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Fantasy managers are a fickle bunch, and if a player doesn’t immediately live up to expectations, his value drops faster than a new car rolls off the lot, but the sudden shifts in opinion ignore the reality that some players take a detour before finding the perfect combination of experience, talent and opportunity.
The following eight players could bounce back from past disappointments and emerge as disappointing prospects this season.
Love was met with criticism immediately after being drafted, as the Packers’ decision to draft Aaron Rodgers’ successor in the first round was panned by fans and analysts. Now, three years later, it’s unclear if Love can play. After all, Love only started one game in his first two seasons, and that was a difficult one in his rookie season in Kansas City.
Love could fail, but with offensive guru Matt LaFleur by his side, he could be a worthwhile prospect to pursue as a QB2 in a superflex format.
It’s fair to say the Lions didn’t believe in Swift. The multiple top-15 selection in 2022 fantasy drafts out of Georgia was allowed to carry the ball just 99 times in 14 games. Swift now gets a fresh start with a Philadelphia team that ranked fifth in rushing yards last year and lost top running back Miles Sanders in free agency. A highly talented player both as a rusher and receiver, Swift could live up to expectations one year from now in 2022 and reward those who weren’t Never-Swifters after getting burned by Detroit.
Of the players featured in this article, no one epitomizes a disappointing sleeper more than Davis. The downfield threat enters the 2022 fantasy draft season fresh off a four-touch playoff run that skyrocketed breakout expectations. Davis wasn’t bad last year, but his manager expected him to produce more than 48 catches and 836 yards. Still just 24, Davis could take his game to the next level by getting some of the 65 targets vacated by the departure of Isaiah McKenzie.
Brown was hoping for a career breakthrough in 2022. After all, the Cardinals had recently traded a first-round pick for the receiver who was coming off his first 1,000-yard season in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense. The breakout season never materialized, as Brown averaged just 59.1 yards per game, scored just three times and missed five games with an injury.
This year’s draft picks have low expectations for the 26-year-old Brown, averaging a WR35 overall, in part because of the uncertainty surrounding QB Kyler Murray’s status, but with target-hot DeAndre Hopkins off the roster and Arizona on the brink of losing a lot of games, Brown could be facing the heaviest workload of his five-year career.
Moore came off a promising rookie year (538 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games) but had a disappointing second year, during which he and the Jets disagreed over their role on offense. The 23-year-old Moore is expected to get a fresh start this year in Cleveland, starting alongside Amari Cooper and pairing with Deshaun Watson, who is as talented as anyone who threw passes to Moore in New York. With talent at every skill position, the Browns should be able to field an exciting offense this season.
Rookie quarterback Bryce Young will no doubt be looking for a reliable receiver during training camp and the first few weeks of the 2023 season. The answer won’t be 32-year-old Adam Thielen, who can no longer be the focal point of the offense. Chark is the prime candidate to emerge. He’s just 26 and threw for 1,000 yards in 2019, but his next three seasons have been ravaged by injuries.
Marshall is even more of a deep sleeper. Though he’s only 23 years old, he scored 23 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Louisiana State and was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Marshall averaged 17.5 yards per catch last season and could be Young’s preferred big-play option.
Pitts, the sixth tight end selected in the Yahoo Draft, may not be fully appreciated for his immense potential. Sure, he’s just coming off a disappointing sophomore season with just 356 yards in 10 games. And, yes, the Falcons will likely field a run-heavy offense with an inexperienced QB (Desmond Ridder). But Pitts is still the same guy who was the first non-QB selected in the 2021 NFL Draft and became the first tight end in 60 years to have a 1,000-yard rookie season. If Ridder proves to be better than 2022 starter Marcus Mariota, Pitts could be a top-three fantasy option at his position.
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