Fantasy football sleepers: RB - Week 1
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September 9, 2009 @ 23:49:00
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By Bryce McRae
Edited by Tim Heaney
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.
Cedric
Benson, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver
Broncos
Fantasy value: Midrange No. 2
-
Benson will have a huge workload |
With Carson
Palmer (elbow) expected back behind center, opposing defenses will have something
to fear from Cincy's passing attack. This should create more room for Benson to
grind out the yards. - Benson touched the ball on 13 of Cincinnati's 15
plays in the first quarter of their Week 3 preseason game (typically the dress
rehearsal for the regular season). He should be heavily involved in the team's
offense.
- The Broncos allowed the sixth most
rushing yards per game (134.0) to this position last year. Bump them up into a
tie for third most when it comes to yards per carry (5.1).
- They also tied
for the most total touchdowns allowed per game to this position (1.81) last year.
Ray
Rice, Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas
City Chiefs
Fantasy value: Midrange No. 2
- There
isn't a true lead back in Baltimore as the team favors the three-headed approach.
Still, we like Rice to see the bulk of the carries. Willis
McGahee is the backup and Le'Ron McClain should
be the short-yardage back.
- Baltimore attempted the most runs in the league
last year (37.0 per game). Even if they loosen quarterback Joe
Flacco's leash, this team is still going to pound the ball on the ground.
- Kansas
City's run defense? Non-existent last year. They gave up 143.0 rushing yards (third
most) per week to opposing backs and an average of 5.1 yards per carry (tied for
third).
NEW - Julius
Jones, Seattle Seahawks vs. St.
Louis Rams
Fantasy value: Midrange No. 3
- Jones
enjoyed a solid (but not spectacular) preseason with 72 yards on 19 carries (3.8
yards per carry). He appears to be a decent fit for the Seahawks' new zone-blocking
scheme.
- Recently signed back Edgerrin James
(Arizona Cardinals) will be a complementary back to
Jones. The former notched just two carries during the preseason and is likely
still getting caught up on Seattle's offense.
- The Rams
gave up the second most rushing yards (143.4) and third most rushing touchdowns
(1.56) per game to this position last year. As for total offensive touchdowns,
they tied for the most (1.81). They also yielded the fifth most offensive yards
(172.4) per game.
- Though it was under a different offensive system, Jones
ran roughshod over the Rams in Week 3 last year, totaling
140 ground yards on 22 carries while scoring once.
NEW
- Darren Sproles, San Diego
Chargers at Oakland Raiders
Fantasy
value: Weak No. 3 or flex
- The miniscule back ran the ball nine
times for just 32 yards and one score during the preseason. However, he caught
five balls for 66 yards.
- Last year, the Raiders
gave up 172.7 offensive yards and 1.63 offensive touchdowns per game to this position.
The first total was fourth most in the league while the second was third.
- He
only ran the ball 15 times for 42 yards in two games against Oakland last year.
Yet, Sproles did most of his damage in the receiving game, catching four passes
for 39 yards and finding the end zone twice.
- Given their porous run defense
(that might not be if recently acquired defensive tackle Richard
Seymour reports to the team), expect to see a heavy dose of both Sproles and
starter LaDainian Tomlinson this week.
NEW
- Glen Coffee, San Francisco
49ers at Arizona Cardinals
Fantasy
value: Flex or bench
- Coffee tied for the league this preseason
with 249 rushing yards, averaging a gaudy 5.9 yards per attempt. He failed to
find the end zone, though.
- Head coach Mike
Singletary wants to establish a strong running game on the backs of Coffee
and starter Frank Gore. Expect to see a lot of
both of them this weekend.
- Helping them will be the Cardinals' somewhat
dismal run defense. They allowed the seventh most scores (1.25) per game to this
position over 2008.
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