Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Brad Berreman
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie (except for a kicker).

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Team Defense.

Detroit Lions D/ST
2010 Stats: 23.1 points per game, 343.6 yards per game, 44 sacks, 14 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles

Last year’s No.2 overall pick Ndamukong Suh made an instant impact on the Lions’ defense, as he had 10 of the team’s 44 sacks. This marked the first time since 1999 that Detroit has recorded over 40 sacks in a season.  While Suh spent his Sunday’s putting pressure on the quarterback, the rest of the defense did a good job of forcing turnovers. The Lions had two or more takeaways in a game eight times last season, and they scored a defensive touchdown in three of those contests.  Most importantly, the defense matured throughout the year and showed promise at the end. They forced seven turnovers and recorded 12 sacks during a 4-0 stretch to end the season.

This year’s Round 1 selection, Nick Fairley, should further bolster the interior of the defensive line and safety Louis Delmas (62 tackles) is a rising star. The Lions also addressed one of their biggest weaknesses when they signed linebacker’s Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant. Tulloch’s 159 tackles in 2010 ranked No. 2 in the NFL and he immediately makes the defense better. Health is always a concern for Durant, however he’s averaged over five tackles per game during his career. The additions of Eric Wright and Eric Coleman add depth to the secondary as well.  The Lions allowed 25 or more points seven times last season, however they added some missing pieces to the puzzle and are primed to be a top 10 fantasy defense in 2011.
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- Written by James Burulcich
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie (except for a kicker).

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Kickers.

Jason Hanson, K, Detroit Lions
2010 Stats: 12-of-14 Field Goals Made, 19-of-19 Extra Points Made

At 41, Hanson is currently the oldest active player in the NFL and entering his 20th season with the Lions. His 1,890 career points currently rank No. 7 all-time in points scored and all he needs is 73 points to move all the way up to No. 3 on the list. Before a sprained MCL caused Hanson to miss Detroit’s final eight games last year, the veteran kicker had converted on 12-of-14 field goal attempts and all 19 extra points. Plus, he continued to show off a powerful right leg, having nailed three of four kicks from outside of 50 yards.

At 41, Hanson is currently the oldest active player in the NFL and entering his 20th season with the Lions. His 1,890 career points currently rank No. 7 all-time in points scored and all he needs is 73 points to move all the way up to No. 3 on the list. Before a sprained MCL caused Hanson to miss Detroit’s final eight games last year, the veteran kicker had converted on 12 of 14 field goal attempts and all 19 extra points. Plus, he continued to show off a powerful right leg, having nailed three of four kicks from outside of 50 yards.

Hanson is fully recovered from his MCL injury and for the first time since the Barry Sanders days there is a lot to like in Detroit.  The Lions have some of the best playmakers in all of football in Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson, and if everything goes as planned should have no problem putting points on the board. Another bonus for those who have an eye on Hanson is that the Lions play 11 games indoors this year, which means no weather impacting his kicking outcome. Hanson is only owned in 7 percent of 12-team leagues on Fleaflicker.com, however he has a good chance to finish as a top 10 fantasy football kicker in 2011.
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- Written by Cory Steger
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie.

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Tight Ends.

Looking for a free, and easy place to join a fantasy football league? If so, try out Fleaflicker.com for all your league management needs.

Jared Cook, TE, Tennessee Titans
2010 Stats: 29 receptions, 369 receiving yards, 1 total touchdown

It’s not hard to see why Tennessee Titans tight end Jared Cook is one of the hottest young players at the tight end position. He has all of the physical tools to be a productive player in the NFL.  At 6’ 5’’, 248 pounds, Cook has the size of a tight end, but the hands and speed (sub 4.5 forty) of a wide receiver. After being limited to backup duties early in his career, Cook was handed the keys to the car at the end of the 2010 season and he showed fantasy owners a glimpse of the future. Over the Titans final three games, Cook hauled in 15 receptions for 196 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Tennessee opted to let regular tight end Bo Scaife walk this offseason and this opens up the door for Cook to breakout as the Titans’ starting tight end.  Already one to target before NFL free agency, Cook’s fantasy value got a boost when veteran signal caller Matt Hasselbeck signed with Tennessee to lead their offense in 2011. While Hasselbeck is just a stopgap before the Jake Locker era begins in Nashville, he does have a rich history of finding tight ends in the red zone. Remarkably, Cook is owned in just 15 percent of Flea Flicker leagues and he should be targeted toward the end of your draft in 12-team leagues. Don’t be surprised if he flirts with the team lead in receptions while working his way into your weekly lineup.
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- Written by Ryan Boser
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie.

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Wide Receivers.

Looking for a free, and easy place to join a fantasy football league? If so, try out Fleaflicker.com for all your league management needs.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
2010 Stats: 45 receptions, 582 receiving yards, 2 total touchdowns

Jordy Nelson’s popularity as a rising fantasy star took off last season thanks to his sizzling three-game playoff performance in which he amassed 21 catches, 286 yards and two scores. That breakout was punctuated by a Super Bowl performance in which he was targeted a ridiculous 15 times, corralling nine balls for 140 yards and a touchdown.

