Dynasty Fantasy Football Sleepers To Target: Buy Khalil Shakir and More
Sam Wallace breaks down four sleepers to trade for in your dynasty leagues or target in your startup drafts.
We're officially in peak dynasty fantasy football season. Rookie drafts are flying, startups are banding together and OTAs are here. It feels like the right time to highlight a handful of dynasty fantasy football sleepers to target in the trade streets and your startup drafts. I also recently updated my startup dynasty fantasy football rankings to pair with the sleepers below.
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Sleepers To Target In Dynasty Fantasy Football
Khalil Shakir | WR | BUF
Sometimes, it can feel as if the fantasy football offseason is held together by canned highlight reels, players claiming to be in the best shape of their lives and (at best) vague coachspeak. It can make it difficult to make true determinations about a player's value or how involved he'll be in the offensive scheme.
Besides, it's not like the fantasy community has ever overreacted before. Remember when Justin Jefferson was the WR3 on the depth chart, and Ja'Marr Chase couldn't catch an NFL ball?
To cut through the noise, focus on something tangible: cold, hard cash. When a team makes a significant financial investment in a player, that tells you exactly how they feel without them having to step in front of a microphone.
That's how I feel about Khalil Shakir. Very quietly, he's finished as a low-end WR3 in each of the last two seasons. While he's only topped 800 receiving yards once in his career and has never scored more than four TDs in a single season, I still think there's value to be had in your dynasty formats despite the fact that the Bills acquired DJ Moore and drafted Skyler Bell in Round 4 last month.
Shakir is currently on a four-year/$53-million deal that runs through 2029. That alone gives me some level of confidence that he'll remain a key part of this offense moving forward.
Yes, Moore gives Josh Allen a true No. 1 option, which is something we all want for him, but a Day 3 rookie pick doesn't give me much concern. Shakir operates better as a No. 2 option in the short/intermediate area of the field anyway. If Shakir is discounted in your upcoming dynasty startup draft, feel free to take the discount on a solid, consistent WR3 or FLEX option.
Jaylin Noel | WR | HOU
Drafted in Round 3 by the Houston Texans, Jaylin Noel had a disappointing Year 1 for a Day 2 rookie wideout. He failed to reach 300 receiving yards despite appearing in all 17 games and only scored two TDs.
However, it's easy to forget that he dominated the combine. Here's how he stacked up against fellow wideouts:
- Vertical Jump - 41.5 (1st)
- Broad Jump - 134 (1st)
- Bench Press - 23 (1st)
- 20-Yard Shuttle - 4.12 (2nd)
- 40-Yard Dash - 4.39 (9th)
While his 40-time placement of ninth isn't anything special on its own, the fact that he did everything else super well and still ran in the 4.3s is something worth mentioning.
Noel will remain behind Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins in 2026, but a few other things are helping his case. First, Christian Kirk left town and signed with the 49ers. That opens up the slot role for someone else to fill. Second, Tank Dell is still not fully recovered from the gruesome knee injury he suffered at the end of 2024. He wound up dislocating his knee and tearing his ACL, MCL and LCL.
There's some optimism that C.J. Stroud will rebound from a season that saw him post three-year career lows in games played, passing attempts, passing completions, passing yards and TDs.
Noel is a low-risk/moderate-reward pick in your startup draft. He's a physical specimen with all the measurables, a Day 2 pick, and he's tied to a QB who we've seen post solid numbers before.
De'Zhaun Stribling | WR | SF
Sometimes, we just have to trust a team when they make a draft pick that initially appears a bit unorthodox. That's what I'm doing with De'Zhaun Stribling and the 49ers. Certainly not thought of as a Round 1 prospect, Stribling went off the board with the 33rd overall pick. What a way to start Day 2.
Stribling joins a somewhat-revamped wideout room that will likely feature a starting trio of Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk. Stribling will likely factor in as the No. 4 option at the receiver position. Toss in both George Kittle (knee) and Christian McCaffrey, both top-end pass catchers, and it could be tough for Stribling to make an impact this year.
Even so, that's what makes him appealing in dynasty formats. Every pass catcher I mentioned, outside of Pearsall, is on the back-half of his respective career and/or has dealt with injuries over the years. In time, Stribling could work his way into a larger role for one of the better offensive minds in football.
It may not make sense this year (or next), but Stribling is someone I am willing to play the long game on and be patient with.
Keaton Mitchell | RB | LAC
I gotta admit, I'm a sucker for efficiency even if it comes in small sample sizes. Like many other Keaton Mitchell truthers, I'm holding on for dear life to his rookie season in Baltimore when he posted:
- 47 rushing attempts
- 396 rushing yards (8.4 YPC)
A torn ACL cut his promising rookie campaign short, and he'd been stuck behind Derrick Henry ever since. Now with the Chargers, Mitchell has the physical tools, offensive environment, and play caller to potentially unlock his ceiling once again.
Now under the tutelage of Mike McDaniel (offensive coordinator), Mitchell could very well be the top handcuff option behind Omarion Hampton. In fact, if McDaniel's history tells us anything, Mitchell will likely have his own package of plays and see some good opportunities on the field before long, regardless of what happens with Hampton.
Like the previously mentioned Jaylin Noel, Mitchell is a low-risk pick at his current price point in your upcoming startup draft. He's still just 24 years old and likely could not have landed in a better system to make optimal use of his skill set.
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