One of the things that is very key to succeeding in a fantasy football league is finding a good sleeper. Last year many players such as Derek Anderson and Ryan Grant emerged and due to people picking them up on the waiver wire they made the playoffs. Here is my list of sleepers and if you pick one of these guys by the end of the year you will be envied by the rest of your league.
JaMarcus Russell QB Raiders: Russell didn't really start playing until late in his rookie season but when he did he showed some glimpses of why he was the number one pick. Now Russell has a full year of learning the offense under his belt and has gotten new receivers who should help in Javon Walker and Drew Carter. Plus with running backs such as Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas, Russell won't have to worry about winning games by himself and could end up having a decent year. Russell is worth drafting in the later rounds and could become a solid number two quarterback by the end of the year. Expect around 2800 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Matt Forte RB Bears:Prior to this post when I did my rookie fantasy football rankings I had Forte very high on the list even with Cedric Benson in the picture. Now with him gone,Forte will most likely be the starter headed into week one. Forte is a good pick in the middle rounds and should be used as a number three back until he shows what he is capable of. Expect around 1000 total yards and 7 touchdowns.
Kevin Smith RB Lions: Smith is in a similar situation as Forte as both will most likely be starting right away as rookies. Tatum Bell hasn't done much in Detroit so far and Smith comes in off one of the best seasons for a college football running back ever. He is worth drafting as a number three back in the middle rounds and could be a very good bye week replacement. Expect around 1100 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Steve Slaton RB Texans: Since they have been a franchise the Texans have never had a back who could take it the distance everytime he touches the ball. They may have found that guy in Slaton. With both Ahman Green and Chris Brown being injury prone, Slaton has a very good chance of getting lots of carries. He should probably go undrafted in fantasy leagues but is worth watching in the preseason. Expect around 900 total yards and 5 touchdowns.
Ryan Torain RB Broncos: The Broncos always produce 1000 yard backs and Torain should continue the trend. Torain would have gone much higher in the draft if he didn't have season ending foot injury. The Broncos got a steal with him and along with Selvin Young should form a 1-2 punch that will make fantasy owners happy. Expect around 800 total yards and 6 touchdowns.
Lorenzo Booker RB Eagles: Even before he got traded on draft day, Booker was going to have a spot on this list as he played very well the last few games. But now with the Eagles Booker could get the chance to become a fantasy star. If Brian Westbrook gets hurt, Booker is now filling the role of a top 3 fantasy back and has a very similar skill set. He is worth drafting late as an insurance if you draft Westbrook.
Sidney Rice WR Vikings: While Adrian Peterson was having a fantasic rookie season many people didn't notice another Vikings rookie was showing lots of potential in the time he played. That player was Rice. He didn't have a great season but he improve over the course of the year and had four touchdowns. He has great size and should be a great target in the redzone which fantasy owners will love. Rice should be picked later on in fantasy drafts but could have a huge impact on your team by the end of the year. Expect around 800 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Anthony Gonzalez WR Colts: Gonzalez also came on later in the year and with concerns about Marvin Harrison's health he could get even more involved in the offense. He is worth taking in the later rounds and is a great option as a number four receiver but could become a solid three. Expect around 700 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Chad Jackson WR Patriots: With Donte Stallworth leaving for Cleveland, a competition for the number three receiver will begin in New England. Jackson has a very good chance of winning it though as he is going into his third year with the team. The third year is also when most receivers breakout so look for Jackson to have a good year in the Patriots high powered offense. Expect around 600 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Tony Scheffler TE Broncos: With Javon Walker gone,more passes will be going around the redzone in Denver. Scheffler will be on the receiving end on many of those. Scheffler has formed a good connection with Jay Cutler and if he recovers from his broken foot could become a number one fantasy tight end.Expect around 700 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Greg Olsen TE Bears: The Bears are limited now at receiver with Mushin Muhammed and Bernard Berrian leaving this offseason. That is where Olsen comes into play. He had high expectations coming into last season but didn't get to show all of his talents. He is worth drafting in the middle rounds as a backup tight end but could become a number one option through the course of the season.Expect around 600 yards and 4 touchdowns.
No comments:
Post a Comment