Just days ago, the NFL season kicked off with the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs losing to the Lions 21-20. With that behind us, we can now gear our attention toward the first Sunday slate of football games on Sept. 10 and look at some fantasy football sleeper options for Week 1.
To be considered a sleeper in fantasy football heading into the first Sunday of the season, a player must be under 40% rostered according to FantasyPro’s consensus roster percentage that takes the average roster percentages of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, two of the most popular fantasy football platforms.
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1. Van Jefferson, WR, Los Angeles Rams, 28.1% rostered
The injury bug is back and has struck the Los Angeles Rams in a big way. Big-time receiver Cooper Kupp, who nearly set receiving records two years ago, is dealing with the same soft-tissue issue he had last year. With him being ruled out for Week 1, Van Jefferson steps into the WR1 role for the team and could easily surpass his roster percentage value. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is the most added player on Tuesday morning.
2. Deon Jackson, RB, Indianapolis Colts, 39.4% rostered
The drama this offseason that has surrounded running backs in the NFL has arguably hit the Indianapolis Colts the hardest. Whether superstar back Jonathan Taylor is on the Physically Unable to Perform list for his injury or his holdout, the fact remains that he will be absent for at least four weeks.
Currently, Deon Jackson and rookie Evan Hull will fill his shoes with Deon Jackson getting the starting responsibility in Week 1. Jackson is a fantasy football sleeper in Week 1.
3. Marvin Mims, Jr., WR, Denver Broncos, 26.0% rostered
Marvin Mims, Jr., a rookie out of Oklahoma, is not a common name among average fantasy football players. However, the Broncos have had depth issues at the receiver position with Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler out for the season or off the roster. Mims and his agility should surpass Courtland Sutton this season and get FLEX value snaps right off the bat, especially with Jerry Jeudy’s Week 1 status uncertain.
4. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers, 39.9% rostered
Out of all quarterbacks in the preseason, Kenny Pickett might have had the best performance. He was nearly flawless after throwing an immense amount of interceptions at the end of last season. He should be in for a huge spike in production in his sophomore season and in this first week, despite his opponent being one of the best defenses in the NFL.
5. Luke Musgrave, TE, Green Bay Packers, 11.7% rostered
The revamped Green Bay Packers were already in trouble with a thin line of talented receivers and a new quarterback. Chances are that receiver Christian Watson becomes the go-to guy for Jordan Love; however, after Watson, the hierarchy of talented receivers falls to tight end Luke Musgrave, a rookie from Oregon State, and sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs.
With Christian Watson officially ruled out for this week, Musgrave has a chance to be the top pass-catching player for Love and this Packers offense in Week 1, making him a strong fantasy football sleeper.
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