7 Rookie Sleepers to Target in Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues
Watch List
Zach Zenner, RB, Detroit Lions
He’s white, and he’s a running back. But once you get past the racist profiling and the fact that he played at South Dakota State, you will find a talented player who was highly productive against division one opponents and dominant against FCS competition, rushing for over 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
As an athlete, he tested extremely well for his 5’11’’, 223-pound frame, posting a 41-inch vertical (third among rookie running backs) and a 6.88 three-cone agility drill, which is outstanding for any prospect. He looks natural catching the football and has the ability to be a three-down back.
The issue is that he landed in Detroit as an undrafted free agent and now sits in the shadow of Joique Bell and rookie 2nd-round pick Ameer Abdullah. For the Zenner fans, it is worth noting that Bell’s Rushing NEP has dipped each of the past three seasons (3.05, -3.12, -7.53) and his yards per carry hasn't exceeded 3.9 in two years. And with Abdullah standing only 5’9’’, 205 pounds, perhaps he will simply be an effective change-of-pace back with the team relying on Zenner to replace Bell as the power complement.
Either way, he’s a player worth monitoring.
Kenny Bell, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenny Bell is perhaps the player with the lowest ceiling on this list, profiling more as a secondary option to Mike Evans in Tampa Bay. But while that could suppress him from producing monster seasons, his talent and landing spot still afford him the opportunity to be a major contributor to fantasy rosters.
New offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter brings his system from Atlanta, where Roddy White and Julio Jones both put up fantastic numbers under his watch. The Buccaneers are excited to have Vincent Jackson around to continue to mentor Mike Evans and provide an additional weapon for rookie Jameis Winston, but he is 32 years old and his massive cap number over the next two seasons make him a likely cap casualty after 2015.
In addition, his Reception NEP per target was a paltry 0.58, which puts him in the same range as Davante Adams, Michael Crabtree (0.58) and Andre Holmes (0.59). Mike Evans, on the other hand, graded as a 0.82, and if Winston can be as electric on the field as he is off it, there is room beside Evans for a player like Bell to emerge.
At 6’1’’, 200 pounds and with 4.4 speed, Bell is a similar athlete to Roddy White, although perhaps a bit lankier. He consistently demonstrated strong hands and the ability to win in traffic and down the field. While poor quarterback play and a run-oriented offense at Nebraska didn’t allow him to put up massive numbers, he still finished his career as the Cornhuskers’ all-time leader in receptions (181) and receiving yards (2,689).
In Tampa he is a player worth watching, even if his production doesn’t come until 2016.
Thomas Rawls, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Rawls is buried on the Seahawks’ depth chart as an undrafted free agent with character issues and work ethic concerns. Not a recipe for success by any means, but he’s a talent to keep an eye on this preseason. He could easily end up being an Isaiah Crowell type of player for a team but could also end up out of the league by September.
Rawls started his career at Michigan before transferring to Central Michigan after struggling to find the field for the Wolverines. In his one season at CMU, he rushed for 1,103 yards and 10 touchdowns, demonstrating good burst, balance and vision and a desire to punish defenders. He was timed at 4.42 and 4.50 in the 40 at his pro day and loves using that speed to take advantage of cutback lanes. His 5’9’’, 215-pound frame is ideal for absorbing the punishment of being an every down back in the NFL.
Of course, that’s not likely to happen for the Seahawks in 2015, who boast a productive and talented trio of Marshawn Lynch, Robert Turbin and Christine Michael. He may not even make the team, which would also be worth monitoring since it is rumored that the Cowboys were interested in signing him as an a priority free agent before he joined Seattle. Either way, his talent makes him a player worth watching closely this preseason. If C.J. Anderson taught us anything, it’s that production can come from a player you didn’t even know was on the team.
