Home/NFL
Home/NFL
feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

feature-image

USA Today via Reuters

Week 10 is here, which means there are only a handful of weeks left until the fantasy playoffs arrive. With teams like Kansas City and Dallas, who have a ton of superstars on their offense, on byes this week, fantasy players will have to dig a bit deeper to find impact players that can help them win their matchup this week.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

We’ve already given you our fantasy cheat sheet, which includes position rankings, best matchups and more, so now it’s time to help you find some diamonds in the rough. Here are two sleepers at each position that can help you win your matchup this week.

ADVERTISEMENT

Quarterbacks

article-image

Imago

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

If you’ve been following our work this week, you’d know that I love J.J. McCarthy in fantasy this week. He’s made three starts this year and has scored 19+ in two of them. He’s been pretty solid throwing the ball, but he’s rushing it over five times per game and has already gotten into the end zone twice with his legs.

ADVERTISEMENT

This week, McCarthy faces the Baltimore Ravens, who are coming around defensively, but still haven’t been great against opposing quarterbacks, giving up 18.95 points per game. I’m not saying McCarthy will get you 20+ points, but he should be good for at least 15, and with guys like Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott on a bye, he could be a good option.

He’s also available in 64 percent of Sleeper redraft leagues, so that certainly helps his case for being a sleeper this week.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports

Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

Here’s another quarterback sleeper for you: Jacoby Brissett.

Brissett has been excellent ever since he took over for Kyler Murray in Arizona. In his three starts, Brissett has scored 21, 19 and 24 points. He’s thrown for 260+ yards and two touchdowns in every single game, and has even flashed some mobility with 14 rushing attempts.

ADVERTISEMENT

Brissett doesn’t have the easiest matchup in the world against the Seattle Seahawks, but he’s proven he can have success against tough defenses (i.e. Green Bay). He’s another guy who might not hit 20+, but he should be good for a solid 15-18 points this week.

He’s currently available in 85 percent of Sleeper redraft leagues, too, so if you really need some help, see if he’s available.

ADVERTISEMENT

Running Backs

article-image

Imago

Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals

Ever since he dropped the ball at the goal line, things have gone south for Emari Demercado. He was put in the dog house by his head coach, and then he suffered an ankle injury, which caused him to miss Week 7 before going on a bye. He came back in Week 9, and was the Cardinals’ lead back, carrying it 14 times for 79 yards while catching a pass.

Seattle’s defense is much more stout than Dallas’ was a week ago, but if Demercado is indeed Arizona’s lead back this week, he could have a pretty decent game, especially if he can find the end zone. The running back position is already very thin, so it’s hard to find true sleepers, but Demercado may be the RB1 in a pretty good offense this week.

David Montgomery, Detroit Lions

It’s hard to call David Montgomery a sleeper because he’s so well known, but I can guarantee you that many of his owners are not starting him on a week-to-week basis. He has regressed this year and has played over 50 percent of the Detroit Lions’ offensive snaps just one time this season. However, I think he could have a pretty solid week this Sunday.

The Lions play Miami, who have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, and after last week’s loss where they couldn’t establish much of a run game, Dan Campbell‘s going to pound the rock this week. Jahmyr Gibbs will be the lead man, as always, but Montgomery should get a healthy amount of work, and I would not be surprised at all if he got into the end zone.

He’s not widely available in a ton of leagues (rostered in 90 percent), but if he’s on your bench and you need someone to start, at least consider Montgomery this week.

Wide Receivers

article-image

Imago

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts

Much like McCarthy, I’ve been yelling Alec Pierce’s name from the rooftops all week. With AD Mitchell gone, he’s the bona fide WR2 in the Indianapolis Colts’ offense. He’s played over 80 percent of their offensive snaps in all but one game this season, and he’s averaging 14.2 points per game over his last three.

Pierce is available in over half of Sleeper’s redraft leagues, and is someone you could plug into your lineup this week. Atlanta’s pass defense isn’t the easiest matchup, but with most of the attention going to Michael Pittman, it should open some things up for Pierce.

Tez Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As long as Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan and Chris Godwin are out, Tez Johnson is going to be a viable fantasy football option. In the three games he’s played over 50 percent of the offensive snaps, Johnson has scored 12, 15 and nine points. Evans and McMillan are out this week, and Godwin is questionable, so Johnson should be in line for a pretty high snap count on Sunday.

Johnson is available in 52 percent of Sleeper redraft leagues, so there’s a decent shot he’s available in your league if you need some receiver help this week.

Tight Ends

article-image

Imago

Theo Johnson, New York Giants

Tight end is another position where it’s hard to find sleepers because it’s so thin, but I think Theo Johnson is a good pick this week. The New York Giants’ offense has been pretty good with Jaxson Dart under center, and when they get into the red zone, he loves to target his big tight end.

Since Dart took over in Week 4, Johnson has scored five touchdowns in six games. This week, Johnson and the Giants face a Chicago defense that has really struggled at times this year. If they can sustain a few drives, Johnson should be able to make his way into the end zone at some point.

Johnson is rostered in just 28 percent of Sleeper redraft leagues, so you should be able to find him on waivers if you need tight end help.

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cade Otton has been a bit up and down this season, but this is a big game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they’re already without Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, and it’s no guarantee that Chris Godwin is good to go. That leaves Emeka Egbuka and Otton to pick up a lot of the slack this weekend.

If Tampa wants to win this game against New England, they’re going to need Otton to have a big game. He’s been targeted at least five times in each of his last four outings, so the production will be there; he just needs to make some plays after the catch and in the red zone.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT