Top Fantasy Sleepers and Values to Target Amid NFL Training Camp

It has begun.

Thursday night, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers took part in a potential NFC Championship Game preview in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton. The game featured a titanic battle under center between two of the sport's very best in Carson Beck and Kenny Pickett.

Sorry, didn't realize I had paint thinner open with the windows closed. I'm OK now.

Joking aside, the start of the 2026 season means we are that much closer to the season opener in Seattle on September 9. That much closer to another thrilling NFL season. That much closer to another year of fantasy football.

As fantasy enthusiasts prepare for the thousands of drafts that will occur between now and that rematch of Super Bowl LX, every one of them is looking for the same thing. They are searching for value picks who will outperform their draft slot. Scouring NFL rosters for "sleeper" types who will come from nowhere to be solid weekly starters.

Value wins leagues. Hitting on sleepers wins leagues.

So, let's win some leagues.

Hold the paint thinner.

Value: QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

ADP: QB9

Dak Prescott appears annually in lists like this. In two of the past three seasons, Prescott has topped 4,500 passing yards and threw touchdown passes. In two of the past three seasons, Prescott has been a top-five fantasy quarterback.  Last year, Prescott was third in passing yards, fourth in touchdown passes and fifth among all quarterbacks in fantasy points.

But as Patrick McGrath wrote for Rotoballer, once again Prescott is barely being drafted among the top-10 quarterbacks in fantasy.

"Prescott threw for 300+ yards a league-leading six times on his way to a fourth straight top-eight fantasy finish in as many fully healthy seasons," he said. "Perhaps because of the three injury-shortened campaigns mixed into that stretch, Prescott does not get the credit he deserves as one of fantasy's most consistent, high-ceiling assets. On a per-game basis, Prescott has averaged 22.6 fantasy points per start dating back to 2019, a number that would have made him a top two quarterback in each of the past three seasons, and with arguably the league's top receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens returning for one more season together, the pieces remain in place for him to challenge for the top spot in 2026."

Injuries have admittedly been a concern—Prescott has missed five or more games in two of the last four seasons. The 33-year-old also doesn't offer much in the way of rushing upside.

But provided he stays on the field, Prescott is going to put up big-time passing numbers—and sail past his asking price in fantasy drafts.

Sleeper: QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

ADP: QB16

Jared Goff is the poster guy for playing "QB Chicken" on draft day.

There's a reason why Goff is perennially undervalued. Like Prescott, Goff doesn't offer much in the way of the rushing upside fantasy managers covet so much. The perception also is that the 31-year-old doesn't offer a high fantasy ceiling.

However, per Heath Cummings of CBS Sports, what Goff does offer is steady fantasy production—with a price tag in Round 10.

"In the past three seasons," Cummings wrote, "Goff has finished as QB10, QB8, and QB13 on a per-game basis. He has not missed one game in that stretch, so he's been even better in full-season scoring. He has at least 30 touchdowns and 4,500 yards passing in all three seasons as well. With Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta all coming back, there is no reason to expect that will change in 2026. In fact, with the offseason turmoil for the Lions defense, it is possible Goff throws even more than he has the past three seasons. He also plays just one true outdoor game in the last eight weeks of the Fantasy Football season."

Last year, only Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams had more passing yards and passing touchdowns than Goff—the third consecutive season that he was No. 2 in the NFL in passing yards.

If you know that Goff is going to be good for 4,500 passing yards and 30 scores, who cares if he runs or not? He's a solid fantasy QB1 available on the cheap.

Value: RB Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

ADP: RB16

This really wasn't intended to be a Dallas love-fest. Frankly, this writer finds the whole "America's Team" schtick with the Cowboys rather tiresome—especially since their last title came in my early 20s.

Yes, I'm that old.

But there's no denying that while the Dallas wide receivers carry a hefty price tag in 2026, the team's running back and quarterback are undervalued this summer. Last year, Javonte Williams finished inside RB1 territory in 12-team leagues—and Matt Okada of NFL.com doesn't see any reason why the 26-year-old can't repeat his statistical success again this season.

