Fantasy Football Championships can be won when a late round sleeper exceeds his draft spot. Here are 10 to put on the radar this season.
By Steven Cifuentes
For example, it could be just Round 5 with talent still on the board and he will take the third string rookie running back for the Green Bay Packers and claim the entire backfield is going down this year. From that point on, after each sleeper pick, he will make sure we all know he is taking the brunt of criticism this year.
The only positive of having that guy in the draft is we all know who’s coming in last and supplying the pizza for next years draft.
While it’s easy to draft on autopilot by printing out a Top 200 list at the start of a draft, things can get interesting from Round 10 and beyond.
One scenario from last year’s draft came from my decision in Round 10. I had a choice to take one of my handcuff running backs or New York Giants eventual phenom Odell Beckham Jr.
Let’s just say I went with the handcuff and cried in the first round of the playoffs. ODB broke out to help a lot of owners who took a chance on him, thus putting loads of money in pockets.
While sleepers are a crap shoot sometimes, it is better to take a late chance on a sleeper that will exceed his draft position, then an aging veteran that will be waived by Week 4.
Lets take a look at this years Top 10 Fantasy Football Sleepers:
[mc4wp_form id=”11262″]10. Eric Ebron, TE-Detroit Lions
Eric Ebron came out of North Carolina University in 2014 as a first round draft pick with high expectations. He struggled to adjust to the NFL game and never made an impact in the explosive Detroit Lions offense.
Year two is going to be a different story as Ebron appears ready to take on the third option role for the Lions. While Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate take up the attention of all the top defensive players, Ebron will slide under the radar and make defenses pay for ignoring him.
Ebron is built out of the Rob Gronkowski mold as a 6’5″ 250 pound tight end with soft hands. While other owners use a high pick on the top tight ends, you may be able to take grab a top end wide receiver and wait on a player like Ebron.
Expect him to break out this season and crack the production levels of the top ten tight ends in football.
9. Corey Brown, WR-Carolina Panthers
The fantasy football world felt the shockwaves when the reports came out that second year wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin was carted off the field during the Carolina Panthers practice this week.
Everyone’s worst fears came true when Benjamin was diagnosed with a torn ACL, thus will be out for the entire 2015 season.
In the cruel world that is the NFL all the Panthers can do is look down the bench and say who is the next man up?
Corey “Philly” Brown may have gone undrafted in the 2014 draft, but he is now going to be expected to grow rather quickly. The Panthers will need someone to take over the 145 targets Benjamin amassed last season.
Greg Olsen should see an uptick in targets, but a tight end will not be able to stretch the field like Benjamin did week in and week out.
While you won’t want to put all your sleeper stock in Brown he could be interesting draft and stash to see how the Panthers offense flows at the start of the 2015 season.
8. Tyler Eifert, TE-Cincinnati Bengals
Tyler Eifert came out of the 2013 draft as a first round pick that everyone was hoping would be the next great Notre Dame tight end. Following in the footsteps of Dave Casper and Mark Bavaro a lot is expected of any Norte Dame tight end drafted in the first round.
Eifert had a decent rookie year amassing 445 yards and two touchdowns in 2013 and a lot of experts expected him to take the next step in 2014.
Unfortunately during the opening week of the 2014 season he suffered a dislocated elbow that caused him to miss the entire 2014 season.
The Cincinnati Bengals did not re-sign Jermaine Gresham this season, so the tight end position is all Eifert’s. Early reports out of camp are that he is making the most of his opportunity. Eifert has all the talent to become a top tight end in the NFL.
If healthy expect Eifert to be a Top 5 tight end, by the end of the season, at a bargin basement draft position. At the least he should be a prime Red Zone target and put up solid touchdown numbers.
7. Blake Bortles, QB-Jacksonville Jaguars
I am sure a lot of readers are looking at this slide and are thinking I may have lost my mind. I do not expect Blake Bortles to lead your team to the promised land, but he has the potential to be utilized in two quarterbacks leagues and as a bye week replacement.
By the end of the season you may just be able to confidently plug Bortles in your lineup, if your quarterback is facing a top defense.
Considering where he ended up last season that is a tremendous leap for Bortles in the fantasy world.
In 14 games last season he threw for 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, so any owner that was relying on him to win a week was likely disappointed.
The Jacksonville Jaguars added a red zone machine in tight end Julius Thomas which can only help a young quarterback grow. Thomas is the ultimate check down receiver every quarterback covets.
In those big time keeper leagues taking a late flyer on Bortles may not only help you in 2015, but you could be looking at a 2016 fantasy starting quarterback.
6. Marquees Wilson, WR-Chicago Bears
It took a lot for Marquees Wilson to get on the fantasy radar. First the Chicago Bears traded Brandon Marshall and now fellow wide receiver Kevin White may need season ending shin surgery.