This offseason, Nelson joined New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham as two of fantasy football’s worst kept sleeper secrets. That is until the Packers re-resigned fellow wide receiver James Jones, who was expected to leave the team through free agency. The move opened up a chunk of seats on the Nelson bandwagon and has somewhat lessened his sleeper appeal heading into 2011. However a closer look reveals that it shouldn’t have a significant impact on Nelson’s opportunities. Why? Jones has plateaued in Green Bay’s offense. He should be viewed as insurance for the aging Donald Driver, who fell off a cliff last season. Randall Cobb is a rookie slot receiver who poses no threat to Nelson’s playing time.

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- Written By Rich Arleo
- Edited By Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie.

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Running Backs.

Looking for a free, and easy place to join a fantasy football league? If so, try out Fleaflicker.com for all your league management needs.

Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals
2010 Stats: 116 carries, 397 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 74 receiving yards, 2 total touchdowns

There wasn’t much to like about Wells’ 2010 season. Fantasy football owners were drinking the preseason kool-aid and investing a late second or early third round pick on Beanie as their high end RB2.  397 rushing yards, two touchdowns and a series of knee injuries later and Wells’ owners were pounding their head in disappointment by mid season.
After the Cardinals amassed the lowest amount of rushing yards in the league in 2010 with just 1,388 yards, they drafted Ryan Williams out of Virginia Tech with their pick at No. 38 overall in the 2011 draft. With the addition of Williams and Tim Hightower also in the mix, it looked like Wells had stiff competition to be fantasy relevant again, however in a matter of weeks the Cardinals traded Hightower to the Washington Redskins and declared Beanie their starter entering the season.

Despite a rough showing last year, there is a lot to like when breaking down Wells’ talents. Two years removed from being the Cardinals’ top draft pick, the talented running back averaged 4.5 yards per carry as a rookie in 2009 and broke off runs of 15 yards or more in 11 different games. Plus, he combines good game speed with enough size and power to break tackles and if healthy, Beanie should posts stats more in line with his rookie season than what we saw last year.

The addition of signal caller Kevin Kolb and tight end Todd Heap help shore up the offense in Arizona and is an encouraging sign for those targeting Wells as their RB3. Consider Beanie great draft day value if you pull the trigger in the middle rounds of your upcoming draft.

Looking for a free, and easy place to join a fantasy football league? If so, try out Fleaflicker.com for all your league management needs.
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- Written By Lane Rizzardini
- Edited By Marc Caviglia

Everybody knows who the top 10 or even 15 players are at each fantasy relevant position and that why it’s a no-brainer to target guys who consistently produce monster fantasy football numbers such as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Andre Johnson, and Antonio Gates. Often times what separates a good fantasy team from a great one is the owner who finds value in the second half of his or her fantasy draft. These later-round difference makers are referred to as fantasy football sleepers or undervalued players.

Sleepers are typically lesser known players or those with one or two NFL seasons under their belts, while undervalued players tend to be overlooked veterans, or guys who let down fantasy owners for one reason or another the previous season. Sometimes a player’s situation gives owners pause and his draft position takes a hit. Whether a player is a true sleeper or simply undervalued, he must meet the following criteria: (1) he’s likely to outperform his preseason ranking and projections; (2) he’ll deliver a much higher return on your investment (i.e., draft pick or auction price); and (3) he isn’t a rookie (except for a kicker).

Now that you know how we determine who made the cut, check out our 2011 Fantasy Football Sleeper Quarterbacks.

Looking for a free, and easy place to join a fantasy football league? If so, try out Fleaflicker.com for all your league management needs.

Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets
2010 Stats: 3,291 passing yards, 54.8 completion percentage, 20 total touchdowns, 13 interceptions

Sanchez is not regarded by many as a serious fantasy football option due to his tag as more of a “game manager” than a playmaker. It is true; he is buoyed by one of the strongest running attacks in the league and has the luxury of being bailed out by the stout Jets defense if he fails to lead his offense down the field.

Let’s not forget though, Sanchez is entering only his third season as a NFL signal caller and showed some promising improvements in 2010. He increased his totals in nearly every category last year, upping his completion percentage to 54.8, his passing yards per game total to 205.7, and Sanchez tossed five more touchdowns while lowering his number of interceptions by seven. Head coach Rex Ryan also showed more trust in Sanchez, as he threw 143 more passes in 2010 than in his rookie season. With his best receiver in Santonio Holmes resigned already, Sanchez will likely continue to make gains in 2011.

Draft the former USC Trojan as a middle of the road QB2 in 12-team leagues and don’t be surprised if his quality of play forces you to make lineup decisions each week at the quarterback position.
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- Written by Allie Fontana & James Burulcich
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Year in and year out defenses are often the deciding factor in who hoists the Lombardi Trophy come season’s end. In the world of fantasy football, defenses are typically relegated to the back pages of fantasy magazines and the last few rounds of our drafts. Should you treat defenses as a necessary evil on your fantasy roster? Definitely not, but you also shouldn’t overpay for one either. Whatever you do, resist the urge to lock up the New York Jets’ defense in the middle rounds of your draft. Fill your roster with additional quality playmakers and then look for your defense in the later rounds or play matchups throughout the season.

