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Sleepers
Jake Locker QB Titans
Locker followed up an impressive preseason with a 99.4 passer rating, 8.2 YPA, 4:0 TD-to-INT ratio and dazzling rushing ability in three second-half relief appearances. Now that his talent edge has won out over Matt Hasselbeck, the Titans have the young offensive playmakers to scorch opposing defenses this season.
Russell Wilson QB Seahawks
The third-rounder rookie is now in the driver’s seat for the starting job after scorching second- and third-team defenses to the tune of 22-of-33 completions for 279 yards, three touchdowns and 92 rushing yards through two preseason games. The Seahawks believe Wilson may already be their most dynamic offensive playmaker.
Christian Ponder QB Vikings
Much like Locker and Wilson, Ponder owes a good portion of his sleeper status to rushing value. Perhaps the NFL’s most underrated athlete at the position, Ponder is still quick to the leave pocket after clearing 200 rushing yards in 10 starts a year ago. With Kyle Rudolph and Jerome Simpson emerging as playmakers alongside Percy Harvin, Ponder has upgraded weaponry to go with an improved offensive line.
Jacquizz Rodgers RB Falcons
When the Falcons coaches review preseason game film, they’re going to find that a slow-footed Michael Turner is ill-suited to Dirk Koetter’s fast-paced offense. Enter Rodgers, a passing-game dynamo with three-down ability. With a role that should continue to grow over the course of the season, Rodgers should be on the draft list of all PPR-leaguers.
Cedric Benson RB Packers
A seemingly washed-up perennial 1,000-yard back re-energized on a playoff contender? We’ve seen this act before with Corey Dillon in 2004 and Stephen Davis in 2003 to fantastic fantasy results. If Benson can retain early-down and goal-line snaps in Green Bay’s high-scoring offense, there’s potential for strong RB2 numbers this season.
Kendall Hunter RB 49ers
One of Rotoworld’s favorite strategies is filling out fantasy benches with talented young second-string tailbacks behind declining, injury-prone starters. Coming off a better than expected rookie season and a strong training camp, Hunter fits that strategy to a tee. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he outscores Frank Gore this season.
Bernard Scott RB Bengals
Scott never seriously challenged Cedric Benson for carries, but he’s expected to be utilized in a committee attack with newly signed BenJarvus Green-Ellis. It won’t take long for the coaching staff to realize Scott offers far more explosiveness as a runner as well as a receiver. By mid-season, Scott should have the reins as the lead back.
Ronnie Brown RB Chargers
Forget this silly talk of Le’Ron McClain and Curtis Brinkley turning the Chargers’ backfield into a three-headed monster while Ryan Mathews (clavicle) is sidelined. Brown is the lead dog, dominating first-team snaps and touches with Philip Rivers’ unit through two preseason games. If you’re find with draft volume backs, Brown remains a sensible handcuff for Mathews owners. He’s a safe bet for 3-5 catches and 12+ carries per for as long as Mathews sits out.
Jonathan Dwyer RB Steelers
The latest estimate is that Rashard Mendenhall (knee) will not return before Week 5. It’s been assumed that Isaac Redman would take over as the three-down workhorse, but he’s now dealing with hip and groin injuries. A fringe talent, Redman can’t afford to lose what little explosiveness he had. Keep an eye on Dwyer for a heavier than expected early-season workload.
Randall Cobb WR Packers
Sharing Percy Harvin’s skill-set, Cobb is the ideal Dynasty league buy because his value is only going to increase throughout the season. The Packers’ stacked depth chart depresses his value in redraft leagues, but there’s plenty of breakout potential if injuries strike Donald Driver or James Jones.
Jerome Simpson WR Vikings
Route-running issues and the addition of A.J. Green as the No. 1 target kept Simpson from breaking out in Cincinnati last season, but his freakish athleticism has the Vikings believing he could ascend to the next level in Minnesota. With Percy Harvin and Kyle Rudolph drawing defensive attention down the seam, Simpson will have plenty of room to work outside the numbers. Stash him as a WR5 until he returns from suspension in early October.
Greg Little WR Browns
Little can be forgiven the rookie-season rustiness that led to 14 drops considering he hadn’t played football in nearly two years. With strong-armed Brandon Weeden likely to take over at quarterback, Little has the run-after-catch skills to break out as a sophomore.
