Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
“More? You want… more?”
Sure, no problem.
With the start of the season just two days away (shrieks like a girl), I thought I’d try to reveal even more of my sleepers for the 2013 campaign. Sleepers are always something that fantasy owners are constantly searching for, so I hope the following list of guys help. Remember, these are deeper sleepers, and while someone who outperforms their ADP is the true definition of a sleeper, these guys are players who you may not even have to draft in your leagues this season.
Kendall Hunter, San Francisco 49ers: Coming off of a partially torn Achilles towards the end of 2012, Hunter has some very sneaky upside this season. With LaMichael James dealing with sprained knee, Hunter will be the undisputed handcuff to Frank Gore, who is now 30-years old and has a ton of tread on those tires. As long as he is on the field, Hunter will definitely get his fair share of touches. The 49ers have finished inside the top-eight in rushing attempts in each of the last two seasons, and with the loss of Michael Crabtree and presence of dual-threat Colin Kaepernick, you know this team will want to pound the rock. And if Gore manages to go down with injury, Hunter will be in line for an absolute breakout year. I’d definitely handcuff him with Gore, but with one of the last picks in your draft, I’d also take a shot on Hunter.
Andre Roberts, Arizona Cardinals: Roberts showed some flashes last season, while Larry Fitzgerald finished outside the top-40 among fantasy wideouts. He caught a solid 64 balls for 759 yards and five scores, but the new offensive approach that head coach Bruce Arians is expected to implement should give a boost to all Arizona wide receivers. The Cardinals will air the ball out a ton, and with a pedestrian running game, Roberts should see the field in a bunch of three-wide receiver sets.
Ace Sanders, Jacksonville Jaguars: Of course, the quarterback situation in Jacksonville isn’t very appealing, but Sanders as a player sure is. Sanders has blazing speed, is very difficult to bring down in the open field, which is why he will serve as a lethal return man for the Jaguars this year. The rookie has had a very impressive camp and a handful of Jags’ players named him the team’s most impressive rookie. With Justin Blackmon suspended for the first four games of the season, Sanders will have an opportunity to step in and play a huge role in the Jaguars offense right away. And for what it’s worth, All-Pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew has had nothing but positive things to say about his rookie teammate. Lining up in the slot while MJD and Cecil Shorts warrant opposing defense’s attention. Sanders could be a sneaky option this year, especially if you get bonus points for return yardage and scores.
Joique Bell, Detroit Lions: You know, the fact that Bell, an undrafted back out of Wayne State, was let go by my beloved Bills kind of upsets me. Sure, my team is loaded at running back, but Bell is a very versatile talent that will definitely provide some fantasy production this year. In 2012, Bell finished as the number-29 fantasy running back, despite struggling to get a ton of carries. Of course, he did most of his work in the pass-catching department, making him a PPR monster. Bell hauled in 52 balls a season ago, as quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted his running backs well over 120 times. The Lions also throw the football around more than anyone else in the league, and with Reggie Bush now in the mix, that won’t change. Bell, not Mikel Leshoure, is the appropriate handcuff to Bush, and if he goes down, Bell will be like Marcel Reece from last season, but better. During his tenure in New Orleans, Bush was productive, but also missed 16 games. During his time in Miami, however, he only missed one. Bush said himself that he attributed a lot of his injuries to the turf. Now, I am not saying that’s something to go worrying about, but it’s there. Bell will be involved.
Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers: Hey, someone has to catch passes from Philip Rivers, right? I mean, those passes may not be very pretty, but there will be volume for the rookie. Allen will be asked to play a large role in this offense from the start, especially with Danario Alexander sidelined for the entire season and Malcom Floyd dealing with knee issue, though he is expected to be fine. Guys like Floyd, Eddie Royal and Vincent Brown all certainly have injury history, and if any of them go down, Allen will get even more looks in an offense that not only wants to throw the ball, but may have to, considering they will be behind in a lot of games this year. When looking to take a flier on a receiver late, you could do worse than Allen.
Adam Pfeifer is a featured fantasy sports columnist for Rant Sports.
You can follow him on Twitter @aPfeiferRS.
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