Fantasy Football 2012: Best Sleeper Options for Week 1

Every fantasy football owner should make sure their foundation players are in the lineup for Week 1 barring injury. It's too early to begin playing matchups. If there's still a hole or two in to fill, that's when it's time to start looking for potential sleeper plays.

Determining sneaky options for the first week is a little bit more difficult than normal because there isn't nearly as much background information to go off of. That said, there are still a couple players who should fit the bill and help owners pick up a victory to start their season.

QB: Carson Palmer (Raiders)

Palmer faced the San Diego Chargers twice after joining the Oakland Raiders last season and totaled 37 fantasy points. His entire performance after the trade from Cincinnati was impressive given his lack of preparation time.

The entire Raiders offense should be improved with Darren McFadden healthy and another offseason of development under the belt of the team's young group of receivers. And the Chargers defense still has some holes to exploit.

It's a great opportunity for Palmer to start his season with a big game and start earning the respect he wasn't given during the preseason.

RB: Ronnie Brown (Chargers)

Ryan Mathews is once again dealing with injury issues, which should allow Brown to carry the load on Monday night. He was a fantasy sensation during his time with the Miami Dolphins, but has been off the radar for awhile.

In a starting role, Brown can still be a valuable contributor. The San Diego Chargers should be able to move the ball against the Raiders defense, leading to a high-scoring game and potentially some vulture touchdowns for the veteran running back.

Keep in mind that Brown is likely just a one-week option with Mathews on the mend. But given Mathews' injury history, keeping him on the roster wouldn't be a bad idea.

WR: Kendall Wright (Titans)

Kenny Britt won't be available for the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. That will open up more targets for Wright, who's going to get thrown right into the fire after being selected with the 20th overall pick in this season's draft.

He has plenty of upside that was often on display during his time playing with Robert Griffin III at Baylor, so it just comes down to translating it to the NFL level. The best way to do that is getting a chance to play right away.

Titans quarterback Jake Locker played very well in limited action last season. He should be able to have success against the New England Patriots secondary, giving Wright a chance to have a great debut.