7 Rookie Sleepers to Target in Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues

DeAndre Smelter, WR, San Francisco 49ers

The Player

If you aren’t a Georgia Tech fan, you probably don’t know much about DeAndre Smelter. But when a former baseball player who is coming off a torn ACL, who has only two years of college experience, and who posted limited production in a triple option offense is still drafted in the fourth round, it can tend to raise eyebrows.

After a shoulder injury caused his pitching career to come to a close, Smelter returned to the football field (where he hadn’t played since his junior year of high school) and promptly led the team in touchdown catches. He followed that up this past year by posting 715 yards receiving on a team that didn’t even eclipse 2,000 yards passing, by averaging more than 20 yards per reception and by scoring seven touchdowns. Again, he hadn't played football in four years!

At 6’2’’, 226 pounds, Smelter has the size, strength and leaping ability that teams covet in a top target. His ability to high point the football project him as a true red zone threat, but his ability to get behind defenses as well as use his body to shield defenders over the middle indicate that he could become a big time player for Colin Kaepernick.

He also has massive 11-inch hands, which is an inch larger than Odell Beckham Jr. and larger than any receiver measured at the NFL Combine in the last decade. And you know what they say about a guy with big hands: they can often be good at the catching of a football?

Sure, this is a projection (he likely won't contribute much in 2015), but we are talking about an exceptional athlete who has been remarkably successful in every sport he has played. He was drafted by the Twins in 2010 as a pitcher and was all-state in basketball in high school. His ability to produce immediately on the football field in the ACC is indicative of both his natural ability as an athlete and his mental capacity to learn and master the nuances of the position quickly.

Besides, who else is an obscure breakout candidate for the 49ers? Vance McDonald? Post ACL Kendall Hunter?

The Opportunity

Full disclosure: the 49ers have been atrocious at drafting receivers as of late, investing high picks into unproductive players such as A.J. Jenkins, Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington. Even Michael Crabtree was a disappointment considering he was picked 10th overall. In addition, Smelter’s ACL tear last November likely means that the 2015 season could be a "redshirt" year as the team brings him along slowly to ensure his health. That being said, the opportunity for him to be a productive player in the near future remains high in an offense still looking for a dominant receiver.

Anquan Boldin turns 35 this season, and his future with the team isn’t likely to extend beyond the 2015 season. While he is no longer a true number-one receiver, the team has had no choice but to play him in that role, peppering him with 131 targets as Crabtree battled consistent injuries and ineffectiveness. In his defense, he was still very productive for his team, ranking 29th in the NFL with 0.73 Reception NEP per target among players with more than 50 targets.

With Crabtree no longer in San Francisco, the team added deep threat Torrey Smith, who profiles more as a valuable complementary player than a lead receiver. While Smith was an efficient receiver, he profiles more as a valuable role player than a high-volume weapon. That is especially evident when looking at players with similar NEP scores.

With that in mind, the 49ers are a team that is still searching for a dominant player at the position, and Smelter might just be crazy enough to think he can be that guy.

There are safer options to target in dynasty drafts for sure, but few with a higher ceiling that you can find late or undrafted. For me, Smelter is a guy I'm stashing in deeper dynasty leagues and allowing to develop. Who knows, he could be the next Brandon Marshall...