Low Key Fantasy Football Picks for Success
With the National Football League (NFL) season approaching, that means the fantasy football league season is approaching as well. It’s important to be able to create a lot of value with picks in order to win. Here are four under the radar, late draft picks that can help turn a team from a contender into a winner.
Chris Cooley:
Since most drafts end up focusing heavily on running backs and receivers in early picks, that leaves a lot of strong tight ends and quarterbacks available at the end of a draft. This means that it is possible to find a tight end as a late pick that could actually be a game-changer.
Last year, Vernon Davis was that pick. This year, it seems like Chris Cooley is on pace. Cooley will not be a top selection by any means, but is poised for a statistically serious year. From 2005-2008, the Utah State alum managed to catch for at least 700 yards every year. In 2008, he improved that total even further by grabbing 83 balls for 849 yards. His touchdown totals were low, as the Redskins had an anaemic red-zone offence, but this year things are going to change.
The Redskins are now going to be run by one of the most able coaches in the NFL in Mike Shanahan. Additionally, Donovan McNabb is now taking snaps for Washington and the veteran quarterback has made fantasy favourites out of little known receivers and tight ends throughout his career.
Most importantly for Cooley’s production is that the Redskins have picked up serious blockers in Trent Williams and Jammal Brown. That means that Cooley will be playing a receiving tight end much more often than a blocking one. It wouldn’t be surprising if Cooley exploded for 800-1000 yards and managed double-digit touchdowns.
Ryan Matthews:
The San Diego Chargers top pick in this year’s draft may not be the most talented rookie back expected to start in the NFL, but he certainly looks to be the best fantasy selection out of them. The Fresno State running back essentially inherits an offence geared towards the fantasy-stud production of former running back LaDainian Tomlinson. While Matthews won’t fill Tomlinson’s numbers, the offensive line is so fine-tuned to protecting good backs that he should be able to generate solid numbers.
Matthews is expected to see 250 carries next year according to the Chargers’ coaching staff. Realistically, Matthews will be carrying the ball no less than 300 times.
Hines Ward:
The Pittsburgh Steelers have quietly transformed from a running-based offence to a team that can actually pass the ball very well. The strongest receiver behind this ascendancy is receiver Hines Ward. Ward has always been a good fantasy pick, and last year he had 95 catches for 1,167 yards and six touchdowns. This year, the Steelers will still be airing the ball out, but are now without other target Santonio Holmes.
This means that Ward is going to be getting the ball more and more often, and thus producing better fantasy numbers all around. He could easily top 100 catches and hit 1,200 yards while being one of the last receivers taken in most drafts.
Matthew Stafford:
A lot of people waste their early round picks on trying to acquire ‘reliable’ quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers. It’s nice having quarterbacks like this, but is it necessary? Generally, it is much better to draft as many strong backs and receivers as possible in the start, since there will always be solid quarterbacks more than capable of padding out your team for success.
This year, the late QB pick should be Matthew Stafford. Last year as a rookie, the Detroit Lions quarterback struggled no less than anyone else thrown into his situation would have. However, his 422-yard, five touchdown efforts against the Cleveland Browns showed just what kind of production he is capable of.
The Lions now have some more receivers for Stafford to throw to, and are slowly building an offensive that will transform them into an explosive offence. If anything, draft a safer quarterback earlier, but be sure to get Stafford late as he is due to be a breakout star.
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