
06-17-2009, 09:09 PM
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 | GTG Administrator * Monday Night Football Queen | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 16,916
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| 10 Fantasy Sleepers - Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis Rams-Avery showed flashes of potential in his rookie season, but now he's the main man in the Rams' pass attack after the release of Torry Holt. A true burner with the speed to stretch defenses, Avery will be looked upon to make plays in an offense that doesn't want to become one dimensional. Fantasy leaguers shouldn't look for him to make a huge impact, but Avery could develop into a No. 3 fantasy wide receiver
- Vernon Davis, TE, 45ers-Davis has failed to meet expectations at the NFL level, but a move at coordinator from Mike Martz to Jimmy Raye should help his numbers. The athletic tight end will be much more involved in the pass attack compared to last season, when he was used often as a blocker at the line of scrimmage. Davis won't come off the board until the late rounds as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, but he could finally emerge into a starter
- Trent Edwards, QB, Buffalo Bills-The value of Edwards started to rise the instant the Bills signed Terrell Owens. The Stanford product now has a tremendous pair of wideouts in T.O. and Lee Evans, and the presence of what should remain an effective ground attack should keep opposing defenses honest. If Edwards can improve his decision making and decrease his number of turnovers, he'll turn into a nice matchup-based fantasy starter.
- Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Colts-No matter where you go for fantasy draft information, Gonzalez will likely be listed as one of this season's top sleepers. With Marvin Harrison no longer in the mix, Gonzalez will move up the depth chart and start opposite Reggie Wayne. He also has a huge advantage in the person of Peyton Manning (you might have heard of him), whose presence alone makes Gonzalez a good bet to post 1,000-plus yards
- Domenink Hixon, WR, Giants-The Giants released the troubled Plaxico Burress during the offseason, and Hixon is the favorite to take over his spot in the pass attack. An athletic receiver, Hixon has shown flashes of potential and is almost certain to see more targets from Eli Manning. He won't put up Burress-like numbers, but Hixon should post career bests in most categories if he holds of rookie Hakeem Nicks in training camp.
- Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys-Jones missed most of last season due to an injured foot, but he showed some real skills before the ailment. Jones averaged an incredible 8.9 yards per carry and scored three rushing touchdowns in just 30 carries. The Cowboys plan to run the ball more often in 2009, so Jones should see enough carries to produce even with Marion Barber in the mix. He could turn into a steal in the middle rounds.
- Dustin Keller, TE, Jets-Keller developed into a legitimate fantasy starter during a four-week stretch in his rookie season that saw him record 27 receptions and 313 yards. While he did falter down the stretch, Keller's skills as a pass catcher were evident. With the potential for Mark Sanchez to open the season atop the Jets' depth chart, Keller should see more than his share of targets in the pass attack as the rookie's safety net.
- Kyle Orton, QB, Denver Broncos-Orton quietly recorded a career-best 21 total touchdowns in what was a run-based Bears offense last season. Now he'll lead a pass-laden offense with better weapons in Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. Orton, who could be playing from behind quite a bit, also plays in a division that fielded some of the league's worst pass defenses in 2008. All of this makes Orton a very attractive sleeper candidate
- Ray Rice, RB, Ravens-Trying to predict who will see carries in the Ravens backfield could be tough from week to week, but Rice still has some under-the-value radar. Le'Ron McClain will see a more traditional fullback role in the offense, and Willis McGahee's recent proneness to injuries could mean more carries for Rice in 2009. The Rutgers product is well worth a look in the middle to late rounds as a fantasy reserve with upside.
- Derrick Ward, RB, Bucs-Despite the fact that he carried the ball just 182 times, Ward still recorded the first 1,000-yard season of his career in 2008. Now in Tampa Bay, he'll be the favorite to start and see early-down carries in an offense that will look to run the ball often. Ward could lose goal-line carries to Earnest Graham, but his overall potential in a more prominent role improves his stock in both standard and PPR leagues.
Top fantasy sleepers for 2009 include QB Edwards, WR Gonzalez
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