Fantasy Football 2013: Biggest Breakout Surprises of the 2013-14 Season

More than ever, this season has been one of the biggest surprises when it comes to fantasy football and its breakout performers. Several former studs (Trent Richardson, Ray Rice, C.J. Spiller, etc.) have disappointed while others have truly broken out.

In this slideshow will be 10 players (ranked in order of fantasy significance) who have stepped up their games this season and have become this year’s breakout surprises. None of these players were likely drafted as starters, nor have they not been successful or useful in the past. However, each one on this list has gone above and beyond the call of duty this year and should be coveted in drafts come next summer.

Excluded from this list will be rookies, as we really had no base as to how they would do.

10. Riley Cooper, Philadelphia Eagles

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With Nick Foles as his quarterback, Cooper has come on strong these last couple of weeks.

Cooper has been a revelation this year, registering 31 receptions for 592 yards and seven touchdowns, all easily career highs. Cooper has made himself a trustworthy No. 2 wide receiver or excellent flex play for fantasy owners this year.

Cooper also has a fantastic schedule to close out the season (vs. Arizona, vs. Detroit, at Minnesota and vs. Chicago), and as long as Foles is getting him the ball, he’ll hold a lot of value down the stretch and into next season as well.

9. Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons

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After being decimated by injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White, the Falcons have found out that Douglas can be a viable weapon after six years with the club.

Douglas has recorded career bests across the board in receptions (60), receiving yards (833) and touchdowns (two). With Matt Ryan needing a target to trust with the injuries to Jones and White, Douglas has stepped up big time, and he has become a reliable WR2/flex play in most fantasy leagues.

Douglas and the Falcons have a decent schedule (at Buffalo, at Green Bay, vs. Washington and at San Francisco) down the stretch to make Douglas a viable option. However, his status for next year remains murky with Jones expected back.

Douglas is at least a late-round flier in drafts next year.

8. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns

Many predicted that Cameron would break out this year, and he’s done just that.

Cameron has recorded 59 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns (easily career marks in all categories) on the year. Among tight ends, those 59 receptions tie for second best in the league while the 661 receiving yards rank third and the six touchdowns rank tied for fourth in the NFL.

Cameron should continue to be an asset down the stretch and head into next year among the top half-dozen tight ends to choose from.

7. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

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Granted he remains the starting quarterback for the rest of the year for the Eagles, and there is every reason to believe he will, Foles is as good a quarterback there is to lean on for the rest of the season and beyond.

In his four uninterrupted starts at quarterback, Foles has passed for 1,228 yards with 13 touchdowns. In Chip Kelly’s up-tempo offense, Foles is starting to really flourish, and with good weapons (DeSean Jackson, Riley Cooper and LeSean McCoy) surrounding him, he has the chance to be a solid quarterback to depend on in fantasy leagues for years to come.

As for the remainder of this year, realize that Foles has a great schedule ahead of him. In Weeks 14-16, Foles and the Eagles will take on Detroit at home, play at Minnesota and then back home for the Chicago Bears. Both Detroit and Minnesota rank in the bottom five in the NFL in pass defense. Heading into next year, Foles should be viewed as a top-12 quarterback and a steal in the middle rounds of drafts.

6. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears

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With the Bears hiring the offensive-minded Marc Trestman as head coach, it has spiked the value of Chicago’s skill-position players. One who has benefited greatly has been Jeffery.

Jeffery has gone from an injury-prone, untrustworthy rookie in 2012 to a high-end No. 2 wide receiver this year. He, too, has career marks in receptions (58) and receiving yards (860). He should top his touchdown mark soon, as he has three on the year (as he did last season).

Chicago has a great remaining fantasy football schedule (at Minnesota in Week 13, vs. Dallas in Week 14, at Cleveland in Week 15 and at Philadelphia in Week 16), and Jeffery should at minimum be a flex start. Plus, it doesn’t matter who is quarterbacking, as either Jay Cutler or Josh McCown can get him the ball.

Jeffery is a receiver you should target in the middle rounds of drafts next season.

5. Danny Woodhead, San Diego Chargers

You could see that Woodhead was a dangerous offensive weapon when he was with the Patriots, but he was always in a crowded backfield in New England.

Coming over to the Chargers in the offseason was the move that has finally jumpstarted his career. While Ryan Mathews (when he is healthy) is the No. 1 back in San Diego, Woodhead’s versatility has been put to good use this year by the Chargers. In point-per-reception leagues, Woodhead is a must-start, as he tops all running backs in receptions (59) and receiving yards (469). Overall, Woodhead has 735 combined rushing and receiving yards to go along with seven total touchdowns.

With a defined role in the Chargers offense, Woodhead is a matchup proof play (especially in PPR leagues) for the rest of the season, and he should be a mid-round (think fourth or fifth round) pick in drafts next summer.

4. Julius Thomas, Denver Broncos

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Playing in a high-powered offense like the Broncos has allowed Thomas to break out and just dominate his peers. Seldom used in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Thomas has busted upon the scene this season and is as good a starting option as there is at tight end.

Thomas has become a must-start ever since his opening-night performance against Baltimore, when he corralled in five catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Among tight ends, Thomas (who is day-to-day with a knee injury and could be back next week) ranks second in touchdowns (10), is tied for eighth in receptions (45) and fifth in receiving yards (590).

He is a must-start regardless of matchups (given he is healthy) and should be one of the first two to three tight ends taken off the board in drafts next summer.

3. Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns

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It doesn’t matter who his quarterback is, Gordon has been beastly with whoever it is (Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer or Jason Campbell) throwing him the ball.

Even after sitting out the first two games due to suspension, Gordon has bested his career numbers in receptions (54), receiving yards (988) and has tied his water mark for touchdowns with five. Just imagine if he didn’t have to sit out the first two games or had a competent quarterback throwing him the ball.

Gordon has a decent playoff—usually Weeks 14-16—schedule (at New England, vs. Chicago and at the Jets) to put up some monster numbers. He should be viewed as a low-end No. 1 or high-end No. 2 wide receiver heading into drafts next season.

2. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Brown has been a useful receiver for fantasy purposes (1,895 receiving yards in his prior two seasons) before, but 2013 has been the year he has put it all together.

Brown has already eclipsed his career high for touchdowns (six) and is on pace to obliterate his career mark in receiving yards. He has 1,044 receiving yards so far this year, and his career best is the 1,108 he set in 2011.

Brown has gone from a No. 3 wide receiver or flex play in years past to being a bonafide No.1 receiver this year. Don’t worry about matchups (heck, he just pasted Joe Haden and the Browns for six catches, 92 yards and a touchdown this past week), as Brown has emerged as a must-start. He should be considered a great selection in early rounds (think third or fourth round) of drafts next year.

1. Knowshon Moreno, Denver Broncos

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All summer long we were led to believe that young emerging players in Ronnie Hillman or Montee Ball would take command as the bell-cow back in Denver. Cast aside was the veteran Moreno.

Well, Moreno has emphatically taken charge as the lead back in Denver and has put up a career year. He is coming off a dominant performance on Sunday night vs. the Patriots in which he rushed for a whopping 224 yards and a touchdown.

Thus far on the season, Moreno has rushed for 824 yards (seventh in the NFL) and nine touchdowns (tied for second in the league). With great pass-blocking skills and an advanced knowledge of the Broncos playbook, Moreno isn't going away anytime soon. Eventually, Ball may carve into some of his carries, but Moreno is the stud in the Broncos' stable.

With the way he has played this year, Moreno is a trusted option for the playoff run and is a solid low-end No. 1 running back to draft next year.