The 2013-14 NFL season is less than a month away, and fantasy football has already begun.
The draft is crucial for starting the season on the right foot, so I want to share some of my sleeper picks. For each player, I’ve included an insight on the upcoming season. In no particular order, here are my top ten sleepers for the upcoming season.
● Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams
A rookie wide receiver out of West Virginia who has the potential to put up similar numbers to Percy Harvin’s rookie season. On a team that lacks strong receivers and running backs, this speedster has been taking snaps at both positions during training camp, and with more touches comes more opportunities to get your team points. He is also expected to return kicks and punts, adding even more value.
● T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Another young wide receiver with speed who showed a lot of promise last year as one of Andrew Luck’s favorite targets. With a year of experience and growth under his belt, I believe this player has the potential to have a breakout 2013 season.
● Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Although Flacco is very well known, the strength at the quarterback position this year has really hurt his draft position. However, coming back from winning a Super Bowl and getting the biggest contract in the NFL, I think Flacco has the potential to have the best year of his career. The addition of Dallas Clark and Brandon Stokely will also help Flacco stay efficient as a passer.
● Stevie Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills
He has gone over the 1,000-yard mark each of the past three years, averaging over 7 touchdowns per year in that span, and he’s done it on offenses that were some of the worst in the NFL. This year the Bills could have one of the best offenses they’ve had in a while with a competitive quarterback battle brewing between newly acquired Kevin Kolb and first round pick E.J. Manuel.
● Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins
He’s a fourth year player who’s always had an amazing upside but who’s been hindered by injuries throughout his career. However, because of his low perceived value, high productivity when healthy, and because Robert Lee Griffin III is at quarterback, I believe Davis could have a breakout 2013 and is worth a later round pick.
● Alshon Jeffrey, WR, Chicago Bears
The second string wide receiver on the Bears could have great productivity this year. He was not targeted as often as he should have been last year, but when he was, he was a force to be reckoned with. He has gotten more comfortable with the offense this off-season and looks to play a bigger role on a resurgent Bears team left with a bad taste in its mouth after last year’s playoff absence.
● Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals
This veteran quarterback has had an up and down career thus far, but coming off a 4,000 yard and 22 touchdown season on the Raiders, I think his numbers should inflate this year on the pass-happy Cardinals. With weapons such as Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, and Rob Housler, Palmer has the potential to have the same productivity he had during his Cincinnati days.
● Bryce Brown, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Although he is the second string running back on his team, he might see a lot more touches this year under new coach Chip Kelly’s offense, which is known for running the ball and involving a lot of different players. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry last year as a rookie, and I believe he is good enough to continue to produce, even though he will play a more significant role on this year’s team.
● Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Indianapolis Colts
The new starter on the Indianapolis Colts has also had an up and down career. However, when on teams with strong offenses, he has excelled, and I believe the offense on the Colts has a lot of potential this year. People seem uncertain about Ahmad’s productivity this year, which has hurt his draft position, but I believe this uncertainty has created a great opportunity to pick up this running back, with starter potential, late in the draft.
● Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Tyler is a rookie out of Notre Dame who is a freak athlete and team player. He stands at 6 feet 6 inches and weighs 251 pounds, but he also ran a 4.68 second 40-yard dash, making him a nightmare for safeties and linebackers to cover. He’s gotten first team reps this off-season and is expected to play a big role for the Bengals this upcoming season. Eifert is definitely worth a late round pick.