Predicting fantasy football sleepers
Every year, there are fantasy football managers that are looking for the ‘hidden gem’ or the guy no one is talking about to snag in the final rounds. It can ultimately be the difference between having multiple starting options or just having a couple. Either way, sleepers can help you dominate your league. Let’s breakdown some of the sleepers I like for the upcoming season.
Wide Receiver DeVante Parker of the Miami Dolphins has had an injury-plagued, underwhelming career thus far. The former 2015 first round pick’s fortunes may be turning a different corner however, with a new quarterback in Jay Cutler. Yes, that Jay Cutler and yes, he will really help Parker’s development. Ryan Tannehill is a quarterback that relies heavily on the middle of the field. He relied a ton on slot specialist Jarvis Landry and tight ends they plugged in. However, Jay Cutler is opposite. If you look at Cutler’s career, he has always had a big target on the outside (i.e. Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey) and has always had his best success throwing to big receivers on the outside and that receiver on the Dolphins is Parker, who has all the big-time potential you love to see in a pass-catcher. He just has yet to put it all together and stay healthy.
Running back D’Onta Foreman from the Houston Texans is an interesting prospect to say the least. Foreman is entering his rookie season as an NFL running back and sits behind bell cow Lamar Miller. You may ask why is Foreman here if Miller is a heavy usage guy? Easy: Miller’s yards-per-carry average has been less than stellar in his career. He tends to be a guy that can get you 100 yards but will take 20+ carries to do it. The word out of Texans camp is Foreman has been really turning heads. Coming off an impressive campaign at the University of Texas that featured him surpassing the 2,000-yard mark, don’t be surprised if Foreman ultimately starts to split carries with Miller and maybe even surpass him on the depth chart.
Wide Receiver Rishard Matthews of the Tennessee Titans is primed for a breakout year. Currently ranked as the 49th receiver to come off draft boards, I believe Matthews will easily outperform his ranking. Entering his second year with Marcus Mariota in the Titans system, Matthews should be extremely comfortable with the offense. There is also a good chance he leads the team in targets, receptions and touchdowns after nearly doing so in his first year with the team. Even with first round pick Corey Davis and free agent signee Eric Decker aboard, do not look for that to take much production away from Matthews as the chemistry himself and Mariota has built is special.
Good luck to all fantasy football managers in 2017 and keep a close look out for those sleepers as it could be the difference between ending the season in first or last.