Sleepers: wide receivers

[Mr. Laz]

Sleepers: Wide Receivers

Roger Rotter / FOXSports.com
Posted: 1 day ago


Grabbing sleeper receivers in the late rounds affords the opportunity to snag running backs early and often in the draft.

Stock up on at least three backs early and leave a chance to find a third receiver in the final rounds.

The best sleeper receivers were analyzed and evaluated on the basis of the offensive system, role, talent, yardage ceiling and touchdown ceiling on a scale of 10.

This is the breakdown of yardage and touchdown ceilings. If the wide receiver is projected to rush for 1,000 yards when given the opportunity with his current team, then he will be given a 10. If the back is projected to score 10 touchdowns when given the chance with his current team, then he is assigned a 10.


Sleeper Scale
1,000 yards = 10 10 TD = 10
900 yards = 9 9 TD = 9
800 yards = 8 8 TD = 8
700 yards = 7 7 TD = 7
600 yards = 6 6 TD = 6
500 yards = 5 5 TD = 5
400 yards = 4 4 TD = 4
300 yards = 3 3 TD = 3
200 yards = 2 2 TD = 2
100 yards = 1 1 TD = 1

1. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati
System: 6
Role: 5
Talent: 6
Yardage: 8
Touchdown: 9
Total: 34
The fourth-year Bengal receiver emerged last season after injuries derailed his '03 season when he played only two games. Starting 13 games last season, Houshmandzadeh emerged as the Bengals' No. 2 receiver with 73 catches for 798 yards and four touchdowns, replacing the injured Peter Warrick. He had two stellar back-to-back games in Weeks 13 and 14, totaling 22 catches for 316 yards and one touchdown. He offers size (6-1 and 197 pounds) opposite No. 1 receiver Chad Johnson. As Carson Palmer enters the upper echelon of quarterbacks, he'll be looking for Houshmandzadeh as one of the primary targets. Grab him as your third receiver and you'll receive stats worthy of a No. 2 wideout.


2. Freddie Mitchell, Kansas City
System: 8
Role: 5
Talent: 5
Yardage: 7
Touchdown: 7
Total: 32

Mitchell may be the Chihuahua of fantasy players, but he can step up to a York Terrier. He will serve as the possession receiver, replacing Johnnie Morton. Eddie Kennison will go deep while Mitchell runs the underneath routes. He competed for catches in Philly, but never formalized his role. Since defenses focus on stopping Priest Holmes and covering Tony Gonzalez, Mitchell can be free to roam inside. Morton gained highs of 795 yards and four touchdowns with the Chiefs. Mitchell can match those stats in a similar role.


3. Keary Colbert, Carolina
System: 5
Role: 6
Talent: 7
Yardage: 8
Touchdown: 5
Total: 31
This second-year Panthers receiver is replacing the departed Muhsin Muhammad and his last season's stats of 1,405 yards and 16 touchdowns. Although the Panthers are a run-first offense, quarterback Jake Delhomme is effective. Steve Smith returns from injury and will be the deep threat while Colbert will replace Muhammad as a possession receiver. He can gain 1,000 yards after having 754 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie last season.

4. David Terrell, New England
System: 7
Role: 5
Talent: 7
Yardage: 6
Touchdown: 6
Total: 31
The departure of David Patten removes 800 yards and seven touchdowns from New England's offense. Newly-acquired David Terrell can replace those stats. He will likely be the No. 3 receiver behind Deion Branch and David Givens. Drafted No. 8 overall in the 2001 draft, he is a talented receiver with size, speed and catching ability. Chicago has not been a home for fantasy receivers, so New England will likely utilize Terrell better in its system. At 6-3, he can be a red-zone threat for the Pats. Quarterback Tom Brady played with Terrell and threw 61 passes for 888 yards and four touchdowns to him in 1999.


5. Cedrick Wilson, Pittsburgh
System: 7
Role: 5
Talent: 6
Yardage: 6
Touchdown: 6
Total: 30
The departure of Plaxico Burress means 698 yards and five touchdowns leave with him to New York. Antaawn Randle El, who had 601 yards and three touchdowns last season, will likely be the second receiver. Wilson had 641 yards and three touchdowns for San Francisco last season. Pittsburgh's system uses three receivers. Wilson, at the very least, can fulfill the role of a third receiver. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should improve in his second season, helping the stats of all the Steelers' receivers.


