| Each year in fantasy football circles everyone has | | | | fantasy drafts and keep a close eye on him |
| their own opinion about sleepers and 2009 is no | | | | during preseason. |
| different. Sleeper picks can build up or tear down | | | | James Davis-Cleveland Browns |
| your team so consider all the options during the | | | | Jamal Lewis is getting older and if he was to get |
| mock drafts. You never know when someone is | | | | injured, Davis is the favorite to replace him as the |
| going to have a breakout season. Here are some | | | | starting RB for Cleveland. Davis is a power back |
| of my ideas about RB sleepers that may have a | | | | who could return value to fantasy owners who |
| significant impact in 2009. | | | | are willing to take a chance on him around the |
| 2009 Fantasy Football Sleeper Predictions: Running | | | | 13th or 14th round in fantasy drafts. Watch the |
| Backs | | | | training camp and preseason battle between Davis |
| Shonn Greene-New York Jets | | | | and Jerome Harrison closely to see who comes |
| While Thomas Jones is still the starting RB, he is | | | | out on top this year. |
| on the wrong side of 30 and if he gets injured, all | | | | Derrick Ward-Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| signs point toward Shonn Greene as his | | | | Ward has the chance to be this year's Michael |
| replacement with Leon Washington remaining the | | | | Turner. Fantasy Sports writer Patrick ONeill says |
| 3rd down back or the RB used most often in | | | | in his article Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running |
| passing situations. Shonn Greene makes a great | | | | Back Rankings in Fantasy Football 2009, "Derrick |
| "handcuff" if you draft Thomas Jones in fantasy | | | | Ward has so many things going right for him in |
| football. I would target drafting Greene around the | | | | Tampa Bay it is almost silly." Ward has been used |
| 13th round in typical fantasy drafts. | | | | mainly as a backup RB in the past, but now he |
| Matt McGuire, a writer for also puts Shonn | | | | has a great shot at becoming the starting RB in |
| Greene on his list of sleepers. According to | | | | Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay is a team that likes to |
| McGuire, "If Thomas Jones continues to hold out | | | | run the ball and I believe Ward has the skills to |
| and is cut, Greene might become a viable RB3. | | | | succeed in this system. |
| We do know the Jets love Greene because they | | | | According to Ward is an undervalued sleeper. |
| traded up for him in the third round. At the | | | | "Ward is the better bet to breakout as a star |
| moment, Jones is still on the roster, so we need | | | | than Graham in the Tampa Bay backfield, and is |
| to see how this plays out before solidifying his | | | | an excellent choice in the middle rounds as a #3 |
| fantasy projection in August." | | | | option capable of producing 1,200 yards on the |
| Andre Brown-New York Giants: | | | | ground, as well as 40 catches with 7 total TD's in |
| Now that Derrick Ward is leaving the Giants to | | | | 2009," states Tampa's defense is good enough to |
| play for the Tampa Bay Bucs, Brown is the | | | | keep most games close therefore giving Ward a |
| leading candidate to replace Ward as the 3rd RB | | | | great opportunity to see a lot of touches every |
| in the Giants "three-headed monster" running | | | | game. However, Earnest Graham may steal some |
| game. Brown has the same build as Derrick Ward, | | | | of his goal-line carries and this may decrease |
| so he could easily fill this role, therefore he is | | | | Ward's TD totals. |
| worth keeping an eye on in preseason. Draft him | | | | Felix Jones-Dallas Cowboys |
| in fantasy football only if he gets the backup job | | | | It isn't football unless we talk a little about the |
| to Brandon Jacobs or he is used a lot in the | | | | Dallas Cowboys so last but not least we have |
| "three-headed" attack and succeeds in that role. If | | | | Felix Jones. Jones will get more carries per game, |
| he has a great pre-season, look to draft him | | | | I believe, than most people think he will. He has |
| around the 14th round right before taking a | | | | the explosiveness to score just about any time |
| defense or kicker. | | | | he touches the ball and could put up great |
| Glen Coffee-San Francisco 49ers | | | | numbers for savvy fantasy owners who are |
| Frank Gore's injury history makes Coffee a must | | | | willing to take a chance on him in the middle to |
| have "handcuff" pick for Gore owners. I would | | | | late rounds of fantasy drafts. |
| look to draft him around the 12th round in most | | | | |