This week will mark the first week that Fantasy Knuckleheads will start giving all of our readers a glimpse into a couple sleepers as we head deep into the 2011 season. It's easy to find sleepers in the offseason and the preseason because of players leaving, injuries, coaching changes, etc. But to find sleepers this deep into the year is like finding Kim Kardashian's wedding ring in the garbage. Yeah I went there.
Anyway, my sleeper option as we head into Week 9 is Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya. And make sure to check out Ray's Week 9 Sleeper Special.
Okay back to Ogbonnaya. Many think he is new to the NFL, but he was drafted in the seventh round by the Rams back in 2009. Needless to say, he didn't stick with the team for very long, having played with St. Louis, Houston and now the Browns.
A former Texas Longhorn, Ogbonnaya was a four-year letterman who appeared in 47 games at running back and on special teams. He wasn't a stud in college, but his 2008 senior year did show some promise after he touched the ball 120 times for 913 yards from scrimmage and 7 total touchdowns.
So why am I even bringing Ogbonnaya name up to begin with? Well, with the news that Peyton Hillis aggravated his hamstring injury in Friday's practice and Monterio Hardesty (calf) also out, Ogbonnaya should make his first career start against the Texans. Last week against the 49ers, he put up a respectable 10 fantasy points in PPR leagues. Ogbonnaya really isn't anything special. And likely won't blow up like DeMarco Murray did in his first start against the Rams. But since finding someone who will start and carry the load is so tough this late in the season, owners can do much worse. So if you are a Hillis/Hardesty owner or simply need a guy to plug in at the flex, I strongly recommend giving Ogbonnaya a shot.
Update: It now appears that Peyton Hillis will miss more than this weekend after an MRI showed a significant aggravation of Hillis' left hamstring strain. With a juicy matchup in Week 10 against the Rams, Ogbonnaya could be huge.