Fantasy Football: One sleeper to target from each team

NFC South Fantasy Football sleepers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ronald Jones II, RB

Jones’ career has been underwhelming so far. The former second-round pick has started nine games in his two NFL seasons, which lead to just seven total touchdowns. No wonder Tampa Bay reached for Ke’Shawn Vaughn in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Besides, Jones should fit much better in his second-year in Bruce Arians’ offense.

The new-look Buccaneers will definitely look to feature their new passing toys, though Bruce Arians isn’t afraid to run the ball, either. They were 14th in rushing attempts in 2019, and they were 12th in targets to running backs. If Jones really is the guy in Tampa Bay, he’ll have ample opportunities to show it. And no, 32-year-old LeSean McCoy is not a threat to start, especially after being a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl. Confidence Meter: Medium

Atlanta Falcons: Calvin Ridley, WR

Is Ridley even a sleeper? No, because he’s currently a 4th-round pick. But yes, because he will far outproduce his projected slot as WR17. Keep an eye on Hayden Hurst, but Ridley is the true breakout here, even if he’s fantasy football’s worst-kept 2020 sleeper. No teams have more vacated targets than the Falcons — nearly 16 per game. Adding Hurst and Todd Gurley may help, but Laquon Treadwell and three undrafted wide receivers aren’t biting into Ridley’s target share.

And 31-year-old Julio Jones saw a slight dip in production last year. Aside from his almost guaranteed role increase, Ridley is simply a very good football player, highlighted by his top-notch route-running. In case you didn’t know, being open helps you catch passes. Ridley gets open. Lock down Ridley’s ascension to a top-10 receiver. Dare I say Ridley outperforms Julio Jones this season. Confidence Meter: High

Carolina Panthers: Ian Thomas, TE

Is it finally Thomas’ time to shine? With Greg Olsen gone, Thomas will be the No. 1 tight end in Carolina. There’s a bunch of projection here because not only will Thomas have a new quarterback; he’ll have an entirely new offense. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady brings an impressive résumé from teams that typically used three-receiver sets. This means the Panthers could be throwing the ball a lot more, and Thomas could be a huge benefactor.

However, the main reason for Thomas’ inclusion on this list stems from the same reasons that other tight ends are: There are few fantasy-relevant tight ends. As TE23, Thomas is going undrafted in most leagues. He’s got the upside to outperform that slot, especially with a revitalized offense in 2020. Confidence Meter: Medium

New Orleans Saints: Tre’Quan Smith, WR

You know all that stuff I said earlier about third-year receivers? That applies to Smith, too. It feels like everyone is just waiting for another viable receiver to emerge opposite Michael Thomas. Contrary to popular belief, that will not be newly signed Emmanuel Sanders. He’ll eat up Ted Ginn’s targets, who left for Chicago in the offseason. Smith has the talent to make a bigger impact; he just needs to stay on the field first. With ample time to get healthy, could this be Smith’s year to breakout?

If anything, Smith has become a post-hype sleeper after failing to meet expectations in 2019. Smith is intriguing because four of his five touchdowns last year came in games where he saw no more than two targets. There’s some upside here, especially if he can win a starting job. Confidence Meter: Low