I hate almost every fantasy football "sleepers" article I read. They are usually the same players with the same logic.
Ben Tate - because if/when Foster goes down he will be worth a lot!
Jaquez Rodgers - because Turner is slowing down and Rodgers will get some carries!
Dwyer from Pittsburgh because Mendanhall is injured!
Matt Ryan because instead of being the 8th best fantasy QB he might be the 6th best this year yay!
Julio Jones because the idiots in your league don't know he's a freak of nature!
Pierre Garcon because he's a #1 WR now!
You don't win your league because you picked Jonathan Dwyer in the 14th round and get RB 3 production from him. You win your league because the RB you selected in round 1 stays healthy and scores points - last year Ray Rice, McCoy, Foster instead of Peterson, Charles etc.
Instead of focusing on sleepers why not focus on guys in early/mid rounds who are poised to make a step forward or guys who have a history of staying healthy therefore are safer picks?
Everybody wants to talk about rookies RG3, Luck, or Russell Wilson, but what about guys in years 2-3 that have some experience under their belts that are ready to take a step forward. The old rule was that it take 3 years to use the west coast offense or that WR's break out in year 3. How come nobody says Sam Bradford is a sleeper, or that Andy Dalton had a good rookie year he's only going to be better this year... or that Michael Crabtree who was Mr. ESPN best WR in a generation a couple years ago and had 2 decent years will blow up this year?
It is all group think out there.
What about NY Giants pass catchers because Eli Manning "makes" TE's and WR's? What the heck did Steve Smith ever do when he left, or Kevin Boss, and how did Ballard an undrafted blocking TE put up numbers or undrafted Victor Cruz? Good passing QBs make the guys around them better and make sleepers.
I like the Redskins RB more than QB. I think Helu is the best player and fits the zone blocking schemes best but he's hurt and Royster has the inside track. Do you know why I like Royster a lot? Remember back in the Denver days anybody could rush for 1000 yards in Shannihan's offense? I think one of the fundamental plays of his offense is the stretch right play, with the bootleg option. Having a mobile QB run that play is a different ball game than Grossman running it. The weakside DE/OLB have to contain in case it is a bootleg, which means the offense really has to practice good gap control and it opens running lanes for the RB. Whoever starts at RB for Washington is a threat for a 100 yard game every game. If Royster gets 14 starts he could rush for 1250 yards and 10+ touchdowns.
Tebow sucks as a QB but it's the same thing. Look at how Denver led the league in rushing last year. If he's starting for the Jets (which would be a big mistake) then Greene would benefit. Plus Sexy Rexy wants to ground and pound anyway.
Jay Cutler loves throwing to Marshall and Cutler hasn't even had a receiver in the time he's been in Chicago. Marshall's targets will go way up. The guy catches 100 balls a year anyway, what do you think is going to happen. Yeah people already like Marshall but I think he's worth the price. Plus with that size he's a red zone target and Cutler is underrated.
Santana Moss is probably over the hill but the guy cut 20 pounds this offseason. He went from 205 to 185. THAT'S the info I want, not that the backup RB will score points if the starter goes down.
Ben Tate - because if/when Foster goes down he will be worth a lot!
Jaquez Rodgers - because Turner is slowing down and Rodgers will get some carries!
Dwyer from Pittsburgh because Mendanhall is injured!
Matt Ryan because instead of being the 8th best fantasy QB he might be the 6th best this year yay!
Julio Jones because the idiots in your league don't know he's a freak of nature!
Pierre Garcon because he's a #1 WR now!
You don't win your league because you picked Jonathan Dwyer in the 14th round and get RB 3 production from him. You win your league because the RB you selected in round 1 stays healthy and scores points - last year Ray Rice, McCoy, Foster instead of Peterson, Charles etc.
Instead of focusing on sleepers why not focus on guys in early/mid rounds who are poised to make a step forward or guys who have a history of staying healthy therefore are safer picks?
Everybody wants to talk about rookies RG3, Luck, or Russell Wilson, but what about guys in years 2-3 that have some experience under their belts that are ready to take a step forward. The old rule was that it take 3 years to use the west coast offense or that WR's break out in year 3. How come nobody says Sam Bradford is a sleeper, or that Andy Dalton had a good rookie year he's only going to be better this year... or that Michael Crabtree who was Mr. ESPN best WR in a generation a couple years ago and had 2 decent years will blow up this year?
It is all group think out there.
What about NY Giants pass catchers because Eli Manning "makes" TE's and WR's? What the heck did Steve Smith ever do when he left, or Kevin Boss, and how did Ballard an undrafted blocking TE put up numbers or undrafted Victor Cruz? Good passing QBs make the guys around them better and make sleepers.
I like the Redskins RB more than QB. I think Helu is the best player and fits the zone blocking schemes best but he's hurt and Royster has the inside track. Do you know why I like Royster a lot? Remember back in the Denver days anybody could rush for 1000 yards in Shannihan's offense? I think one of the fundamental plays of his offense is the stretch right play, with the bootleg option. Having a mobile QB run that play is a different ball game than Grossman running it. The weakside DE/OLB have to contain in case it is a bootleg, which means the offense really has to practice good gap control and it opens running lanes for the RB. Whoever starts at RB for Washington is a threat for a 100 yard game every game. If Royster gets 14 starts he could rush for 1250 yards and 10+ touchdowns.
Tebow sucks as a QB but it's the same thing. Look at how Denver led the league in rushing last year. If he's starting for the Jets (which would be a big mistake) then Greene would benefit. Plus Sexy Rexy wants to ground and pound anyway.
Jay Cutler loves throwing to Marshall and Cutler hasn't even had a receiver in the time he's been in Chicago. Marshall's targets will go way up. The guy catches 100 balls a year anyway, what do you think is going to happen. Yeah people already like Marshall but I think he's worth the price. Plus with that size he's a red zone target and Cutler is underrated.
Santana Moss is probably over the hill but the guy cut 20 pounds this offseason. He went from 205 to 185. THAT'S the info I want, not that the backup RB will score points if the starter goes down.
(not sure what i was thinking here....ran out of time and just read a sleeper article on him)
