The Rashee Rice situation seems to be getting cloudier as time progresses, the exact opposite of what fantasy football managers were hoping for. With his hearing pushed to Sept. 30 (the Tuesday leading into Week 5), managers are being asked to take a stance on a player with an uncomfortable range of outcomes.
You can pass on him. Personally, that’s the option I’m taking: I’ll chase exposure to him in the middle of the season if his manager is holding a fire sale and we have more information on the suspension front.
If you are OK with rolling the dice and spending a fifth round pick on him, that’s fine, but I think sharp fantasy managers will use a late pick to hedge that bet.
I’ve highlighted three deep sleepers who can produce in the Week 5-10 window as I operate under the assumption that the most likely outcome of the Rice hearing is a suspension in that range (Kansas City has a Week 10 bye).
Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos (ADP: Undrafted in 48.3% of leagues)
If a young quarterback is given time to develop, why aren’t his receivers given the same benefit of the doubt?
Marvin Mims Jr. had a 30+ yard grab in six of seven games to close last regular season, a run that included as impressive of a two-game stretch as you’ll see from a player on this level (13 catches on 13 targets for 154 yards and four scores). Additionally, he had 12 rush attempts in the final seven weeks of the fantasy season.
- Age: 23
- QB: Bo Nix (drafted 12th overall in 2024)
- Base case: Over the past two seasons, he averages more yards per route than Chris Godwin and more fantasy points per reception than Justin Jefferson.
- Week 5: at Eagles (26th in opponent yards per deep completion)
- Week 6: at Jets (27th in opponent aDOT)
- Week 7: vs. Giants (31st in opponent CMP%)
- Week 8: vs. Cowboys (31st in opponent YPA)
- Week 9: at Texans (29th in opponent pass TD%)
- Week 10: vs. Raiders (24th in opponent passer rating)
Mims is the player on this list that will cost you the most, but the price tag is far from prohibitive for a big-play maker in an offense that should level up in terms of creativity with Sean Payton at the controls and Bo Nix in his second season.
Many are skeptical of Mims’ upside as a result of Denver selecting Pat Bryant in the third round, and that’s fair. No one in this range owns a bulletproof profile, but we did see Payton spread his playcalling wins as last season wore on.
In terms of implied totals, the Broncos are expected to clear 400 points again this season and flirt with a top-10 unit. We expect this team to light up scoreboards at a well above average rate this season, and that’s the type of offensive environment I want exposure to if I’m trying to piece together my starting lineup sans Rice.
Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (ADP: Undrafted in 98.3% of leagues)
Jalen Coker reached double-figure PPR points in four of his 11 games last season, working his way into more consistent volume as the season wore on (5+ targets in four of his final five contests).
- Age: 23
- QB: Bryce Young (drafted 1st overall in 2023)
- Base case: There’s a role to chase and Coker averaged 15 PPR points as a rookie when seeing north of five targets in a game.
- Week 5: vs. Dolphins (28th in deep opponent CMP%)
- Week 6: vs. Cowboys (worst red zone defense)
- Week 7: at Jets (27th in opponent aDOT)
- Week 8: vs. Bills (28th in opponent CMP%)
- Week 9: at Packers (26th in opponent first downs per pass)
- Week 10: vs. Saints (28th in opponent yards per completion)
Tetairoa McMillan is being treated by fantasy managers as if we know him to be an elite Day 1 target earner. He’s a talented player and should lead this team in opportunities through the air, but the fact is that we don’t “know” anything about a player who has yet to play a professional down.
Even if he lives up to expectations, there is still volume to be accounted for a team we expect to be playing from behind on a regular basis, even if they improve.
Jalen Coker saw 38 fewer targets than Xavier Legette, but accumulated just 19 fewer receiving yards.
Coker’s snap percentages in his final five games last season: 88%, 87%, 82%, 87%, and 93%.pic.twitter.com/x35QUJ7YoA
— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) August 8, 2025
The Panthers seem content to bet on Bryce Young and if that’s the long-term plan, I have a hard time thinking that Adam Thielen, in his age-35 season, is being asked to do the heavy lifting. After him, where are the targets going?
There’s a chance we see a flat distribution and there is no secondary pass catcher we need to roster, but that’s why you can make this pick as kickers are coming off the board.
In 2024, teams that finished with a losing record averaged 5.4% more passes per game than winning teams, and if Coker can work his way into a 5-7 target role, he makes for a good Rice insurance option.
Noah Brown, Washington Commanders (ADP: Drafted once in the first 4,900 PFN user drafts)
In his first season with the organization, Noah Brown, in an offense with a WR1 playing well above his head and a rookie QB learning on the fly, earned a deep target in seven straight games prior to a kidney laceration ending his season prematurely.
- Age: 29
- QB: Jaydn Daniels (drafted 2nd overall in 2024)
- Base case: A cheap bet against Deebo Samuel. Brown has 17 games in which he’s run over 30 routes and in comparing those games to all others in his career, he’s averaged 15.4% more yards per route and 25.9% more PPR points per target.
- Week 5: at Chargers (fourth most TD passes allowed of 15+ yards)
- Week 6: vs. Bears (30th in yards per deep pass)
- Week 7: at Cowboys (worst red zone defense)
- Week 8: at Chiefs (24th in opponent CMP% in the second half of 2024)
- Week 9: vs. Seahawks (26th in YAC allowed per reception)
- Week 10: vs. Lions (most deep pass attempts against)
The ADP note tells you all you need to know. There’s nothing in the way of expectations here, and that means you have nothing to lose.
Draft like you’re right.
There seem to be more doubters than believers when it comes to Deebo Samuel Sr., and if you’re in that camp, is the WR2 role not Brown’s to win in what we expect to be a top-5 scoring offense?
Take it a step further, and you can see where my interest comes from. We all seem to think that Jayden Daniels is the real deal while also believing we just saw the best that a contractually unhappy Terry McLaurin has to offer and that Zach Ertz’s best days are in the rearview.
The nice thing about this version of a Samuel fade is that you should have an answer before you need it. Rice is going to play the first month of the season, and if Brown is struggling to get on the field, you cut ties and get creative should you lose the Chiefs WR1 in October.
The true definition of a low-risk, high-reward selection.
Chef’s kiss.
