NFL fantasy sleepers: week 3
Here are some of the best fantasy sleepers for week 3 in the NFL. For our purposes, a sleeper is any player that is owned by less than 70% of owners playing fantasy football on NFL.com. We're looking for the diamonds in the rough.
9. Marshawn Lynch vs. NE Patriots
This is kind of an interesting case. After just three carries in week one, Lynch had a team-high 17 carries in week two against Green Bay. There are rumours that Buffalo are looking to trade Lynch, and will be giving him a lot of carries to prove his worth.
The Patriots' run defence isn't bad, but it's not dominating by any means. Lynch could see a lot of the ball in the upcoming weeks and could be a nice pick up.
8. Shawn Hill vs. Minnesota Vikings
Shawn Hill will likely start again for the Detroit Lions with Matthew Stafford still out with a shoulder injury. In week two, in his only start for the Lions, Hill threw for 335 yards and two TD's, as well as two interceptions. He has a lot of weapons to
throw to, and the Vikings defence, while still good, isn't what it was last year. Plus it's always nice when you can dump a two-yard pass to your running-back, and he's liable to take it 50 yards to the house.
7. Mike Tolbert vs. Seattle Seahawks
Mike Tolbert had a huge game in week two. With starter Ryan Mathews out with an injury, Tolbert ran for 82 yards and two TD's. Mathews will likely return for the Chargers, but Tolberts hard running style will see him get goal-line opportunities. He doesn't
have the best match-up this week against a Seahawks team that hasn't given up much on the ground, but a one-yard touchdown run, or two, is a definite possibility.
6. Demaryius Thomas vs. Indianapolis Colts
Demaryius Thomas, the Broncos' rookie wide receiver missed all of the preseason and the season opener with a foot injury. That didn't seem to matter in his week two debut, where he caught eight balls for 97 yards and a touchdown. He doesn't have a good match-up
in week three, facing a very good Colts defence, but looks like a good pick-up for the rest of the season. The Broncos targeted him often, and he is expected to fill the Brandon Marshall role. You remember Brandon Marshall, he of the back-to-back 100+ catch,
1000+ yard seasons in Denver?
5. Josh Freeman vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Like Thomas before him (and Orton after him...you'll see) Freeman isn't so much a sleeper for week three specifically. More so a sleeper in general. Week three he'll be facing the Steel Curtain. Do not start Josh Freeman in week three. After this week he'll
become a better option. Freeman has really grown up after his rookie season, and has performed steadily so far. He followed up 183 yards passing, two TDs, one INT and 34 yards rushing in week one with 178 yards passing, two TDs and 43 yards rushing in week
two. Freeman is sixth among QB's in fantasy points so far, ahead of the likes of Tom Brady, Donovan Mcnabb and Drew Brees.
4. Kyle Orton vs. Indianapolis Colts
Kyle Orton has been very steady so far, and ranks seventh among quarterbacks in fantasy points, just behind Freeman, and ahead of the big names mentioned above. Like the two above him in this list, Orton may not be best choice to start this week, against a
dangerous Colts pass defence, but moving forward he's a veteran quarterback who has a lot of weapons to throw to, and the trust of his coach and the locker room. Orton has thrown for over 290 yards in both his games so far, and has three touchdowns to his
one interception.
3. Darren Sproles vs. Seattle Seahawks
This is kind of a boom or bust pick. With Ryan Mathews in the line-up in week one, Sproles didn't get a lot of touches on offence and was largely ineffective. However, with Mathews out of the line-up in week two, Sproles totalled 156 yards, including kick
returns. The Chargers are coming up against a Seahawks team that has not allowed many yards on the ground this season, but Frank Gore caught six balls out of the backfield against them in week one, and Knowshon Moreno caught four passes in week two.
Darren Sproles is San Diego's best pass catching option out of the backfield. If Mathews and Tolbert can't make any headway on the ground, San Diego could turn to using Sproles as a swing pass option out of the backfield. Like I said, a risky pick, but
if you've got a tough match-up this week and need a hug game from an unlikely source, Sproles could be your guy.
2. Marcedes Lewis vs. Philadelphia Eagles
After the cunning thinking that went into the number three pick, these next two feel kind of anti-climactic, but they're solid picks nonetheless. Jaguars TE Marcedes Lewis had two touchdowns in week one and five catches for 70 yards in week two. He's coming
up against an Eagles team that just allowed TE Brandon Pettigrew seven catches for 108 yards and is 23rd in the league against the pass. There you go. Simple.
1. Mark Clayton vs. Washington Redskins
And the number one fantasy sleeper for week three is...Mark Clayton, wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams. Clayton has developed into a favourite target for rookie QB Sam Bradford. He caught 10 passes for 119 yards in week one, before hauling in two touchdowns
with his only two catches in week two. Clayton and the Rams are coming up against a Washington defence doing receivers all kinds of favours. The second-worse ranked pass defence in the league gave up huge days to Miles Austin in week one and both Andre Johnson
and lesser light Kevin Walter in week two.
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