Fantasy Football Week 1 Cheat Sheet: Deep Sleepers Who Could Emerge
All fantasy football managers want to identify potential sleeper players. And they want to do so before anybody else, so they can end up with these breakout players on their roster.
Heading into the 2023 NFL season (which gets underway Thursday), some of the possible sleepers have emerged. It's unknown if any of these players will actually perform well. But they certainly have a chance to do so this year.
If you can stash one of these sleepers on your roster and then they break out, you could be set up for success. Managers don't want this to happen for their opponents, though.
As the 2023 season nears, here's a look at some potential deep sleepers who could emerge during Week 1 and may want to be stashed now, just in case.
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
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Derrick Henry is the clear-cut No. 1 running back in Tennessee, and nothing is likely to change that. But that doesn't mean Tyjae Spears won't have a role in the Titans' offense. In fact, the 22-year-old rookie could get plenty of touches in 2023.
Spears, who was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Tulane, had a strong preseason. He had 22 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown across Tennessee's three exhibition contests.
The Titans don't have a ton of depth at wide receiver beyond DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks, so Spears could emerge as a secondary playmaker out of the backfield. He and Henry have the potential to form a dominant RB duo.
And of course, if Henry were to get injured at any point, Spears would seize the RB1 role and could immediately break out. So he's somebody to stash on fantasy benches early in the season.
Isaiah Hodgins, WR, New York Giants
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With tight end Darren Waller now on the Giants, the team has a clear No. 1 pass-catcher who could become a favorite target for quarterback Daniel Jones. But he'll need a wide receiver or two to step up to take the offense to another level.
One New York WR with breakout potential is Isaiah Hodgins, who took his game to another level after getting claimed off waivers from the Buffalo Bills last November. In eight games after joining the Giants, he had 33 catches for 351 yards and four touchdowns (the first of his two-year NFL career).
The 24-year-old Hodgins may only improve now that he'll be more familiar with the Giants' offense. Plus, he'll have an opportunity to break out, given he should get considerable playing time alongside Darius Slayton in the receiving corps.
It's too risky to start Hodgins in fantasy lineups for Week 1, but he could have a performance that puts him on the radar heading into Week 2. So managers may want to get ahead of the curve by stashing him now.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
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As Cooper Kupp deals with a hamstring injury, the Rams will need other wide receivers to step up as top targets for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Rookie Puka Nacua could be among those to do so as soon as Week 1.
Nacua, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL draft out of BYU, had a solid showing for Los Angeles this preseason. The 22-year-old impressed in the team's exhibition opener, recording three catches for 32 yards and a touchdown vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.
If Kupp misses time, then Nacua should be more involved in the Rams' offense. He's already risen up the depth chart through training camp, and he could be given early opportunities to show what he's capable of in the regular season.
Keep a close eye on Nacua, because he may slide into a starting role in Los Angeles quite soon. And it may be because he'll get off to a strong start to his NFL career.
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