There is only one good thing in August, and for all you idiots who said preseason football please have a seat and don't speak again, it's time to put on your GM cap, grill some burgers, drink some brews, and draft the next Super Bowl winning team, at least that's what you think during your fantasy draft...
But, by reading this you will be a step ahead of your boys (and girls), don't worry I am not Donald Trump.
And, if you are in one of my leagues, I suggest you go up to the top right of your screen and click the f*** outta here!!
Now before we check out the "Top 10" sleepers of 2015 let me preach real quick on what to do in the first couple of rounds. Now fantasy football used to be about drafting the right running back early, that's not the case anymore. The NFL is a passing league now and most teams roll with a two running back system, so if you get a chance to draft Andrew Luck in Round 1, DRAFT HIM!
And I tell you what, two can't miss guys this year are Odell Beckham Jr. and Adrian Peterson. Luckily for AP, and not his son, he sat out all of last year so he will be as fresh as ever heading into 2015, I think he has a realistic chance at rushing for 2,000 yards this season. And, do I really need to talk about Odell Beckham Jr.? He pretty much saved everybody's ass who took down a fantasy football championship last year and if he stays healthy this season he will lead the National Football League in receiving in 2015.
And, one more thing, don't be that guy that drafts a kicker in Round 6, don't draft a kicker until the last round of draft!
Alright drum roll please!!!! Let the madness begin with No. 10.
10. Josh Hill - TE New Orleans Saints
With Jimmy Graham out of town the new tight end to get familiar with in New Orleans is Josh Hill. The 6'5" 250-pounder showed he is a nice redzone target last season when he hauled in five touchdown passes on only 20 targets. Expect those numbers to increase dramatically in 2015 and it never hurts when one of the most accurate passers in the game is the one slingin' the rock for the Saints. Drew Brees might be 36 years old, but he's still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and over the years of watching the former Purdue Boilermaker, he sure loves his tight ends, and expect a breakout campaign for Josh Hill in 2015.
9. Roy Helu Jr. - RB Oakland Raiders
I know a lot of people are expecting big things from Latavius Murray, but keep an eye out for Roy Helu Jr. During his four year career with the Washington Redskins he was one of the most reliable backup running backs in the NFL. Not counting his second season when he only played in three games because of injury, he averaged nearly 750 total yards a season and had 10 touchdowns. Expect those numbers to go up a ton in Oakland because he doesn't have to worry about Alfred Morris taking away most of his touches. Helu Jr. has proven to be one of the best receivers out of the backfield so if you are in a PPR league then it's an even sexier pick for you, expect big things for Helu Jr. in Oakland in 2015.
8. Reggie Bush - RB San Francisco 49ers
Sticking with backup running backs in the Bay Area I think Reggie Bush is due for a breakout season in 2015. A lot of people are hyping up Carlos Hyde but I think Bush is getting overlooked a ton. Bush has proven he can be a good running back in the NFL, Hyde hasn't. But, the biggest concern with Bush is durability. He has only played in all 16 games twice during his nine-year career. Last year, Bush made plenty of fantasy owners upset, he only played in 11-games and barley had 500 total yards, which will make him slip in drafts this year for sure. I expect to see the Bush from 2011-13 when he averaged over 1,000 yards rushing per season and had 132 receptions for nearly 1,100 yards during that span. I don't know how much this will factor in for year one in San Fran.. I mean Santa Clara, but Bush has had his best years in his first season with a new team. In 2011 in his first season in Miami he rushed for a career high 1,086 yards and six touchdowns and in his first season with Detroit in 2013 he rushed for 1,006 yards and four touchdowns to go with 54 receptions for 506 yards and three scores. The only two seasons Bush has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in a season were the two times he had a fresh start, so who knows he might make it three-for-three with the San Francisco 49ers.
7. Eli Manning - QB New York Giants
I could already sense the quarterbacks getting sensitive without being mentioned yet so don't trip Eli, I got you bruh. Now I know a lot of you are thinking, wait, Eli Manning isn't a sleeper, but he is. I mean were any of you thinking about drafting him in the first five rounds?? Hell no. Were any of thinking of drafting Eli Manning as your starting quarterback? Probably not. So boom. He's a sleeper. And, boy I think the youngest Manning is going to have a big-time year throwing the rock to Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. I tell you what if you can't get an Aaron Rodgers or Andrew Luck type of quarterback early, sit back and relax, and take Eli Manning in Round 7. Since 2009 Manning has thrown for at least 3,800 yards in every season and he has thrown at least 26 touchdown passes in five of the last six seasons. Eli Manning and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo are clicking on all cylinders, after a rough first season in 2013, Eli arguably had his best season as a pro in 2014, so expect big things in year number three with McAdoo calling the shots.
6. Kevin White - WR Chicago Bears
Now if you aren't familiar with Kevin White, boy you are missing out. This dude is an absolute stud on the football field. The 6'3" 215-pound rookie from West Virginia was taken seventh overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and he's the reason why they were willing to get Brandon Marshall out of town. Mr. White was an absolute playmaker at West Virginia, last year he had 109 grabs for 1,447 yards and 10 touchdowns. I see Kevin White having the same type of rookie season Mike Evans had with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year. White is one of the most athletic players in the entire NFL, he's a monster and runs a sub 4.4 40, and he has monster hands so expect a lot of redzone targets heading the rookie's direction in 2015. You can say what you want about Jay Cutler, but the guy has one of the best arms in the NFL, and with Alshon Jeffrey expected to see a lot of double teams, Kevin White will have his chance to shine in a lot of single coverage opportunities.
