Panthers RB Miles Sanders named top fantasy sleeper for 2023
Hopefully, you’re not sleeping on Miles Sanders like you are on Andy Dalton.
SportsLine—which had successfully predicted a number of huge fantasy football campaigns from the likes of Tony Pollard (2022), A.J. Brown (2020), Derrick Henry (2019) and Christian McCaffrey (2018)—sees a pretty big 2023 for the new Carolina Panthers running back. Based on its proven model, which simulates the season 10,000 times, Sanders is set to outperform his projected average draft position (ADP).
Although Sanders has struggled to stay healthy, it’s difficult to argue with his production when he is on the field. Moreover, Carolina has a young running back room, and Sanders’ veteran presence will be needed, particularly as the team breaks in rookie quarterback Bryce Young.
Sanders has a career average of five yards per carry and is coming off his best season with 1,269 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The Panthers ran the ball effectively last year and there should be hope among fans that new head coach Frank Reich can replicate the rushing success he had with Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis. The model projects Sanders will have a better Fantasy season than others drafted well ahead of him like D’Andre Swift, Isiah Pacheco and Brian Robinson Jr.
Per FantasyPros, Sanders is projected as the 67th-best fantasy player (21st-best running back) with an ADP of 66. His career campaign in 2022 left him as the 15th-most productive player at his position.
So if Sanders is in line for an even heavier workload as the Panthers’ three-down back, you may have yourselves a potential league winner at one heck of a price.
