Predicting sleepers who can help steer your team towards a championship in fantasy football dynasty leagues.
You’d think that finding a sleeper in fantasy football dynasty leagues would be hard. Unlike redraft, dynasty league players try to predict the future; both in the short and long term. But every off-season we still see players come out of nowhere and produce for multiple years. Some times it’s due to a coaching change, and for others it could be due to a personnel change; while some players just get it all to click for no quantifiable reason. Here are some of my dynasty sleepers going into the 2021 season.
Quarterback
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
I know it seems crazy that I have a 36-year old quarterback as a dynasty sleeper, but hear me out. Matt Ryan just restructured his contract in a way that makes it unlikely the Falcons replace him before 2022. The Falcons hired a new head coach in Arthur Smith who many credit for the revival of Ryan Tannehill’s career, and it shouldn’t be debatable that Ryan is the better player of the two.
The Falcons have elite wide receivers in Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones and just picked up Mike Davis who put up over 1,000 scrimmage yards filling in for an injured Christian McCaffrey in Carolina. Even if the team drafts another RB, this is going to be a pass-first offense. While the defense may not be much better, the offense should be as potent as ever and Ryan will lead them for the next two years at least.
Running Back
Jeff Wilson, San Francisco 49ers
Jeff Wilson ended up leading the 49ers in total carries in 2020 in an injury plagued season for the 49ers. He didn’t disappoint, totaling over 600 yards with a 4.8 average. This off-season, the 49ers let Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman walk, but chose to re-sign Wilson to a 1-year contract. This leaves Raheem Mostert, JaMycal Hasty, and Wilson as the only running backs under contract.
Mostert may be the lead running back, but he’s only played 16 games in a season once (for a myriad of reasons), in 2019. It did lead to him getting extended by the 49ers but make no mistake, Kyle Shanahan loves utilizing a running back committee. Wilson has shown great vision and burst as a running back, and soft hands as a receiver. Don’t be shocked to see him be a sneaky RB2 option for Zero RB players; and end up with a more secure position in 2022 onward.
Wide Receiver
Denzel Mims, New York Jets
As a Jets fan some may see this as a homer pick, but I think Denzel Mims has the potential to carve out a DeVante Parker type of career. I previously did a player profile on Mims, and the good people at Fantasy Football Astronauts broke down his film that showed just how good he was (while even potentially playing through an injury).
The Jets added a new coach this season with Robert Saleh, and OC Mike LaFleur will be running a scheme similar to Kyle Shanahan; which would be excellent for Mims’ skill set. With the Jets adding Corey Davis to the receiving core and presumably one of Zach Wilson or Justin Fields throwing the ball, it has the potential to sustain success for multiple years.
Tight End
Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles
Currently Zach Ertz is an Eagle, but it might not be for long. Ertz had the worst season of his career in 2020, suffering multiple injuries that saw him look like a shell of himself. His 36 receptions were his lowest since his rookie year, and he had career-lows across the board. Despite that, there’s reason for hope.
Ertz is only 30 years old at a position that typically sees guys play well into their 30s. He’s also just one season removed from five consecutive years of at least 800 receiving yards. A new team could bring life back to the veteran, especially if he reunites with former quarterback Carson Wentz in Indianapolis. His poor 2020 has made him a forgotten man, but don’t be shocked if he returns to form for a couple more years.