"Little to nothing changed for the Dallas offense this offseason," Okada said, "and the defense got better on paper, which could lead to more favorable game scripts for Williams and the run game. And yet, Williams has dropped into the fourth round in ADP, currently sitting at RB16 behind Kenneth Walker III and Breece Hall. It feels like lingering disappointment from his injury-impacted four-year tenure in Denver, but it's time we wash that taste away. Williams is a talented back with zero real competition in a highly productive offense. His floor might be RB16, and he has top-10 upside with a few more catches and decent touchdown luck."

Williams topped 1,200 yards on the ground last year. Scored 11 rushing touchdowns. Averaged a career-high 4.8 yards a carry. And finished just seven PPR points outside the top-10 at the position. For fantasy managers who attack the wide receiver position early, Williams is an ideal draft-day target in the backfield.

Sleeper: RB Kenneth Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

ADP: RB35

There was a backfield shuffle in Tampa Bay this offseason—Rachad White signed with the Washington Commanders, so the team signed Kenneth Gainwell to be the complementary back to Bucky Irving this season after over 1,000 total yards and eight touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025.

Irving is coming off fantasy draft boards about four rounds earlier than Gainwell this season. But ESPN's Eric Moody believes that Gainwell could be the better value for fantasy managers in 2026.

"Gainwell's role could be larger than expected in Tampa Bay," Moody said. "From Week 8 on last season, Gainwell, then a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, averaged 13.3 touches and 17.8 fantasy points per game. He was also a capable receiver out of the backfield, ranking near the top of the position in yards per route run during that stretch. Rachaad White is gone, and Bucky Irving is projected for 61% of the touches for the Buccaneers, leaving Gainwell with standalone appeal and RB2 upside if his role grows."

It's not that hard to imagine that larger-than-expected role coming to fruition for Gainwell. Yes, Irving was outstanding as a rookie two years ago. But last year was a mess—Irving missed seven games and saw his yards per carry drop by two full yards.

Even if Irving stays healthy, Gainwell has value as a PPR "Flex" option or low-end fantasy RB2 after an RB16 finish in PPR points in 2025.

But if Irving falters again, Gainwell could be a legitimate league-winner.

Value: WR Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

ADP: WR24

Fun fact about fantasy managers—they tend to be ageist.

Every year, aging players are cast aside in fantasy drafts in favor of that season's next big thing. And to be fair, Davante Adams did have his fewest catches (60) since 2016 and his fewest receiving yards (789) since 2015. But the 33-year-old also led the league with 14 touchdown catches, and Bob Harris of Footballguys cautions that fantasy drafters may be casting Adams aside too quickly.

"Adams ranks seventh in career touchdown receptions, with 117," Harris said. "He has led the league three times -- and he's the only player to do that with three different teams (Packers, Raiders, Rams). Last year, he pulled in 14 scoring passes in only 14 games, and he was open for at least four or five more, only to come up a bit short due to some combination of poor throws, pressure, and drops. Adams had nine touchdowns inside the five-yard line last season. Dallas Goedert was the only other player with more than four. Adams' 27 end-zone targets were nine more than any other player, and he now sits second in that category (148) since entering the league in 2014. More importantly, he's playing in a Rams offense so potent that even working opposite Puka Nacua, Adams managed a WR9 overall finish last season. That was his ninth top-10 campaign in his past 10 seasons."

Prior to last season, Adams topped 1,000 receiving yards in five straight seasons, and he was on pace to flirt with a sixth straight last year before missing time. His best days may well be behind him, but the bottom of fantasy WR2 territory feels far closer to Adams' floor than his ceiling.

Sleeper: WR Jalen Nailor, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/John Locher

ADP: WR59

It's not that often that the potential No. 1 wideout for an NFL team is available in the 13th round of drafts. But that's where we are with Jalen Nailor of the Ls Vegas Raiders.

