Every week during fantasy football season, we’ll give you a lineup full of sleepers to help you fill the gaps in your own starting crew.
A brief caution: These picks are NOT intended to replace the actual starters you drafted. But if you’re weak somewhere, or battling injuries, this is a lineup full of high-upside plays that should be available in plenty of competitive fantasy leagues.
QUARTERBACK
Marcus Mariota, TEN: He might be sitting on your bench, a backup you’ve all but forgotten about. He might still be sitting on your league’s free agency list, as other owners see better options than a young QB who’s had one good game all year. But this week, my friends, is the time to start Mariota. The Titans face the Cleveland Browns, after all, and if that weren’t enough… actually, you know what? That is enough. Mariota got back on track last week. He gets the Browns this week. Plug and play, guys.
RUNNING BACK
Devontae Booker, DEN: Every week, Booker eats up a little more of C.J. Anderson’s playing time, and it’s finally getting to the point where he’s worth a FLEX spot on a short week. Anderson has done less the last three weeks combined, fantasy-wise, than he did in Week 1—and the Broncos have never shown they are a team that commits to one running back if someone else is running hotter. If you need a spot start and have the space to hold down the road, Booker (still available in about three-quarters of Yahoo leagues on Thursday) is your man.
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Bobby Rainey, NYG: As the passing-down back, Rainey is probably the best bet for stability in an RB corps that desperately needs some. He’s seeing more targets than all but the G-men’s top receivers, and as many carries as Orleans Darkwa. As Rashad Jennings returns, Darkwa will go back to the bench, but Shane Vereen is gone for the whole year, and that’s the 10-plus-touch role Rainey now owns.
RECEIVER
[IMPORTANT NOTE: Last week we told you to go get Chris Hogan, NE. If he’s still available, he should trump any of these pickups.]
Jeremy Kerley, SF: For whatever reason—likely a nagging presence on the injury report combined with fear of what Colin Kaepernick’s return will do to his targets—Kerley hasn’t seen the ownership jump in Yahoo leagues that you’d expect coming off a 100-plus yard, two-touchdown game. Whatever, we’ll take it. It remains to be seen if Week 5 will end up being his best game of the season, but even if it is there’s plenty of value to be had in the only receiver catching any passes in San Francisco. Yes, Kaepernick might air the ball out more frequently, but Chip Kelly is still running the show, which means lots of quick dump-offs and touches for everyone. So far at least, Kerley is the only receiver who has shown he knows what to do with them.
Tyler Lockett, SEA: His ownership has fallen down to barely 50 percent, as owners are lured by flashier pickups like Cameron Meredith or Sammie Coates (both excellent options, by the way, but as the two hottest free-agent adds earlier this week they aren’t exactly sleepers). Lockett, however, is a better football player, by leaps and bounds, than either of those two. Pete Carroll wants to get him more involved in the offence, Lockett’s knee is feeling better and his QB should be back to full health as well after a week off. Is this the tipping point for a Seahawks passing offence that was expected to improve this year? Just maybe.
Brandon LaFell, CIN: This is a deep-league dart throw, but why not? It’s a revenge game for the former Patriot, his team should be trailing and needing to throw the ball and LaFell is coming off his best performance in years—a two-TD, 11-target outing buoyed by garbage time against the Cowboys. He’s owned in only seven percent of leagues, and that’s about right because this one could backfire spectacularly. But if you want a contrarian play that could make you look like a genius… enjoy!
TIGHT END
Jesse James, PIT: The Miami Dolphins are not very good, and James is seeing a hefty dose of red zone targets from Ben Roethlisberger. Last week, he started seeing more action in between the 20s, too, resulting in a season-high eight targets. James likely knows this game is his last chance to lock down an offensive role before Ladarius Green makes his expected debut next week, so don’t be surprised if he balls out against a weak opponent.
DEFENCE
Detroit: The Lions have supplied solid defensive points in three of their five games so far, and this week they are at home against a Rams team that, while improving, still lacks much beyond Todd Gurley and the occasional Tavon Austin breakout. That’s a nice situation and, assuming both the Steelers (against the Dolphins) and the Titans (against the Browns, remember?) are already owned, Detroit is a solid option.
KICKER
Hey! Did you know Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews scored four goals in his first NHL game? I’m just telling you here because you probably haven’t seen or heard about it anywhere else and I want you to be informed. It was pretty impressive, you should go check out some highlights. Also, don’t use kickers in fantasy.
