2016 Sleepers

Mike Wallace, WR, Baltimore Ravens


This sleeper is my favorite of them all.  It reeks of borderline wr1 potential.  Wallace is stepping into the role Torrey Smith held when he was with the Ravens.  Just stick him by the sideline, pull the cord on his back and let him go.  The former Viking/Dolphin/Steeler possesses a skill-set which syncs perfectly with that of Joe Flacco's, who's been waiting for a player like Wallace to come back.  A big arm QB + a fast WR = TDs.


Mohammud Sanu, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Sanu is going to get targeted.  It's a pass-friendly offense in Atlanta and Sanu is the perfect compliment to Julio Jones.  Harry Douglas and Leonard Hankerson feasted in this very role.  Matt Ryan threw the ball 624 times last season and Hankerson got 45 of them in just seven games.  Matty Ice like to generally focus on two or three guys so the volume will be there for Sanu.



Zach Miller,TE, Chicago Bears

We got to see a tiny sample-size of what's to come with the Cutler/Miller connection. After Bennett went down and missed the final month, Miller stepped in and gobbled up about 6.5 targets/game.  It's common knowledge that Jay loves looking to his TEs.  Bennett had the ball attempted to him 80 times last year and the TE position got a total of 127 targets.  It is safe to project Zach Miller to get at least 100 targets this year.


Vance McDonald, TE,San Francisco 49ers

If you hadn't grasped the theme, most of my sleepers are guys stepping into roles where the previous player excelled and they have a similar skill-set.  V-Mac will spend a majority of his snaps in 2 TE sets like the way Chip Kelly did it in Philly.  With Zach Ertz and Brent Celek seeing a combined 146 targets in the same system, expect more of the same in San Fran.



Devontae Booker, RB, Denver Broncos

Ronnie Hillman didn't make the Broncos 53 man roster paving the way for the rookie to absorb the carries left behind.  Didn't seem like it since it was a time-share situation with Anderson but Kubiak's run-heavy scheme provides enough for two rbs to eat well.  Hillman got the ball at an average of 12.9 carries per game, and with that came 35 targets.  Booker has the preferred skill-set of a one-cut ability that Kubes loves in his backs.  I sense a very productive year for Devontae, especially if/when CJ goes down.

Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns

Terrence West is now murking the water in Baltimore and Hue Jackson has two choices at the position.  With Duke Johnson getting the passing down work, the early down carries and goal-line opportunities will be handed to Crow.  With 11.5 attempts given to him while trying to fit in a RBBC,expect that number to go up to 250 if you count Isaiah taking on the carries left by West.  The Browns offense will be much more explosive this season with all the new weapons so the scoring chances will surely rise as well.  I'm foretelling a 1000 yard and 10 TD season for the 3rd year back.

Sneaky D of the Week

 Bills Defense/Special Team

My sneaky defense of the week is the Buffalo Bills. The first thing that should jump out at you when looking at this match up is the trenches battle.  The Pittsburgh offensive line is a raggedy bunch that has allowed their unhappy franchise QB get acquainted to the turf 31 times in eight games.  I can do that math.  That's on a pace for 62 sacks.  Meanwhile, the Bills sport one of the most annoying pass-rushes in the league.  Tied for second with 29.  Mario Williams has found a reset button and looks like a being among lesser beings again with 11 sacks on the season.  Not to mention Big Ben's fumbling tendency, has 5 already, it will be a tough time for the Steelers today.

Also, with the nugget on the grapevine that this is possibly Roethlisberger's final year in Pittsburgh, who knows how the chemistry is there?  This is a unit that's not in sync on both ends of the field.  The Bills have just recieved only good news this past week.  C.J. Manuel is back from an injury and C.J. Spiller has seemingly just finally recovered from the ankle issue. Expect the Bills to control the clock and the game.

Sleeper Patrol

 On a weekly basis, points are being wasted and are floating around the fantasy black-hole. Why allow them to go un-utilized, especially during the bye-weeks when an extra boost is needed?  Not to mention the injury imp is feasting on first-rounders this season.  This is a new, soon to be weekly, article called Sleeper Patrol. I love to keep a keen eye for the "under the radar" players who find themselves in the most favorable of situations. Most of the guys I will mention will be available on the waiver wire.

QB

 Jake Locker Tennessee Titans

The matchup is just too sweet to not take advantage of.  I call the Jaguars the "chicken soup" of the National Football League. After a poor outing in St. Louis, Locker is salivating at the thought of coming back home to the league's worst team. The Jags saw what we all saw last week and that was CJ2K show a spark of what once was.  I bet the game-plan is to not let him go off since Jax sports the league's worst run defense. They've given up almost 1300 yards on 4.8 ypc. There will be over-compensation and "The Jake" will go over-the-top. Expect huge numbers.

 Terrelle Pryor Oakland Raiders

It is well documented that the Giants defense is a joke. As is the Raiders. I foresee a shoot-out brewing here.  Pryor has rushed for at least 50 yards in three straight games and a minimum of 90 yards in the last two. Don't be surprised if he airs it out, though, on Sunday.

Wr

 Mike Brown Jacksonville Jaguars

Brown started getting attention last week when he caught a deep bomb for a score, finishing the game with 3 recs for 43 yds and touchdown.  The coaching staff has been raving about this guy and said there is "growing confidence" in Brown.  Cecil Shorts, who has a groin issue now, may or may not play.  Groin pulls are crucial to a receiver's explosion.  Even if Shorts is healthy enough to make an impact, he will surely garner most of the attention.  Couple that with the fact that the Jags will probably be in passing mode for the entire second half and you have a sleeper on your hands.

 DeAndre Hopkins Houston Texans

Case Keenum loves him some @Nukdabomb. While Patrick Peterson is shadowing (like anyone can really hold him) Andre Johnson, Keenum will happily go through his primary progression and toss some pigskin towards the way of Hopkins.  I personally think he's just looking for an excuse.  DeAndre's huge hands would give any QB the confidence to go to him. They've built a more than decent rapport and it will show on Sunday.


 Kendall Wright Tennessee Titans

Kendall has emerged as the Titans go-to threat.  In the two games that Jake Locker made his way back from his injury, he has targeted Wright 17 times. In fact, Wright is the 26th most targeted WR in the NFL with 63.  The match-up is right, the rhythm in the offense is established and the trust in the second-year stud makes Kendall Wright primed to have a breakout game.