Fantasy Football 2018: Most Exciting Sleepers to Target in Mock Drafts

Each year, we scour depth charts, training camp reports and even athlete profiles to find the next big fantasy football sleepers.

They come in all shapes and sizes, from a range of different teams, but they're always out there.

Whether it's a rookie running back who stands out athletically from his peers, a quarterback with a ton of upside finally getting the freedom to run the offense or shallow depth charts where a player clearly sticks out, they're out there—we just need to find them.

Below, we have three you need to keep tabs on as the season progresses.

Kalen Ballage, RB, Miami Dolphins

While there may be a lot of cooks in the kitchen when it comes to the Miami Dolphins' running back depth chart, one guy in particular sticks out: rookie Kalen Ballage out of Arizona State.

Alongside him on the depth chart is veteran Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake, who is entering his third season. At a quick glance, the latter is the logical option to be the guy out of the gate. He's 24 and has some experience as the lead back for the Dolphins. But does he, though?

Sure, he capped off 2017 nicely, but in 32 career games Drake has only carried the ball 20 or more times in two and has double-digit carries (including the two 20-plus carry games) in just five of those.

Drake has solid size at 6'1" and over 210 pounds, but his game just fits more of a third-down back role.

When it comes to Gore, he's eventually going to slow down. Granted, we've been saying that since the turn of the decade, but it is bound to happen. At this point in his career, the 35-year-old cannot be relied on to carry a full load.

Ballage, though, is 6'2" and 228 pounds and ran a 4.46 40-yard dash.

In Week 1, the 22-year-old most likely won't be the guy. While he's doing well at training camp, it's just the way things are—he'll need to earn his chance.

With his size, though, he could start out as a short-yardage/goal-line guy, and the rest of it will take care of itself.

He's currently going in the 14th round of leagues. That's excellent value for someone with so much upside.

Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets

In July, Brian Costello of the New York Post suggested New York Jets running back Bilal Powell would take a huge nosedive in production and playing time.

That may have been true. After all, the Jets brought in Isaiah Crowell and had Elijah McGuire entering his second season with the team.

So why do they need Powell? Well, over his career, the 29-year-old has been a pass-catching back mainly, and hat adds value.

Now, though, McGuire is on the shelf for the foreseeable future with a fractured foot, and Powell is back up.

While it can be speculated that Thomas Rawls could take McGuire's role, the 24-year-old has proved in his career to not be anything to worry about when it comes to overall touches for fellow running backs.

Crowell has never featured much in the receiving game as he spent all those years in Cleveland with Duke Johnson.

Powell now has a role again.

Like Ballage, Powell is also a 14th-round guy. He'll get snaps and receptions and is best suited for PPR leagues.

Corey Davis, WR, Tennessee Titans

Coming off a forgettable rookie season in which he didn't score a touchdown, it would be ridiculous to put Tennessee Titans wide receiver Corey Davis in the "bust" category.

The 2017 season was one to forget for the Titans all around.

Davis missed a good amount of time last season with a hamstring injury, and quarterback Marcus Mariota had a down year passing the ball. But both men were in a quirky offensive system last year.

That will change with Matt LaFleur coming over from the Los Angeles Rams after just one season. We saw what the Rams' offense did in 2017 under his coaching, and he's getting a better talent at quarterback with Mariota.

Also, Mariota and Davis are two highly-touted prospects, being drafted second and fifth overall in their respective drafts. They have the talent and ability.

Davis is in line for a monster season, with LaFleur and an improved Mariota coming in 2018.

He is going in the sixth round of fantasy drafts and as the 27th wide receiver taken off of draft boards. He's having a training camp we cannot ignore. He's just that good.

Draft him. Expect 1,100 or more yards and eight-plus touchdowns from the second-year receiver.

Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference. All ADP data courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator.