Fantasy Football 2024 Strategy: Ideal Landing Spots for Hidden Gems in Mock Drafts
With the 2024 NFL season's opening kick right around the corner, fantasy football managers are frantically searching to find the next batch of hidden gems.
But when is the right time to snatch up these sleepers?
We're here to tell you. Beyond simply spotlighting three of our favorite sleepers, we're identifying the ideal draft slot for all three of these mid-round targets.
Fifth-Round Target: Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
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While there's a chance Richardson won't make it to the fifth round, that's fine. Pouncing any earlier on a player with four games of NFL experience under his belt and a 59.5 completion percentage to his name is too risky for our taste.
If he's still on the board in this round, though, he might be a no-brainer.
As long as he stays healthy, he should be one of the league's top producers at the position. Even with his accuracy issues, his explosive running ability and rocket-armed passing means his volume should be tremendous. In the two games he finished last season, he was QB4 and QB2, per FantasyPros.
He has a non-zero chance of finishing as this season's QB1, but fantasy managers aren't being charged a premium for that upside. On average, he's only the 52nd player and sixth quarterback off the board.
Sixth-Round Target: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
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Most fantasy managers slot Kittle a tier behind the true elites at tight end. And that mostly makes sense. Between his usage as a blocker and the plethora of playmakers around him in San Francisco, his production is inherently volatile. He had six games with 30 receiving yards or fewer and didn't score in any of them last season.
All of that said, his big weeks enormous. He had five outings with at least 89 receiving yards and another in which all three of his receptions went for scores.
Taken as a whole, his season-long stats should stand next to anyone's at the position. Half of his last six seasons have yielded better than 1,000 receiving yards, and four of them have featured at least five touchdown catches.
He is one of the safest options at the position yet also possesses one of the highest ceilings. His average draft position (61st overall, sixth among tight ends) is lower than it should be, and fantasy managers would be wise to grab the bargain if he's on the board in the sixth round.
Seventh-Round Target: Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
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Some degree of skepticism is warranted with Mostert's 2023 production. It was his age-31 season, and he used it to tally more than half of his career touchdowns (21 of 40).
Expecting anything close to a repeat would set you up for disappointment.
The fantasy community isn't doing that, though. Not even close. On average, the speedy back isn't being taken until 77th overall (25th at the position). That's way beyond the realm of reasonable skepticism.
Mostert is a snug fit in coach Mike McDaniel's offense. While the same could be said of De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright, the former had trouble staying on the field last season and the latter is a rookie fourth-rounder. Mostert should continue holding a prominent role in this offense, and he just proved how absurdly productive he can be with it.
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