Hot Take Jake's 4 fantasy football sleepers ahead of the football season.

Looking to smoke your league mates this season in fantasy football. Want that trophy, big pile of money, or just some bragging rights over your buddies? None that happens without a solid draft and some late round gems. Here a few names to keep in mind as youre drafting.

George Pickens- Pickens has been a player that many experts and fantasy managers have predicted will take a big leap this season. The two knocks on Pickens are his lack of quality quarterback play and the addition of Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator, who historically has been a play caller who likes to establish the run. Pittsburg did improve their quarterback room by adding Justin Fields and Russel Wilson, however this does not provide Pickens with  elite quarterback play. Despite these concerns I believe Pickens has the talent to overcome these issues that hamper other budding wide receivers. Many considered Pickens to be a first round talent, however a torn ACL during his college tenure at Georgia led him to slip into the second round of the NFL draft. Pickens can burn defenses in a multitude of ways including 50/50 balls and yards after the catch. Pickens is truly an alpha wide receiver in this league, and inherits the wide receiver 1 role in Pittsburg with Diontae Johnson being traded. He is a fiery competitor who plays his best football when the offense runs through him. I believe he can make a strong flex play or a solid WR 2 if you prioritize other positions early in the draft.

Jermaine Burton- Rookie Jermain Burton was a 3rd round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the most recent NFL draft. Like Pickens, many believed Burton to be a first round talent but character concerns caused a lot of teams to drop his value on their draft boards, or not consider drafting him all together. It's quite puzzling as Burton played college ball at Georgia before transferring to Alabama, so you know he was coached hard by two coaches who could move on from a first round talent and not think twice. Burton was also incredibly productive in college despite not putting up flashy numbers like Marvin Harrison Jr or Malik Nabers. The statistic that stands out was Burton’s consistent and efficient yards per catch, exceeding 20 yards during his final collegiate season. My words can’t do his talent justice, go pull up his preseason highlights and you will quickly see that his skill is far beyond the second and third teams units. However, Burton’s “lack of professionalism” is the reason why he sits low on the depth chart, but I believe Cincy is the perfect place for him to learn to be a pro. The reason I believe this is due to two former SEC football stars, Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase. Prior to signing with Georgia as a part of their 2020 recruiting class, Burton was once a pledge to LSU, the same season Burrow and Chase helped lead one of college football's greatest teams to a championship. I would find it hard to believe that Burrow and Chase’s elite play in Baton Rouge didn’t play a role in Burton’s initial commitment to the Tigers. Even though Burton did not end up signing with LSU, he now finds himself in the same locker room as Chase and Burrow, with a legitimate chance to elevate this offense and help them contend for a Super Bowl. Burton is most likely a stash early on with hopes of a mid season breakout. Tyler Boyd proved that a WR3 in Cincinnati can be fantasy relevant, and Burton has the most talent of any Bengals wide receiver not named Jamar Chase or Tee Higgins.

Carson Steele- Carson Steele was an undrafted rookie signed by the Kansas City Chiefs. Steele played a lot of football in college as he split his collegiate career between Ball State and UCLA. Steele is a strong bruising back who lacks great speed, but I don’t think he needs to provide big plays because he's the type of dude to just wear down a defense over the course of a game. Steele, who made the 53 man Chiefs roster, has a tough path to playing time. Isaiah Pacheco is the undoubted starter and lead  back in Kansas City. Pacheco is young, fresh, and still coming into his own as an NFL talent, but  where Steele falls after Pacheco on the depth chart intrigues me. The only other healthy back on the Chiefs roster is Samaje Perine (Clyde Edwards-Helaire is out at least the first 4 weeks). Perine is 28 years old and has played a ton of NFL football. If I had to take a chance on a guy, give me the young and ascending player. Steele is only 21 years old, which makes you wonder if future physical development could benefit Steele in the long term. Steele is only a handcuff at best, but I could see Steele taking over the number two running back role early on in the season. Also, he’ll be playing with the NFL’s best quarterback, an elite offensive line, and a high powered offense. Finally, if two offensive gurus like Chip Kelly and Andy Reid want you on their team, you must be pretty darn talented. 

Jordan Mason-  49ers running back Jordan Mason finds himself arguably in a position where he may be fantasy football's most vital backup running back. Following the season ending injury to Elijah Mitchell, Mason is now Christian McCaffrey's handcuff. McCaffrey is coming off two healthy and very productive seasons. This has been a welcomed sight as McCaffrey had a few years of electric fantasy production when healthy, but also long periods of time spent on the injured reserve. Mason is an efficient running back who has been a good fit in Head Coach Kyle Shanahan’s system. Mason has also shown production in the receiving game, though his money is made toting the rock. Shanahan has been a mastermind at finding diamonds in the rough who fit his system, and Mason may be the best example of that. The 49ers bolster a strong ground attack behind a stout offensive line. I think if Mason gets in the game at all, he’ll make the most of his opportunities. As long as McCaffrey stays healthy, Jordan Mason should not be in any starting lineups. However, if McCaffrey were to miss time, Mason could provide immediate RB 2 value, with RB 1 upside. Mason could also be a solid late season addition if the Niners are primed for another playoff run and choose to limit McCafrey’s workload or hold him out altogether.