Daigle's Deep Sleepers

The term ‘sleeper’ has been progressively misconstrued the past few seasons, being chewed up and spat out to represent players that were already being coveted over the summer. In that time the definition has not only taken on a life of its own but become watered down. Notating sleepers as players that should be selected in the last few rounds of drafts is preferred.

Normally this piece highlights just that: 32 players, one per team, with an easier path to usage than perceived. But keeping starters glued to the field has unsurprisingly taken precedence at training camps (given fewer contact sessions), limiting the reps multiple fliers -- Harrison Bryant, Devin Duvernay, Gabriel Davis -- could otherwise use to potentially leverage a role. Fortunately, all rules are destroyed and re-thought in a pandemic, allowing this column to pivot for this season only. I’ll instead touch on players, regardless of team, that should be rostered despite flying off draft boards beyond the 16th round (or, in some cases, going undrafted). The ideal format for drafting said player is included.

Andy Isabella, WR, Cardinals

No team utilized more 10 personnel (31%, 310 plays) or outright passed the ball from four-wide sets at a higher rate (39%) than the Cardinals last year. That didn’t favor Isabella as a rookie since he was pigeon-holed to the boundary behind KeeSean Johnson and Trent Sherfield, but coach Kliff Kingsbury has since taken the blame for slowing the 4.31 speedster’s development. And without Pharoh Cooper and Damiere Byrd, the Cardinals’ offense — the fourth-fastest attack in neutral game script — enters the season short a fourth receiver. The 23-year-old is just one season removed from leading the nation in Yards Per Route Run (4.15) and 10 months removed from shedding the sexiest 88-yard touchdown to grace this Earth.