Fantasy Football Sunday Sleepers: Week 10 (David Garrard and More)

Looking for a sleeper option who may be available on your waiver wire who could make a major impact this week?  Let’s take a look at a few options (for consideration on this listing from week-to-week, a player must be owned in less then 50% of both Yahoo and ESPN leagues):

Quarterbacks
David Garrard – Jacksonville Jaguars – vs. Houston
Garrard is coming off a huge Week 8, with 260 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against the Dallas Cowboys.  That came after missing Week 7 due to a concussion and constant questions surrounding the ability of the Jaguars passing attack.

Those questions should not be so prevalent anymore, with Garrard’s ability to throw touchdowns often.  While he doesn’t get many yards (only one game over 178 yards), he has thrown multiple touchdowns four times this season in seven games (one of which was just 12 attempts).

This week he gets a Texans defense that has allowed a league high 20 TDs this in 2010.  He also has a great rapport with tight end Marcedes Lewis, and Michael Sims-Walker is coming off his best game of the season.  Garrard’s certainly not a dependable week-to-week option, but there certainly are plenty of reasons to like him this week.

Garrard is currently owned in 48% of Yahoo leagues and 43.9% of ESPN leagues

Other quarterback sleepers:

• Matt Cassel – Kansas City Chiefs – at Denver (44% of Yahoo leagues and 36.1% of ESPN leagues)
• Chad Pennington – Miami Dolphins – vs. Tennessee (5% of Yahoo leagues and 0.9% of ESPN leagues)

Must Read: Fantasy Football Week 10 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

Wide Receivers
Deion Branch – New England Patriots – at Pittsburgh
He returned to New England with a bang, picking up nine receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown in his first game back.  The next three, however, have seen him total just seven catches for 81 yards and no touchdowns.  The once hot waiver wire pickup has quickly fallen out of favor of fantasy owners.

He has been struggling with a hamstring injury that has helped to slow him down in recent weeks.  Word is that he is feeling significantly better, which should immediately thrust him back into a more formidable role in the Patriots offense.

While Pittsburgh’s defense is among the best in the league, they actually rank in the bottom ten in passing yards allowed per game at 240.0.  It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this one breakdown into a shootout, which certainly works in Branch’s favor, as does having Tom Brady throwing him the ball.

Branch is currently owned in 47% of Yahoo leagues and 44.4% of ESPN leagues

Other wide receiver sleepers:

• Kevin Walter – Houston Texans – at Jacksonville (39% of Yahoo leagues and 27.5% of ESPN leagues)
• Mike Thomas – Jacksonville Jaguars – vs. Houston (21% of Yahoo leagues and 6.2% of ESPN leagues)

Running Backs
Chester Taylor – Chicago Bears – vs. Minnesota
Finding a running back that fits our requirements is always extremely difficult, but Taylor fits the bill this week.  The understudy to Matt Forte is coming off his second game with double-digit carries of the season(13 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries).  While the numbers may not have been impressive, offensive coordinator Mike Martz was quoted in the Chicago Tribune as saying, “It’s a special game for him, and we want to make that special for him as well” (click here for the full article).

That statement certainly could lead you to believe that Taylor once again is going to get extra carries as he takes on his former team.  While he’s been fairly unproductive this season, opportunity goes a long way.  The Vikings defense is among the best against the run, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him find the end zone.

I’m not about to suggest that you actually use him, but it would appear that he has the potential this week to post usable numbers.  For those in deeper leagues who are desperate, that’s all we can really ask for.

Taylor is currently owned in 12% of Yahoo leagues and 45.0% of ESPN leagues

Another running back sleeper:

• Mike Goodson – Carolina Panthers – at Tampa Bay (20% of Yahoo leagues and 1.6% of ESPN leagues)

What are your thoughts on these players?  Would you take the gamble on any of them?

Make sure to check out Rotoprofessor’s Week 10 Rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 60 Wide Receivers
• Top 20 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers
• Top 15 Defenses
• Waiver Worthy
• Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em

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