Fantasy Football 2026 Sleepers Generating Buzz After Preseason Week 3

For fantasy football managers, the end of the NFL preseason is meaningful for a couple of reasons. For one, it means that the risk of drafting a player highly only to see him injured before Week 1 has been greatly diminished.

Secondly, managers now have an idea of which preseason standouts could potentially become legitimate fantasy sleepers.

Here, we'll examine a few of the biggest stars of the 2026 preseason who are worth considering on draft day due to upside, supporting cast, and projected role.

All picks and analysis are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Katie Chin

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert isn't a sleeper in the truest sense. He's a known commodity, but he's coming off an injury-hampered season and isn't widely targeted as a high-end starter.

Herbert has an average draft position (ADP) of only 88.

However, Herbert has legitimate top-five potential this season, due in large part to the arrival of innovative offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. We didn't see a ton of what McDaniel and Herbert can do during the preseason, but what we saw was impressive.

Herbert also has a strong floor, which makes him a safe pick with sneaky upside. Despite his own injuries and multiple injuries to the players around him, Herbert still finished last season as QB10.

Managers who aren't willing to reach for Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Joe Burrow should consider snapping up Herbert several rounds later instead.

Mike Washington Jr., RB, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/John Locher

Second-Year Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty is trending as a borderline first- or second-round pick. He's also dealing with an ankle sprain that, while not expected to keep him out of Week 1, could prevent him from being at 100 percent to start the season.

However, this isn't the only reason we're highlighting rookie fourth-round pick Mike Washington Jr. Yes, Washington has strong handcuff value. He's also shown during the preseason that he can be a terrific change of pace in Las Vegas' ground game.

Jeanty will be the Raiders' starter, but new head coach Klint Kubiak should use both backs in a committee, as he did with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet as the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator.

Walker and Charbonnet finished last season as RB22 and RB24, respectively.

Washington is a top-tier handcuff, but he also carries legitimate flex value. With an ADP of only 134, he should go on to outperform his draft investment.

Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

If you've already heard the growing buzz surrounding Baltimore Ravens rookie receiver Ja'Kobi Lane, you're not alone. The third-round rookie out of USC began building it in early training camp.

"Lane has been the star of the Ravens' show this summer," The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec wrote.

While the Ravens didn't expose Lane to extensive preseason action, he managed to shine on the exhibition field as well.

Lane has positioned himself to be Baltimore's new No. 2 receiver opposite Zay Flowers. The run-heavy nature of the Ravens' offense limits his ceiling somewhat, and he's likely to be a solid flex streamer at best.

With an ADP of only 172, however, Lane presents a real opportunity for draft-day value.

Kayshon Boutte, WR, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Kayshon Boutte is an interesting case and, admittedly, an outlier on this list. He only briefly played in the New England Patriots' preseason opener, and he was soon traded to the Houston Texans.

However, Boutte did generate buzz with a strong training camp in New England.

Boutte also has a prime opportunity to flourish with the Texans. He should quickly establish himself as their No. 2 receiver, as Jayden Higgins is set to miss the season with a torn ACL.

Higgins finished last season as WR47, which isn't overly impressive. However, he still finished ahead of notable names like Luther Burden III and Marvin Harrison Jr.

Boutte could be even more productive than Higgins if he can quickly form a rapport with C.J. Stroud. With an ADP of only 167, Boutte is undervalued.

*Fantasy scoring and ADP from FantasyPros.