Redskins vs. Eagles: Fantasy Sleepers Worth Starting in Huge Monday Night Clash

The Washington Redskins boasted one of the NFL's most explosive offenses last season, and the Philadelphia Eagles have a legitimate opportunity to earn that distinction this season if head coach Chip Kelly's new offensive system succeeds. With that in mind, the Redskins vs. Eagles Monday Night Football clash should be a fantasy owner's dream.

It's already fairly obvious that the likes of Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris, Pierre Garcon, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson are essentially must-start players in all formats, but there are a number of fringe starters that could potentially come through with some huge efforts on Monday night.

Here are three fantasy sleepers in the Redskins vs. Eagles tilt that are most definitely worth starting provided there is room in your lineup.

Fred Davis

Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis enjoyed a breakout campaign two seasons ago, catching 59 passes for 796 yards. With Griffin joining the team last season, most figured that Davis would be able to build upon that effort.

He started the 2012 season in decent fashion, catching 24 balls for 325 yards through seven games. But he missed the final nine games due to a torn Achilles. Because of that, Davis didn't receive a ton of fantasy attention heading into the 2013 season. However, he has all the tools necessary to be a top-five producer at the tight end position.

There is some belief that Davis and RGIII don't have great chemistry because Davis didn't catch a touchdown last season. But Griffin was trying to gain his footing over the first half of the year. If anything, Davis could become his best friend in 2013.

The Redskins may pull back the reins a bit early in the year in regard to Griffin's running as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury, so Davis figures to be a reliable safety valve.

Also, according to John Keim of ESPN.com, Davis believes he has something to prove in 2013:

From purely a talent standpoint, Davis has the ability to be one of the game's best tight ends. Aside from the top five or six fantasy options, the tight end position is very uncertain, so he has a chance to make some noise.

There may be no better opponent to get started against than the Eagles, as Griffin picked them apart last season. With six touchdown passes in two games against Philly last year, RGIII's excellence makes Davis a high-upside play in Week 1.

Michael Vick

Just three seasons ago, Michael Vick was the best quarterback in fantasy football. Nobody is expecting a similar outcome in 2013, but he absolutely has a chance to become a starter-worthy fantasy player nonetheless.

Vick was likely drafted as a backup or a low-level starter in most leagues, so there are probably plenty of fantasy owners out there wondering whether or not they should ride him in Week 1. He is somewhat turnover-prone, so there is certainly some risk involved with starting him, but his upside trumps that.

Vick seemed to be dead in the water last season, and all signs pointed to him playing elsewhere in 2013. But the hiring of Chip Kelly as head coach has reinvigorated the veteran signal-caller.

It remains to be seen if Kelly's up-tempo offense will translate to the NFL, but Vick did very well with it during the preseason. He threw for 383 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the preseason, and he also added 73 yards on the ground, so Vick is much less heralded as a dual-threat quarterback than the likes of Griffin, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick.

Despite Washington's strong 2012 season, the Redskins were third-worst in the league in terms of passing yards allowed per game. The 'Skins gave up nearly 282 yards per contest, as well as 31 touchdowns through the air, so they can certainly be passed on. This game has all the makings of a shootout, which means that Vick is in line for a nice statistical output.

You'll have to take the good with the bad when it comes to Vick, but more than 300 total yards and couple of touchdowns make him well worth starting.

Kai Forbath

While it may seem somewhat odd to call a kicker a sleeper since most fantasy owners couldn't care less about the position, it seems like at least a couple of them come out of nowhere on a yearly basis to be among the position's top scorers. Redskins kicker Kai Forbath could potentially be one of those players this year, as Washington's explosive offense will provide him with plenty of extra point and field-goal opportunities.

If you still haven't settled on a kicker, Forbath is worth a look in Week 1 at the very least.

Last season was his first as a full-time NFL kicker, and he didn't disappoint. Forbath made 17 of the 18 field goals he attempted, with 11 of those coming from between 40 and 49 yards. He did miss one extra point, but that was an aberration more than anything.

With 84 points in 12 games, Forbath was on pace for well over 100, which is the magic number when it comes to fantasy kickers. He was especially good against Philadelphia last year, averaging eight points per game in his two contests against the Eagles.

The Eagles defense was among the worst in the league in 2012. Philly allowed nearly 28 points per contest, which was tied for the third-worst mark in the NFL. With the Eagles employing a fast-paced offense and the Redskins presumably trying to keep up or stay ahead of Philadelphia, the potential for a shootout is quite high.

It's very difficult to predict how many field goal tries a kicker will get in any given game, but the 'Skins will definitely put some points on the board Monday night.

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