White was expected to be the number three receiver and help take some of the targets left when Marshall left for the New York Jets. Now that front runner for the number three receiver is Wilson.
Wilson is a 6’4” tall receiver that could fill the red zone void left by Marshall. There is nothing better for a quarterback then to see a tall wide receiver to throw the ball up too.
Saturday’s game vs. the Indianapolis Colts will go a long way towards letting up know how good Wilson can be. With Alshon Jeffry out nursing a strained calf, it will be up to Wilson and Eddie Royal to step in and carry the first team offense.
Jay Cutler is just the big armed QB that can find a deep ball threat like Wilson. Track how the Bears offense flows for the rest of the preseason. Wilson may just be that diamond in the rough that takes advantage of a player going down to injury.
5. John Brown, WR-Arizona Cardinals
John Brown started the 2014 season with three touchdowns in his first three games. His ceiling was high and everyone was jumping on the waiver wire bandwagon to grab the rookie receiver.
Unfortunately, for Brown, the season did not progress how he would like as Carson Palmer went down with an injury and the Arizona Cardinals quarterback carousel reared it’s ugly head.
This year Brown has a season under his belt and a healthy Palmer to get him the ball. Brown reminds many as a Percy Harvin type talent who can hurt you with his receiving ability as well as his running ability
Brown has speed for days as well as great hands to catch the tough balls over the middle. Bruce Arians will use Brown like a kid uses a new toy he gets for Christmas.
Make sure to put Brown on your late round draft que, if you let him get to the waiver wire you may not have a chance to grab him once the season gets underway.
4. Charles Sims, RB-Tampa Bay Buccaneers
At the start of the 2015 season the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense may be the place where fantasy statistics go to die.
While that may be a bad thing if you draft Doug Martin to be your bye week running back, it could be good news if you stashed Charles Sims on your bench.
Martin has proven he is a one year wonder and while he is the lead back today, he will not hold onto the job for long. Sims is already set as the passing down back to start the year and will end up taking over when Martin fails again.
Reports recently surfaced that the Buccaneers coaching staff is high on Sims shifty running style and my feeling is he will eventually be given the chance to take over the number one running back position.
Take a late flier on Sims and you will not have to battle for him later in the year. He will likely be a decent injury replacement or bye week running back by Week 5.
3. Duke Johnson, RB-Cleveland Browns
Duke Johnson has gone under everyones radar, this preseason, due to the fact he suffered an injured hamstring and has missed the first two weeks of the preseason.
Don’t be that owner that dismisses Johnson on draft day and regret it in the end. Johnson returned to practice this week and if he makes an impression over the next two games look out.
The Cleveland Browns current stable of running backs have done nothing this preseason and have left the door wide open for Johnson to run through.
Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell have combined for a meter 72 yards on 25 carries. Not exactly the type of production coach Mike Pettine is looking for.
Johnson proved he is the real deal while at the University of Miami. While the NFL is a big step for any rooking running back, this rookie is going to be a solid flex play all season.
2. Martavis Bryant, WR-Pittsburgh Steelers
Martavis Bryant made the most of his opportunities in 2014. While he only made 26 receptions last season, eight of them went for touchdowns.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone from ground and pound football to a relentless air attack led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Bryant is currently the number three wide receiver on the depth chart, but with there will be plenty of targets to go around. With teams keying on Brown and Le’Veon Bell, Bryant will find a way to up his touchdown total from last season.
While not an every week wide receiver, to start the season, Bryant will be ready for an every week role soon enough.
You could do a lot worse in your flex spot, especially on bye weeks, then a guy with the potential to get in the end zone every week. Expect an increase in yards and receptions this season and double digit touchdown potential.
1. Johnny Manziel, QB-Cleveland Browns
The only quarterback standing in the way of Johnny Manziel becoming a starting quarterback is Josh McCown. There is no way McCown will hold off Manziel for long. This is the year Manziel will take over the Browns offense.
Manziel has done all the right things this offseason and it is paying off on the field. He has shown signs of being the player he was hyped to be out of college all preseason long.
The Cleveland Browns need a spark on offense and “Money Man” Manziel is just the man to provide it. When he takes over the Browns job he will provide consistent fantasy points.
With the points he will put up with his ability to run a bonus you could do worse then relying on Manziel once he takes over the Browns #1 quarterback position.
While Manziel has retired the “Money Symbol” to celebrate on the field, you may just be cashing some checks if you take a late flyer on him. Worst case your keeper for 2016 will be set in stone, do not hesitate to jump on Manziel if he falls in your dynasty draft, you will thank me in the end.
If you draft all ten of these players on your team I can guarantee last place will not be out of the question. But if you pick the right one or two on this list your roster depth could lead you to a championship finish.
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