NFL Fantasy Football Sleepers: Cooper Kupp is Poised for a Breakout Second Season

• We’ve uncovered five mid round gems to help you win your Fantasy Football league
• Philip Rivers remains underrated despite his seven Pro Bowl selections
• Kenny Stills is due for a big year with Ryan Tannehill back under center for the Dolphins

With Fantasy Football coverage available 24/7, 365 days a year the term “sleeper” has lost some of its meaning over the years. Gone are the days players would rise from obscurity to carry your fantasy teams to the Promised Land. Chances are, if there happens to be a few fantasy relevant players you haven’t heard of, you’re way behind the eight ball in your league right from the start.

Since the traditional “sleeper” is basically extinct, I’ll focus instead on five undervalued mid round players that will cost you pennies on the dollar for the returns they will bring your squad. I’ll steer clear of rookies and will focus instead on players with proven track records who will help you maximize your return on investment. For this exercise, I’ll focus on a PPR scoring system and use average draft position from Fantasy Pros as of August 11th, 2018.

5. Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angelas Chargers

Rivers offers a chance for you to be the last member of your league to draft a starting QB and come away with one of the position’s most consistent performers over the last five years. His respective finishes have been 2017 QB8, 2016 QB14, 2015 QB12, 2014 QB12, and 2013 QB6.

However, 2018 sees Rivers being drafted at what appears to be his floor QB15. Even with red zone weapon Hunter Henry out for the year, the Chargers have plenty of pass-catching talent surrounding their veteran quarterback. Throw in the fact Rivers hasn’t missed a game in over a decade and you can feel comfortable waiting on the undervalued vet while you stockpile depth at more scarce positions.

4. Kenny Stills, WR, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins jettisoned star receiver Jarvis Landry and his 161 targets to the Cleveland Browns this offseason. Sure, new comers Danny Amendola, Albert Wilson, and even rookie tight end Mike Gesicki will eat up some of those targets. Heck, perennial disappointment DeVante Parker may even earn a few extra targets. But of those 161 targets up for grabs, the majority should be sent Stills’ way as he is the most proven and talented receiver left on the Dolphins.

With a QB situation set to improve in 2018 with Ryan Tannehill making his way back from injury, Stills will have no problem improving on his 2017 totals posted with the horrendous Jay Cutler leading the offense. With Cutler throwing him unrefined rockets and ball hog Jarvis Landry still in town, Stills still managed 105 targets for 58-847-6 line in 2017.

Draft Stills confidently in the 9th round and sit back and watch as he outperforms a good number of pass catchers picked before him.

3. C.J. Anderson, RB, Carolina Panthers

Free agency was not kind to CJ Anderson as he only managed a one-year contract from the Panthers. With no promises for playing time or touches, the veteran enters a backfield he should not have a problem finding a roll in. The Panthers sport one of the league’s best pass catching backs in Christian McCaffery but with little other competition for carries Anderson is likely to see his role look similar to his predecessor, Jonathan Stewart.

In 2017, the 30-year-old Stewart plodded his way to a 3.4 ypc average on 198 carries. Over Anderson’s five years, his formidable balance and strong leg drive has led him to at least 4 yards per carry and at 27-years-old, he  should have plenty left in the tank to at least sustain that number.

Look for Anderson to seize the between-the-tackles role for the Panthers in 2018 and finish with 200-250 touches which will get him close to the 1,000 yard mark and out perform his undervalued ADP of RB40.

2. Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

Since a promising rookie season back in 2013, Bernard has teased fantasy owners with his explosive talent. Unfortunately, whether he has been battling injuries or teammates for playing time, something always seams to be holding him back.

In previous years Bernard has been drafted with high expectations, but after years of disappointment, the fantasy community seems to have all but forgotten about the once promising star leading to his draft stock plummeting all the way to the 11th-12th rounds.

Even showing us all he is still an explosive talent down the stretch in 2017, the fantasy community is undervaluing Bernard’s talent enough in 2018 that as of this writing he is being drafted behind the likes of D’Onta Foreman who will more then likely start the season on the PUP coming off an Achilles injury.

The fantasy community is undervaluing Bernard’s talent enough in 2018 that he is being drafted behind the likes of D’Onta Foreman.

In the offseason, Cincy moved on from Jeremy Hill leaving Bernard and second year pro Joe Mixon as the only proven commodities in the Bengals backfield. Expect Mixon to take the early down work but don’t sleep on Bernard earning enough playing time to improve on his career 46 receptions per season mark. Really! he averages 46 catches a year and is being taken behind D’Onta Foreman in PPR formats.

1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angelas Rams

Cooper Kupp is the lone exception on the list as far as proven track records go as he is entering year two of his career. All he did in his rookie campaign is post an efficient 62-869-5 on 94 targets finishing as the WR25 in PPR leagues. I won’t lie, I love him as a talent and am totally baffled as to why he is lasting to WR40 in PPR drafts while being part of one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses.

Maybe it’s the arrival of Brandin Cooks, or the fact that he runs most of his routes from the slot. Whatever it is, I will take it and grab up as much Kupp stock as I can. Just for comparison’s sake, the most successful wideout from last year’s draft class, JuJu Smith-Schuster, finished 23rd in PPR formats and is coming off the board as WR21, which is 19 spots ahead of Kupp’s ADP.

Cook’s arrival will impact Robert Woods target share more then Kupp. Feel giddy about stealing Kupp in the seventh round of your draft and watch him build on a successful rookie campaign as he becomes one of the best slot receivers the league has to offer.

Good luck in your up coming drafts and remember to maximize your roster’s potential with at least a couple of these undervalued fantasy assets.