Fantasy Football 2012: NFC East Sleepers Worth a Selection

The NFC East is the strongest division in the NFL for yet another year. In terms of fantasy football, it is an absolute points gold mine. There are several sleepers worth a look come draft day. 

Everyone loves to talk about fantasy football sleepers—but what does that really mean? What makes someone a sleeper? 

For many, the words “sleeper pick” are a euphemism for “terrible pick.” 

“Uh, did you just take RG3 No. 70 overall?” 

“Yeah…it was a sleeper pick.” No, it was a reach and a shameful one at that. Everybody and their grandmother’s grandmother have some type of sleeper list, but that doesn’t justify anything! 

Who cares if you have Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Demaryius Thomas pegged as your sleepers? And, for that matter, who cares if Matt Forte, DeMarco Murray and Hakeem Nicks are your busts? All of these players can be outstanding or atrocious draft-day choices. 

With that in mind, here are six NFC East sleepers ranked by their “degree of slumber.” 

Note: All draft positions are based on ESPN.com draft information.  

1. Tony Romo (ADP: 50, No. 9 Quarterback)

Degree of Slumber: Nodding Off 

Tony Romo put together the best season of his career in 2011. He threw for nearly 4,200 yards and 31 touchdowns. For as much as Romo gets criticized, one would think he’d be responsible for more than 19 interceptions over his last two 16-game seasons.

He has a fantastic group of wide receivers, especially Dez Bryant who has the physical talents to be in the top five at the position. Romo might do it ugly and struggle in big moments (or so they say), but that doesn’t really show up in the box score.

When To Awaken

Romo’s current average draft position (ADP) is right around 50 and ninth among quarterbacks. If you play in a league with 10 or more teams, you should jump on him if (A) he reaches the late-fifth/early sixth round, (B) at least eight other quarterbacks have been drafted, (C) your first five picks were running backs and receivers AND (D) Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham have already been chosen. Under these circumstances, Romo could be the smartest selection of your entire draft.

When To Leave Sleeping

The thing about quarterbacks in this year’s draft is that the difference between the fourth and low-teenth options is difficult to predict with any type of confidence. Rather than play the guessing game, you would be much better served drafting from the shallow pool of running backs or the slew of wide receivers all competing to be the second best at their respective position.

Do not be the fourth person to jump on a quarterback. In fact, if you miss out on Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady or Drew Brees, don’t even bother drafting one until the fifth round.

2. Jeremy Maclin (ADP: 63, No. 24 Wide Receiver)

Degree of Slumber: Catnap 

With the recent ESPN report that DeSean Jackson failed to go all-out last year, it seems like only a matter of time before Jeremy Maclin becomes the new, official No. 1 in Philly. Then again, the fact that Maclin was thrown to more than Jackson in 2011 might mean the transition is old news.

Last year was a puzzling one as Maclin battled physical problems and strange illnesses. He somehow still managed nearly 900 receiving yards. You have to think he will find the end zone more than six times in 2012.

When to Awaken

Maclin is in the mix of receivers who all come with their own issues. He is currently being drafted slightly behind the likes of Steve Smith (old), Percy Harvin (Christian Ponder), Vincent Jackson (no Philip Rivers, yes Josh Freeman) and DeSean Jackson (see above).

Harvin is the only one who I can see possibly out-producing Maclin. If you have two reliable running backs come Round 6, Maclin is a great selection. His numbers should better resemble the ones he had in 2009 (964 yards, 10 touchdowns).

When to Leave Sleeping

You drafted a quarterback within the first two rounds and picked up one of the many risky running backs by the third. In this case, you should go with another back.  

3. Fred Davis (ADP: 102, No. 9 Tight End)

Degree of Slumber: Out Cold 

Fred Davis was suspended from the final four games of last season for marijuana use, but still managed to put together six games of more than 80 yards.

Rookie quarterbacks seem to love their tight ends. This makes sense; tight ends are guarded by undersized or slower defenders and frequently run their routes between the hash marks.

But things get even better for Davis.

Opposing teams are going to be using spies and contains all season to constrict RG3. This will greatly reduce the number of times defenders can turn their backs and play Davis in tight man coverage.

Washington should see more scoring chances, thereby giving Davis an opportunity to surpass the three touchdowns he recorded in 2011. A Pro Bowl season is well within reason.

When to Awaken

I absolutely love this pick. Gronkowski and Graham are the top tight ends in the draft—that is non-negotiable. However, you’ll need to give up a top-10 running back or top-five wide receiver to get them. No thank you.

Selecting Davis at his current ADP would be a great move. In fact, so long as there are no glaring holes in your team, I would even endorse drafting him a round earlier.

When to Leave Sleeping

The draft is plagued with a sudden run on tight ends. You really, really want to get Davis and are afraid somebody is going to value him over Aaron Hernandez, Jermichael Finley, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.

It’s okay. Let him go. Grab whatever juicy pieces of meat are falling into your hands. Even if you are the last to grab a tight end, you will survive with Owen Daniels, Brent Celek or Jacob Tamme. 

4. Rueben Randle (ADP: 140, No. 47 Wide Receiver)

Degree of Slumber: Shoes On, Passed Out 

The New York Giants have had three wide receivers go for more than 520 receiving yards in each of the last four seasons. Additionally, the third option has scored an average of 3.5 touchdowns over that same span.

With Mario Manningham gone, the G-Men, who had 413 pass attempts with three receivers on the field last year, need someone to fill this void. The 6’2”, 208-pound Rueben Randle is the perfect fit.

When to Awaken

Once you get to the end of the draft, picks should no longer be made based on bye weeks or possible injuries. You draft on upside, and there is no player this far down the board with more of it.

Victor Cruz’s breakout performance came two years ago in a preseason game against the Jets. He finished the game with six receptions for 145 yards and three touchdowns. Randle may not have matched that in his affair with Gang Green, but he did reel in a 49-yard pass.

When to Leave Sleeping

You are an overzealous Giants fan and have already drafted Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw. This pick is going to top them all: “With my 12th pick in the 2012 fantasy football draft…”

5. Evan Royster (ADP: 150, No. 58 Running Back)

Degree of Slumber: Snorlax Status 

Two words: Mike Shanahan. His backfield decision-making is harder to follow than Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

As one of three Washington running backs (along with Roy Helu and Tim Hightower), Evan Royster has no worse than a 33 percent chance of being the starter by, say, Week 4.

Even if Royster plays in a committee system, the prospect of claiming a starting running back with your last pick is too enticing to ignore. Did I mention he finished the 2011 season with consecutive 100-yard games?

When to Awaken

Select Royster with your last or next-to-last pick.

When to Leave Sleeping

The guy drafting after you says, “I’ll trade you MJD for this pick!”

6. Riley Cooper (ADP: 170, No. 128 Wide Receiver)

Degree of Slumber: Six Feet Under 

Riley Cooper has recently undergone surgery on his left collarbone. He hopes to be back by the regular season.

For the most part, Cooper has done absolutely nothing deserving of a draft-day selection. However, from Weeks 11 to 13 last season, Cooper averaged a noteworthy 80 yards per game.

When to Awaken

Unless you are the kind of person who likes to end your fantasy draft without a kicker (I generally endorse that strategy), he is not worth a draft-day selection. Even if you do abide by the “pick up a new fair-weather/indoor kicker each week” strategy, you may still want to look elsewhere. Simply keep an eye on his health and try to sync your waiver priority with his return.

When to Leave Sleeping

You have fallen asleep because there’s no enforcement of the “two minutes per pick” rule.