Fantasy Football: Top 15 Sleepers to Target in 2019
By Kole Berrey
FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPERS TO TARGET IN 2019
NUMBER 3: MECOLE HARDMAN
It was honestly hard to find a true “sleeper” on the Chiefs offense outside of Darwin Thompson. When your team has an offensive guru for a head coach and an MVP at quarterback, most of the names on the offensive side of the ball tend to be targeted by fantasy players.
Enter rookie Mecole Hardman, who has a chance to be a dangerous weapon in the Chiefs offense.
Most people will overlook Hardman simply because Hill and Watkins are going to gobble up most of the receiver targets, and Travis Kelce has to eat too. Hardman is going to have to fight Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle for the scraps, and even then he may not come out on top.
The reason Hardman has a chance to make an impact year one is simple: Speed.
Hardman ran a blazing fast 4.33 at the Combine, and Andy Reid is going to utilize that. Some think the presence of Hill, Watkins, and Kelce hurts Hardman’s value, but I will argue the opposite. Teams are going to be forced to focus on those players, allowing Hardman to be a potential big play option week in and week out, a la DeSean Jackson.
It is hard to rely on big plays generally from a fantasy standpoint, as they can be feast or famine. With the Chiefs, though, the opportunities should be there almost weekly.
The Chiefs ranked seventh in passing attempts last year. That number could grow even more in 2019 with the addition of Hardman and the swapping of Kareem Hunt with Damien Williams, who is a bigger receiving threat.
Hardman’s ADP is #140, and he can add great value if a member of the Chiefs receiving unit sustains an injury (looking at you Sammy Watkins. Please be healthy this year). This makes him an interesting option at the back end of your drafts.
Recommended Target Draft Range: Rounds 14-15