Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson throws a pass. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Fantasy SportsFeaturedNFLBy Matt Clapp on

Winning a fantasy football league certainly involves having stars, but most league champions make shrewd selections late in the draft and shrewd moves on the waiver wire. It’s frequently the sleepers, surprises, and depth that elevate a fantasy team from good to championship level.

We don’t know who those players will be in the 2023 NFL season, but we can try to identify players that could be!

Here are 10 sleepers for the 2023 season to keep in mind in fantasy drafts and on the waiver wire:

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Average Draft Position (ADP): 131.3 on ESPN, 119.3 on Yahoo

Rostered Percentage: 76.1 on ESPN, 86.0 on Yahoo

Dual-threat quarterbacks can be a fantasy football gold mine. We’ve seen it with Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Fields over the past few years. Even Daniel Jones was a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2022 because of his rushing ability.

Anthony Richardson has a long way to go as a passer and overall quarterback, but he could provide fantasy impact quickly.

Richardson, selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is a 6’4″, 244-pound quarterback who ran for 644 yards (6.3 AVG, and 6.9 AVG over this three-year collegiate career) and nine touchdowns in 2022 for the Florida Gators.

Additionally, Richardson will get the chance to play right away, with the Colts already announcing that he’ll be the Week 1 starter.

It may take some time to come together, but Richardson should be able to put together starting-worthy production in fantasy this season and could mix in some monster weeks. And for dynasty leagues, he should already be viewed as a top-10 quarterback to have, with the potential to be one of the very best in the coming years.

Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

ADP: 154.4 on ESPN, 121.0 on Yahoo

Rostered: 35.5% on ESPN, 34% on Yahoo

Kenny Pickett showed flashes in his rookie season , and Year 2 frequently features a big jump for fantasy quarterbacks.

Pickett and George Pickens — who was also a rookie — developed a chemistry that should continue to grow, while the Pittsburgh Steelers also have Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson, and Pat Freiermuth to provide a solid group of weapons for the quarterback to work with.

In addition to the passing skills, Pickett also offers an underrated ability as a rusher. He ran for 237 yards (4.3 AVG) and three touchdowns over 13 games played as a rookie.

Pickett is not someone you want to draft to be an immediate starter (in fantasy leagues that only start one quarterback), but he should provide solid depth and has a good chance to be a top-20 fantasy quarterback this season.

Samaje Perine, RB, Denver Broncos

ADP: 130.0 on ESPN, 118.6 on Yahoo

Rostered: 78.9% on ESPN, 75% on Yahoo

After strong production as the Cincinnati Bengals’ RB2, Samaje Perine should see an increased role with the Denver Broncos and might even challenge Javonte Williams for a RB1-level workload.

Perine averaged 4.4 yards per carry over his four seasons with the Bengals and ran for 394 yards with two touchdowns in 2022. And his skillset should play well in a Sean Payton offense. Last season, Perine had 38 receptions for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

The 5’11”, 240-pounder should be a top-40 running back in any format, but he should particularly provide value in PPR leagues.

Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

ADP: 154.4 on ESPN, 127.7 on Yahoo

Rostered: 37.6% on ESPN, 42% on Yahoo

Najee Harris has been a workhorse for the Pittsburgh Steelers in his two NFL seasons, with 579 carries for 2,234 yards. However, his efficiency hasn’t been great, averaging under four yards per carry in each season (3.9 AVG for his career).

It’s easy to see Jaylen Warren — an undrafted rookie in 2022 — getting some more opportunity to make plays for the Steelers in 2023. Warren averaged 4.9 yards per carry over 77 attempts as a rookie, and he had 28 receptions for 214 yards.

Warren showed off his breakaway ability with a 62-yard touchdown run in the preseason.

Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks

ADP: 143.4 on ESPN, 120.3 on Yahoo

Rostered: 66.0% on ESPN, 76% on Yahoo

Now we get to a trio of high-upside rookies.

Zach Charbonnet — 6’0″, 214 pounds — has some Matt Forte in his game with his body and upright running style, to go with his all-around abilities at the running back position. He can be a three-down back and is a skilled route-runner with good pass-catching ability.

In 2022 with the UCLA Bruins Charbonnet ran for 1,359 yards (7.0 yards per carry) with 14 touchdowns, and he had 37 receptions for 321 yards.

