2022 Fantasy Football Deep Sleepers
Editor’s Introduction: Mark Morales Smith has an eye for talent. He identified Antonio Gibson with Jamaal Charles ability when literally nobody was talking about him in early 2020. He’s a draft scout in his spare time and he sat down
There is no set definition for what a ‘sleeper’ is but when you see one, you know it. As a general rule, a sleeper is defined as a late-round or unheralded player that outperforms their ADP. Training camps and preseason might not have started but fantasy football draft fervor certainly has. And with it, there is plenty of interest in finding out the 2022 fantasy football deep sleepers to target.
Here are some of those players currently being targeted in double-digit rounds who look like solid deep sleepers to prioritize in the latter rounds.
Tua Tagovailoa (QB) Miami Dolphins
With Tua, we are still trying to figure out if he’s the issue in Miami or if subpar weapons and the worst offensive line in football are the issues. Many advanced stats seem to point to the latter with the offensive line being the biggest culprit , Tua has been an above-average quarterback in the rare instance he’s had a clean pocket to throw from. His lack of deep attempts can also be equated to the terrible line and a system that forces him to throw quick passes to negate the onslaught of pressure.
This offseason the Dolphins have addressed these issues by adding an elite wideout in Tyreek Hill and one of the best tackles in the game in Terron Armstead among other offensive line additions. We know Hill is going to be elite, however, we still have to see the offensive line gel. But on paper, they should be much improved.
The combination of Hill and Jaylen Waddle should be deadly for an accurate quarterback like Tua. In a Mike McDaniel system, they should get the ball in space often and do most of the heavy lifting for Tua. Many people seem to ignore that Hill, even with Mahomes, received the bulk of his yards last season from screens, crosses, and dump-offs. Even moreso than his new teammate Jaylen Waddle. I would go as far as to say that I anticipate Cedrick Wilson and Mike Gesicki to average more air yards this season and be utilized as the primary deep threats. Wilson on the outside and Gesicki down the seam.
If McDaniel is what we believe he will be coming from San Francisco, the offensive system should be much improved. That alone should improve the offensive line and rushing attack. Which in turn should make Tua’s life much easier and open things up for him. We will see this year who he really is and my bet is he’s a better player than we’ve seen so far in Miami.
To finish reading this preseason content
GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 18
Brandon Allen (Quarterback) Cincinnati Bengals With Joe Burrow not expected to play this week the door is open for Allen to get the start against the Browns. While the Cincy offense will be short-handed they still won’t be as short-handed as the Browns’ secondary. The Bengals will still be looking to head into the playoffs on a high note while a demoralized-looking Browns team is playing for nothing and ending the season with a sad whimper. If you are in a two-QB league you may have to dig deep this week with some of the top options sitting this one out. Another reason fantasy seasons should have ended last week. Taysom Hill (Quarterback) New Orleans Saints The quarterback position has predictably been a mess for the Saints this year, but Hill ends the season with an elite matchup against the Falcons. With a strong floor thanks to his running ability and passing upside against a terrible secondary, he should be a solid streaming option this week. He’s a must-start in Superflex leagues and a potentially sneaky good play in DFS leagues. Jordan Love (Quarterback) Green Bay Packers Love is a deeper sleeper but you may need him if you were relying on a QB like Aaron Rodgers or Joe Burrow this week. All signs point to the Packers stars only playing a series or two this week. Granted, Love is a risky play being that, unlike Burrow, it hasn’t been confirmed that Rodgers will sit out all of or most of this game. Still, if I have to choose between starting Rodgers or Love this week, unfortunately, I’d go with Love. Samaje Perine (Running Back) Cincinnati Bengals Joe Mixon is going to be sitting this one out and Perine will likely get the bulk of the touches on this offense. There isn’t much more to it than that. If you need a starting running back this week that you can likely find on waivers, Perine is the guy to pick up. Scoop him up now if you’re still looking for a running back and plug him in your lineup. Cam Akers (Running Back) Los Angeles Rams Almost inconceivably Akers is will be active this week coming off a blown Achilles this summer. It’s unclear what his workload will be but he is expected to play. There is a strong chance he is very limited, however, there is also an outside chance he gets a decent share of the workload. This return so soon is incredible. If there is one player I’m excited to see out there this week it’s Akers. I like him more as a DFS play though. I don’t think I’d have the stomach to play him in a championship matchup. Ke’Shawn Vaughn (Running Back) Tampa Bay Buccaneers This is another weekly reminder that Ronald Jones stinks and his coaches hate him. Vaughn could and likely will outperform Rojo this week. Never trust Jones because we all know his coaches don’t. Not only do I think there is a chance Vaughn is a sleeper this week. If I have the option between Vaughn and Jones I’m starting Vaughn this week. If you can’t handcuff a veteran taking the week off then this is the next best bet. Allen Lazard (Wide Receiver) Green Bay Packers With most of the Packers studs likely taking most of the week off, I anticipate Lazard playing the role of WR1 for Jordan Love. While the lack of Rodgers caps his ceiling they are still taking on the Lions and he could see an increase in targets assuming Davante Adams sits most of the game out. I’m no fan of Love, but I am a fan of rolling out a potential WR1 against the Lions. Jaylen Waddle (Wide Receiver) Miami Dolphins Despite a poor matchup, I expect a big week from Waddle in PPR leagues. It’s tough starting a Dolphin this week after last week’s debacle but I expect them to force-feed Waddle who is close to breaking multiple teams and league