Fantasy Sleepers
2010 Fantasy Football Sleepers
By: Kevin Michaels, Fantasy Analyst- The Johnny Ballgame Show
I almost hate calling this article “sleepers” or “busts” because they are probably the most overused terms in the Fantasy Football community other than “draft” and “I hope that guy blows his knee out”, but since everyone knows it by those terms, I will relent. I am going to break up the two into separate articles. I want to start with a disclaimer on sleepers here first. I am going to pick a few guys whose situation is better than most people think and should be drafted higher than the spots currently being selected. It does not mean that you should overreach for these guys by more than a round or two. It also does not guarantee that they are any good either. I just like them more than most do. I will tell you where they’re going now in the draft and where I would select them. I am going to pick 2 QBs, 3 RBs, and 3 WRs , and 1 TE, but wont selection a Defense or Kicker. You should NEVER draft a kicker or defense until the last two rounds, so they can’t really be a surprise. I will also add a couple of “Deep Sleepers” at the end that you should look at towards the end of the draft. Here are my sleepers:
Sleeper Quarterbacks
Kevin Kolb, Eagles: I have been touting this guy since the beginning of the year and his first preseason game only strengthened what I already knew – Kevin Kolb is pretty good. He completes a high percentage of passes, has a ton of talent on offense, and his Eagles team has no running game to speak of. Philly as a team had 4,098 passing yards and 27 TDs through the air last year. I think Kolb will have a similar season. He is also mobile and could score a couple rushing TDs too. He is being drafted around the 6th-7th round and I could see him becoming a top 5 fantasy QB this year (you heard me). Kolb is worth a 4th-5th rounder.
Carson Palmer, Bengals: Unbelievably Palmer is being drafted in the 10th-11th round of current drafts. Palmer is actually being drafted after such names as Matthew Stafford, Chad Henne, and Vince Young. Are you kidding me? The Bengals added T.O., Antonio Bryant and drafted Jermaine Gresham. Expect a big year from Carson, like he’s proven to have in the past. He is a steal as your backup in the 9th round or so. He could easily become a top 10 QB who was drafted after 17 other QBs. Great value here, DO NOT fall asleep on Palmer.
Deep QB Sleepers: Chad Henne, Jason Campbell.
Sleeper Running Backs
Jahvid Best, Det.: Detroit is finally drafting talent and Best looks like the top running back in this offense. The backup, Kevin Jones, isn’t playing for the first few weeks due to a knee surgery and probably won’t be healthy all year. He is of course, Kevin Jones, so don’t be worried about him challenging Best whatsoever. Quick question for everyone reading this: Who had the best 40-yard dash times between C.J. Spiller and Jahvid Best last season? ….Best beat Spiller by .02 seconds and he actually had more long runs than Spiller in college. I like him much better than most and would put him in the top 20 for running backs. Best should be off your draft board by the end of the 4th round, but has been going in the 6th in other drafts I’ve seen.
Michael Bush, Oak: Ballgame and I have been going back and forth on Bush and Darren McFadden. He thinks McFadden will finally have “that year” where he rushes for 1,000 yards. He also believed Reggie Bush to be a great NFL running back. Michael Bush is going to lead the team in rushing. He has been better his than McFadden his entire career and Oakland is solid ground gaining team. You can reach for Bush in the 10th-11th round and get a guy that may start every game for you at some point.
LaDainian Tomlinson, NYJ: I looked at a mock draft last night and LT went in the 11th round! I know that he isn’t what he used to be, but he’s playing behind the best offensive line in the NFL and his main competition is from a guy that doesn’t have one thousand career rushing yards. I love Shonn Greene, but is he a guarantee to be great or not hurt? The Jets ran the ball over 600 times last year and even if Greene gets 300 of those carries (which he won’t), there’s still another 300 to go around. Tomlinson will have a decent year and reward you if you get him in the 8th round.
Deep RB Sleepers: Bernard Scott, Justin Forcett, Arian Foster, and Fred Jackson.
Sleeper Wide Receivers
Greg Jennings, GB: I know what you are saying already “This guy is already a top 10 WR, how is he a sleeper?” My explanation is this- he is currently going 11th or 12th overall among WRs and I have him in my top 7 or 8. It doesn’t seem like much, but if you are drafting in one of the top 3 slots and Jennings falls to you in the top of the third round, I think you’ll steal a top flight WR. I have Jennings ahead of Marques Colston, both Steve Smith’s, and Larry Fitzgerald. Yes, Larry Fitzgerald. Why? Aaron Rodgers versus Matt Leinart, period.
Johnny Knox, Chi: Mike Martz has installed his ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ offense in the Windy City- which means at least one Bears WR will have a 1,000 yard season. Martz’s schemes with Jay Cutler’s arm means I’m buying the Bears to have a nice aerial attack in 2010. My prediction is Johnny Knox becomes their best fantasy WR. He is also the fastest of the corps. Knox has been playing the split end position in practice which is what Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt excelled in during the Mike Martz St. Louis years- beneficial years to fantasy owners, I might add. Knox is a more polished WR and a bigger target than Devin Hester. I’ve heard the name Devin Aromashodu thrown around a lot this offseason, but he has yet to win a starting job. Knox is the name to call around the 8th round. If he starts to blow up in preseason, you may have to go to the 7th.
Hakeem Nicks, NYG and Mike Wallace, Pitt: I put them together because if I didn’t at least mention them, I could lose my fantasy license. Nicks and Wallace are everyone’s fantasy sleepers in the industry this season because they have a ton of talent and play with great QBs. Don’t let them get by you by the 6th round. I like Nicks much better than Wallace. Just saying.
Deep Sleepers: Chaz Shilens, Mike Williams (Tampa Bay), Austin Collie.
Sleeper Tight Ends
Zach Miller, Oak: Miller had 805 receiving yards with JaMarcus Russell throwing him the ball! He should be in the Hall of Fame for that alone. Miller finally has a solid QB in Jason Campbell which should make him a big TE threat this season. I like him in the top ten for his position this season and he’s reason number 1,473,561 why you shouldn’t draft a top three TE this season.
Deep Sleepers: Jermaine Gresham, Benjamin Watson, Dustin Keller.
4 Responses to “Fantasy Sleepers”
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Hey, lot’s of people thought Reggie Bush would be a stud in the NFL…
Just not Texas
hey, nice blog…really like it and added to bookmarks. keep up with good work
This team needs to just use Brandon Marshall and make teams to adjust to stop him and that permits other Wrs to open up.