2026 fantasy sleepers: SportsLine model calls Likely, Pollard
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- SportsLine's model simulated the 2026 NFL season 10,000 times and released fantasy football rankings with sleepers, breakouts, and busts ahead of the third-weekend-of-August draft window.
- De'Von Achane validated last year's call — the model had him at RB6 against an RB12 ADP, and he delivered 1,838 scrimmage yards (6th-most in the NFL) and 12 touchdowns.
- Isaiah Likely is flagged as a top sleeper at tight end for the Giants after following coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore; the model ranks him TE9 with an ADP of 96, ahead of Sam LaPorta and George Kittle who go roughly two rounds earlier.
- Tony Pollard is the model's other highlighted sleeper despite turning 29 — he has cleared 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons and averaged 100 yards per game with three touchdowns over his final five games of 2025.
- The model also pegs an unnamed veteran wide receiver as a "shocking top-10 option" ranked ahead of stars CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown — the identity is gated to SportsLine's site.
- Top 10 PPR ADPs per CBS: Jahmyr Gibbs (1.33), Bijan Robinson (1.96), Ja'Marr Chase (3.81), Puka Nacua (4.75), Jonathan Taylor (5.52), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6.44), Christian McCaffrey (6.59), Amon-Ra St. Brown (8.69), De'Von Achane (11.32), James Cook (11.87).
Why it matters: With the third-August-weekend draft window opening, fantasy players chasing the model are targeting late-round value: Likely at pick 96 is ranked TE9 while LaPorta and Kittle go roughly two rounds earlier, and Pollard at pick 75 sits in a tier with backs taken ahead of him. The paywalled veteran WR ranked ahead of CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown is the click hook the coverage leans on hardest.
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