rookie records with a solid outing. The coaches are going to put Tua in a position to get rid of the ball quickly after last week and they are going to want to keep their young wideout happy. Feeding Waddle not only makes sense for the game plan but for keeping their young stars happy as well. Scotty Miller (Wide Receiver) Tampa Bay Buccaneers As we all saw last week Antonio Brown hopped right out of the stadium and off of the Bucs roster. The most logical wideout to be forced to step up due to his absence is Miller. Despite him not logging a single snap last week, it stands to reason that he will be elevated this week and moving forward behind Mike Evans and Tyler Johnson. He’s a risky start, but the guy who I would guess slides into the WR3 role in Tampa for the remainder of the season. We have seen him have success before with Tom Brady in big moments. We know there is chemistry and trust between the two and hopefully, that shows up on the field this week. John Bates (Tight End) Washington Football Team Ricky Seals-Jones was stretchered off last week. While he appears to have avoided a major injury, he’s unlikely to play this week. We have seen time and time again regardless of who they plug in that position the tight end in this offense will be featured. Bates is the next man up in Washington this week and is as good as a waiver add as you’ll find if you’re looking for a guy that will see a decent amount of targets and might find the end zone. If you need a desperation TE go snatch him off your wire. Luke Farrell (Tight End) Jacksonville Jaguars The Jags are another team that loves utilizing their tight end. With James O’Shaugnessy injured Farrell will slide in as the featured pass-catching
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 17
This is it. Week 17. The Finals. All that work you put in is about to pay off and there is just one more Sunday left in the 2021 fantasy season. But with the virus running rampant through the NFL, winning that championship certainly won’t be easy. It’s certainly understandable to hit the panic button. Not only is it nerve-wracking to be on the precipice of winning a title, but so many players are getting ruled out that many of us are having to dig deep to even put in a full lineup this week. There’s never been a championship Sunday with this much uncertainty, but the simplest advice I can give is to try not to overthink things. Stay the course. This isn’t the week to get cute with lineups…but that advice also comes with a warning. While nobody is going to tell you to sit Dalvin Cook or Brandin Cooks, recent history is telling us that players fresh off the reserve/COVID list are anything but full strength. Tyreek Hill destroyed many teams last week. Allen Robinson said he last 10 pounds and Tyler Lockett dropped eight. These are some of the things to keep in mind. If you have a tough choice between two WR3s and one just came off the list, you should certainly take that into consideration. And those of us that stay the course and stick with our studs shouldn’t be shocked when they don’t have their best performance this week when we need it most. For those of you looking for help off the waiver wire or to your bench for fill-ins with some Week 17 upside, here are some sleepers to consider. Good luck. Tyler Huntley (QB) Baltimore Ravens – It’s looking like Lamar Jackson is going to miss another start, so Huntley is poised to make get the starting nod once again in Week 17. Although the matchup with the Rams is less than ideal, Huntley has been terrific in Baltimore’s last three games. During that span, he’s completing over 71% of his throws, has a 3-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio, and is also averaging over 53 yards on the ground with an additional pair of TDs. Huntley should be a priority add for fantasy managers who will now be without Kirk Cousins in the finale. Trey Lance (QB) San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers lost both of Lance’s starts earlier this season and the rookie struggled with accuracy. He did, however, average over 19 fantasy points in those starts thanks to elite rushing ability. Head coach Kyle Shanahan remarked that Lance is far more comfortable in the offense now and has had an excellent month of practice. For all of you out there that have been HODLing Lance all season, he’s got a superb Week 17 matchup against an anemic Houston defense and offers top-10 upside to break in 2022. Jaret Patterson (RB) Washington Football Team – Antonio Gibson was just placed on the reserve/COVID list and has precious little time to be cleared in time for Sunday’s tilt against the Eagles. J.D. McKissic is also on IR, which puts Patterson in a good spot to see a fairly significant workload against a Philadelphia allowing the 10th-most fantasy points to running backs. Dare Ogunbowale (RB) Jacksonville Jaguars – Last week after James Robinson exited the game, Ogunbowale played 85% of Jacksonville’s snaps and racked up 19 touches. While Ryquell Armstead will also be activated for this game, Ogunbowale should be poised to see a heavy dose of carries and targets against a New England defense that has been surprisingly vulnerable to opposing running backs. Darnell Mooney (WR) Chicago Bears – If Justin Fields, who is trending towards starting, is announced as Chicago’s starter, Mooney offers WR2/3 upside against a hapless Giants squad. Mooney has six top-30 PPR weekly wideout performances in games with Fields under center. New York CB James Bradberry is also slated to shadow Allen Robinson which should funnel even more targets towards Mooney, who is a sneaky bet to put up WR2/3 numbers. Zay Jones (WR) Las Vegas Raiders – After the Raiders parted ways with Henry Ruggs, Jones has become a prominent part of the Las Vegas passing offense. Starting in Week 9, Jones has been in on over 75% of the Raiders’ snaps and he’s averaged 7.2 targets per game over the last five. He’s also snagged 5-plus receptions in 4-of-5 and should be a good bet for another 6-plus targets this week against an average Indianapolis secondary. John Bates (TE) Washington Football Team – No team has allowed more fantasy points to tight end than the Eagles, who are allowing 17.7 fantasy points per game to the position. Bates has out-snapped Ricky Seal-Jones in each of Washinton’s last three games and played 75% of the club’s snaps last week.
