SportsLine Model Names 2026 Fantasy Sleepers: Likely, Pollard — SkimNews
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- SportsLine's model simulated the 2026 NFL season 10,000 times and flagged tight end Isaiah Likely as a top sleeper, projecting him TE9 ahead of Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce despite an ADP of 92 after Likely followed coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to the Giants.
- De'Von Achane validated last year's model call by finishing as the RB6 with 1,838 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, comfortably outperforming his RB12 ADP exactly as predicted.
- Tony Pollard is highlighted as a value pick at pick No. 77 despite being 29, having cleared 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons and averaged 100 yards per game with three touchdowns over the final five weeks of 2025.
- SportsLine is also touting an unnamed wide receiver being drafted in the third or fourth round whom the model ranks as a top-10 fantasy option ahead of CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown.
- The model's track record includes correctly identifying A.J. Brown as a 2020 sleeper, predicting Jonathan Taylor's 2021 breakout, calling C.J. Stroud's 2024 regression, and nailing Daniel Jones' 2025 breakout season.
- The 2026 NFL regular season begins in three days with a Super Bowl rematch, making Labor Day weekend peak draft season for fantasy players hunting late-round edges.
Why it matters: Fantasy players drafting this weekend face real-money stakes: Pollard at pick 77 or Likely at pick 92 versus their higher-ranked peers is the difference between a wasted bench spot and a league-winning pickup. With the model correctly calling Achane's top-six finish and Jones' breakout, SportsLine is leveraging a multi-year hit rate to convert draft-season urgency into paying subscribers before kickoff Thursday.
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