Fantasy Football Sleepers 2015: Underrated Players to Target in Early Drafts

The key to a successful fantasy football draft isn't the early rounds. Every contending team is going to need terrific production from its star players in order to make a run toward the title. Drafts are won in the latter stages by walking away with a few steals.

Hitting on a couple of sleepers is crucial because it makes a fantasy owner less dependent on the waiver wire to maintain depth. As longtime players know, trying to piece together a lineup on a weekly basis by picking players up makes for a long, difficult season.

With that in mind, let's examine some players at the skill positions who are good bets to provide great value based on their current average draft position. 

Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles (ADP: No. 23 QB)

Yes, Sam Bradford's injury history hangs over him like a dark cloud in a cartoon. He missed all of last season and more than half of the 2013 campaign because of knee injuries. At this point, it's hard to expect him to make it through all 16 games without incident.

His current draft position eliminates almost all of the risk, though. As the No. 23 QB, he's one of the last backups off the board in a 12-team league. If he does go down with another injury, simply drop him for one of the other low-end options on the market.

On a more positive note, when we last saw him healthy with the St. Louis Rams in 2013, he tallied 14 touchdowns in just seven games. It showcased the potential he's always possessed when he can stay on the field for an extended stretch.

He's been impressive throughout training camp and should have little trouble holding off Mark Sanchez during the preseason. Combine his talent with the high-flying, fast-paced Eagles offense, and there's a boatload of value as a backup fantasy option.

Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans (ADP: No. 40 RB)

Bishop Sankey struggled during his rookie campaign, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and finding the end zone just twice with two touchdowns. The question now is whether that was due to his skill set or just a product of a terrible offense, which finished 30th in total yards.

Even though the team drafted David Cobb in the fifth round, the Washington product should still get the first crack to hold down the starting job to open the regular season. He's also more prepared for the workload after adding weight during the offseason.

Another factor working in Sankey's favor is that the Titans are likely bring Marcus Mariota along at a moderate pace. They don't want to put too much on the rookie's plate right out of the gate, which should lead to a concerted effort to establish the run each week.

All told, getting a starting running back that deep in the draft is rare. The hype that surrounded him as a rookie is gone, which is why he's lasting so long. While the odds of his posting monster numbers are low, he should be a reliable producer as a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy back.

Cody Latimer, Denver Broncos (ADP: No. 52 WR)

Cody Latimer is another second-year player who's lost the buzz that surrounded him last summer. The Broncos drafted him in the second round, but he ended up appearing in just eight games and made two catches. Now his role should increase following the exit of Wes Welker.

It's a great sign that he realized his approach needed to change to make an impact. The wideout told Jeff Legwold of ESPN that he got off course on the road to NFL success, but he's got himself back on track ahead of the new year.

"A little bit, of course, it was a down time. I'm like 'man I can go out there and make these plays and help the team,' but I wasn't on path, I wasn't focused," Latimer said. "It's why I had to regroup myself and come back this year stronger."

The bottom line is a player is never going to have consistent success in a Peyton Manning-led offense unless he's all-in every day. Now that Latimer is apparently ready to go that extra mile, his fantasy stock improves markedly.

He's the No. 3 target behind Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, but there should still be plenty of targets available without Welker or Julius Thomas on the roster. It's certainly worth taking a chance on him outside the top 50 wide receivers.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Tampa Bay Bucs (ADP: No. 22 TE)

A rookie quarterback has no better friend than a pass-catching tight end. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the 38th overall pick in last year's draft, didn't flash much of his upside last season. He should become more involved with the arrival of Jameis Winston.

The tight end has made positive strides during his second training camp. Tom Krasniqi of WDAE noted praise from head coach Lovie Smith and also highlighted the tight end's increased usage as he has become more comfortable in the offense:

Being able to move around the offense is key. That means the coaching staff is feeling more confident in his ability to read the defense. In turn, it can put him in situations where he becomes a matchup nightmare, typically trying to create plays where the defense is stuck with a slot corner on him.

Seferian-Jenkins won't be a high-volume receiver with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans on the squad. That said, he should get a handful of catches per game and get his fair share of touchdowns as a key red-zone target. That equates to a high-upside No. 2 tight end who can get snagged late in a draft.

All ADP information is courtesy of ESPN.