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 16
Surviving Week 15 took a lot of skill or a lot of luck. Either way, congratulations on advancing to Week 16. Finding the right sleepers can really help fantasy football managers maximize their lineups in a week that is severely depleted. Here are some sleepers to consider ahead of Week 16. Tyler Huntley (QB) Baltimore Ravens Huntley appeared on this list last week and beyond delivered giving you high-end QB1 numbers. With Lamar Jackson still on the mend and Huntley looking better than Jackson has in weeks, I can’t discount him as a sleeper this week against the Bengals. Jackson is yet to practice this week, but we will have to keep an eye on the injury report. However, if you need a quarterback for this week Huntley should be scooped off waivers in anticipation of him getting another shot this week against a lesser defense than he played last week when he totaled 288 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Justin Jackson (RB) Los Angeles Chargers Austin Ekeler has found himself on the Covid list and is now very much a question mark for Week 16. The next man up is expected to be Jackson. While generally, I would tend to shy away from a Chargers’ rusher who is not Ekeler, the Texans are their opponents this week. In a positive game script against a terrible rush defense, you can’t ignore the Chargers’ lead back. The Texans are also decimated at linebacker currently. Jackson needs to be added off waivers immediately and on standby as a plug-in option. Duke Johnson (RB) Miami Dolphins With Covid issues running rampant through the Dolphins’ running back room during their Week 14 bye, Johnson served as the lead back for Miami last week despite Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed being active. He rewarded their faith in him with the team’s first 100-yard game of the season and earned a contract following the game. Still, there are a lot of questions about how this backfield will shake out and they play the Saints this week who are brutal against the run. Nevertheless, if Johnson is the RB1 in Miami and is in line for 20-plus carries, a few targets, and goal-line work, he has to be considered a sleeper. Keshawn Vaughn (RB) Tampa Bay Buccaneers Leonard Fournette has landed on injured reserve and Ronald Jones is the expected next man up. However, we’ve all seen how this plays out in Tampa before. Jones inevitably fumbles or misses a block and is banished into the void by Bruce Arians never to be heard from again. The next man up I believe will be Vaughn despite the recent signing of Le’Veon Bell. Vaughn is more of a stash than a sleeper or a deep DFS sleeper, but he is worth mentioning and keeping an eye on. Especially if your league plays through Week 18. Jaret Patterson (RB) Washington Football Team J.D. McKissic is on IR and Antonio Gibson is now dealing with a turf toe injury for the second time in as many years. If Gibson can’t go or is limited, Patterson is the next man up. He would be in for a full workload against the Cowboys should Gibson be forced to sit this one out. Gibson was listed as DNP on Wednesday so we will have to watch the injury reports and monitor this situation closely. Tyler Johnson (WR) Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs lost Chris Godwin for the season and Mike Evans for the foreseeable future last week. This leaves Antonio Brown and Tyler Johnson as the starting wideouts this week with Brown returning from Covid and injury for the first time in months. Johnson could be heavily targeted and utilized as a red-zone threat. He will likely be close to an every-snap player and with Brady at the helm looking to redeem himself from last week, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Johnson get a big piece of a potentially abundant pie on Sunday. Josh Palmer (WR) Los Angeles Chargers Jalen Guyton is the Chargers’ primary deep threat and has scored a touchdown in three straight games. Unfortunately, he has landed on Covid IR. This leaves Josh Palmer to slip into his role. He was a popular sleeper amongst the fantasy community and in training camp this summer. He has flashed explosive ability and could be in line for an expanded role this weekend. With the Texans’ defense on the other side of the ball it would shock no one to see explosive plays made by the offense all over the field. Nico Collins (WR) Houston Texans Brandin Cooks has been hot lately and is now on the reserve/Covid list and likely out for Week 16. The Texans have a bad matchup and against the Chargers with an equally bad quarterback in Davis Mills, but if Collins is sliding in as the WR1 in Houston he is worth mentioning as a potential sleeper option for owners looking for a deep flex option. He would be a desperation play, but perhaps a necessary one with all the injuries and Covid around the league as of late. Keelan Cole (WR) New York Jets The Jets have already lost Elijah Moore and Corey Davis, and now Jamison Crowder missed practice on Wednesday with a calf injury which could force him to miss Week 16. While I hesitate to encourage anybody to start anyone from this putrid Jets’ offense, Cole should be the WR1 and they are facing a Jags’ defense who has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wideouts. In theory, this is a great opportunity to plug in Cole, a guy who has flashed massive games before in the fantasy playoffs. However, the big concern is that Zach Wilson will be the guy throwing him the ball. You may have to hold your nose and play him this week if you need a flex option. Zach Gentry (TE) Pittsburgh Steelers Gentry is looking like
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 15
