Fantasy football sleepers: QB - Week 9

November 5, 2009 @ 00:00:00

By Tim Heaney
Edited by Bryce McRae

Fantasy football sleepers: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

In this article KFFL breaks down the fantasy football sleepers of the week. We will avoid marquee names because players of that caliber are rarely benched, regardless of their matchup. Instead, we will focus on the players that make your fantasy lineup decisions stressful each week. Read on to learn which midrange to low-end players that you wouldn't necessarily consider that you need to get into your lineup.

Note: All statistics are from Week 5 to Week 8, unless otherwise noted.

Fantasy football sleepers: Quarterbacks

Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons

Fantasy value: No. 1 or bench

• Campbell registered season highs in completions (29) and attempts (43) for 284 yards in Week 7. Campbell, however, has averaged just 172.7 passing yards and 1.00 scoring tosses per game in three outings since Week 4. The 'Skins would give Campbell a chance to post garbage-time numbers if they fall behind, which they have been doing often this year.
• The Falcons secondary has been hurting since the season-ending injury to cornerback Brian Williams (knee). Quarterbacks have capitalized, posting 279.3 passing yards, 1.75 paydirt passes and 30.3 ground yards per game against Atlanta in the last month.

David Garrard, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Fantasy value: No. 1 or bench

The matchup favors Garrard this week

• Garrard has been kept out of the end zone while throwing four picks in his last three contests. He has failed to break 200 aerial yards in two of those; his other game, against the hapless St. Louis Rams, was a 335-yard effort on a 30-for-43 performance.
• The Chiefs provide an equally desirable matchup: They have allowed 261.0 passing yards and 1.67 throwing touchdowns per contest in their last three games.
• Garrard's air show should involve frequent utilizations of multifaceted back Maurice Jones-Drew, whose breakaway ability could help gain Garrard some cheap yardage. Garrard's newfound friendship with rookie wideout Mike Thomas also gives him another avenue to expose a feeble Chiefs secondary, which has been giving up the big play all season.
• The Chiefs might be without starting free safety Jarrad Page (calf) this week and the rest of the season. His absence would corrupt the continuity - if there was any to being with - for the defensive backfield.

NEW - Alex D. Smith, San Francisco 49ers vs. Tennessee Titans

Fantasy value: No. 1 or bench

• Smith hasn't been overly outstanding stats-wise but has done just enough to get by since reclaiming the starting gig. Before reverting to his game-manager self in Week 8, he compiled 206 aerial yards and three touchdowns in a second-half comeback attempt in Week 7.
• The Titans have been feeble against the pass, giving up 293.3 yards and 3.00 touchdowns per game. Much of that came from Tom Brady and Peyton Manning beatdowns, but they haven't proven formidable against worse competition, either. Though they have recouped some key members of their secondary, they weren't that great against the pass with those players earlier this year.
• It's safe to say the Niners will continue to focus on running the ball, but against a solid Titans run D, they'll probably rely on passes to tailback Frank Gore. This should help open things up if they need to air it out. While he isn't the most attractive option, you shouldn't feel entirely hopeless if you have to rely on Smith this week.

Fantasy football sleepers: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

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Tim Heaney

Since the Boston University alum joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim competes in Tout Wars and LABR and appears every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore, as well as frequently on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio.

Follow him on Twitter.

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