Fantasy football: 6 sleeper wide receivers for 2023 NFL season
Football season has returned!
The 2023 NFL season will kick off later this week when the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Detroit Lions on Thursday.
Before the regular season begins, fantasy football drafts will be wrapping up in the coming days and fantasy managers will all have the same question — who are the sleepers to target this year?
This week, we will be publishing sleepers at tight end, wide receiver, quarterback and running back for 2023. Today, we’re looking at WR.
Each player is listed in order of his average draft spot relative to his position. We consider a “sleeper” to be a player who we expect to outperform his ADP during the season.
George Pickens (WR34)
After a slow start last year, Pickens scored scored at least 10 fantasy points in nine of Pittsburgh’s final 13 games last season. His top-five games were 18.1-, 18.3-, 16.7- and 16.2-point (twice) performances. If he takes a step forward in his second season, Pickens could be a breakout WR in 2023.
Jordan Addison (WR37)
A first-round draft pick, Addison will now be playing across from Justin Jefferson, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL today. While defenses focus on Jefferson, Addison should get plenty of targets as a rookie. The 21-year-old receiver could prove to be a great value at WR37.
Quentin Johnston (WR49)
Johnston is another rookie wide receiver with high upside, but he will be playing in a more crowded WR room. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Josh Palmer are all returning in Los Angeles, which will limit Johnston’s immediate impact. Allen and Williams have both battled through various injuries in recent seasons, though, so Johnston could become a fantasy-relevant WR sooner than later.
Elijah Moore (WR51)
Now getting a fresh start with the Browns, the former second-round pick is poised to serve as Cleveland’s No. 2 receiver across from Amari Cooper. The change of scenery for the ex-Jet could help Moore get his career back on track, especially if quarterback Deshaun Watson returns to his old form in his second season with the Browns.
Tank Dell (WR71)
Dell is currently buried on Houston’s depth chart as a WR4 behind Nico Collins and veterans Robert Woods and Noah Brown, but the Texans used a third-round pick on Dell for a reason. Dell is a talented receiver and Houston will likely play from behind often this season, leading to many passing situations. Dell is a deep sleeper to keep an eye on.
Isaiah Hodgins (WR76)
After beginning the 2022 season on the Bills’ practice squad, Hodgins had a mini breakout in the second half of the season with the Giants. He finished the year averaging 11.1 fantasy points per game. That ranked 41st in 2022, which isn’t high, but it’s a lot better than the WR76 ADP Hodgins has going into the 2023 season. The 24-year-old receiver scored 15.4, 15.8, 22.9 and 14.2 points in four of New York’s final six games and then had a big game in the playoffs. Hodgins is worth a stash late in drafts.
