Fantasy Football: Top 5 Deep Sleepers in the NFC North
What do Mike Gillislee, Adam Thielen and Cameron Brate all have in common? Each were consensus afterthoughts that went undrafted in most leagues and emerged as key contributors that helped several teams down the stretch.
Gillislee parlayed a prolific year that saw him tied for 9th in rushing touchdowns (8) into a 2-year, $6.4-million deal with the Patriots while Brate led all tight ends in touchdowns (8). Similarly, a previously off-the-radar Thielen ranked 25th in receiving yardage among his wideout peers by falling 33 yards short of 1,000.
The upcoming regular season will present a new group of deep sleepers that will—in some cases—unexpectedly burst on the scene and light up Twitter timelines as the free agents everyone must get their hands on.
Though achieving success in fantasy football is never an exact science, the ones wearing the gold at the end of the year are often the same owners that can anticipate who the in-season risers will be.
And if they can pick them up a week before the athletes in question earn a much-coveted RotoWorld news blurb, they will have achieved their goal.
Acquiring one or two of these waiver-wire wonders can be the difference between pocketing some extra holiday cash and kicking yourself repeatedly for not being aggressive enough in reinforcing your roster.
Here are five options that will go probably go undrafted, but have the physical tools to provide a lucky owner with an added dose of firepower that can propel them to fantasy greatness.