Case Keenum (QB) Cleveland Browns Baker Mayfield has tested positive for Covid this week and looks like Case Keenum is in line to get the start. In this likely scenario, Keenum will face the Raiders who are bottom 10 in the league when it comes to slowing down fantasy quarterbacks. If you are searching for a Superflex option because of a terrible matchup or perhaps you’re a desperate Lamar Jackson manager, Keenum could be a sneaky good play. What it comes down to is that Keenum is one of the best backups in the league, the Raiders are on their usual late-season spiral, and he isn’t much of a downgrade from the beat-up version we’ve seen of Mayfield as of late. Tyler Huntley (QB) Baltimore Ravens Speaking of Lamar Jackson, I do not expect him to play this week. The fact that Baltimore elevated backup quarterback Josh Johnson from the practice squad on Wednesday is very telling. If Jackson misses Huntley will slide into his starting role. Although the matchup against Green Bay isn’t ideal, he played fairly well last week after entering the game for an injured Jackson. He went 27 of 38 for 270 yards a touchdown with no picks and added an additional 45 yards on the ground. If you lost Jackson, Huntley may be worth a look and he also makes for an interesting DFS option in tournaments. D’Ernest Johnson (RB) Cleveland Browns Kareem Hunt went down with an injury last week and with Baker Mayfield also likely out the Browns may look to lean on the rushing attack. Nick Chubb is undoubtedly the workhorse in Clevland, but we could see Johnson get some run too. He has been undeniably good when given opportunities this season and gets to take on the Raiders who are allowing the third-most points to fantasy runners this season. With all the injuries and Covid around the league, Johnson is an interesting flex option. Eno Benjamin (RB) Arizona Cardinals James Conner has yet to practice this week and has undergone an MRI on the ankle he injured at the end of last week’s game. He is in legitimate danger of sitting this one out. Chase Edmonds has a shot to return from injured reserve but isn’t a lock to play and his workload and conditioning are in question. If neither plays Benjamin is a locked and loaded starting option this week against the Lions. If just one of them plays he becomes an interesting flex option for owners scrambling for bodies and points entering the fantasy playoffs. Jordan Howard (RB) Philadelphia Eagles Howard’s production was a shock very few saw coming this season once he joined the Eagles’ backfield. Of course, we all expected Howard to get two carries for one yard and a TD, however, he saw volume and looked like the lead back in Philly before he injured his knee Week 11. He has returned to practice this week and is looking likely to get back on the field. While he is not a safe start this week against the Football Team, if he is active he immediately becomes a flex consideration. Even if Miles Sanders can return from his injured ankle. Howard could see a heavier workload than anticipated and is always a threat to score a TD or two. Craig Reynolds (RB) Detroit Lions With D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, both sidelined last week fantasy owners scrambled to the waiver wire to try to decide whether they wanted to add Jermar Jefferson or Godwin Igwebuike as an emergency flex option. Then like an RKO, Craig Reynolds came out of nowhere and was the lead back for the Lions. He led the team in both carries and running back receptions while falling just one yard short of hitting the century mark for scrimmage yards. Swift is once again looking unlikely for Week 15 and Williams is not a lock to suit up either due to Covid issues. Reynolds could be the RB1 again in Detroit this week. Christian Kirk (WR) Arizona Cardinals DeAndre Hopkins has been shut down for the remainder of the regular season. This will open up targets for A.J. Green, Christian Kirk, and Rondale Moore in the passing attack. Green I believe is the top choice so I wouldn’t consider him a sleeper and Moore I don’t trust to play, so Kirk fits in as a sleeper just right. Coming off an 86-yard performance with a dream matchup against the Lions, we don’t need to over-complicate this. If you lost Hopkins and are looking for a replacement, Kirk has the opportunity and matchup in a high-powered offense. Plug him in. Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR) Cleveland Browns The Browns are ravaged with injuries and plague this week. Due to so many players being out with Covid, DPJ will serve as the WR1 in Cleveland this week. Should the Browns fall behind in this one and be forced to throw, which isn’t unlikely, he could be the focal point of the entire offense. That is more than enough to make him an intriguing sleeper option this week. Double-digit targets aren’t out of the realm of possibilities. Gabriel Davis (WR) Buffalo Bills A popular breakout candidate coming into 2021, Davis is finally starting to play the way we all hoped he would prior to the season. Last week he ran a route on more than 80-percent of Josh Allen’s dropbacks and Emmanuel Sanders is expected to sit out this week with a sprained knee. On the off chance Sanders can suit up, Davis is still in the midst of surpassing him in relevancy. He is a deep threat, a top red-zone target, and now has added opportunity in this offense. I like him so much this week, that like DPJ, he barely even qualifies as a sleeper for me because they both could have been in the “Start Em” article. Adam Trautman (TE) New Orleans Saints When Trautman went
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 14
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 14 Trevor Lawrence (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars This year’s first-overall pick has not lived up to the billing thus far in his rookie season. Poor decision-making, a terrible supporting cast, and questionable coaching have led to a disappointing rookie season. However, we have seen some flashes he should continue to improve as he gains more experience as an NFL quarterback. This week he has a tremendous matchup against the Tennessee Titans who are allowing the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season and are tough against the run. So Lawrence should get a shot to air it out and have success. If you are looking to stream a quarterback this week, Lawrence is most likely one of your best options. As a bonus, if you do scoop him off waivers and he plays well. The next two weeks in your fantasy playoffs he takes on the Texans and the Jets so you could also get some extended value out of him. Tony Jones (RB) New Orleans Saints If you read my article yesterday you may have seen that I listed Mark Ingram as a start this week. Unfortunately, since that article was released Ingram was added to the reserve/Covid list. This opens the door for Jones to potentially take over his role. A role that was earned by Jones this preseason before he suffered a high-ankle sprain early in the season. With Kamara back and Ingram out Ty Montgomery should be relegated to irrelevance and Jones the true RB2. He does come with the risk of low volume if they just feed Kamara. Nonetheless, he could also see an uptick in volume if the team wants to ease Kamara into the lineup coming off his extended absence. Jeremy McNichols (RB) Tennessee Titans With