5 Fantasy Football Sleepers You Need to Know in 2026

Who doesn’t love a good sleeper pick?

Fantasy football drafts are all about finding value, and the right selections could completely change the outlook of your roster. With draft season just ahead, these five players could end up being the names fantasy managers are talking about all season long.

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Isaiah Likely, New York Giants

Slowly but surely, the fantasy world is beginning to pick up on Isaiah Likely’s (#104 ADP, #12 among TEs) potential for this season.

Likely had an injury-riddled year in 2025, starting just seven games en route to career-lows in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. However, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t produced in the past. In 2024, Likely finished as PPR’s TE16 despite working in the shadow of Mark Andrews.

Now, Likely finds himself in New York, where his outlook immediately becomes much more interesting. The Giants signed him to a multi-year deal with substantial pay, which all but indicates the team’s plans of making him a significant part of its passing game, especially considering the current absence of Malik Nabers. This has also seemingly been confirmed in training camp, with Likely reportedly leading all Giants first-team receivers in catches.

With a clear path to targets and a much larger role in Big Blue’s offense, Likely has all the tools to make a massive leap in 2026. And, considering his current TE12 price tag, he’s more than worth the investment.

Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough (#147 ADP, #19 among QBs) has been one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in fantasy football this offseason, and it’s easy to see why.

Shough started just nine games for New Orleans last season, but was still able to register 2,384 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while finishing with a 5-4 record. The last stretch of his season was especially notable, as he finished with at least 18 fantasy points in 4 of his final 5 games.

His late-season surge doesn’t stop there, though. Shough added an additional 135 rushing yards and three touchdowns over his final five games, which immediately signals a rushing floor that already surpasses a good amount of the league’s current quarterbacks. Furthermore, the team has bolstered his supporting cast. Jordyn Tyson and Travis Etienne are both set to make their Saints debuts this season, giving Shough even more weapons to work with than last season.

At his current QB19 price, Shough could easily end up providing value to any fantasy manager in need this season.

Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings

Jordan Addison (#101 ADP, #42 among WRs) had a career-low season last year, but at his current ADP, it would be a crime not to at least look in his direction.

Addison finished as fantasy’s WR45 in PPR leagues last season, and while that’s obviously not a good look, it requires major context. He served a multi-game suspension that sidelined him for numerous games, and, just as importantly, had no consistency at quarterback. Minnesota had three different players start under center last season, which arguably played a bigger role in Addison’s poor production.

The addition of Kyler Murray at quarterback is an immediate major upgrade, as Addison will now have a much more proven passer to work with in 2026. And, considering his previous seasons, this is fantastic for Addison’s fantasy stock. He finished as PPR’s WR21 in 2024 and WR23 in 2023, proving that he’s already more than capable of producing at a WR2 level.

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At his current wideout ADP of 42, it’d be a disservice to overlook the upside he brings at this point in the draft.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

Bhayshul Tuten (#47 ADP, #23 among RBs) is another player fantasy managers have been extremely high on this offseason.

Tuten sat behind Travis Etienne the majority of last season, but now enters 2026 as the prime candidate for Jacksonville’s starting job. And, when he likely wins such, he’ll be stepping into a notable amount of volume for his role. Etienne saw 260 attempts and 54 targets in 2025, giving Tuten a potentially massive workload to inherit.

That’s exactly what makes his RB23 price tag beyond interesting. Tuten doesn’t necessarily need to pop off at every touch, but if he can find a rhythm as Jacksonville’s lead back, the volume alone could make him a major asset. There’s still work to be done surrounding consistent production, but at this price, Tuten could be worth betting on.

Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions

It seems as though fantasy managers have quickly forgotten about Sam LaPorta’s (#87 ADP, #8 among TEs) 2023 season. They could get a reminder this year.

Just a few years ago, LaPorta led all tight ends in touchdown receptions en route to a TE1 finish in PPR leagues. And while injuries derailed his 2025 campaign, this season’s outlook looks to be much better.

Now, LaPorta will be working with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who has already shown just how valuable a pass-catching tight end can be in his offense. Formerly in Arizona, Petzing helped fellow tight end Trey McBride become a fantasy powerhouse, with McBride finishing as the TE1 in 2025 and TE2 in 2024 while in his offense.

LaPorta now has the opportunity to benefit from the same tight end-friendly system that made McBride a household name in fantasy football. As long as Petzing can put him in a similar position to succeed, LaPorta’s already shown that he’s more than capable of putting the league on notice.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as 5 Fantasy Football Sleepers You Need to Know in 2026.

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This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 7:46 AM.