Fantasy Football 2014: 5 Sleepers to Start in a Bye Week Pinch

So it’s Friday morning and you’re checking to see how everybody did in the Thursday night game when you realize you’ve got a starter on bye. Bye weeks are tough to navigate in fantasy football. If you’re struggling to replace A.J. Green, Marshawn Lynch and Peyton Manning, sleepers like Markus Wheaton, Matt Asiata and Jake Locker can start in a pinch.

The Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks officially kick off the NFL bye weeks.

Some teams have more talent than others, but owners in all league sizes and configurations will feel the heat with six teams taking the week off.  

A sleeper in this context is any player available in approximately 50 percent or more of ESPN Fantasy leagues with a favorable matchup.

Sleeper Team Defense/Special Teams: Detroit Lions at the New York Jets

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Detroit did so well against Aaron Rodgers and the potent Green Bay Packers offense that the All-Pro quarterback beseeched Packer fans to “R-E-L-A-X” on his Tuesdays with Aaron ESPN Milwaukee radio show.

The Lions held the 2011 NFL MVP to 162 yards passing—his second-worst passing performance in a complete game. Detroit also racked up a safety and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in a very successful fantasy outing.

Now the Lions head off to New York to face Geno Smith and his streaky Jets offense. Detroit is ranked fourth-best against opposing QBs in fantasy points allowed. Smith is responsible for five turnovers, including a disastrous pick-six early against the Chicago Bears last week.

This bye week is especially cruel to owners of top-ranked defenses like the Seahawks, Cardinals, Bengals and Broncos. If Detroit can keep New York’s running game in check this will be another fruitful week for a Lions defense available in 67.8 percent of ESPN leagues.

Sleeper Tight End: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots

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Kelce is currently trending as the second-hottest TE pickup (+16.6) in ESPN leagues behind Larry Donnell (+23.0) of the New York Giants.

New England currently rates fourth-best in TE PA—a miserly 4.6 points per game—but hasn't faced an offense that enjoys a healthy receiving TE option like Kelce. Alex Smith targeted Kelce on 15 percent of his pass attempts in the first three weeks, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Kelce is essentially a rookie since he missed almost all of ’13 with a knee injury. His confidence is increasing with his snap counts—up 32.5 percent from Week 1, according to PFF.

He exuberantly described his first NFL touchdown to The Kansas City Star’s Terez A. Paylor, “Once you get in the end zone, you’ve got to do something fun, do something to show you enjoy being in the end zone. It’s very special, man.”

Kelce is still only 25.9-percent owned, so odds are you have a crack at him if you’re missing Julius Thomas to the bye or Dennis Pitta or Kyle Rudolph to injury.

Sleeper Wide Receiver: Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Wheaton—Emmanuel Sanders’ replacement alongside Antonio Brown—is off to a decent 6.5 PPG as Pittsburgh’s WR2. The quiet start kept him under the radar at only 19.9 percent owned.

Well queue up the fanfare because Tampa Bay and the league’s worst defense in WR PA are limping into town.

The Buccaneers held on against Derek Anderson (18.4 WR points) and Austin Davis (18.5 WR points) in Weeks 1 and 2 respectively. Then Matt Ryan and the Falcons scalded them for 60 WR points without Roddy White.

Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Heath Miller should garner plenty of attention from Tampa Bay’s besieged pass defense. That opens Wheaton up for a breakout game that will help Sanders, Green and Demaryius Thomas owners weather the bye.

Sleeper Running Back: Matt Asiata, Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons

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Asiata appears to be the top candidate to replace the disgraced Adrian Peterson, suspended for child abuse charges. Rookie Jerick McKinnon’s workload—four carries, four receptions—shrivels in comparison to Asiata’s 25 carries and eight receptions.

The problem is Asiata isn’t erasing memories of Peterson’s on-field dominance with a pedestrian 3.5 yards-per-attempt average. Atlanta and its RB-friendly 27.1 PPG allowed should open things up for the unlikely focal point of Norv Turner's offense to run successfully.

Turner will likely keep the pressure off Teddy Bridgewater in his first NFL start, so Asiata should see an increased workload if he can gash the Falcons run defense.

Asiata’s sleeper status is borderline considering he’s owned in 54.9 percent of leagues. But his undisputed workload and favorable opponent make him a great bye-week filler for Lynch, Giovani Bernard, Andre Ellington and Montee Ball owners if he’s still available.

Sleeper Quarterback: Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts

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The good news for Manning, Russell Wilson and Andy Dalton owners is Locker faces a great matchup against the Colts and their fifth-most favorable QB PA.

The bad news is Locker is nursing a wrist injury and didn’t practice on Thursday.

"

Whiz says Locker progressing, says did a bit more today. Still hoping he has a chance.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 25, 2014"

There may not be a worthy QB alternative available for desperate fantasy owners if Locker doesn’t play. Locker’s backup Charlie Whitehurst can’t be trusted in what would be only his fifth NFL start since joining the league eight years ago.

Bridgewater and Blake Bortles can’t be trusted in their first-ever NFL starts. Ryan Fitzpatrick rushed and passed for a touchdown each last week but also threw three picks. Ryan Tannehill has to play in London with his job on the line.

And that’s it: E.J. Manuel, Alex Smith, Derek Carr, Joe Flacco, Mike Glennon and Geno Smith all face tougher defenses and really aren’t that great anyway.

If Locker can’t go you only have yourself to blame for not preparing for the bye week sooner.

The same admonishment can be applied to the rest of these fliers if they have bad weeks, but hopefully one or more can provide just enough production to redeem your procrastination.