a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Jags this week, the popular pick for top Titans’ rusher seems to be Dontrelle Hilliard. However, many people are overlooking the potential looming return of McNichols who seems to be on track to return from a concussion this week. I believe D’Onta Foreman’s role is secure, but McNichols could slide right into the Hilliard role leaving him on the sidelines for the majority of the game. If this does happen McNichols becomes a sleeper option for all the reasons people like Hilliard so much. I still like Foreman as the top option in Tennessee, but McNichols may surprise people if he immediately takes over Hilliard’s role in the offense. JaMycal Hasty (RB) San Francisco 49ers Hasty is looking like the last man standing in the Niners’ backfield. Elijah Mitchell is in the concussion protocol and underwent an MRI on his knee this week so he’s looking to be on the wrong side of questionable. Trey Sermon has already landed on IR and Jeff Wilson is having knee issues of his own after re-aggravating an injury he had surgery on that already cost him the majority of the season. As always, a clear-cut top back in this offense has a ton of relevancy. If Mitchell is out Hasty is very startable. If Mitchell and Wilson are out he’s a must-start RB2 with high-end RB1 upside this week. He shouldn’t be on waivers in any leagues and odds are he shouldn’t be on your bench either. Laquan Treadwell (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars In an unexpected turn of events in Jacksonville, when Jamal Agnew went down with an injury the passing attack now seems to be running through Treadwell. Over the past two weeks, he has led the team in targets, receptions, and yards, catching eight of his 13 targets for 115 yards and being the team’s leading receiver in both outings. With a matchup this week against Tennessee, Treadwell can be a sneaky good play if you’re desperate for a flex option. As horrifying as it is to start Treadwell playing for the Jags while the playoffs are on the line, he may actually be the right play for your team. It’s been a weird season. Lil’Jordan Humphrey (WR) New Orleans Saints Deonte Harris has been the top fantasy option in the New Orleans WRs corps this year. He has been suspended three games for DUI and leaves an opening for Humphrey to step into that role. Last week he was second in receiving on the team to Harris and snagged a touchdown and the previous week he led the team in receiving and was in a tie leading all receivers in targets. He is in no way a safe option, no one in the Saints passing attack is, but the upside and opportunity should be there. A matchup against the Jets never hurts either. Jalen Guyton (WR) Los Angeles Chargers Guyton is coming off a strong game where he caught four passes for 90 yards and a TD and now has all the opportunity in the world against a mediocre Giants’ defense Week 13. Both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have found themselves on the reserve/Covid list this week leaving the door wide open for Guyton. Even without his top two wideouts, I expect Justin Herbert to torch the Giants and Guyton should be a big part of that. As a defacto WR1 for Herbert, you have to give Guyton flex consideration this week. Ricky Seals-Jones (TE) Washington Football Team The Football Team loves to target their top tight end whoever that may be and with Logan Thomas sent to season-ending IR it looks like RSJ will slide back into that role we saw him have so much success with earlier in the season. The opportunity and talent are there and I expect him to be a TE1 for the remainder of the season. If he is on waivers add him, start him, and don’t look back. Austin Hooper (TE) Cleveland Browns Tight ends have been lighting up the Baltimore Ravens as of late leaving them as the third-worst at slowing down fantasy tight ends. With David Njoku landing on the reserve/Covid
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 12
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 12 Trevor Lawrence (QB) Jacksonville Jaguars The first-overall pick in this year’s drafts has been inconsistent but has shown flashes of what the Jags hope he will become. While he’s not a safe pick, he has an ideal matchup on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons who are allowing the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks at over 20 points per game. Coming off a rough week against the 49ers I expect him to bounce back this week against a much more favorable opponent. Tyrod Taylor (QB) Houston Texans Speaking of favorable opponents, Taylor gets to take on the Jets this week who have claimed their spot in the conversation for the worst team in the league. The overall numbers against quarterbacks this season do not reflect just how terrible they’ve been as of late despite them still being a bottom ten team when it comes to slowing down fantasy quarterbacks. With an ability to run for extra points and an opponent who can’t stop embarrassing themselves, Tyrod is a solid streaming option for Week 12. Tony Jones (RB) New Orleans Saints Alvin Kamara will not play on Thanksgiving night and as of now, Mark Ingram’s status is very much in question due to a sprained knee he suffered just a few days back on Sunday. If Ingram is out Jones is a no-doubt start despite a tough matchup against the Bills. However, if Ingram can suit up we still won’t know how large of a role he will be able to handle. Starting Jones would become infinitely scarier, but there is a chance he still sees a large amount of volume in this game. If Ingram is out, plug in Jones. If Ingram plays he may still give you solid flex numbers. The good news is the game is Thursday so we should have a lot of answers very soon. Dontrelle Hilliard (RB) Tennessee Titans This backfield has been a nightmare to figure out and we don’t yet know if Jeremy McNichols will be back or not this week. We at least got some reprieve with Adrian Peterson being cut from the team so he’s no longer muddling up the backfield. D’Onta Foreman is still the back-to-own for me most weeks, but this week I prefer Hilliard if McNichols sits. Last week playing from behind, we saw Hilliard get seven carries for 35 yards and more importantly he caught eight of his team-leading 10 targets for 47 yards. I expect the Titans to be losing to the Patriots this week and their best hope with injuries to A.J. Brown, Julio Jones, Marcus Johnson, and of course Derrick Henry may be trying to dink and dunk downfield with their running back. Tevin Coleman (RB) New York Jets I’m relying on the Jets’ vast incompetence on this one. Despite Ty Johnson making it overwhelmingly clear he is the better back than Tevin Coleman, would anyone be shocked if we inexplicably saw a whole bunch of Coleman against the Texans? Between the Jets not knowing what they’re doing and the opponent being the Texans, which could lead to a rare positive game script for New York, Coleman could hold some desperation flex value this week. I would expect Johnson to be the better option, but with Michael Carter sidelined there should be plenty of touches to go around in this backfield. