Provided is a composite sheet that is particularly useful as an AQDL component in absorbent articles. The composite sheet includes a fluid acquisition component and an airlaid component. The airlaid component may include one or more airlaid layers that are successively formed overlying each other. Each of the airlaid layers are adjacent to, and in direct contact with, immediately adjacent layers of the airlaid component so that adjacent layers are in fluid communication with respect to each other. The fluid acquisition component includes a nonwoven fabric comprising a carded nonwoven fabric comprised of a plurality of staple fibers that are air through bonded to each other to form a coherent nonwoven fabric. The airlaid layer(s) include a blend of cellulose and non-cellulose staple fibers. The staple fibers may be bicomponent fibers having a polyethyelene sheath and a polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate core, and mixtures of such fibers.