Every season there are a handful of under-the-radar or sleeper defenses that could potentially net you the same number of points as the league’s big-name defenses. To ensure that your top skill position picks aren’t gathering points for you in vain, help them out by targeting a defense that will provide you with consistent fantasy points on a weekly basis and also allow you to have a lineup deep with player talent. Here are five defensive units that are frequently overlooked by fantasy owners on draft day, yet have the potential to be significant fantasy factors in 2010.

Atlanta Falcons – The 2009 Atlanta Falcons defense was nothing to write home about. They finished the year tied for No. 26 in sacks with 28, in large part due to the lackluster play of their top defensive end John Abraham who managed just 4.5 sacks, down from 16.5 in 2008. The inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks wasn’t Atlanta’s only defensive weakness. They were No. 28 in pass defense letting up 242 yards per game, giving up 55 pass plays of 20 yards or more, and picking off just 15 passes. The tale of woe extended to the Falcons’ special teams unit that failed to contribute a touchdown all season. Finishing statistically at the bottom of the league is not something that a team with playoff aspirations in 2010 can repeat.

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These aren’t your ordinary sleepers. These are the guys you will have to dig through the back pages of rankings’ lists to find, the names that would never jump out at you unless you have done the research and memorized the depth charts. Did anyone know who Miles Austin and Jamaal Charles were at the beginning of last year? They’re now regarded as low-level fantasy football number ones at their respective positions.

Ninety percent of them won’t work out like those two did, but every year we get a couple of guys that seemingly come out of nowhere and end up carrying fantasy teams to championships. The reason they are considered so deep is because they all have at least one obstacle keeping them from playing time, and in many cases, two. That can be said about a lot of guys, for sure, however for the deep sleepers that we’ll be talking about in this article,  the obstacles are the old, brittle, or inexperienced, making the road to fantasy football relevance much clearer than it appears to be.

Here are 12 fantasy football running backs to stash on your roster that could, with a bit of luck, end up being fantasy monsters down the stretch.

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Kickers are not exactly highly sought after fantasy football players. Generally they are taken in the last rounds of the draft and are rarely on the same fantasy roster the entire season. Some managers even choose to stream kickers based on match-up, the idea being that point totals for kickers are based more often on the success of their offense than actual ability. No matter how you treat the position, it is a spot that needs to be filled and like in real life, can be the difference between being a champion or the first loser. Anyone who has ever won a match-up by less than three points can attest to the importance of even a few extra points to a success of the team as a whole. That means it’s crucial to have a quality kicker week in and week out even if you’re drafting the position in the last round.

Below are five kickers to target late who could have break out seasons and be that big contributor your fantasy football team needs to put it over the top. When reading about the 2010 Fantasy Football Sleeper Kickers selections, remember these three rules Bruno Boys uses to classify “sleepers”: 1) players who have a chance of outperforming their projection and player ranking; 2) players that should give you a nice return on your draft pick/auction price; 3) some sleepers are also undervalued, not all.

Dan Carpenter, K, Miami Dolphins – Carpenter is only entering his third NFL season, but has already proven himself to be one of the best in the business. He is coming off a strong Pro Bowl season in which he posted an 89-percent field goal percentage, good for fifth in the league for kickers with more than 20 attempts. This isn’t unprecedented for him, either. In 2008 he kicked at an 84-percent clip and went 40-40 on extra points, so we can assume the talent is real and that his 2009 Pro Bowl selection wasn’t a fluke. He also plays in Miami, where it’s 80 degrees and sunny 365 days a year. There might be rain from time to time; however, a passing seagull poses a bigger threat to his accuracy than the Florida weather ever will.

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The tight end position in fantasy football has always added a certain element of strategy to the game. Having a tight end spot reserved on rosters forces owners to stray from just worrying about running backs and wide receivers and deciding on whether or not they want to take a top-tier tight end, and when they want to draft their stud. 

Many top tight ends can be considered WR2 options, but if you miss out on a stud, you can get stuck with a dud in your lineup all season. This year, more than any other years, the talent at tight end is rich. With job splits and injuries, however, many tight ends will emerge from the waiver wires and become solid pieces to fantasy lineups down the stretch. The following 2010 Fantasy Football Sleeper Tight Ends list is made up of both lesser names with loads of potential value, or mid-range players that have a chance to break into the top tier this season. 

David Thomas, TE, New Orleans Saints – Despite being listed behind Jeremy Shockey on the depth chart last season, Thomas managed 356 yards and a touchdown on just 35 catches. Shockey, who will be discussed more in our tight end busts article, is entering his ninth season in the NFL, and has still yet to play a full 16-game season. He is now 30 years old and on a steady decline, so the time is right for Thomas to take over.

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