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR) Tennessee Titans I’m going with Westbrook here because he may be the last man left standing in this WR corps. Brown has not yet been ruled out, however, reports to this point have not been great. With Jones and Johnson already out, Westbrook-Ikhine will likely serve as the de facto WR1. Last week we saw him catch seven passes for 107 yards. The hope is he can replicate that performance this week. The only fear is the Patriots take him out of the game and that would leave Chester Rogers as the sleeper option. Nevertheless, if I’m rolling the dice on a Titans’ wideout this week I’m going with Westbrook-Ikhine. Laviska Shenault (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars With Jamal Agnew now on season-ending injured reserve, the hope is Shenault can reclaim his job as the offenses X-factor. The role entails him essential being a hybrid running back/wide receiver, getting the ball in space, and seeing a lot more targets both short and long. This is what we expected from him coming into the season until Agnew hijacked the role. Preferably I’d like to scoop Shenault up and stash him this week. However, if you need him for a spot start he might be worth rolling the dice on as he has now gone from a luxury piece to a necessity for the Jags offense. Mack Hollins (WR)Miami Dolphins Hollins is becoming the ultimate boom-or-bust option for Miami. In his last five games in three of them, he has caught a TD, including a 65-yard bomb last week. Unfortunately in those other two games, he gave you zero points. This is the risk you run with this option. DeVante Parker and Will Fuller have once again been ruled out and Hollins is as good an option as any of their receivers to slide into the Parker role and be the WR2 behind Jaylen Waddle. Hollins is a TD or bust option, but he is seeing plenty of looks in the red zone. Juwan Johnson (TE) New Orleans Saints Let’s not complicate this. Adam Trautman is done for at least four weeks and Johnson slides into the starting role for the Saints. If the Saints get down near the red zone, expect Johnson to be a top target. We saw him have a multi-touchdown game early in the season and that continues to be in his range of outcomes. It’s unlikely he gives you a monster game, but three catches for 35 yards and a TD is very possible. Anthony Firkser (TE) Tennessee Titans Firkser is falling into the
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 11
Fantasy Football Sleepers Week 11 Daniel Jones (QB) New York Giants I like Jones this week on Monday Night Football. Although the Bucs had looked like they righted the ship against the pass they struggled mightily early in the season and seemed to revert to old habits last week. The whole team has been in a funk the past few games. Last week we saw Taylor Heinicke put up over 250 yards and touchdown up against them on his way to scoring 29 points without Ricky Seals-Jones for most of the game. There is no reason Jones shouldn’t be able to put up points on the Bucs beat-up secondary. His weapons are getting healthier and his ability to make plays with his legs gives him a nice boost to his fantasy upside. If you need to stream a quarterback this week Jones is one of the best options that no one seems to be talking about. Trevor Siemian (QB) New Orleans Saints I went with Siemian here because options are limited and I couldn’t in good conscience suggest that somebody start Flacco against a red-hot Dolphins defense with Xavien Howard lurking in the defensive backfield. So here we are looking to stream Siemian in Superflex leagues or as a cheap DFS option. He’s coming off a solid week where he threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, and the previous week he went for 249 and two TDs. Those aren’t numbers that will kill you. You can get by with 250 yards and a couple of TDs. I expect him to continue to post similar numbers, but there is one concern. The biggest concern with Siemian is he lost the past two games and he could be pulled for Taysom Hill. That’s the risk you run here. If he does struggle, we have no idea how long his leash is. Wayne Gallman (RB) Atlanta Falcons Cordarrelle Patterson is being listed as a game-time decision for Thursday Night Football. I do not believe he will be able to play after spraining his ankle on Sunday and if they do put him in he will not be effective. Last week we saw Gallman get 15 carries for 55 yards. There is a real chance he gets a good amount of touches in this game. It’s even possible he is the defacto early-down back and Mike Davis slides into a pass-catching role. With that said, those touches did come in garbage time of a blowout with a game looming on Thursday. There is a chance he was simply in mop-up duty and will see a limited role. We won’t know until we see it. The good news is Mike Davis has been atrocious this season and it’s hard to imagine the team giving him 25 touches. There is also a chance the Falcons will have plenty of garbage time again this week. D’Onta Foreman (RB) Tennessee Titans Foreman is the back-to-own in Tennessee. I have no doubt we will look back in a few weeks and he will have taken over this backfield. To the point that I doubt Adrian Peterson finishes the season on the Titans’ roster if Henry comes back. He’s younger, more explosive, and both visibly and statistically better than Peterson on a team that wants to run the ball. I’m starting him this week so if he flops I’m going down with you. Matt Breida (RB) Buffalo Bills This came out of nowhere, but we have all been wondering what happened to Breida. He looked great in San Fran, fell on his face in Miami, and could barely get a job in the NFL. Then last week the Bills put him to use and he scores two touchdowns. Unlike Gallman, this wasn’t in garbage time. His first TD came in the first quarter and he was used throughout the