Winning your league isn’t always about drafting the stars. It’s about getting an edge over your competition. One of the best ways to do that is to identify dynasty football sleepers and have them on your roster before they become the names your league-mates are looking for off waivers.
The players I’ll mention below may not be in your lineup to start the year but will provide a ton of value late in the season or in 2025 when they get their opportunity.
What is a Dynasty Sleeper?
How do we define a Dynasty sleeper? For me, it’s any player drafted after the fourth round of the NFL draft who isn’t projected as the current starter. It’s a player that has a pathway to be a fantasy-relevant player and is available either on waivers or very cheaply in your rookie drafts or via trades. Let’s identify five dynasty football sleepers you can scoop up now and brag about when your dynasty league is wondering how you knew.
5 Dynasty Football Sleepers for 2024 Fantasy Football
Spencer Rattler- Quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Let’s remember that only a few years ago Spencer Rattler was in talks as the number one overall pick. Gone is the kid who was featured on Netflix’s QB1 show. Rattler fell to the fifth round where he was selected by the New Orleans Saints. It’s a great landing spot for the talented quarterback. He is already working with the number twos in mini-camp. He will likely be the primary backup to Derek Carr. Carr was brought over last season by the Saints who have been looking for their guy since Drew Brees retired. The Saints and Carr continue to push his cap hit down the road but the reckoning is coming next year when his cap and dead cap hit equalize at around $51 million dollars. That seems like a ton but the Broncos just absorbed $85 million.
Rattler has the potential to be a future starter and potential star. As a dynasty sleeper, you can scoop Rattler in the 4th round of your rookie drafts and stash him on your taxi squad. Rattler could even take over for Carr later this year if the Saints find themselves out of the playoff picture and they don’t want to risk injury and having to pay Carr. Nothing sets you up for future success better than having a starter on your team before they win the job.
Dylan Laube- Running Back, Las Vegas Raiders.
Dylan Laube was a hot name after the Senior Bowl. As a small school player, he was a widely unknown name but came in and wowed people with his speed, vision, and pass-catching ability. Laube had a disappointing combine which caused him to drop to the sixth round. That slip in the draft landed Laube in a great situation. The Raiders let Josh Jacobs leave in free agency and have a running back room with Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, and Alexander Mattison.
Where Laube excels is where White and the others don’t. Laube has the pass-catching ability that the others don’t. White only saw 19 targets last season. Luabe had 68 receptions last season for the New Hampshire Wildcats. Laube is a dynasty sleeper who can make an impact in PPR leagues and even more so if your league gives points for return yards. If White misses time Laube has the ability to handle the workhorse duties.
Jared Wiley- Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce isn’t going anywhere in 2023 but that doesn’t mean he will be around forever. He has been very vocal about the wear on his 34-year-old body. He also has a lot of other projects in the works. On top of all of that 2023 was one of his lowest production years since 2015. That could be why the Chiefs drafted Jared Wiley in the fourth round of the draft. Wiley had two solid years in college once he transferred to TCU. In those two seasons, he scored 12 touchdowns including eight in his final year.
One benefit of playing for the Chiefs is that they often get their second tight end the ball. Noah Gray had a reception in all but three games last season. It’s not massive volume but watching the tape it looks like the plays were designed for him. Wiley could be stepping into that role this year as Gray plays in the final year of his contract. Having a tight end connected to Patrick Mahomes will be something dynasty managers will be looking for. Pick up Wiley now while he is a dynasty sleeper.
Brenden Rice- Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Chargers
Much has been made about the lack of receivers for the Los Angeles Chargers this season. After trading Keenan Allen and letting Mike Williams leave via free agency the Bolts were left with last year’s disappointing rookie Quentin Johnston and Josh Palmer as their main two receivers. The Chargers drafted Ladd McConkey in the second round and then Brenden Rice in the seventh round. The Chargers will certainly be a different team under new head coach Jim Harbaugh but they still have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert.
Brenden Rice is the son of the best receiver to ever play the game. Yes, he fell in the draft but last year at USC Rice had 12 touchdowns. That’s two less than McConkey scored in his three seasons at Georgia. We know the competition in front of Rice isn’t the deepest or toughest so Rice has every opportunity to carve out a role for himself. He has even said that being drafted that late has put a chip on his shoulder. You want your dynasty sleepers to have the drive and the opportunity. Rice has both.
Jordan Travis – Quarterback New York Jets
The New York Jets have been searching for their franchise quarterback for, well forever. They thought they had a temporary fix when they traded for Aaron Rodgers. From a season with a four-time league MVP to only four snaps. That’s how the 2023 season went for the Jets. Now the expectations are high again in the Big Apple. The Jets have spent the past few drafts loading up on skill position players like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, both arguably top-five at their position.
The question is what does 2024 look like? Will Rodgers be back under center? Will the Jets want to pay a 42-year-old who has a cap hit of $51.5 million when they can save $2.5 million if they cut him? Will Rodgers even want to play or will the world of politics or Egyptian culture call him away? Perhaps the insurance was drafting Jordan Travis in the fifth round.
Let’s not forget that Jordan Travis led the Florida State Seminoles to an undefeated season before injuring his leg. He was such a loss that the NCAA Selection Committee kept the Seminoles out of the college football playoff. That’s the level of talent that Travis has. The injury held him out of the combine and a lot of pre-draft workouts. Hopefully, the injury doesn’t impact his rushing too much. Travis had seven rushing touchdowns in each of his last four college seasons. Given the team he will be playing with and the talent we saw in college Travis is a dynasty sleeper worth rostering now before he takes over.
Got a few dynasty football sleepers of your own? Drop some names in the comments below and then make sure to check out our 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit for more great rankings and analysis.