If you’re a Dallas Cowboys fan playing fantasy football, you already know the drill. You want CeeDee Lamb. You want George Pickens. The problem is that everyone else wants them too because they’re superstars at their positions. .

Lamb’s average draft position (ADP) sits at 9th per FantasyPros, making him a guaranteed first-round pick in virtually every format. I believe he’ll go Top 5 in many point-per-reception leagues. Pickens checks in at 23rd ADP, meaning he’ll land in most second rounds and rarely slip past the early third. These are superstars commanding superstar prices. Most Cowboys fans will have to watch them get drafted by someone else or reach for them even if it means passing on better value. 

My recommendation? Target one of the biggest sleepers in fantasy football this year by capitalizing on your Cowboys knowledge. I’m talking about rising wide receiver Ryan Flournoy, who we’re expecting to take a leap in Year 3 of his career. 

Why Flournoy’s 2026 will look different

Whereas Lamb and Pickens are Top 25 players in Fantasy Football today, Flournoy is someone you can probably pick in the late rounds as a sleeper. He currently ranks 161st in ADP and sits as the No. 64 wide receiver. 

I get it. A 475-yard, four-touchdown season in 2025 doesn’t leap off the page. But context matters here, and the context is overwhelmingly positive.

For starters, Flournoy’s role is settled. He enters training camp as the undisputed No. 3 wide receiver on the Cowboys offense, a far cry from last year when Dallas actually cut him after the preseason before he worked his way back onto the roster. There is no competition for his spot like there was last year. The gig is his and there’s no reason to believe he will lose it. 

That stability should translate to production. Late in the 2025 season, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer designed plays specifically for Flournoy. Three of his four touchdowns came in the red zone, where the coaching staff clearly trusts him near the goal line. He also flashed as a vertical threat, hauling in a 42-yard touchdown reception against the Detroit Lions. He can win with size, speed, and route-running ability, generating separation at all three levels of the field.

Cowboys’ secret weapon

Here’s the thing about playing alongside Lamb and Pickens: defenses cannot bracket all three receivers. Lamb and Pickens command safety attention and double teams on a snap-by-snap basis. That leaves Flournoy consistently drawing one-on-one matchups against opposing cornerbacks.That will inevitably lead to some big games from Flo. 

Favorable coverage translates to opportunity. Whether that manifests as steady weekly volume or chunk plays when defenses overcommit to the Cowboys’ top two targets, Flournoy should see quality looks on a regular basis. As a flex or bench wide receiver in fantasy football, that kind of reliable opportunity is gold.

And if one of Lamb or Pickens misses time due to injury (knock on wood), Flournoy steps into a No. 2 role with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who has already shown trust in his third receiver’s ability to win contested situations and create separation.

Trade for Flournoy in Dynasty leagues

If you’re playing in a dynasty league, the calculus gets even more compelling. What if this is George Pickens’ last season in Dallas? The wide receiver is playing under the franchise tag, and there is no guarantee he returns in 2027. If Pickens departs, Flournoy would likely slide into the No. 2 role opposite Lamb, giving him WR2 target volume with one of the league’s most prolific quarterbacks.

If you can acquire Flournoy at a bargain price through a trade or a late-round dynasty rookie pick, I’d make the deal in a heartbeat.

Long story short, I don’t believe he’s the 64th-best receiver available. He has a defined role, designed touches near the goal line, vertical upside, and the luxury of facing single coverage every week because of the talent around him. If you’re in a league without many Cowboys fans, he could fall even further.

I wouldn’t let that opportunity pass. Ryan Flournoy is the Cowboys’ fantasy sleeper pick of the summer. Go get him!