5. Melvin Gordon - RB San Diego Chargers
It's been five years since the San Diego Chargers had a franchise type of running back and they might have one in Melvin Gordon. And, if Gordon can come close to achieving what LT did in the 619 then Chargers fans, and more importantly, fantasy football owners will be ecstatic. I know what guys did in college doesn't always tell the truth on what they can accomplish on Sundays but boy Gordon was one of the best college running backs ever. During his senior season he rushed for 2,587 yards and if it wasn't for some guy named Barry Sanders he would own the single-season rushing record but he fell short of Sanders' record by 41 yards. During Gordon's four-year career at Wisconsin he averaged 7.8 yards a carry, which is the best all-time among all college running backs. The one position that the Chargers have been lacking is at running back, but Melvin Gordon will be the answer to that, expect a big-time season for the rookie and I'll do you one better, the former Wisconsin star will be named "Offensive Rookie of the Year" in 2015.
4. Amari Cooper - WR Oakland Raiders
Sticking with rookies and boy the Oakland Raiders have a special one in Amari Cooper. The Raiders had a nice stretch of bad draft pick after another, but things changed quick during the 2014 NFL Draft when they selected Khalil Mack and Derek Carr with their first two selections. This time around they made sure to add some toys for Carr to drive in Amari Cooper and Clive Walford. But, getting back to Cooper, and this kid is going to be special. A lot of people were excited when Julio Jones came out of Alabama, and the same can be said for Amari Cooper. During his junior season last year he had 124 grabs for 1,727 yards to go with 16 touchdowns. Expect him and Derek Carr to make a nice connection right away and I know I said Melvin Gordon will win offensive rookie of the year, but if Gordon doesn't it will be because of some guy named Amari Cooper.
3. Alfred Blue - RB Houston Texans
The main reason why Alfred Blue cracks the list so high is because of the injury woes of Arian Foster. The six year pro has only played in 16 games twice during his career and hasn't done so since 2012. With his current groin injury there is no set timetable on how long it will be, but most recent news suggest he may only be sidelined 4-6 weeks, but I wouldn't be shocked if he's out up to eight weeks. That will give Alfred Blue a chance to see the majority of carries early on for Houston and even if Foster comes back sooner than expected the Texans won't rush him back with a serious workload. During his rookie campaign last season the former sixth round pick out of LSU rushed for 528 yards and two touchdowns and also had 15 receptions for 113 yards and another score. Blue will have a heavier workload heading into 2015 and the former SEC star will have a chance to shine in year number two.
2. Joique Bell - RB Detroit Lions
With the departure of Reggie Bush the ball is in Joique Bell's hands to take over as the lead cat in Detroit. I know the Lions are high on their second round pick out of Nebraska, Ameer Abdullah, but that might be a blessing in disguise if you want to draft Bell late in your fantasy draft. Abdullah was one of the top running backs in the 2015 draft class, he rushed for 1,600-plus yards in back-to-back years during his junior and senior seasons, and he will threaten Bell for some of his carries this year. And, even if Abdullah cuts into Bell's workload he will still be the primary back in goaline situations. Bell is pretty close to being back to 100% after having minor surgery on his knee and Achilles in the offseason but you shouldn't worry about his durability, he has played in 47 of 48 games during his first three seasons with the Detroit Lions. Last year he rushed for 860 yards and seven touchdowns and had 34 receptions for 322 yards and one more score. If you are in PPR leagues than Bell is an even better selection, over his first three years he's averaging 46.3 receptions and 451.3 yards per season. As Bell enters his fourth season with Detroit expect big things from the 5'11" 230-pound back from Wayne State University.
1. Jarvis Landry - WR Miami Dolphins
Jarvis Landry quietly had a really good rookie campaign with the Miami Dolphins last year. He hauled in a team high 84 grabs and his 758 receiving yards and five touchdowns were second most last season for Miami. With the departure of Mike Wallace, Landry will be the lead dog next year even with the selectinon of DeVante Parker in round one of the 2015 NFL Draft. Parker will no doubt be the franchise receiver for Miami down the road but it will take some time, so expect Tannehill to look Landry's direction a lot next year, especially early in the season. Landry was targeted 111 times last year and that number should increase with Wallace in Minnesota now. Landry is even more of a bonus if you are in a league that counts kickoff and punt return yards along with touchdowns because he is expected to be the favorite for both duties in 2015. Now a lot of people might want to stay away from Dolphin wide receivers because of Ryan Tannehill, but the former first round pick out of Texas A&M proved he can sling the rock last year, he threw for 4,000 plus yards and 27 touchdowns in his best season so far as a pro. Landry's former college teammate at LSU, Odell Beckham Jr., stole the fantasy spotlight last year, and I am not saying Landry will put up those kind of numbers this year, but he might be the steal of your fantasy draft in the upcoming weeks.
No comments:
Post a Comment