Fantasy Football: One Deep Sleeper Candidate From Every NFL Team

Damiere Byrd, WR, Carolina Panthers

When it comes to replacing the Ted Ginn Jr. role in this Carolina Panthers offense, most have expected rookie speedster Curtis Samuel to step in and provide the team with that big play dimension (with hopefully fewer drops). But the former Ohio State athlete has battled hamstring issues all summer, in addition to trying to make a switch to a full-time receiver gig.

In his absence, Damiere Byrd, a speedster signed after the 2015 NFL Draft, has been impressive as a downfield threat in both practice and the preseason. In his first preseason game this year, he snagged 4 receptions for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 50-yard bomb on which he showed off his 4.27 speed.

While certainly not big at just 5'9", 180 pounds, his 2015 pro day performance demonstrated his rare athleticism. In addition to his blazing 40 time, he posted a 6.59 3-cone-drill (agility test) and a 42-inch vertical jump, which all would have been top 5 of any player at the 2017 combine. His 1.51 10-yard split, which is a measure of acceleration, was 0.04 seconds faster than Christian McCaffrey.

Of course, these are just numbers, and the bottom line is that he is extremely fast. The question of whether he can play, and to what extent he can have fantasy value, is still the dilemma of the day. In regards to the Ginn role, the former Panther averaged 96 targets per year over the past two seasons but hovered at just about a 50 percent catch rate. His drops are the stuff of legend, but his ability to get open down the field in this offense was equally as impressive.

Admittedly, Byrd's ceiling simply isn't high enough to warrant a roster spot in any format at this point, and heck, he may not even make the final roster for Carolina. But he has no doubt been impressive in training camp, and given the need to replace Ginn, he certainly is on the short list for that role. Much of his value is also tied to Cam Newton's health and ability to regain the form that made him the league MVP in 2015. If Newton does, keep on eye on the speedy Byrd.