With training camp officially underway, Fantasy Football managers are beginning to put the final touches on their draft boards. One position that will provide plenty of value throughout the draft is the wide receiver spot.
Wide receiver is easily the deepest position in Fantasy Football in 2021. There are plenty of big-name players that will come off the board early in drafts, but it is the players that you will be looking at in the middle and later parts of the draft that will help put your team over the edge.
With so many players to sift through, it is important to pinpoint some good sleeper targets later in the draft. That is what we will help you do!
Here are three wide receiver sleepers that you should target in your fantasy football draft.
3. Rashod Bateman
The Baltimore Ravens used the No. 27 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman. With how run-heavy the Ravens offense is, their wide receivers are usually players to avoid. However, this season, that will change.
To get over the hump and become legitimate Super Bowl contenders, the Ravens need Lamar Jackson to become more of a threat through the air. Bateman is one of the pieces acquired this offseason that will help them do that.
Baltimore’s wide receiver room has revamped this offseason, as Bateman, fellow rookie Tylan Wallace and Sammy Watkins are major upgrades and give Jackson his best group of weaponry to date. Bateman was selected to be this team’s No. 1 receiver, which should result in a strong target share and excellent rookie season.
Not only is the opportunity to produce there, but defenses also won’t be able to key in on him with all of the other talents on the Ravens’ offense.
2. Marquez Callaway
The New Orleans Saints offense is undergoing a major overhaul this offseason. Long-time quarterback Drew Brees retired, leaving the starting spot to either Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston. There are also opportunities available at the wide receiver spot.
Veteran Emmanuel Sanders left in free agency, signing with the Buffalo Bills. No. 1 target, Michael Thomas, could miss games after undergoing ankle surgery. That leaves a lot of targets up for grabs and one player that will benefit is Marquez Callaway.
Callaway made the Saints last season after being undrafted out of Tennessee. That alone speaks volumes to his talent level, but he also received praise from Sanders for the work he did in the season they spent together.
The potential is there for a breakout, as Callaway caught eight passes for 75 yards with a 28.6 percent target share in the one game that Thomas and Sanders both missed last season. With Sanders with a new team and Thomas sidelined, Callaway will have a chance to carve out a permanent role in this offense.
1. Laviska Shenault Jr.
If there is one thing that Fantasy Football managers love, at least when it is in their favor, it is garbage time. Players rack up stats in games that are already decided on the scoreboard through late-game passing barrages.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one team that could have a lot of that garbage time this season. They are starting to rebuild the roster with Trevor Lawrence being selected No. 1 overall and becoming the face of the franchise. They will showcase him from Day 1 and last year’s second-round pick, Laviska Shenault Jr. is one player that will benefit.
Shenault had a strong rookie season, everything considered. He caught 58 passes for 600 yards and five touchdowns, adding 18 rushes for 91 yards as well. His yards-after-contact skills should result in some fantasy gold in 2021.
There is some competition for touches, with D.J. Chark and Marvin Jones Jr. at wide receiver and Travis Etienne at running back, but Shenault has the skills to emerge as Lawrence’s No. 1 target this season. If that happens, Fantasy Football managers will be getting a steal as Shenault is currently being selected outside the top 40 for wide receivers.
