By now, almost every fantasy football ‘expert’ has created a list of sleepers for people to target. In fact, we’ve even done a podcast on it (take a listen – we know what we’re talking about. Money back guarantee on that). But it takes someone with some real knowledge and stones to provide a list of some really deep sleepers for you all to keep an eye on for later in the year. Thankfully for you all, Mr. Dave’s Sports Blog is not afraid to make these predictions.
Now, none of these players should be drafted unless you happen to be in an insanely deep league. However, these are people that will probably earn jobs by the end of the year. Keep an eye on them, put them on a watch list, and remember that these people could be the next Peyton Hillis or Mike Vick. Of course, it’s just as likely they could be the next person you see bagging your groceries at the local Food Mart. Anyway, onto the list!
Quarterback – Colin Kaepernick: Here’s a news flash for all of you – Alex Smith just isn’t that good. He has never thrown for more than 2890 yards in a season. He has 51 career touchdowns to 53 career interceptions. He has not proven to have the ability to manage a game and to actually win a game, as attested to by his 19-31 record as a starting quarterback. Kaepernick is mobile, has a better arm than Smith does, and is actually accurate with the ball. The quarterback in San Fran is going to be protected this year, as they plan on making Frank Gore the centerpiece of their offense, but that would only help a rookie like Kaepernick. Chances are, he’s starting by Week 8 (San Fran has a bye on Week 7), and can provide some solid fantasy league points as a duel threat quarterback.
Running Back – DeMarco Murray: The Dallas Cowboys have had a tendency over the past couple of years to utilize all three running backs on their roster. This year, they got rid of Marion Barber III, and drafted DeMarco Murray in the third round. Murray is a perfect fit for what the Cowboys want to do on offense, as he can catch the ball and is a great runner. Also, he has a knack for finding the end zone, with 63 total touchdowns in his college career. Keep in mind that for all the fantasy love that Felix Jones is getting, he has scored eight touchdowns total in his NFL career. With Murray’s track record of being able to score in college, chances are that he gets a shot with the ball near the goal line. In fact, it could end up where Murray is starting over Jones at the end of the year, as there are questions about his durability. At any rate, Murray could prove quite valuable in fantasy leagues, especially in touchdown leagues.
Wide Receiver – Eric Decker: Here’s the deal with Decker – what else is there ahead of him on the depth chart? Brandon Lloyd put together a career year in his eighth season. Prior to that, he was an afterthought for fantasy league purposes. Can he really do it again? Eddie Royal had a strong rookie season, then fell off the map last year. Meanwhile, Decker was a first round talent that the Broncos got in the third round due to an injury he suffered in college. This essentially turned his rookie season to a redshirt year. Decker has been playing the Z receiver and in the slot with the starting unit all training camp. He has great hands, knows how to run precise routes, and is a big target in the red zone. Also, it helps that Kyle Orton is actually a much better quarterback than people seem to realize. As long as Orton does not get Tebowed this year again, someone in that offense can have a huge year catching the ball. Decker would be a good option, as would….
Tight End – Julius Thomas: Thomas is right now behind Daniel Fells on the Denver Broncos depth chart. However, is happens to be a much better receiver, and tight end in general, than Fells, despite having only played two years of organized football. Already nicknamed ‘Mr. Red Zone’ by his Broncos teammates, Thomas was a former basketball player for Portland State, whose size and leaping ability will translate to the pros. It may take a bit before he sees consistant action, but he has the potential to be a touchdown scoring machine when he finally sees the field. Remember this name for around the middle of the season, and be ready to snag his talents.
Kicker and Defense: Look, we’re not going to waste your time by trying to predict something as nebulous as a kicker and a defensive unit. To illustrate the insanity of that, keep the following in mind: Arizona, who was a terrible defense for all intents and purposes, finished third in standard scoring leagues for defense due to defensive touchdowns. Sebastian Janikowski was undrafted in most leagues, and led kickers in points. Trying to predict these positions makes as much sense as stapling Jell-O to the ceiling. However, there are a couple of things to look at when trying to make your selections for these positions.
For kickers, it is better to find a bad offense than a good one. While this sounds contradictory, given the nature of the position, here’s the reason – bad offenses do not score touchdowns. Chances are, most of their points will come off of field goals, which benefits the kicker in a fantasy league format. As such, you want an accurate kicker with a strong leg on a bad team. After all, how else would Janikowski be considered the top kicker in any respect, aside from being able to eat Twinkies and down six packs of beer?
Now for defenses. The best thing to look at with a defense is their pass rush. If a defense can get to the quarterback, that will disguise a number of deficencies in other areas. By putting pressure on the quarterback, passes will not be as accurate, allowing even a terrible secondary to make plays. Also, sacks can lead to fumbles and turnovers, as the strip sack has become rather vogue in the NFL at this point. Find a defense with a strong pass rush, and you will have yourself a solid fantasy league defense.
Hopefully these predictions help you all out later in the year. Remember, these are not players that should be drafted in any but the deepest leagues, yet you should keep them in the back of your mind for mid season pickups.
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