Fantasy Football: 20 Last-Second Risers and Fallers To Win Your League
So, the NFL kickoff is less than a week away now, and you're in a panic. You forgot all bout fantasy football until today, and you haven't done your research. Your draft is tomorrow, and you don't have a single sleeper.
Fear not; for here is a list of 10 risers and 10 fallers for the coming season.
10. Robert Meachem, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints—Fall
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Last season, Robert Meachem finally seemed to live up to his potential, turning in a huge second half of the year.
It appeared that he had taken hold of the No. 2 wideout spot in New Orleans, which meant big things for the former Tennessee Vol.
But things took a turn for the worse during the preseason. Meachem underwhelmed when he was healthy, and has been battling a toe injury.
Meanwhile, Devery Henderson looks the part of a second wide receiver, so Meachem's targets and catches could take a significant hit.
10. Jordan Shipley, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals—Rise
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Well, well, well; who woulda thought that the Bengals most versatile receiver this season would be Shipley, a rookie out of Texas? Shipley has proved to be an excellent weapon as the slot receiver, and was officially named to the spot over Andre Caldwell this week.
He's not a big name, and you can probably get him off waivers, but if you need a receiver in the late rounds, he's definitely worth a flier.
9. Matt Leinart, Quarterback, Houston Texans—Fall
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It was less than a month ago that Leinart was penciled in as a sleeper in many draft formats. However, the former first-round pick fell out of favor in Arizona, and wound up not only losing his starting spot to Derek Anderson, but his roster spot as well.
Fortunately, the Texans picked Leinart up off waivers to serve as its backup, but he's lost any and all fantasy value.
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9. Derek Anderson, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals—Rise
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Derek Anderson has serious sleeper potential in the desert. He's got a big arm, and some fantastic weapons around him.
But Anderson has some accuracy issues, and it remains to be seen how well he adapts to head coach Ken Wisenhunt's system. The former Brown has some value, and could have more if he meshes well with the offense. He's worth a look as a backup quarterback.
8. Fred Jackson, Running Back, Buffalo Bills—Fall
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Despite being the incumbent starter as training camp opened, Jackson is now in real danger of losing his job in Buffalo.
The undrafted running back picked the worst possible time to get hurt, with a pair of former first-round picks who are making more than he is on the roster.
Rookie C.J. Spiller and veteran Marshawn Lynch have looked sharp in the preseason, and Spiller looks to be in a position to usurp Jackson's spot.
8. Justin Forsett, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks—Rise
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Justin Forsett got a major boost in fantasy value this week, when the Seahawks released veteran running back Julius Jones.
Jones was Forsett's main threat at the starting position, and with him gone, the 5'8" back out of Cal will get a chance to show what he can do. He's dynamic, he's fast, and he's strong; there's no reason he can't have a decent fantasy season.
7. Kevin Kolb, Quarterback, Philadephia Eagles—Fall
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Kolb was a popular mid-level quarterback pick, due to his accuracy, arm and upside. But the former Houston Cougar has struggled to generate offense in the preseason, failing to score a passing touchdown in any game he took part in.
He's still definitely the starter, and he'll still give you value. But be wary and ready to cut bait if Kolb's struggles continue into the regular season.
7. Kyle Orton, Quarterback, Denver Broncos—Rise
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Everyone wants to rag on Kyle Orton. They see the lack of a cannon, and his lack of speed, and they want the exciting Tim Tebow in the game.
But Orton is as efficient an NFL quarterback as you'll find. He looked excellent in the preseason, and can be had late in a draft as an extremely good backup quarterback, or a mid-to-low-level starter.
6. Derrick Mason, Wide Receiver, Baltimort Ravens—Fall
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Mason has been Mr. Consistency since he got to Baltimore. He's quietly put up excellent numbers, year in and year out, despite his advancing age. This season looked to be more of the same, despite the arrival of Anquan Boldin.
However, when the Ravens acquired wideout T.J. Houshmanzadeh from the Seahawks, Mason's value took a serious hit. He's still just as talented, but he's not going to get nearly as many looks as he was before.
6. T.J. Houshmanzadeh, Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens—Rise
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How does a guy who was clearly the go-to receiver benefit from losing that designation changing teams? If it's Houshmanzadeh, the answer is simple: the passing game.
