By John Stoeter
It’s that time of year again where fantasy nerds like me and you scour the internet for all sorts of fantasy advice and updates. And before I get into any details, let me just explain what the fantasy world means by the term sleepers. A “sleeper” is not necessarily a player that you’ve never heard of before. A “sleeper” would be a player who is not on many people’s radars as a huge fantasy contributor. With that being said, let’s start with the sleepers of this upcoming 2014 fantasy season.
Sleepers
- Andre Williams/RB/NYG
College football fans know and remember Andre Williams as the FBS Division 1-A top leading rusher of 2013. He is currently slotted as the No. 2 RB on most depth charts, but don’t be surprised if the rookie grabs the top spot around mid-season. Rashad Jennings is the current starting RB but he has never had a full season starting in the NFL. Jennings could finally flourish as the No. 1 back but with multiple games starting under his belt, I believe we’ve seen his ceiling. Williams will receive a fair amount of touches throughout the season and, in my opinion, impress enough to steal the starting job from Jennings. Jennings will have a good season in most PPR leagues as he is good at receiving out of the backfield, but look for Williams to receive more touches for New York this season.
- Toby Gerhart/RB/JAC
After being stuck behind Adrian Peterson all of his career, Gerhart finally gets the chance to start for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the limited time Gerhart has had rushing the ball, he has been very effective. He only had 36 attempts in 2013 but he averaged 7.9 yards with those attempts. Whether the starting quarterback is Chad Henne or Blake Bortles, Gerhart will receive a healthy amount of touches this season. His yards per game will take a hit due to a lower-level passing game, but his attempts will go up resulting in some major fantasy points. With Jacksonville struggling offensively, look for Gerhart to be the heart of this offense and get a plethora of touches in 2014.
- Jonathan Stewart/RB/CAR
Stewart has been injury-prone the past couple seasons, hurting his draft stock in 2014. However, he scored two TDs against the Chiefs in his last preseason game, and DeAngelo Williams hasn’t rushed for more than 1,000 yards in any of his past four seasons. If Stewart can manage to stay healthy, don’t be surprised if he starts to receive more touches than Williams. With fresher legs under him, Stewart can find himself stealing snaps from Williams and Tolbert. I wouldn’t suggest drafting him high but definitely have your eyes on him, especially if you’re in a deeper league like I am.
- LeGarrette Blount/RB/PIT
Disregarding his latest arrest, Blount could be a huge fantasy star this season. Blount and starting RB Le’Veon Bell were both charged with marijuana possession Wednesday. However, Bell also received a DUI to go along with his charge, which could mean suspension time. Blount hasn’t had the cleanest history slate either, so he could be looking at some suspension time as well. Blount had more carries than Bell in the previous preseason game, and both are in line to receive their fair share of touches on the season. If Blount starts to outperform Bell, Tomlin won’t be afraid to give him more touches. Also worth mentioning is that Blount is an excellent third down and goal line back. Blount could be in line for a big fantasy season, so make sure to keep an eye on him.
- Kelvin Benjamin/WR/CAR
It’s not often that a rookie receiver steps into a playoff team as the number one wideout but it appears that’s exactly what Benjamin is for the Carolina Panthers. With Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell and Ted Ginn gone, Benjamin represents the most potential for the Panthers receiving core. At 6’5″ he’ll be a big body that Cam Newton can trust, especially on third downs and in goal line situations.
- Kendall Wright/WR/TEN
Unless you’re a Titans fan or you’re in a PPR league, you might not know who Kendall Wright is. Because Wright flew kind of under the radar last season, I thought I would mention him here. He caught 94 passes with 1,079 receiving yards last season. He only had two TDs, but he led the team in targets at 140. With Jake Locker back and healthy, look for a similar season from Wright but with more TDs. Wright will be a huge part of the Titans offense, and he’s a must-have in a PPR league. A lot of people may have already known this, but for those who didn’t (because, well, it’s the Titans) I thought it would be worth a mention.
- Terrence Williams/WR/DAL
With Miles Austin gone, look for Williams to have a breakout season as the number two wideout for the Dallas Cowboys. In his rookie season last year, Williams had 44 receptions for 736 yards with 5 touchdowns. Look for Williams to put up even more impressive numbers in his sophomore season.
- Kenny Britt/WR/STL
Kenny Britt posted up stats last year that would’ve been great for one game but terrible for a season. Britt had a forgettable 2013 season in which he recorded only 11 receptions for 96 yards with no TDs. Look for a much better season from Britt as he reunites with his former head coach, Jeff Fisher. With Tavon Austin stretching the sidelines both vertically and horizontally, look for Britt to be a huge addition to this St. Louis Rams offense. He could become Sam Bradford’s favorite and most reliable target.
- Doug Baldwin/WR/SEA
With Golden Tate gone and an injury-prone receiving core, look for Baldwin to be the one consistent piece Russell Wilson throws to. Although Percy Harvin will be the number one WR in Seattle, he has only played in ten regular season games the past two seasons. With Doug Baldwin already in sync with QB Russell Wilson, look for him to be a favorite target, especially if there happen to be any injuries in the Seattle receiving corps. Baldwin posted 50 receptions for 778 yards with 5 TDs last season. Baldwin should have similar numbers to these in 2014, if not better.
- Emmanuel Sanders/WR/DEN
Is Eric Decker really as good as his stat line shows last year? No. Not at all, not even close. And that’s not a knock on Decker, but more of compliment of Peyton Manning. Look for Emmanuel Sanders to put up a slightly less impressive version of Eric Decker’s 2013. Sanders will probably have less receptions, yardage, and TDs, but he will still have a quality fantasy season. Peyton Manning spreads the ball like none other, and although I don’t see Manning having the season he had last year, he’s still Peyton Manning. And believe me when I say that Sanders will get his share of wealth. Keep your eye on Sanders as you slide down your list of receivers during your draft. He won’t disappoint.
- Ladarius Green/TE/SD
With Antonio Gates aging, look for Ladarius Green to become Phillip Rivers’ guy out in San Diego. Green fits the mold of the new age TE like Gronkowski or Graham. Green is 6’6″ with a monstrous wingspan. He is an immediate threat for the Chargers offense and even if he doesn’t start week one, he will definitely be a huge goal line target. More than likely, Green’s youth and explosiveness will lead him into the number one role at TE.
John Stoeter is a creator of Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @Stoeter850.
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