Jordan Shipley is a rookie, which doesn't bode well for fantasy production to begin with, so for that reason alone he is more of a deep sleeper. How deep? He's being drafted alongside kickers and second rate team defenses...if at all.
When the former Texas Longhorn stand out was drafted this spring in the third round of the NFL draft it had all the excitement of a bologna sandwich. There was no fanfare outside of Ohio, fantasy owners paid no attention whatsoever. And why should they? He's no Dez Bryant or Demaryius Thomas. Hell, he's not even in Golden Tate territory.
What makes Shipley a potential breakout player in his rookie year is the situation he landed in, combined with his natural talents and his tenacity.
Here are some very good reasons why Thomas is a strong 2010 fantasy football sleeper candidate.
Jordan Shipley, WR - Cincinnati Bengals
ADP: 309th - 85th WR selected
- Jordan Shipley goes to a team on the verge of a serious playoff run. The Bengals still have diva, Chad Ochocinco, and they picked up veteran receiver Antonio Bryant to line up alongside him. But what the team has been missing, and what it may have found in Shipley is a serious midfield slot receiving threat.
- QB Carson Palmer has lost a step but he's still an excellent QB. And as most veteran QBs do as they progress in their careers, Palmer will learn how to make the most of his passing game underneath.
- Enter Jordan Shipley. All this kid has done in mini-camp and OTA's this spring is impress everyone in the Bengals camp and catch every ball thrown at him in the slot. By the time camp ended, he and fellow receiver Andre Caldwell walked away as the team's 3rd and 4th receivers.
- Add to all of that, this particular rookie comes with an excellent work ethic and without the diva attitude that follows so many young athletes, and plagues their franchises.
- Shipley could be the new Housh. Since T.J. Houshmandzadeh departed for the Seattle Seahawks, the Bengals have missed an effective slot receiver. Cincinnati's passing game sucked in '09, finishing 26th. During Housh's 4 season's for the Bengals he caught 445 passes for 5,062 yards and 36 touchdowns. Shipley has shown early signs that he's Palmer's favorite new target in the slot.
Summary: Shipley is certainly not a fantasy deep threat, but as we have seen more and more in fantasy, and especially in PPR leagues, that slot receiver position gets a lot of traffic. Some call it the Welker effect. Regardless it can spell fantasy gold..or at least silver. For the price of a final round pick or even as someone to put on your post-draft watch list, I think Shipley has a chance to sail rather than sink in 2010.
ADP taken from our friends at MyFantasyLeague.com