In Seattle, Housh was the best receiver on a terrible team. In Baltimore, Housh is the second wideout, but on a team with a potentially fantastic passing game. He'll have more chances for big points in Baltimore than he ever would have had in Seattle. Plus, he's never really been a top receiver type guy, so the Ravens should be the perfect fit for him.
5. Kenny Britt, Wide Receiver, Tennessee Titans—Fall
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Britt has all the skills to be an elite wide receiver. With the injury to Justin Gage in Tennessee, he had a chance to take hold of the top spot on the depth chart in the preseason.
But Britt, for all his tools, failed to impress anyone. In fact, he may have fallen farther down the depth chart with his lackluster performances in the preseason. Keep an eye on him on the waiver wire, but don't waste a draft spot on him right now.
5. Jabar Gaffney, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos- Rise
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Gaffney was never much of a fantasy prospect at any stop of his career, until he hit Denver. There, the former Florida Gator has thrived, developing a strong connection with Kyle Orton.
Gaffney's not a top-flight receiver. But he's a solid No. 2 on your depth chart, who you can probably snag late in a draft.
4. Joseph Addai, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts—Fall
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If the running back situation in Indianapolis feels like deja vu, that's because it is.
When Addai was a second year back, he was in a time split with Dominic Rhodes. Addai was clearly the more dynamic back, and eventually replaced Rhodes as the full-time starter.
Now? Addai is playing the role of Rhodes, and second-year back Donald Brown is playing the role of Addai. Soon, Addai's time in Indy will draw to a close.
4. Donald Brown, Running Back, Indianapolis Colts—Rise
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Brown is a dynamic young back out of UConn, who missed a significant portion of last season with injuries. He's got serious big play potential, and is a viable receiving option as well.
If he stays healthy, look for him to supplant Addai as the starting back behind Peyton Manning. If he does that, he'll be a late round steal, and he's already a required handcuff to Addai.
3. Todd Heap, Tight End, Baltimore Ravens—Fall
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Todd Heap is a sad story for fantasy owners. No one denies that he's talented. But injuries have derailed what had been a promising career.
Now, Heap's time in Baltimore is drawing to an end, and he stands to lose playing time to rookies Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. Approach with extreme caution, even as a backup tight end.
3. Zach Miller, Tight End, Oakland Raiders—Rise
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Zach Miller has been a fantasy secret for a few seasons now. He's big, rangy, and has good hands, making him a fantastic target for a quarterback.
When Jason Campbell arrived in Oakland, Miller immediately became his favorite target. Look for him to have a big season, and he can be had at a mid-to-low-round pick.
2. Jerome Harrison, Running Back, Cleveland Browns—Fall
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When the Browns' incumbent running back, Montario Hardesty, injured his knee, many saw Harrison as the next big thing in Cleveland.
But Harrison has struggled mightily in the preseason, putting the ball on the turf way too often to make him a halfway reasonable fantasy play. This means there really is nothing relevant in Cleveland, from a fantasy football perspective.
2. Arian Foster, Running Back, Houston Texans—Rise
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Foster has been a revelation during the preseason, taking firm hold of the Texans' starting gig from Steve Slaton.
He was an undrafted back as a rookie, but Arian has shown that he belongs during the preseason. His draft position is skyrocketing, so you have to take him early, but all indications are that he's worth it.
1. Chaz Schliens, Wide Receiver, Oakland Raiders—Fall
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Schilens was a popular sleeper pick heading into camp. With his speed and hands, and Jason Campbell's arm, the third-year player out of San Diego State looked poised to have a big year.
But Schilens has been injured all preseason, and, with his recent knee surgery, he'll miss three to six weeks minimum. When he comes back, he should have some value; the question is, how much?
1. Legedu Naanee, Wide Receiver, San Diego Chargers—Rise
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Naanee has been seen as a sleeper since he arrived in the NFL. With Vincent Jackson's suspension and possible trade, a starting spot opened up for Legedu.
He's looked pretty good this preseason, and has the potential to speed Jackson's trade with strong play. He's got all the tools, and has been appearing in late rounds on draft boards everywhere. Take him as a backup, but he could be a starter by year's end.
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