College Fantasy Football (CFF) drafts start to heat up as we enter the middle of the summer. Managers begin to see the various magazines on bookshelves depicting college football teams and the vast information they contain. Preparing for your drafts, CFF diehards look for valuable players who can be drafted outside the Top 24 wide receivers and become weekly starters. I analyzed the quarterback and running back positions in the first two installments of my CFF sleeper picks. In this article, I will focus on my favorite wide receiver sleepers.
Readers also need to be cautious when they see posts on summer practices. Most outlets are only going to show highlights that can be misleading.
Stick with John Laub and me to stay up-to-date on all your CFF news. After you get done here check out John Laub’s wide receiver rankings.
2023 College Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers
My wide receiver sleepers could lead you to a CFF Championship. I will focus on wide receivers from Power 5 (P5) and Group of 5 (G5) schools to provide as much advice as possible.
Before I provide a list of wide receivers worth targeting outside the Top 24, here are a few key attributes that would help an RB make my list:
An offense that historically scores more than 30 points
Coaching change that includes a head coach/offensive coordinator that significantly impacts offense/tempo
Offensive line with experience
Wide Receivers expected to have a high target share
Highly recruited prospect that transferred to a better situation/ or depth chart adjustment that improves a player’s opportunity
Before I get to my list, I asked YOU, the Twitterverse, what player you were most confident in putting up a Top 24 season but is currently outside the rankings.
And the Twitterverse decided:
Sleeper Wide Receivers from the Group of 5 Conferences
Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern Eagles
Georgia Southern already has one outstanding receiver in Derwin Burgess Jr. Now, Khaleb Hood hopes to enter that conversation alongside Burgess Jr. Khaleb Hood already holds the record at Georgia Southern for most receptions and is set on leading the Eagles in career receiving yards.
Last season, Hood had 87 receptions for 925 yards and three touchdowns. After taking over as Head Coach, Clay Helton brought a “higher-tempo” offense with him. In their second year, the offense should be clicking on all cylinders. If Hood increases his touchdown rate, he will enter the CFF receivers’ upper echelon.
De’Corian Clark, UTSA Roadrunners
The Twitterverse selection as most likely to post a Top-24 season among our sleeper picks. Similarly to Khaleb Hood, De’Corian Clark also plays alongside an outstanding receiver; for Clark, that player is Josh Cephus. In 2022, Clark grabbed 51 passes for 741 yards and eight touchdowns. The Roadrunners’ offense scored almost 37 points per game while throwing for 300 yards; both ranked 13th nationally last year.
The UTSA offense is a juggernaut with CFF stars at many skill positions (Frank Harris at QB and Kevorian Barnes at RB). A possible bonus for Clark is the departure of Zakhari Franklin (portal). Franklin had a monster year with 94 receptions for 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns. Clark and Cephus will be the first receivers to benefit from Franklin’s vacated volume. Clark has an excellent opportunity to ascend into the CFF elite.
Sleeper Wide Receivers from Power 5 Conferences
Jamari Thrash, Louisville Cardinals
In 2022, Jamari Thrash posted 61 receptions for 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns for Georgia St. Thrash has now moved on to the ACC and the Louisville Cardinals. New Coach, Jeff Brohm, wants to transform the Cardinals into a pass-first offense.
The receiver’s room at Louisville is essentially barren, and Thrash immediately becomes the team’s number-one option at receiver. Brohm also brought in a transfer quarterback, Jack Plummer, who knows his system well. The offense may need a few weeks, but once they figure things out, Thrash will be one of the beneficiaries of the new offense under Jeff Brohm.
Keon Coleman, Florida State Seminoles
After two years at Michigan State, Keon Coleman entered the transfer portal for an offense more aligned with his skill set. The decision to transfer to Florida St. may have been precisely what both sides needed. In 2022, Coleman grabbed 58 passes for 798 yards and seven touchdowns.
Coleman will line up with Johnny Wilson to form one of the elite pass-receiving duos in the ACC. Since Coleman was a late transfer to FSU, he may take a few games before ultimately excelling in this offense, but once he does, Coleman should be knocking on the door of the CFF elite.
Adonai (AD) Mitchell, Texas Longhorns
Many CFF fans are knowledgeable about Xavier Worthy. However, they should spend more time getting to know the receiver on the other side of the field, Adonai (AD) Mitchell. Before enrolling at Texas, Mitchell showed great potential while winning two national championships at Georgia.
AD posted 38 receptions for 560 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two years. AD is moving closer to home to complete his NCAA career, and based on his spring game rapport with Quinn Ewers (6 grabs for 68 yards), all signs point to a breakout season for AD Mitchell.
Dorian Singer, USC Trojans
After transferring from the University of Arizona, Dorian Singer is in his first season at USC. In 2022, Singer posted 66 receptions for 1,105 yards and six touchdown catches. Although USC returns Mario Williams and Brenden Rice, Singer has already established himself as the straightforward replacement for Jordan Addison (1st round pick in the 2023 NFL draft).
The USC receivers room is full of talent and includes freshmen Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon, but all signs point to 2023 being the year of Dorian Singer. His ability to make tough catches and take the “top off defenses” could lead to big plays and significant points in CFF.
Jalil Farooq, Oklahoma Sooners
Playing a secondary role in 2022, Jalili Farooq posted 37 catches for 466 yards and five touchdowns. Heading into this season, Farooq looks to replace the production left behind by Marvin Mims (NFL Draft). Farooq’s best game last season was in the Cheez-It Bowl, where Oklahoma faced off against Florida St. and made four receptions for 59 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown.
With a top-tier quarterback in Dillon Gabriel, the Oklahoma offense looks to continue putting up close to 33 points a game with Farooq as one of its stars. At 6’1″ & 207 pounds, Farooq has all the traits to be an elite receiver in the Big-12, and he has enough upside in a potent offense to be a Top-24 receiver in CFF.