game. He finished with three carries, three catches for 50 total yards, and two TDs. We don’t know if this will continue, but the other backs aren’t any good so you have to consider that he may have earned more touches. Marcus Johnson (WR) Tennessee Titans All year we’ve been trying to figure out who will emerge as the WR2 in Tennessee with Julio Jones forever injured. Now that he’s on the injured reserve we don’t have to worry about his questionable tag all week. Last week Johnson was the guy. He led the team in targets (6), catches (5), and yards (100). I don’t expect him to continue to see more targets than A.J. Brown, but this offense can sustain two fantasy-viable wideouts, especially with Derrick Henry on the shelf. There is a real chance that Johnson can end up being that compliment to Brown. Albert Wilson (WR) Miami Dolphins Wilson has always looked electric on the field but has never put it all together despite flashes of brilliance. Last week, the Dolphins made an effort to get the ball in his hands and he made plays all over the field. His night only got better once Tua entered the game shortly after half-time. Wilson carried the ball twice for 19 yards and caught four of his five targets for 87 yards including an 87-yard catch and run to lead the team in catches and yards. With DeVante Parker and Will Fuller still on IR Wilson could be an explosive weapon for the Dolphins this week. Ray-Ray McCloud (WR) Pittsburgh Steelers With Juju Smith-Schuster and Chase Claypool sidelined McCloud now looks like a top target in Pittsburgh. Mason Rudolph targeted him 12 times last week as he caught nine passes for 63 yards. If Big Ben returns this week it throws a whole other variable in the mix and things could swing towards James Washington, but then again maybe not. McCloud is more of a stash for me this week, nonetheless, he may be useful as a desperation flex and deserves a look in DFS. John Bates (TE) Washington
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 9
Another pesky bye week is on deck for Week 9, which will send fantasy football fans scrambling to the waiver wire to fill out valuable starting roster slots. Here are some unheralded players to consider picking up and starting as fantasy football sleepers in Week 9. Week 9 byes: Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Football Team Taysom Hill (QB) New Orleans Saints The Saints lost Jameis Winston to a torn ACL last week and hope to get Taysom Hill back from a concussion this week. After Winston went down Trevor Siemian led the team to victory against the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Hill does not make it back you can insert Siemian in this spot, but to a lesser degree. New Orleans will take on the Atlanta Falcons this week who are putrid against opposing fantasy quarterbacks. They are currently allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to the position. Hill proved last year he can put up numbers as a passer and brings a clear upside on the ground. Hill is on waivers in almost all leagues and if he’s able to suit up could immediately step in and be a contributor on your fantasy team this week. Tyrod Taylor (QB) Houston Texans Taylor is another quarterback expected to return from injury this week. He will attempt to make his return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Week 2. The Texans take on the Dolphins this week who Taylor has some of his best career numbers against and they’ve been atrocious against fantasy quarterbacks so far this season. This is an extremely risky move starting a low-upside quarterback coming off a serious soft tissue injury that kept him out for almost half a season, however, if options are thin he may be worth that risk. Week 1 Taylor put up 291 passing yards, two touchdowns and added 40 yards on the ground. That’s essentially the only true sample size we have. That was against the Jags. This week he will be taking on Miami who has been even worst against QBs so far this season. Jeremy McNichols (RB) Tennessee Titans Adrian Peterson will be the hot name in Tennessee this week with Derrick Henry out for the rest of the fantasy season or at least the vast majority of it. Nonetheless, this week I prefer McNichols, especially in PPR leagues. AP will eventually soak up most of the early-down work, but not necessarily this week just days after joining the team. I expect McNicholas to push double-digit carries this week while maintaining his pass-catching role. It’s not clear how this backfield plays out without Henry there and Peterson maybe the rest of the season answer. This week I’m going with McNichols though and he may hold an advantage all season in PPR leagues. Rex Burkhead (RB) Houston Texans One week after trading away Mark Ingram the Texans’ backfield was in flux. We weren’t sure if the man was going to be David Johnson or Philip Lindsay. Well, turns out the top fantasy back on the team was Rex Burkhead this week. Almost no one saw that coming. I still believe Johnson is the back-to-own in Houston as Burkhead dominated carries in garbage time, which was essentially the whole second half. Still, I can’t just ignore what we just saw and this trend may continue. That’s why Burkhead is one of my sleepers this week. I’m taking the wait-and-see approach on this backfield, but if you’re running back desperate Burkhead is a guy at least looking into as a potential sleeper option. Darius Slayton (WR) New York Giants Slayton is the last man standing for the Giants. We saw Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney get hurt again this week and Kenny Golladay is still sidelined for now. This leaves Slayton with a massive role in New York despite doing nothing Week 8. Slayton will be overlooked after his goose egg and John Ross will be the talk of the town. I’d prefer to role with Slayton though. He saw just one less target than Ross last week and was a victim of a missed pass and a drop. He was coming off an injury and should only get more healthy and more incorporated into the offense this week. He could be a sneaky good flex option Week 9 and should serve as Daniel Jones’ top option the way things are looking right now. Mohamed Sanu (WR) San Francisco 49ers Sanu finished second in receiving yards behind just Deebo Samuel last week catching three passes for 59 yards. Deebo is currently dealing with a calf injury that could limit him again this week. If Deebo is more limited than expected and if Brandon Aiyuk continues to struggle, Sanu could be the 49ers’ top wideout this