Fantasy Football Week 1 Cheat Sheet: Deep Sleepers Who Could Emerge

The hunt for fantasy football sleepers never ends, not even after your league's draft has been completed. Managers are always scouring the waiver wire, trying to identify the next potential breakout players.

Week 1 may help determine who some of those players will be in 2022. With the NFL season set to kick off this week, we'll start to get a better idea of which players who were overlooked during training camp and the preseason may emerge as fantasy contributors.

But it may not be a bad idea to stash a player or two like this on your bench now, just in case they actually do break out with a huge Week 1 performance. This could give you a leg up on the rest of the managers in your league.

So, here's a look at several deep sleepers who could soon be on the rise and heavily pursued.

Mike Davis, RB, Baltimore Ravens

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BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 27: Mike Davis #28 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball against the Washington Commanders during the first half of a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

J.K. Dobbins missed all of the 2021 season with a torn ACL, and he's been working to get back so he can contribute out of the Ravens' backfield, like he did as a rookie in 2020. But it's not a sure thing that he'll be ready to go for Sunday's opener vs. the New York Jets.

If that's the case, Mike Davis should get a lot of work in Baltimore's running game.

The 29-year-old signed with the Ravens during the offseason, and he's a solid back who could capitalize on Dobbins' absence. He may even be a contributor once Dobbins returns.

Yet, Davis is rostered in only 28 percent of Yahoo leagues and 10 percent of ESPN leagues, per FantasyPros. That's quite low for a player who may end up as the starting running back for an enticing matchup against the Jets.

It's also not a guarantee that Dobbins will immediately be back to his old self. He may need some time to get up to game speed, and Davis (and/or recent free-agent acquisition Kenyan Drake) could benefit from that.

Davis may not be a long-term breakout fantasy player, but he could be useful to have on a roster for at least the first few weeks of the season.

Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Romeo Doubs #87 of the Green Bay Packers catches a touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game at Levi's Stadium on August 12, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

With Davante Adams no longer in Green Bay, it's going to be interesting to see which wide receivers rise to the top of the Packers' depth chart by a few weeks into the season.

While Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb may be the starters now, there are a number of youngsters waiting in the wings.

One of them is Romeo Doubs, a rookie who was selected out of Nevada in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. There was some hype surrounding the 22-year-old in the preseason, when he had eight catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns across three exhibition games.

Lazard could emerge as a top playmaker for Green Bay, but Watkins and Cobb are veterans who may be past their prime and unlikely to put up big numbers. Once younger receivers start getting more opportunities, they could break out, and that group includes Doubs.

Maybe it won't even take that long. It isn't yet clear how much the 22-year-old and fellow rookie Christian Watson will be on the field early in the season, but the Packers have a Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings that could feature plenty of offense.

That's why Doubs, who is rostered in only 33 percent of Yahoo leagues and 20 percent of ESPN leagues (per FantasyPros), may be worth stashing on the bench now.

Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 20: Evan Engram #17 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at TIAA Bank Field on August 20, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)

Early in his NFL career, Evan Engram appeared to be emerging as a strong fantasy tight end. As a rookie with the New York Giants in 2017, he had 64 catches for 722 yards and six touchdowns. However, those all remain career highs, as he's never reached that level again.

Part of the reason for that is the 28-year-old wasn't always healthy, playing only 11 games in 2018 and eight in 2019. But he was also part of a Giants offense that wasn't great, particularly once Daniel Jones took over at quarterback.

A change of scenery could benefit Engram, who will now be catching passes from Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville. The second-year quarterback could take a big step forward in 2022, and the additions of more playmakers such as Engram may help him do that.

In Week 1, the Jaguars take on the Washington Commanders, which allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game in the NFL last season (254.9). It's also a team Engram knows well, as he has 23 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns in seven career games against Washington.

Unless you have one of the few elite tight ends on your fantasy roster, you're likely going to be persistently looking for a potential upgrade. Engram, who is rostered in only 26 percent of Yahoo leagues and 20 percent of ESPN leagues (per FantasyPros), may provide that.