2021 Fantasy Football: 5 underrated NFL players to target

In fantasy football, drafting a team of nothing but the best players is almost impossible and doesn't always guarantee a championship team.

A mix of stars and underrated sleepers can warrant a better chance of winning, as breakout sleepers can sometimes outscore star players. Year 2 and Year 3 NFL players are usually safe bets to have a breakout season in fantasy football.

Your bench also needs players to fill in for injured players and bye weeks. Entering the 2021 season, here are five underrated players to keep an eye on and target in the draft.

Five underrated NFL players to watch for in your draft

#1 - Chris Carson - Seattle Seahawks, RB

pete carroll loves chris carson so much https://t.co/jsGNbaOPZn pic.twitter.com/sVKa61KNU1

— Danny Kelly (@DannyBKelly) July 29, 2021

Chris Carson is entering the season as the 20th-ranked running back in fantasy football. His low ranking comes from the fact he's never played an entire season in his career.

Carson is a pretty reliable and effective runner for the Seattle Seahawks but could miss a slate of games at any moment. For him, though, the risk is worth the reward. He had 681 yards and five TDs with 287 receiving yards and four TDs. He's an RB2 that you can draft in the third or fourth round. He's projected to score 200.74 fantasy points by Yahoo! Sports.

#2 - Antonio Brown - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, WR

The entire Fantasy Football Community needs to wake up on Antonio Brown. He is currently shooting up our WR Rankings.• The most talented WR on the Bucs.• Looks tremendous in Training Camp with Brady.• 10th round ADP price tag is insane.• Evans & Godwin will fall in line. pic.twitter.com/DkYw5R4pT6

— The Fantasy Charger Podcast (@FantasyCharger) August 2, 2021

Antonio Brown might be past his prime but can still contribute. He will be a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but all three could see a fair share of targets from quarterback Tom Brady.

With the team's easy schedule and Brady's arm, Brown could be a steal as a WR3/flex player. He had over 100 yards and two TDs in the final regular-season game in 2020. Brown could be a deep threat at times and a red-zone target. He's projected to score 183.28 fantasy football points.

#3 - Darnell Mooney - Chicago Bears, WR

Chicago Bears v Carolina Panthers

Darnell Mooney seems to be everyone's favorite fantasy football sleeper in 2021. Allen Robinson may or may not be with the Chicago Bears for the entire season, and Anthony Miller has already been traded away.

Mooney has a knack for getting open but needs a quarterback to get the ball to him. Andy Dalton could also be a sleeper pick and Mooney could be an asset to Justin Fields. Mooney is projected to score 159.18 fantasy football points.

#4 - Andy Isabella - Arizona Cardinals, WR

Los Angeles Rams v Arizona Cardinals

Andy Isabella is currently on 1% of all rosters in Yahoo! Sports fantasy football and is usually undrafted.

Isabella can provide immense value to your team. He is the starting slot receiver for the air-raid offense in Arizona. You can snag him in the final round of the draft and stash him away to see how he pans out in the first few weeks.

Isabella has the potential to be a big playmaker for quarterback Kyler Murray downfield. He's projected to score just 42.23 points in fantasy football but could easily score twice that.

#5 - Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins, QB

That was the fourth-straight practice from Tua Tagovailoa without an interception in 11 on 11. And it comes while the offense continues to (successfully) push the ball down the field.

— Travis Wingfield (@WingfieldNFL) August 2, 2021

Many people seem to be starting to give up hope on Tua Tagovailoa in Miami after his disastrous rookie year. But most first-round picks don't have a great rookie season.

Now that he's fully healed from the gruesome injury he suffered in his junior year at Alabama, Tua would be a steal. He will fare better in the passing game this year as he'll be throwing the ball to Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller and DeVante Parker. Tua's worth a roster spot in your fantasy football team. He's projected to almost double his point total from 2020 (140.46) and score 252.52.