Roberto Wallace WR Dolphins
Somebody has to catch the ball in Miami. Davone Bess is easily the top Dolphins receiver, but Wallace could be next on the totem pole after entering the starting lineup upon Chad Johnson’s dismissal. A classic size/speed project, Wallace is worth a flier in deeper leagues.
Kyle Rudolph TE Vikings
A size/speed athlete on par Rob Gronkowski, Rudolph was training camp MVP while earning Christian Ponder’s trust with an eye-opening catch radius. Only Percy Harvin is a better bet for targets in a Vikings offense that has more fantasy potential than commonly believed. There’s not a better breakout candidate at the position.
Dwayne Allen TE Colts
Second-round teammate Coby Fleener is garnering all of the fantasy hype, but Allen has been the most impressive Colts tight end since training camp opened. A better blocker than Fleener and a more dynamic athlete than originally billed, Allen’s name shouldn’t be forgotten in deeper leagues.
Rob Housler TE Cardinals
A seam-stretcher who ran the fastest forty time among tight ends at the 2011 Combine, Housler began working in with the first-team offense in training camp. Coach Ken Whisenhunt reportedly “loves” Housler’s talent; there’s reason to believe he could challenge for the second-best receiving numbers in this offense.
Martellus Bennett TE Giants
Arriving overweight to offseason practices took some of the steam out of Bennett’s sleeper sails. Keep in mind, though, that Eli Manning made plodding block-first tight ends Kevin Boss and Jake Ballard relevant in fantasy circles over the past few years.
Jordan Cameron TE Browns
The most improved player on the Browns roster, Jordan is a hyper-athletic former college basketball player finally showing development as a blocker. Increasingly concussion prone and due nearly $3 million this season, starter Ben Watson could be a surprise roster cut, leaving Cameron as the primary tight end.
Undervalued
Michael Vick QB Eagles
Vick was in the discussion for the No. 1 overall fantasy pick at this time a year ago. Nothing has changed this year except the offensive line has solidified and both starting receivers are poised for bounce-back seasons. As evidenced by the trophies he almost single-handedly put on the mantle two years ago, Vick still has the highest ceiling in fantasy.
Matt Ryan QB Falcons
The Falcons finally submitted to the no-huddle offense in the second half of the season, leading to Ryan’s average of 298 yards with an 20:4 TD-to-INT ratio after the bye week. New coordinator Dirk Koetter plans to skew the offense even more toward the pass, taking advantage of Ryan’s prowess out of the no-huddle. Ryan firmly belongs at the front fifth- and sixth-round tier with the Manning Brothers and Tony Romo.
Andrew Luck QB Colts
Through two preseason starts, Luck has moved his offense with the best of the league’s quarterbacks, producing 38 points in 11 offensive possessions. The Colts have arguably the NFL’s most porous defense, suggesting Luck will follow Cam Newton’s rookie-year blueprint for shootouts. Out of all of the consensus QB2s, Luck is the one with the best chance of keeping up with the top-six fantasy quarterbacks.
Ryan Mathews RB Chargers
Despite missing two games and sharing playing time with Mike Tolbert, Mathews finished as the No. 7 fantasy back in his second season. Although fumbling and minor injuries remain a slight concern, Mathews forced 30 missed tackles, averaged a stout 3.2 yards after contact, and topped 5.1 YPC in over half of his games. With Tolbert out of the picture, Mathews will join the ranks of the NFL’s elite fantasy backs. The preseason clavicle injury has dropped Mathews’ ADP to the late-second round. If you feel confident about picking up a plug ‘n’ play back for Weeks 1 and 2 later in the draft, Mathews is well worth the second-round price tag for early first-round production.
Doug Martin RB Buccaneers
Upon signing the first-rounder, the Bucs announced that coach Greg Schiano will emphasize the running game and lean on Martin “heavily.” Numerous team and league observers expect Martin to unseat the fundamentals-challenged LeGarrette Blount as the starter. At the very least, Martin will dominate passing-down snaps and rotate in on early downs. Outside of Trent Richardson, Martin should make the biggest fantasy impact of any rookie.
Kevin Smith RB Lions
An intriguing fantasy wildcard with Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure unavailable for the early part of the season, Smith played as well as he ever has after signing in Week 10 last season. Versatile enough to play all three downs as long as his body holds up, Smith is draftable as a low-end RB2.