Charbonnet will have to compete with Kenneth Walker III for playing time, but teams don’t use second-round picks on running backs with the intention of keeping the rookie on the bench for too long. He should have a role quickly and should especially be on the radar in dynasty formats.

Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears

ADP: 168.0 on ESPN, 129.5 on Yahoo

Rostered: 19.0% on ESPN, 16% on Yahoo

The Chicago Bears’ running back room is deep, but there isn’t a clear RB1.

Khalil Herbert is expected to be the initial starter, and while he’s been very good as a runner through his two seasons in the NFL (5.0 yards per carry over 232 attempts) as David Montgomery’s backup (Montgomery is now with the Detroit Lions), there are still questions about his ability as a receiver and in pass protection for quarterback Justin Fields.

D’Onta Foreman was one of the NFL’s most efficient running backs last season with the Carolina Panthers, but he’s more of a two-down back who’s never had 10 receptions in a season.

This opens the door for 2023 fourth-round pick Roschon Johnson to potentially see a sizable workload sooner than later.

Johnson was the backup to Bijan Robinson — the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons — for the Texas Longhorns. He would’ve been the starting running back just about anywhere else in the country.

The 6’0″, 219-pounder is an all-around back who draws rave reviews for his ability in pass protection.

Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders

ADP: 104.0 on ESPN, 102.2 on Yahoo

Rostered: 85.6% on ESPN, 90% on Yahoo

Only seven NFL wide receivers caught more touchdowns in what a was a rookie 2022 season for Jahan Dotson. He also flashed big-play ability, averaging 14.9 yards per reception.

While there are questions about Washington quarterback Sam Howell’s effectiveness, there’s no doubt he’ll lean on Terry McLaurin and Dotson to make things easier.

Dotson has breakout potential in his second season after being selected by the Commanders with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

ADP: 154.9 on ESPN, 122.0 on Yahoo

Rostered: 54.1% on ESPN, 60% on Yahoo

It’s never been a matter of skill level with Kadarius Toney, and he showed what he’s capable of after being acquired by the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2022 season.

Paired with Patrick Mahomes, Toney is a high-ceiling player that could mix in massive weeks.

Toney is recovering from a torn meniscus that he suffered early in training camp, but the Chiefs hope that he can be good to go for Week 1. The health questions could also lead to him falling in drafts and being a steal.

Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings

ADP: 111.3 on ESPN, 110.0 on Yahoo

Rostered: 82.8% on ESPN, 87% on Yahoo

Opponents gameplanning for the Minnesota Vikings are focused on one thing above all else: limit Justin Jefferson. That should open up opportunities for Jordan Addison, especially with veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen signing with the Carolina Panthers over the offseason.

Addison, 21, was selected by the Vikings with the 21st pick of the 2023 NFL Draft after starring at Pittsburgh and most recently USC in college. He’s known for his route-running and agility, and he should be lined up across No. 2 and 3 cornerbacks while Jefferson draws the top defensive backs (and frequently in double coverage).

Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions

ADP: 165.6 on ESPN, 131.5 on Yahoo

Rostered: 23.3% on ESPN, 62% on Yahoo

Rookie tight ends are a fantasy football risk and usually will disappoint. Then again, very few fantasy tight ends won’t disappoint! It’s fantasy football’s weakest position, lacking sure things and having even fewer high-ceiling options. It frequently leads to fantasy managers reaching, drafting the top tight ends too early.

But one tight end to keep in mind, and especially for dynasty owners, is Detroit Lions rookie Sam LaPorta.

In the middle of the 2022 NFL season, the Detroit Lions traded T.J. Hockenson within the NFC North to the Minnesota Vikings. Hockenson had been a big part of Detroit’s offense, with 26 receptions for 395 yards (15.2 AVG) and three touchdowns.

Hoping to find their next Hockenson, the Lions used an early second-round pick (34th overall) in 2023 to draft LaPorta out of Iowa. LaPorta offers upside to go with potential immediate impact, and he’s already in the top-10 tight end conversation for dynasty leagues.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

He can be followed on Twitter at @Matt2Clapp (also @TheBlogfines for Cubs/MLB tweets and @DaBearNecess for Bears/NFL tweets), and can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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