Catch up on the top 10 fantasy football sleepers that you need to know after their big weeks in Week 2. They produced nice weeks despite low expectations.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) was one of the fantasy football sleepers to come up huge for his owners in Week 2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Week 2 of fantasy football was full of plenty of surprises. Some potentially high-scoring games weren’t, the Browns were good for while, and the Rams knocked off the Seahawks to get their first win in LA in over 30 years. Every week in fantasy football there are stars that come through and some that flop due to injury or ineffectiveness. However, as all fantasy veterans know, there are also some very important players that step up each week going from relatively unknown to being need-to-know going forward. Those players are usually called “fantasy football sleepers.”
Each week at FanSided, I run down the top fantasy football sleepers who emerged the previous week. They typically are players that were off the radar coming into the week but had noteworthy performances. Ever Monday of the season will feature our top 10 fantasy scoring leaders, our top 10 fantasy football busts, and our top 10 fantasy football sleepers.
In this post focused on the all-important fantasy football sleepers, I highlight the players that had little or no expectations coming into the week but stepped up and delivered good numbers. Whether due to bigger opportunities or better matchups, these players came through for their owners who were bold enough to play them. You definitely want to be aware of these players going forward and many will make our Tuesday list of waiver wire pickups to target.
You won’t find a ton of well-known names on this list unless they came back out of nowhere this week. Instead, these are names you may not know yet, but names you’ll want to at least be aware of going forward.
Make sure to check back later tomorrow for my top waiver wire pickups so that you can improve your fantasy football team going into Week 3. To catch all our coverage, drop a bookmark on our fantasy football hub and follow us on Twitter @FansidedFantasy. You can also check out our new start/sit tool and be sure to let us know how we can help your team be set up for success in the coming weeks.
Let’s get right into the emerging options from Week 2 as we look at the fantasy football sleepers you need to keep an eye on moving forward.
Sep 15, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (81) runs after a catch and breaks a tackle by Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) during the first quarter at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Quincy Enunwa-WR-New York Jets
It happened all the way back on last Thursday, so maybe the other owners in your league will forget about Quincy Enunwa becoming more and more involved in the Jets passing attack. New York has been deploying the third-year receiver out of Nebraska as their clear no. 3 option in the passing game.
In Week 1, Enunwa hauled in his first career touchdown and finished with seven catches for 54 yards against the Bengals. He followed that up with another good performance on Thursday Night Football when he totaled 92 yards by hauling in all six passes thrown his way. Part of his Week 2 performance came when Brandon Marshall was sidelined with what initially looked like a bad knee injury.
Marshall was able to return although there is uncertainty about his Week 3 status. Enunwa looks to be involved enough to be owned in many fantasy leagues even though the upcoming schedule for the Jets’ passing attack is a rough one as they face the Chiefs, Seahawks, Steelers, and Cardinals the next four weeks.
San Diego Chargers D/ST
After getting beat up by the Chiefs in the second half of Week 1, the Chargers looked like a legitimate fantasy defense in their home opener. Granted, they were in a great matchup against the Jaguars, but they were able to hold Jacksonville scoreless for the first three quarters while building up a 38-0 lead.
San Diego ended up allowing two garbage-time touchdowns, but they were able to pick up a pair of sacks and force three Blake Bortles turnovers. Casey Hayward had both of the Chargers’ [ocls while Melvin Ingram led the pass rush and finished with a pair of sacks.
The Chargers have a decent schedule ahead, so they deserve a look as a fantasy defense if you are looking to avoid picking up a different unit each week. They head to Indianapolis in Week 3 before facing the Saints, Raiders, Broncos, and Falcons.
Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker (43) runs the ball during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Fozzy Whittaker-RB-Carolina Panthers
Whittaker become more than just a fun option for a fantasy football team name when he stepped in for the injured Jonathan Stewart on Sunday. Whittaker was one of the top backs of the week although he wasn’t able to get into the end zone which would have capped off his breakout performance.
Working against a 49ers defense that shut down Todd Gurley in Week 1, Whittaker ran for 100 yards on his 16 carries and added 31 more yards on three catches. He looked execellent as a fill-in for J-Stew, but his fantasy value will ultimately be capped the same problem that Stewart faced. Whenever it comes time for rushing touchdowns, Cam gets the call, so Whittaker will have a chance for yards, but touchdowns will likely be few and far between.
Moving forward, on Monday Coach Ron Rivera said that Stewart will miss at least a week or two. Whittaker is the Panthers’ running back you want to own for next week’s tough matchup against Minnesota and is one of the best fantasy football sleepers to get a chance to step up in Week 2.
Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) throws before the game with the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Sam Bradford-QB-Minnesota Vikings
Speaking of Minnesota, the Vikings got a big win on Sunday Night Football behind their new starter Sam Bradford. While Bradford isn’t normally a QB1, he does make a nice fantasy football sleeper especially if the Vikings are forced to throw the ball a little more in the coming weeks due to Adrian Peterson’s injury.
Bradford threw for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Packers completing 22 of his 31 passes. He showed a solid connection with Stefon Diggs (more on him later in my fantasy football sleepers) while also using the potential-weapon that is Kyle Rudolph at tight end.
Bradford is definitely in the discussion as a QB2 in the next few weeks, but his matchups keep him from being a streaming option right away. Next week he faces the Panthers in Carolina before coming home for matchups agains the Giants and Texans. Later in the season, he may be a QB1 streamer, so watch how he gels with the Vikings moving forward.
Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tight end Clive Walford (88) catches a touchdown pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Falcons defeated the Raiders 35-28. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Clive Walford-TE-Oakland Raiders
Walford got a ton of buzz before his Week 1 matchup in New Orleans, but he didn’t really emerge as a fantasy football sleeper until this week. Walford is a huge target for David Carr and the Raiders, and he looked good this week.
He finished with six catches in the Raiders’ loss to Atlanta totaling 50 yards and a touchdown. He was much more involved than his three-catch season opener, and he looks to be a target especially in the red zone.
The Raiders offense is definitely on the rise, and Walford looks to be involved enough to keep an eye on especially in deep leagues as we hit bye weeks. He’ll be risky week-to-week, but he can definitely present mismatch problems at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds.
Sep 18, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams (16) runs with the ball as he is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey (20) during the first quarter of the game at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Tyrell Williams-WR-San Diego Chargers
If you’ve followed our fantasy football coverage at all this preseason, you know I’ve been touting Tyrell Williams as a fantasy football sleeper all preseason long. Williams is the second-year un-drafted free agent who expected to step into the starting role in three-receiver sets along with Travis Benjamin and Keenan Allen.
With Allen’s injury, Williams’ breakout potential was suddenly accelerated. He is now the clear starter across from Benjamin and a huge part of the Chargers pass-heavy attack. In Week 2, he posted an impressive 61 yards and a touchdown on his three catches including a 44-yard catch-and-run that showed off his uber-athletic upside.
Williams is a great addition to make going forward is definitely a recommended waiver wire pickup again this week. He tied for the team-lead in targets and has a tasty schedule to enjoy coming up. San Diego plays the Colts, Saints, and Raiders the next three weeks which are all A+ matchups for Williams, Benjamin, Rivers, and the Chargers.
Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman (26) runs for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the fourth quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Falcons defeated the Raiders 35-28. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Tevin Coleman-RB-Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were expected to have a timeshare between Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman last season. However, that plan went up in smoke due to Coleman’s injuries early in the year and the emergence of Freeman as a fantasy All Star.
This season, though, Coleman is back as a popular fantasy football sleeper and he has contributed to the Falcons attack in both of their games so far this season. After totaling 117 yards rushing and receiving in Week 1, Coleman had 46 yards and a rushing touchdown against Oakland in Week 2. He also added 25 more yards on a pair of catches.
Right now, it looks like Coleman and Freeman are sharing touches just about equally in the Atlanta backfield. As long as that remains the case, they both will have low-upside but be legitimate starters.
Sep 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta (88) catches a pass over the defense of Cleveland Browns inside linebacker Chris Kirksey (58) during the second half at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 25-20. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dennis Pitta-TE-Baltimore Ravens
One of the most unlikely fantasy football sleepers to emerge in the first two weeks of the NFL season is veteran Dennis Pitta. Pitta has risen from the ashes of a pair of hip injuries that caused him to miss almost three full years of playing time. His last full season was back in 2012, but he has quickly made up for lost time and become a key part in the Ravens offense again.
The 2010 draft pick out of BYU was targeted a team-high 12 times against the Browns in Week 2. He had as many passes thrown his way as the team’s top two receivers (Mike Wallace and Steve Smith) combined. Pitta was a PPR fiend with nine catches for 102 yards against the Browns although he’s still looking for his first touchdown of the season.
If you’re looking for a tight end on the waiver wire, Pitta is the top option to try and pick up in most formats. He is so vitally involved in the Ravens attack that he is a starter at the position even though he was a non-factor just a few weeks ago.
Sep 18, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (87) hauls in a third quarter pass against the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Sterling Shepard-WR-New York Giants
While I take credit for my Tyrell Williams call from early on this postseason, I’m also ready to admit that I was totally wrong on Sterling Shepard. I missed this Giants’ rookie since the New York offense looked so horrible this preseason that I was low on the second-rounder from Oklahoma.
I’ve changed my mind after two strong weeks from Shepard, and now I think he’s one of the better fantasy football sleepers to try and pick up if you need wide receiver help. Shepard caught all eight passes thrown his way on Sunday to total 117 yards. He didn’t get into the end zone this week, but he did in Week 1 when he had three catches for 43 yards.
Moving forward, Shepard is a clear starter in the Big Apple and can be used as a WR3 in most matchups. This week, the Giants face Washington which should allow him to put up another solid statistical week.
Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) catches a touchdown pass past Green Bay Packers cornerback Damarious Randall (23) in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Stefon Diggs-WR-Minnesota Vikings
Last year, Diggs was a waiver wire sensation in the middle of the season, but he faded down the stretch. He entered the season on the fringes of the fantasy football sleepers since there were definite questions about who exactly would be throwing him the ball after Teddy Bridgewater’s injury.
Diggs hasn’t let quarterback issues slow him down yet, though, and he showed a strong connection with new QB Sam Bradford in the Vikings’ win over Green Bay on Sunday night. I liked Diggs coming into the week, and he rewarded his owners by setting a career high with nine catches for 182 yards and a touchdown.
Starting the season with back-to-back games of over 100 yards makes him someone to start every week going forward. He only gains more value since the Vikings will have to lean on him even more heavily after losing Adrian Peterson. Diggs is in a tough matchup against the Panthers this week, but I still think he is a very startable option.
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