Everybody loves some sleepers. Here's my top fantasy football sleepers for week 1 at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and muffin snatcher.
Quarterback Sleepers
Brock Osweiler vs CHI
The Chicago Bears finished near the bottom in fantasy passing points allowed last season. Kyle Fuller (their top corner back) could be out or limited, he certainly isn't 100%. But the real bacon is Osweiler's weapons on offense: Hopkins, Miller and Will Fuller whom ran a 4.32 40. Not sure I trust this sleeper in my full season league, but a GPP stab before his salary rises on FanDuel and DraftKings is certainly a chance I'd take.
Matthew Stafford at IND
The Colts are missing three quality defensive starters, THREE. Stafford should have little trouble moving the ball. Everyone in DET is in play.
Kirk Cousins vs PIT
Another defense that should be playing poorly in week 1 is PIT. Cousins was not only good last year, he was consistent. I really trust this guy to "keep up" with Big Ben and Brown in a game I'm taking the over on.
Running Back Sleepers
Spencer Ware vs SD
I was setting my FanDuel lineup yesterday and saw the price on Ware, wow. Anyways, why is he a sleeper? J. Charles is probably out or going to be very limited. Ware put a number on SD last season and things won't change in week 1. Expect a heavy ground game and field position battle.
Ameer Abdullah at IND
See Andrew Luck above.
James White at ARI
Ah, the NE backfield. A lovely place where no one knows for sure which running back will get the lions share. That is, when Tom Brady is starting. The Cards are about embarrass New England, period. Expect a pass happy second half with White getting a ton of work.
C.J. Spiller vs OAK
Did you really forget about him? Did you think he forgot how to play football? Did you think New Orleans would stop using scat backs? This is going to be the last week we can call Spiller a sleeper.
Christine Michael vs MIA
Christine Michael, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle is favored by ten point, that right, ten points. Guys, Vegas knows what up when the spread is this wide. Look for an early lead and plenty of ground and pound from Michael's in week.
Wide Receiver Sleepers
Mike Wallace vs BUF
I can't believe I just typed that... so I was reading a lot of Raven info last night trying to get as much of the 411 on the Wallace and Flacco connection. It seems a lot of the locals are saying it's the real deal. After watching Flacco revive Smith's career I wonder if the same is about to happen with Wallace.
Willie Snead vs OAK
This game against Oakland is going to be filled with passes and Drew will trust L. Moore 2.0 (Snead) to make things happen repeatedly. He's going to have an up and down season but week 1 will be on the up-side.
Mohamed Sanu vs TB
Sanu has been on my radar since entering the league. And when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons the only person happier than me was Matt Ryan. The line has this set up as a high scoring affair and Tampa ranked toward the bottom last season in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.
Tight End Sleepers
Dwayne Allen vs DET
Per numberfire.com, in games over the past four seasons where only one of Fleener or Allen played, the active one of the pair saw an average of 6.37 targets and totaled 54.48 receiving yards per game. The high-end sleeper status for week 1 is all about the matchup and the Colts lack of team defense. Luck will be passing enough to make Allen a worthy start.
Jared Cook at GB
This will be the last week we can call Cook a sleeper because he will either shine or I'm just tossing him back into the trash bin of immense wasted talent.
Jesse James at WAS
AKA Heath Miller 2.0. He's huge (6'7) and looks like the one they will call TE1 after watching the pre-season. With Brown getting all the attention this 6'7 monster with the coolest name in sports should thrive.
