers should focus on to identify fantasy sleeper players:
Affordable draft cost
Lower ADP due to an injury
Positive OTA and minicamp reports
Vacated targets or touches
Strong efficiency metrics hidden behind disappointing box scores
Training camp is just weeks away. Here are five 2026 fantasy sleepers you need to watch.
Five Fantasy Sleepers to Watch Before Training Camp
The following players enter training camp with favorable situations, affordable draft costs, and the potential to significantly outperform their current ADP.
1. Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jalen McMillan may be the most overlooked breakout candidate entering training camp.
Injury Limited His 2025 Season
His 2025 season was derailed because of a neck injury. Many fantasy managers moved on before seeing his full potential. But as soon as he recovered, he started to gain traction. Many fantasy analysts view him as a post-hype breakout candidate.
Increased Opportunity in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay has a significant amount of vacated receiving volume available. With superstar Mike Evans leaving for San Francisco in free agency, a significant share of targets is now available.
Evans averaged a 1,000-yard seasonal baseline and 130 targets per year. The most obvious candidates are Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin. Egbuka’s performance declined in the second half of last season, averaging only 3.2 catches and 41 yards per game. Godwin, meanwhile, turned 30 this February and posted some of the weakest metrics of his career.
The Numbers Support the Upside
This is the perfect opportunity for McMillan to shine. He already flashed his upside as a rookie in 2024, catching eight touchdowns. He ranked second on the team and tied for 12th among NFL wide receivers in touchdown receptions. After returning from injury in late 2025, he proved his ceiling in the final four games. He secured seven catches and 114 yards in week 17.
If McMillan secures a full-time role during training camp, fantasy managers could be looking at one of the best late-round receiver values in 2026.
2. Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers
Jonathon Brooks is the classic high-upside sleeper that fantasy managers look for.
Unfortunate 2025 Season
Just like McMillan's, Brooks’ injury in late 2024 pushed him out of the mainstream. He is currently flying under the radar at a massively discounted 13th-round ADP.
Strong College Production
Brooks had a dominant junior season at Texas, averaging:
114 rushing yards per game
6.1 yards per carry
1.0 TDs per game
He entered the NFL with an elite three-down profile. The Panthers' front office has declared him healthy. Moreover, head coach Dave Canales’ highly concentrated, run-heavy schemes also benefit Brooks. This offensive system often relies on a lead running back to handle the majority of the workload.
Favorable Path to Playing Time
After Rico Dowdle departed the roster, the only obstacle between Brooks and a featured role is Chuba Hubbard. Hubbard had subpar metrics last season. Here are his rankings among 51 running backs:
41st in yards per carry
45th in rushing yards over expected per attempt
49th in yards after contact per attempt
Opportunity for Increased Workload
Brooks has a clear path to meaningful volume if he remains healthy throughout camp. He will operate in one of the NFL's most run-friendly offenses. The Panthers ranked 10th in run rate and fifth in neutral run rate last season.
At his current ADP, Brooks offers the type of upside fantasy managers should chase in the double-digit rounds.
3. Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Most fantasy managers wait on the QB position. Tyler Shough perfectly fits this high-upside template as he enters his second professional season.
Strong Rookie Metrics
Shough has an efficient passing profile. Among 42 qualifying quarterbacks, Shough ranked:
11th in completion rate
12th in adjusted completion rate
13th in yards per attempt
He also contributed 174 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. The numbers are on Shough’s side.
The Moore Factor
The biggest reason he belongs on this list is the arrival of head coach Kellen Moore. Moore has consistently operated one of the NFL's most fantasy-friendly offensive systems. His offensive philosophy relies on rapid tempo and high pass volume to put quarterbacks in a position to maximize their physical traits.
Shough performed great with a subpar supporting cast last year. This year, he will play with an upgraded interior offensive line, including free-agent guard David Edwards, and a premium rookie weapon in wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, alongside Chris Olave.
Currently sitting at a QB20 ADP, Shough is an elite target for best-ball formats or as a high-upside backup in redraft leagues.
4. Isaiah Likely, TE, New York Giants
Likely arrives in New York with significant breakout potential.
Buried Behind Andrews
His first four seasons were outshone by Mark Andrews in Baltimore.
In nine games without Andrews, he averaged:
3.4 catches
50.3 yards
0.7 touchdowns per game
Over a full season, that pace would translate to approximately 58 catches, 856 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
Fresh Opportunity in New York
Now he's the Giants' featured tight end on a 3-year, $40 million deal. He will be operating in John Harbaugh's run-heavy offense alongside a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart who needs reliable underneath options.
The WR depth behind Malik Nabers is thin; Nabers himself is coming off a torn ACL, and Harbaugh said publicly, "I'm certain he's going to put up the numbers.”
Few tight ends available that late can realistically finish inside the top five at the position.
5. Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans
Higgins is the textbook definition of a sleeper player; the underlying numbers support that belief.
Efficient Rookie Season
Among 15 rookie WRs with at least 30 targets last season, Higgins ranked:
3rd in PFF receiving grade
4th in yards per route
5th in targets per route
These are the types of efficiency metrics that often precede Year 2 breakouts. Most importantly, the market hasn’t priced it in yet.
Red Zone Performance
Higgins carved out a massive role in the most valuable area of the field: the red zone. He finished second on the team with 20 red-zone targets and 9 end-zone looks, turning 6 of his 41 catches into touchdowns.
With Tank Dell still recovering from a serious knee injury and Nico Collins carrying a durability history that includes 19 missed games across five seasons, there's a very real path for Higgins to see a dramatically expanded role.
C.J. Stroud was solid in the regular season, posting:
64.5% completions
7.2 yards per attempt
19 TDs
And this offense can support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers.
Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans
Draft him in the double-digit rounds. His floor is WR3. His ceiling is a genuine breakout.
Conclusion
Training camp often reshapes fantasy football draft boards, which is why identifying fantasy sleepers before the hype begins is so important. Jalen McMillan, Jonathon Brooks, Tyler Shough, Isaiah Likely, and Jayden Higgins all possess the combination of talent, opportunity, and discounted draft cost that fantasy managers should target.
And this offense can support multiple fantasy-relevant receivers.
As camp battles unfold and preseason reports emerge, these players could see their ADPs rise dramatically. Investing now may provide the type of value that helps separate championship rosters from the rest of the field. For more pre-camp coverage, browse our latest draft analysis and training-camp news.