Nailor, who signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Raiders in free agency, never topped 450 receiving yards in a season with the Minnesota Vikings. But as Derek Brown pointed out as Fantasy Pros, behind that pedestrian production lies some interesting metrics.

"Yes, last year Nailor had only a 10.3% target share, 1.19 yards per route run, and a 10.8% first-read share (per Fantasy Points Data)," Brown said. "None of those metrics will or should get you excited, but when we dig deeper, his per-route numbers are quite interesting. Last year, among 109 qualifying receivers, he was 33rd in separation and 51st in route win rate. As a perimeter receiver among the same sample, his numbers look even better (141 routes) as he was sixth-best in separation and 13th in route win rate. Nailor is the final pick in a draft that could pay dividends and become a weekly WR3 or flex if it all works out."

Nailor showed a nose for the end zone in the Twin Cities, scoring 10 touchdowns over the last two seasons on just 95 targets. Nailor played with Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins for two years in Minnesota. And Nailor has reportedly been the most impressive Raiders wideout in training camp.

As late-round dart-throws go, fantasy drafters could do a lot worse.

Value: TE Isaiah Likely, New York Giants

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

ADP: TE11

There are three doors for fantasy managers to choose from at tight end this year—just like on Let's Make a Deal.

The first is paying up for an elite fantasy option like Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals or Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders. Door No. 2 is a slightly less expensive Tier 2 option like Kyle Pitts Sr. of the Atlanta Falcons. The third option is a lower-end weekly starter available in the second-half of drafts.

And for fantasy managers who choose Door No. 3, Dave Richard of CBS Sports believes that Isaiah Likely of the New York Giants may be the best bet.

"New Giants playcaller Matt Nagy has a steady track record of utilizing tight ends in his offenses," he said. "Second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart threw to his tight ends last year at a 22.8% rate, which is above average. And while Likely has seen six-plus targets in only nine career games, he's had at least 12.5 full-PPR points in eight of them. Six targets per game should be a lay-up for him in New York. We've waited for-ev-er for Likely to get an opportunity like this; the cost to take advantage isn't prohibitive whatsoever."

With Malik Nabers' recovery from an ACL tear dragging on into training camp, there's a real chance that Likely will open the 2026 season as the top option in a Giants passing attack that also lost Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency.

The wait is over. The breakout is coming. Get your ticket to the show while you can.

Sleeper: TE Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

ADP: TE26

Given that 26 tight ends aren't drafted in most fantasy leagues, Greg Dulcich of the Miami Dolphins is essentially free. On some level, it's not hard to see why—Dulcich has posted modest numbers over his first four pro seasons, he's already on his third team and Dulcich plays for a Dolphins team that may field the worst offense in the NFL this season.

However, someone has to catch passes for the Dolphins this season, and per Adam Pfeifer of a Fantasy Life a lack of target competition in Miami could make Dulcich this year's Harold Fannin Jr.—a breakout tight end who comes from nowhere to become a viable weekly starter.

"As a rookie in 2022, Dulcich showed some promise with the Broncos, hauling in 33 passes for 411 yards and two scores in 10 games," he said. "During that stretch (Weeks 6-16), Dulcich was the TE15 in fantasy, logging 80% of the routes and sporting a 17% target share, while averaging nearly 9.0 fantasy points per game. That's obviously nothing to write home about, but that is very strong involvement, while competing with Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton for targets. The Dolphins don't have anyone in their wide receiver room who comes even close to either Sutton or Jeudy. Early reports out of Miami indicate that Dulcich has been one of new quarterback Malik Willis' primary targets. And given the state of the Dolphins' WR room, Dulcich could easily find himself toward the top of the league in TPRR (targets per route run), which is exactly where Fannin was as a rookie."

Is a Dulcich breakout guaranteed? Absolutely not.

But given his non-existent asking price in drafts, anything fantasy managers get from Dulcich is gravy. And a top-10 season would win leagues.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.