By Darian Susic

These are three of the top fantasy football sleepers for the 2022-2023 season.

In most fantasy football drafts you won’t get lucky and have Derrick Henry fall to the fourth round. But there are hidden gems that you can pick up in these later rounds. Last season, most people would have never thought to pick Cooper Kupp in the first round but, by the end of the season, he was the best player in fantasy football. Players picked in these later rounds may not have the big names, but they have big talent. These players are called sleepers and these are three of the top sleepers for the 2022-2023 fantasy season. 

1. James Cook- The Bills drafted Georgia running back James Cook with the 31st selection in the second round of this year’s NFL draft. Cook is the younger brother of NFL superstar Dalvin Cook, who plays for the Minnesota Vikings. Cook had a fantastic senior season at Georgia as he rushed for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 27 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns. The Bills need more receptions from their backfield as last year they didn’t have a single running back in the top 25 for receiving yards. Cook provides a much better pass-catching outlet than the Bills’ current running backs, Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. This is where he will be able to attain the bulk of his fantasy points, especially in a points per reception leagues. 

2. Elijah Moore- Elijah Moore saw limited time in 2021 as a leg injury in week 13 ended his rookie season. In that time, Moore caught 43 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns. Moore showed flashes of superstardom in 2021. Between weeks eight and 13, he tied the league lead for receiving touchdowns and he was in the top ten for both receiving yards and receptions. The addition of Garret Wilson won’t affect Moore, as he will still be the top wide receiver on the team and the Jets see him as a key building block in their future. Moore is poised to take a big leap in his sophomore season, which will result in more receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns, but most of all, more fantasy points. 

3. Rashod Bateman- With the departure of Marquise Brown, other receivers will have to step up in Baltimore. This task will be handed to Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay. In his rookie season in 2021, Bateman had 46 receptions for 515 yards. This season he is sure to have more production in a larger role. Bateman should be poised for more touchdowns in the 2022-2023 season, as he provides a big target in the red zone for Lamar Jackson. Bateman may have to share targets with Devin Duvernay this season, but he will definitely have more production in this wide receiver one or two role than the minimal role he had last season. With this production, Bateman is sure to have more fantasy points this season. 

These are just a few options but there are a lot of young players ready for a breakout fantasy year in 2022-2023. You can snag these players later in your drafts and by the end of the season they will look like top round picks and you will look like a genius.