Greg Lewis emerged in the playoffs last season, culiminating in four catches for 53 yards and one touchdown in the Super Bowl. (Harry How / Getty Images)


6. Greg Lewis, Philadelphia
System: 7
Role: 5
Talent: 6
Yardage: 7
Touchdown: 5
Total: 30
Rumors of Terrell Owens being traded has made Greg Lewis' value skyrocket. If Owens is absent, Lewis will be most likely to take his spot with his size (6-0, 180 pounds) and speed. Quarterback Donovan McNabb completes quick passes to receivers so they can gain yards after the catch in Philly's West Coast offense. Lewis is more explosive than the slight Todd Pinkston, likely helping him break longer gains. Lewis had eight catches for 182 yards and one touchdown in last year's three playoff games. Those stats project to 971 yards and five touchdowns for 16 games.

7. Joe Jurevicius, Seattle
System: 7
Role: 4
Talent: 5
Yardage: 7
Touchdown: 5
Total: 28
Jurevicius is the most likely candidate to replace the role of the released Koren Robinson. The lanky seven-year vet looms large at 6-5 and catches better than Robinson. Receiver Bobby Engram may start opposite No. 1 receiver Darrell Jackson, but lacks size (5-10). Jurevicius remains a better red zone target and deep threat and will likely be used extensively in Seattle's common three-receiver sets . However, on the down side, he's missed 17 games with injuries in the past two seasons. When healthy, he flashed his potential during Tampa Bay's '02 Super Bowl run when he had eight catches for 197 yards over three playoff games. Robinson averaged 877 yards and four touchdowns in his three seasons. Jurevicius is most likely to replace those stats.

8. Brandon Lloyd, San Francisco
After catching 43 passes for 535 yards and six touchdowns in his second season, Lloyd can have his breakout season as the 49ers' No. 1 receiver. His only veteran competition is Johnnie Morton, who's slated as a possession receiver more than the featured one. San Francisco's defense is expected to be one of the league's worst, so aerial shootouts may be in store. Lloyd can reach 1,000 yards based on opportunity to start and need to throw.
System: 3
Role: 4
Talent: 5
Yardage: 8
Touchdown: 7
Total: 27


9. Kevin Curtis, St. Louis
System: 9
Role: 3
Talent: 5
Yardage: 5
Touchdown: 5
Total: 27
Curtis totaled an astounding 17 catches for 334 yards and one touchdown over the past three games, including the playoffs. Quarterback Marc Bulger is likely to improve in his fifth year and third full season as a starter. This offense features two perennial 1,000-yard receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce. However, Bruce is entering his 12th season and battled injuries at the season's end, helping pave Curtis' noteworthy stats. During the past seven years, St. Louis' most productive No. 3 receiver was Az-Zahir Hakim. He registered highs of 734 yards and eight touchdowns in his four seasons in St. Louis. Draft Curtis and play him against favorable defenses. A 100-yard game may be in store.

10. Mark Clayton, Baltimore
System: 3
Role: 4
Talent: 7
Yardage: 7
Touchdown: 4
Total: 25
Rookie receivers usually post mediocre stats, but last year's class of Michael Clayton, Lee Evans, Larry Fitzgerald, Keary Colbert and Roy Williams was successful. Their yards ranged between 754 and 1,193 yards and touchdowns were between five and nine. Baltimore provides an opportunity for Oklahoma's Mark Clayton to shine. He will be paired with veteran Derrick Mason. He is polished for a first-year receiver, posting school records of 83 passes for 1,425 yards and 15 touchdowns in his junior season. Baltimore's offense will likely improve in quarterback Kyle Boller's third season.

Roger Rotter is entering his ninth season of covering fantasy sports, having dispensed advice as Dr. Gridiron, Hector the Projector and himself. He's dreamed of becoming an astronaut and now is a fantasy editor for Fox Sports