This is part three of a four-part series where I cover 12 rookie sleepers who are being undervalued in dynasty drafts.

To keep things fair, and include intel for those in our deepest dynasty leagues, I’ve broken each position into three categories: Day 2 picks, Day 3 picks, and UDFA.

Below is a trio of rookie wide receiver sleepers for dynasty fantasy football.

Day 2 Rookie WR Sleeper

Luke McCaffrey (Rice) - Commanders

6015/198 | RAS: 9.44 | Player comparison: Josh Reynolds

My favorite draft sleeper at the receiver position all spring is also, not surprisingly, also makes my favorite fantasy rookie sleepers list. Not only did McCaffrey get Day 2 draft capital (he was the last pick in Round 3), but he finds himself in an ideal situation.

A former four-star dual-threat quarterback, McCaffrey was a bust behind center. But he found his calling after switching positions at Rice, dropping a 131-1732-19 line over two seasons. McCaffrey was a base big-slot in college who moonlighted on the boundary (70/30 snap split). 

I believe he could play either inside or outside at the next level. Keep in mind that McCaffrey has only been playing the receiver position for two years – he’s both an ascending talent, and a moldable ball of clay.

With the Commanders, McCaffrey is a lock to play in three-WR sets, and I also think he could push Jahan Dotson for the WR2 role. If McCaffrey wins that, it means he stays on the field when Washington goes to 12-personnel to get TE Ben Sinnott on the field.

Here’s why I love his fit in Washington’s offense so much:

  • His best attribute, winning downfield, perfectly jives with QB Jayden Daniels’ long-ball game (including to slot receivers: Malik Nabers was sent on a metric ton of slot fades last year).
     
  • McCaffrey has great hands and even better concentration, regularly reeling in the ball in congested quarters. He was a superb 17-for-28 in contested situations last year, and had only three drops on 120 targets in 2023.
     
  • OC Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid puts the ball in the air plenty while baking in high-percentage looks for slots in particular. An example of this is in the RPO game, where the quarterback is to hand if the linebackers are hanging back, but pull it and throw a slant to the slot if the middle of the field has been vacated.

Kingsbury could also have great fun using the former dual-threat quarterback on trick plays. Rice manufactured touches for McCaffrey on end-arounds. McCaffrey ended up breaking 25 broken tackles in two years with zero fumbles. 

Day 3 Rookie WR Sleeper

Javon Baker (Central Florida) - Patriots

6012/202 | RAS: 7.84 | Player comparison: Rashee Rice

A former five-star recruit who realized his potential after transferring from Alabama to UCF, Baker plays with an unmistakable attitude and emotion.

When Baker is involved, he has an infectious barking-dog energy on the field. When things aren’t going his way, or concepts are called to the other side of the field, you notice instances of half-hearted “routes.” 

Baker is not explosive off the line – he’s a build-up speed guy – but he releases cleanly with a matrix of footwork and gets to work. He isn’t the most agile, but his routes are better than adequate.

He understands leverage and tempo, and he quickly throttles into and out of route brakes. Baker is a YAC threat due to his combination of play strength and contact balance. I love his ability to spear balls on the move without losing momentum.

Baker was a downfield assassin at UCF, with a 17.1 aDOT. Baker attacks the ball in the air and latches on, undeterred by contact. He does a decent job stacking, though Baker’s lack of elite wheels can lead to company at the catch point. Fortunately, he was 20-for-36 in contested catch scenarios the past two years.

Baker needs to clean up his concentration drops, dropping over 10% of his catchable targets in the past two seasons. That speaks to engagement, and that’s what Baker’s boom-or-bust profile will come down to. 

If Baker is locked in, he could ascend to the top of New England’s rancid WR pecking order very quickly. That could lead to a fantasy goldmine: Drake Maye loves throwing deep. But if things go the other way, Baker might not see a second NFL contract. 

These are the type of guys I love getting later in dynasty drafts. Use those picks to swing for the fences. Move on quickly if your asset doesn’t boom. My experience has been that owners toss late-round picks indiscriminately into trades they want to consummate. In this way, you can pile them up year-over-year to shoot the moon on new prospects taking the place of those who’ve either moved into your starting lineup or been purged.

UDFA Rookie WR Sleeper

Jalen Coker (Holy Cross) - Panthers

6013/208 | RAS: 8.54 | Player comparison: David Terrell

Coker went undrafted because he comes from the FCS and doesn’t have high-end speed. But he has ball skills in spades. Coker has late hands – preventing DBs from playing the ball – and he doesn’t drop anything. He extends his catch radius by spearing balls outside his frame.

What Coker lacks in downtown wheels, he makes up for in high-end explosion. At the NFL Combine, Coker posted the same 10-yard split as AD Mitchell.

Coker’s ceiling is a reliable possession WR2 in the NFL. He is going to make the Panthers roster. And I believe he will push Jonathan Mingo for the WR4 role sooner rather than later.