SportsLine model flags LaPorta, Smith as 2026 Fantasy sleepers
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- SportsLine's model predicted Dolphins RB De'Von Achane would outperform his RB12 ADP last season; Achane finished as the RB6 with 1,838 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, matching the model's exact projection.
- Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ADP 69) is flagged as a 2026 sleeper after being cleared from a herniated disc, with a career-high 54.3 receiving yards in 2025 and increased red-zone opportunity following David Montgomery's departure (0.7 TDs in 6 games without Montgomery vs. 0.4 in 36 with him).
- Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith (ADP 38) is positioned for a career year after Philly traded A.J. Brown to New England and replaced its offensive coordinator, giving Smith the top receiver role and a target boost in a revamped passing attack.
- The model has a multi-year track record of sleeper hits, including A.J. Brown (2020), Jonathan Taylor (2021), Derrick Henry (2019), Davante Adams (2017), and Daniel Jones' 2025 breakout, alongside correctly predicting C.J. Stroud's 2024 regression.
- Top 2026 PPR ADPs are led by Jahmyr Gibbs (1.62), Bijan Robinson (1.94), and Ja'Marr Chase (3.38), with Jaxon Smith-Njigba — last year's OPOY — sitting fifth after ascending to WR1 in Seattle following DK Metcalf's exit.
- Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Malik Nabers are cited as potential injury bounce-back candidates who could return value relative to their 2026 ADPs, following the 2025 pattern of Dak Prescott, Christian McCaffrey, and Chris Olave rebounding from injury-plagued seasons.
Why it matters: For drafters, the LaPorta and Smith calls hinge on concrete roster mechanics already executed: Montgomery's exit creates a stated scoring-rate gap (0.7 vs. 0.4 TDs/game), and Brown's trade plus coordinator change hands Smith the targets he lacked in a bottom-10 passing offense — turning both from speculative upside into mathematically supported value at their current ADPs.
