Fantasy Football 2014: Doors Open for Bryce Brown and Other Sleepers

Just when you thought the fantasy football waiver wire was barren, injuries and demotions open the doors for reserve players to become fantasy football forces.

The Buffalo Bills were decimated at running back this past weekend when both Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller were sidelined with serious injuries. Now two running backs go from being fantasy nothings to fantasy somethings in one week flat.

And not only do third- and fourth-string running backs have the chance to start in Buffalo, a third-string quarterback will be starting for the Washington Redskins and a third-string running back might be starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend as well!

So here is a look at Buffalo’s Bryce Brown and three other sleepers who have now had doors open for them on their respective NFL teams:

Bryce Brown, Buffalo Bills (RB)

It is not often where a running back goes from fourth on the depth chart to the top of it in one day’s time. I cannot recall it happening recently in the NFL. Yet Brown is on the verge of leaping up the charts quicker than a new Ariana Grande song.

Brown was a fantasy savior back in 2012 when he subbed for a concussed LeSean McCoy during his stint with the Philadelphia Eagles and ran for 347 yards and four touchdowns during a two-game span. Millions of fantasy owners, including yours truly, gave Brown a standing ovation for saving our seasons.

Brown has wicked wheels and better ability to break and avoid tackles than Anthony Dixon has. He can take a handoff to the house. Dixon can take a handoff and get four yards. They are two totally different runners and will at least initially be used to complement each other in Buffalo’s running game.

Brown is the better long-term fantasy bet, though. He should amount for more yards from now until Jackson returns from his groin injury in a month, even with Buffalo facing three tough run defenses over its next four games (New York Jets twice, Miami once).

Just know that Brown has three things going against him:

He could be rusty. Brown has not had a single carry in 2014. The guy may need a couple quarters to remember how to hit holes and where to run on certain plays. But this should also mean he is much fresher than most running backs in the league.

He suffers from fumbleitis. Putting the ball on the ground cost Brown precious playing time in Philadelphia. If he fumbles once or twice early on, he could be sent back to the inactive list quicker than you can say “Jay Cutler is overpaid.”

Dixon is ahead of him in the pecking order. That means for at least one game Brown’s number of carries could be adversely affected. Dixon has been dressing for games all year. Brown has not. The coaching staff might have a crush on Dixon that gets him a couple extra carries this upcoming week.

Still, with all this to think about, Brown was probably the most popular player on fantasy free-agent lists this week, and the rewards owners could reap outweigh the risk of wasting a waiver pick on a guy who might lose a couple fumbles and play like a fourth-string running back.

Anthony Dixon, Buffalo Bills (RB)

Dixon has been a backup wherever he has been and has never really had a chance of being the main man. In San Francisco he backed up Frank Gore during a time when Gore never got hurt. But now thanks to process of elimination, he is the de facto semi-starter in Buffalo.

Dixon runs between the tackles and can battle for the tough yards near the goal line, but do not confuse him with Chris Johnson in his prime. Dixon is not explosive. Dixon is not a game-breaker. Dixon is a career backup with a lifetime 3.4 yards-per-carry average.

Dixon is a veteran plodder who can lower his helmet and gut out three to four yards per carry. If Buffalo gives him 15 carries, he can muster up 58 yards and possibly a touchdown if he is given the ball near the goal line. That is it.

As long Brown does not have a case of the fumbles, his overall talent will help him overtake Dixon on the depth chart. Dixon should vulture some touchdowns in the coming weeks, but his touch total will likely decrease as the weeks go by.

Colt McCoy, Washington Redskins (QB)

Kirk Cousins has his great games and he has his lousy games. Robert Griffin III has his great games, his lousy games and his major injuries. This is why McCoy has the remarkable chance of starting at quarterback for the Redskins.

McCoy was not a disaster during his time as a starting signal-caller for the Cleveland Browns. He was just mediocre. Think Brandon Weeden without the arm. Think a poor man’s Alex Smith.

McCoy had a 21-to-20 touchdown-to-interception ratio. While he was accurate on short passes and could scramble for yards if needed, he could not complete passes down field. That ultimately cost him his opportunity.

The one thing McCoy has going for him now is the weapons around him. I can throw about 20 yards thanks to years of Wiffle ball taking a toll on my right shoulder, yet I could probably rack up some yards and touchdown tosses if I were throwing to DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Andre Roberts and two tight ends like Jordan Reed and Niles Paul.

McCoy will start this Monday night against a Dallas Cowboys defense that is better than what we thought it would be but is still average-at-best. If McCoy does well he could earn a second start, but you are tempting fate in thinking he is anything more than a stopgap measure for your fantasy squad.

With Cousins ready to be reinserted at a moment’s notice and Griffin given the green light to practice, McCoy has no chance of staying as the starter a month from now.

Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (RB)

I am a longtime Michigan Wolverines fan (feel free to send me some handkerchiefs because of what has gone on this season), so I know a lot about Robinson. The guy is shifty, tough, greyhound-like in the open field and faster than The Flash when running around the corner.

Robinson rushed 22 times for 128 yards and a touchdown this past week against the Cleveland Browns. He only had 28 rushing attempts this season leading up to the Cleveland contest, so it was nice for him to finally get the opportunity to show off his speed.

Toby Gerhart already appears to be a free-agent bust. Robinson has the breakaway sprinter speed to add some life to Jacksonville’s moribund running attack. It would be no shock if Robinson emerges as the top tailback while Gerhart, Storm Johnson and Jordan Todman have a battle royal to determine who the No. 2 guy is.

Jacksonville has an exciting rookie quarterback in Blake Bortles and an up-and-coming receiving corps littered with high draft picks. Robinson fits perfectly into the youth movement in the Jaguars offense.
Robinson may only touch the ball 10-15 times per game due to the other backs behind him and because Jacksonville will be trailing in most of its games, but he is worthy of a fantasy roster spot.