Fantasy Football 2018: Bounce-Back Players and Sleepers to Target in Mock Drafts

Fantasy football owners who selected quarterback Matt Ryan or wide receiver Amari Cooper in the early rounds of their drafts last year felt disappointment when they had to bench either or both players. 

Cooper had put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but he only logged 680 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017. Meanwhile, Ryan threw 20 touchdown passes—his lowest total since recording 16 as a rookie in 2008.

Will either bounce back in the upcoming season?

We'll define bounce-back candidates as players coming off a down season, in some cases because of injury, following multiple years of high-level production. Managers unwilling to take a chance on risky fantasy talents who didn't live up to expectations last year could look at several under-the-radar sleepers. Perhaps a rookie running back isn't receiving enough buzz after impressive preseason performances. 

In the two listings below, bounce-back candidates have their 2017 Yahoo fantasy point totals in parenthesis. Players in the sleeper category have their average draft position (ADP) on the right to let owners know when they're typically selected in drafts.

Bounce-Back Players to Target 

1. QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (240.10)

2. QB Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (219.44)

3. QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (0)

4. RB David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (7) 

5. RB Lamar Miller, Houston Texans (157.50)

6. WR Jordy Nelson, Oakland Raiders (84.20)

7. WR Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns (39.50) 

8. WR Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders (110.40)

9. WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants (49) 

10. TE Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers (25.10) 

RB Lamar Miller, Houston Texans

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller finished the 2017 campaign with 238 carries, 888 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a disappointing year.

Last year, D'Onta Foreman stole some carries from the lead ball-carrier but suffered a torn Achilles in November. He finished with 78 rush attempts for 327 yards and two touchdowns. At the moment, the second-year tailback remains on the physically unable to perform list, and there's no timetable for his return.

According to Houston Chronicle reporter Aaron Wilson, head coach Bill O'Brien says Foreman is "headed in the right direction" in his recovery, but he will need to get himself back into football shape before taking the field.

Miller looks nimble in exhibition action, recording eight carries for 35 yards. The 27-year-old should have a quick start to the 2018 season, and he'll continue to handle the majority load in the backfield.

WR Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

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The Oakland Raiders offense took a nosedive in overall production during the 2017 season under defensive-minded head coach Jack Del Rio and first-time offensive play-caller Todd Downing. The front office fired the coaching staff, which opened the opportunity for Jon Gruden's return. 

Early in the offseason, Gruden talked about the fourth-year wideout's prospective role in the offense, per NBCS Bay Area reporter Scott Bair: "He has to get healthy and stay healthy. We need him to be the player he was the first two years. I've said it earlier. We're going to make him the main vein of our passing offense and move him around a lot." 

In 2017, Cooper missed two games, but quarterback Derek Carr talked about the wideout quietly battling injuries all year on Sirius XM NFL Radio. Assuming he stays healthy, the two-time Pro Bowler should bounce back in 2018.

Sleepers to Target

1. QB Tyrod Taylor, Cleveland Browns (14.02)

2. QB, Eli Manning, New York Giants (14.03) 

3. RB Kerryon Johnson, Detroit Lions (5.09) 

4. RB Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts (8.02) 

5. RB Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9.06)

6. RB James White, New England Patriots (9.12)

7. WR Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers (7.08)

8. WR Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers (8.11) 

9. WR Pierre Garcon, San Francisco 49ers (9.03) 

10. WR Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles (9.05)

RB Peyton Barber, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter had some encouraging words about running back Peyton Barber's workload after the team's Week 2 preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, per Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud.

"He's doing everything he should be doing right now, and I think if we went out there and gave it to Peyton 20 times, we'd like what he does. But we're not going to do that in a preseason game." 

Fantasy owners should read between the lines in Koetter's postgame quote. The Buccaneers would likely feel comfortable giving Barber the majority load when the games count. In Stroud's report, the Buccaneers head coach also said the third-year ball-carrier performed like a starter during training camp. 

On the other hand, rookie running back Ronald Jones, Barber's top competitor for the lead role in the backfield, has struggled through exhibition play. He's logged 12 carries for 11 yards. The USC product will see touches in the upcoming season, but Barber has the clear upper hand on the starting role.

WR Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers

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The Carolina Panthers selected wideout D.J. Moore as the 24th overall pick in April's draft, but he's yet to show a strong on-field connection with quarterback Cam Newton during the preseason. 

As noted above, tight end Greg Olsen should bounce back with a strong year after he struggled with a foot injury in 2017. Devin Funchess falls under the radar but holds a firm spot as the No. 1 wide receiver on the depth chart.

Last year, Funchess put together a breakout season, catching 63 passes for 840 yards and eight touchdowns. The 24-year-old goes into a contract year, and he's probably going to look to rack up numbers before landing on the free-agent market. The fourth-year pass-catcher stands at 6'4", 225 pounds, which makes him a viable red-zone threat.

Managers should allow some time before Newton and Moore establish a rapport. In the meantime, take Funchess as a WR2 for your roster. 

Average draft position (ADP) courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator.