With fantasy football drafts set to begin in the next couple of months, now is the time for managers and defending FFL champions to begin doing mock drafts, scouting and formulating draft strategies.
Depending on your respective league’s scoring and size of your league, all owners will need to grab a couple of guys to stash on a roster due to team byes, injuries and favorable matchups. While all owners need a flex player to fill in, what builds a champion is depth in snatching up the right sleeper for your team.
That being said, here are the top flex sleepers to grab.
RB Duke Johnson(Cleveland Browns): Currently third on the depth chart behind Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, if reports of the former Miami Hurricanes running back are true out of Berea, then Cleveland may have a home-run threat in the backfield, and fantasy owners a real gem worth grabbing.
RB Tevon Coleman (Atlanta Falcons): One of two Atlanta Falcons on this list, the former Indiana running back will spell starter Devonta Freeman, while giving Matt Ryan another weapon out of the backfield to use.
WR John Brown (Arizona Cardinals): A sleeper if there ever was one, third on the depth chart behind Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald, Brown will be a valuable flex, as he will develop into the third option in Bruce Arians pass-happy offense.
WR Justin Hardy (Atlanta Falcons): As mentioned above, the former East Carolina wideout, who set the FBS single-season record for receptions, is a catch machine waiting to happen in PPR leagues in catching third-down passes from Matt Ryan.
WR Davante Adams (Green Bay Packers): Being the owner of a wideout catching passes from Aaron Rodgers is always a good thing, just ask Jarrett Boykin.
WR Taylor Gabriel (Cleveland Browns): This is all dependent on who wins the QB battle between Johnny Manziel and Josh McCown, but the second-year speedster out of Abilene Christian is a big play waiting to happen as he was among the league leaders in yards per catch(17.3).
TE Scott Chandler (New England Patriots): Call this the Gronk effect. With teams likely to double-team and bring a safety down to help cover the All-Pro tight end, look for Chandler to benefit on the other side.
RB C.J. Spiller (New Orleans Saints): Call this a blessing in disguise for Spiller, who goes from playing in the harsh cold of western New York to catching dump off passes from Drew Brees in a dome. Ka-ching!
RB Shane Vareen (New York Giants): After helping long-time foil in Tom Brady win his fourth Super Bowl ring, Eli Manning once again benefits at the expense of the patriots in getting a much-needed weapon out of the backfield in Vareen.
WR Dorial Green-Beckham (Tennessee Titans): A low-risk, high-reward gamble for the bold, but if the 6’6 troubled—yet, talented—wide receiver can keep himself clean and out of trouble, he could emerge into a deadly red-zone weapon for Marcus Mariota.