Sunday. I have no reason to believe Aiyuk is just back after one mediocre performance. If Sanu can see his three targets go to five or six targets this week you could have a nice sleeper in Sanu. Especially with his ability to catch deep balls and his red-zone potential. Tajae Sharpe (WR) Atlanta Falcons Calvin Ridley is now out indefinitely for mental health reasons and Russel Gage is coming off a game where he saw not one target. Sharpe led the team in both targets and receiving yards. He has quietly put together a solid season at wideout as an injury fill-in and No. 2 or No. 3 receiver. However, he could be the WR1 in Atlanta right now and any WR1 is at least a sleeper to consider. I’m adding Sharpe this week and stashing him on my bench. If you are a more desperate team and need a WR3 or flex option this Sunday, Sharpe is worth consideration. Josiah Deguara (TE) Green Bay Packers Robert Tonyan was finally putting together a second solid game in a row and promptly tore his ACL. Marcedes Lewis is the
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 8
Although the Week 8 bye won’t be near as impactful as last week’s horrendous slate, there are still plenty of fantasy football managers who will be looking to reinforce their rosters this week. Here are some sleepers for fantasy footballers to consider in Week 8 of the 2021 NFL season. Week 8 byes: Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders Teddy Bridgewater (QB) Denver Broncos After a couple of miserable weeks, Bridgewater has been widely cast to waivers in fantasy leagues. If you are streaming quarterbacks this week and he’s on waivers then you may be in luck. This week the Broncos take on the Washington Football Team who are allowing more fantasy points to quarterbacks than any defense in the league and he gets his top receiver Jerry Jeudy back from injury. Make no mistake, I’m not here telling you Bridgewater is good or a long-term option, but everyone looks good against Washington. He’s a one-week fix, but if that’s what you’re looking for grab him and plug him in. Salvon Ahmed (RB) Miami Dolphins Malcolm Brown has been sent to injured reserve so frustrated fantasy owners and Dolphins fans alike can breathe a sigh of relief. Myles Gaskin is assumed to be the man there, however, the team has been erratic with running back usage and has shown they want to get Ahmed involved. Last week with Brown going down early we saw Ahmed get seven carries and two receptions. We’ve also seen him get red-zone work this year. It looks like the team is going to give him his own drives. If he is making plays and looks good he could get more work than expected. If they get down by the goal line while he’s in I wouldn’t expect him to be pulled for another back. While very risky, he could be a nice sleeper who is overwhelmingly likely to be on your waiver wire. Boston Scott (RB) Philadelphia Eagles You will see a trend with the running backs in this article this week. With Miles Sanders almost certainly out for at least this week, Kenneth Gainwell will be the consensus start, but Scott could have a lot of value. Philly does not like rolling with just one back and as much as fantasy owners want Gainwell to be the guy, history tells us Scott could very well be in a full split system with him. Scott had seven carries last week to Gainwell’s five. Hopes are Gainwell will be a bell-cow. Reality tells us that won’t happen. Scott is a sneaky good flex option Week 8 and perhaps a few weeks after. Philly also takes on the Lions this week so when the ideal matchup meets increased opportunity you have a recipe for success. They are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing rushers and we could see a lot of running this week if the Eagles get a nice lead early. Phillip Lindsay (RB) Houston Texans Mark Ingram has been shipped out of town to New Orleans and a whole lot of touches opened up in Houston. The touches will likely be split between David Johnson and Lindsay. I expect Johnson to be the back most owners rush out to get so maybe sneak in there and grab Lindsay. There is a decent chance Lindsay gets a lot of the early-down work. It’s not far-fetched to think Lindsay could slide into the majority of the Ingram work and Johnson keeps his pass-catching role. It could be a situation similar to what the Raiders did. When Josh Jacobs went down Kenyan Drake maintained his role and Peyton Barber slid in as the lead back. Houston made clear all preseason they don’t want to overwork Johnson and want to keep him in the role he currently plays. If this is the case, Lindsay could immediately have a ton of value. Brandon Bolden (RB) New England Patriots Bolden seems to have fully taken over the James White role in New England. Last week we saw him catch six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. He only had two carries for no yards, but those carries were goal-line carries. His pass-catching should give him a nice floor in PPR leagues. As usual, the Pats backfield will be unpredictable and you aren’t going to want to start Bolden week in and week out, however, this week seems like a good matchup. The Chargers’ defense is very tough on wide receivers and the passing attack in general. Plus they score a ton. It’s logical to believe that they will need to dump off to Bolden regardless of the game script due to matchup. I also believe the Chargers will be able to score so the Pats will have to throw to keep up. All this leads me to believe we will see a lot of Bolden Week 8. Dante Pettis (WR) New York Giants A lot depends on who the Giants have out there for Pettis, but he posted another solid fantasy game last week catching five passes for 39 yards and a TD. We don’t know what’s going to happen with Sterling Shepard or John Ross this week and Kadarius Toney will be sidelined. The Giants play on Monday Night Football against the Chiefs. If Shepard is out Pettis deserves flex consideration. Especially against the Chiefs who can’t stop anybody from doing anything they want. The best-case scenario here is for Shepard owners. You can hold Pettis and if Shepard doesn’t play, slide him light into your flex. I love having the option to get a piece of this game which is sure to be full of offense and lack defense. Jamal Agnew (WR) Jacksonville Jaguars Agnew is likely forgotten coming off a bye, but he was playing great heading into the bye and looks like the biggest beneficiary of the D.J. Chark injury. In his last two games, Agnew saw 13 targets. He caught 11 of them for 119 yards and added