Peyton Hillis RB Chiefs
Hillis lined up with the starters and rotated first-team snaps with Jamaal Charles in the Chiefs’ second preseason game. Once the offense hit the red zone, Hillis took over as the feature back. Reunited with former Browns coach Romeo Crennel and coordinator Brian Daboll, Hillis is the favorite to lead this backfield in snaps while adding double-digit touchdown potential.
Mark Ingram RB Saints
Ingram is still flying under the radar because his preseason numbers aren’t flashy, but it’s important to note that he’s gaining yards after contact once again. The favorite to lead the Saints backfield in carries, Ingram offers RB2 production at the cost of a flex pick.
Percy Harvin WR Vikings
From late November on, Harvin was utilized as a double-threat on the ground and through the air, turning back the clock to his Gator days as the most explosive player on the field. Harvin averaged 103.3 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 11.3 touches per game from Weeks 10-17 while easily establishing career-highs in receptions (87), receiving yards (967), and rushing yards (345). With that workload, he’s essentially slump-proof in fantasy terms.
Steve Smith WR Panthers
Months after finishing tied for fifth in fantasy points, Smith is going off draft boards behind 14 other receivers. Still terrorizing defenses at age 33, the game-breaker should actually improve on last year’s numbers as Cam Newton polishes his passing skills. If Smith can get back to double-digit touchdowns, he could give Calvin Johnson a run for the No. 1 spot.
Brandon Lloyd WR Patriots
Lloyd finished 25th in fantasy points, getting open at will, despite catching passes from A.J. Feeley and Kellen Clemens for half the season. The star of offseason practices, Lloyd has made a seamless transition in former coordinator’s offense, establishing a rapport with Tom Brady. Lloyd should be a lock for double-digit scores as the outside threat Brady has craved since losing Randy Moss.
Jeremy Maclin WR Eagles
Maclin’s year-three numbers would have been more impressive if not for Week 1 rustiness due to a mysterious illness followed by second-half hamstring and shoulder injuries that caused him to miss three games and parts of two others. The consensus breakout candidate among Eagles coaches and beat writers, Maclin was on pace for 88 receptions and over 1,200 yards at mid-season a year ago.
Eric Decker WR Broncos
Decker ran more routes and caught more passes from Peyton Manning than any Denver receiver this offseason, quickly earning the veteran’s trust. Decker is a good route runner and an underrated athlete with size and special ball skills. Anointed by Kyle Orton as the “ideal” slot receiver last year, Decker is more talented than Manning’s former slot machines, Austin Collie and Brandon Stokley.
Torrey Smith WR Ravens
With little more in his repertoire than the “go” route, Smith posted an impressive 50/841/7 line despite playing through an injury that eventually required a double sports hernia operation. Possessing rare separation skills, Smith should bypass Anquan Boldin as the Ravens’ No. 1 receiver with a full offseason to refine his route tree.
Santana Moss WR Redskins
Moss arrived at offseason practices “possessed” and in outstanding shape after a fractured hand ruined his 2011 season. Just a year removed from a 93-catch, top-20 fantasy season, Moss has been forgotten in spring fantasy drafts while owners swarm toward trendy breakout candidate Pierre Garcon. A poor man’s Steve Smith, Moss could be in for a similar late-career renaissance with Robert Griffin III under center.
Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Raiders
Quietly authoring a third-year breakout campaign, Heyward-Bey led the team in receptions and yards while nearly reaching the 1,000-yard mark. Despite showing improved hands and dangerous run-after-catch ability as a top-ten fantasy receiver over the final five games, Denarius Moore has a higher ADP in this year’s drafts.
Fred Davis TE Redskins
This is the player everyone believes Jason Witten still is. The Redskins’ only consistent offensive playmaker a year ago, Davis’ 66.3 yards per game were behind only Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham among tight ends.
Greg Olsen TE Panthers
Although Olsen showed flashes of TE1 value in his first season with the Panthers, his numbers were held in check by the presence of co-starter Jeremy Shockey. Now that Shockey is out of the picture, Olsen could see an increase of 15-20 receptions, 200 yards, and a touchdown or three as Cam Newton’s second option in the aerial attack.