Week 1 Sleeper Picks: It’s not the week to deconstruct your fantasy football roster, but it’s never too early to flag some players who could be major contributors soon. Also, DFS players may find these suggestions useful.
It always feels weird, the few days past Labor day. Yes, it’s occasionally because the self inflicted pain and suffering caused by thinking you were an IPA gun slingin’ monster named John Wayne during your fantasy football draft. It’s an odd mix of feeling excited that the season is back – NFL Football: it’s like big boy Christmas! – but folded in is the dread of knowing what you’re going to put yourself through for the next 4 months. No longer will I be just checking Binance to see if Bitcoin ($BTC) has mooned at 12:01am Wednesday mornings, babe, I’m checking to see if I caught any of these clowns with their waiver wire pants down AND saved my priority (Shhh, go back to bed now).
It’s always a classic feeling: going up against one of your star players in another league where you don’t need them to go off (“dammit Tyreek, why are you so damned fast this week!”). Yes, and the cherry, you’re actually going to lose to a longtime friend who you know is a fantasy moron but he somehow started the optimal line up. But all of this is made right and whole if you manage to maintain line-up composure (ie: don’t let these jerk-off “friends” rile you up or trade bait you).
Oh man, I love fantasy football. Bring on the 2018 NFL season already.
In particular I love 12-team fantasy football leagues. It requires more thought and a lot less luck to make it through a season and come out in the running for a trophy by Week 13. Those who carry the burden of “The Curse” know what I’m talking about when injuries start spreading like wet Mogwais and infest your roster. It happens to us all from time to time, although it does appear to follow a pattern with some people I know. The waiver wire in these leagues are a barren wasteland of dashed promises and broken dreams that have turned into nightmares.
Join me this season while we try to stay one step ahead of the haters in our quest to humiliate our friends, prove to our loved ones that yelling at the TV does work and to make our kids proud of us via a game based in fantasyland. The below sleepers are players that in Week 1 deserve to be observed closely. I can’t in good conscience tell you to drop anyone on your roster this early in the season but you might want to revisit this list and make a line up audible in Week 2. If you’re a DFS player, then these guys might fit nicely into your lineup this week.
Regardless, you better pay close attention because injury Armageddon is for sure coming at some point this season and most likely for your RBs. For these reasons, I write these sleepers for you!
Follow Matthew J. Jillson on Twitter at @EatCookCryptos
2018 Sleeper Picks Week 1: Investing in the future
Kenny Golladay, WR Detroit Lions (FanDuel $5,700; DraftKings: $4,800)
He’s fast and he’s on a team that needs to make a splash. I’m not going to bore you with a bunch of fancy stats. The dude was looking like a stud last season before injuries got his ass. He was only drafted in 53 percent of fantasy leagues with an ADP of 131.2 on Yahoo.com, so he’s probably available in yours. It’ll be tough to drop anyone without the season really starting, but he’s worth keeping an eye on. Lil’ Tron ($TRX) has got a great matchup against the Jets this week, too.
Tre’Quan Smith, WR New Orleans Saints (FanDuel $4,500; DraftKings: $3,500)
We can file this under: Deep Sleeper. What can I say? I like it when guys go out and GITSUM. Tre’Quan Smith got his all preseason. He was by far the most consistent receiver on the Saints not named Michael Thomas this summer. Ted Ginn and Cameron Meredith better be on their toes, cuz this guy’s gonna eat their lunch. I’m willing to bet he is available in your league right now. Maybe not this week, but I’m sure you have some draft regrets this guy can take the place of, so keep a close eye on him. He’s only been picked up in 3 percent of leagues. Tampa Bay seems like a ripe target to get shredded for 100+ yards a few times over.
LeGarrette Blount, RB Detroit Lions (FanDuel: $5,300; DraftKings: $4,600)
I’m really not this pro-Lions in real life. The moon and the stars of value just seem to be aligning on this one. What can I say, if you’re in a 12-team league, backs are going to be as valuable as Etherium ($ETH) to a DAPP designer in the coming weeks once “The Curse” descends on the unlucky. LeGarrette Blount has proven himself to be a goal-line beast in the past and he is the experienced bruiser on a team that can move the ball. He most definitely has a shot at hitting pay dirt this week but I guarantee come Week 8 you’re going to be starving for some ground power. His ADP is 121.4 and he’s only been drafted in 20 percent of leagues. The chances are high that Blount will be ready to pick up the bye week slack for you.
Christine Michael, RB Indianapolis Colts (FanDuel: $4,700; DraftKings: $3,000)
Is all hope lost? Have we really gone here in Week 1? Will the hearts of men falter in the shadow of Mt. Doom? Like Blount, I see a lot of value here with Christine Michael. Marlon Mack is still fighting a nagging hammy injury and the Colts don’t have a ton of faith in Nyheim or Jordan at this point. Michael is the last man standing essentially in Indy at precisely the right time. Enter: Andrew Luck. Hey, crazier things have happened in this league. Keep in mind for Week 1: the Bengals ranked 30th in rush defense last season.
Antonio Gates, TE Los Angeles Chargers (FanDuel: $4,800; DraftKings: $2,600)
I used to be a Chargers fan. Now my loyalty sits with Team Nomad: My fantasy lineup. While the franchise is dead to me, Antonio Gates is not. Do you like getting a sneaky 15+ points at TE off the wire? Gates provides! I think he will be limited this week; however, the guy can strike like a Chinese Pit Viper out of nowhere and the Chiefs defense, by all accounts, is less a threat this year. Gates should be scooped up and played based on matchups this season.
Cryptocurrency and Blockchain sector thoughts of the week (NOT financial advice)
Made on 9/4/2018
- Until Bitcoin ($BTC) breaks $8500 support, every daily candle close is still a lower high and no trend change has been confirmed. Don’t get caught buying into what seems to be a fake out. Wall Street wants cheap bitcoin for when they enter the market “officially”.
- XRP, not to be confused with Ripple, is going to see a lot more blood before things get better. Sub $.25 or more is in the cards.
- Etherium ($ETH) $220 or less a coin in the not too distant future. You heard it here first for those that enjoy eating Xanax like cereal and margin trading.
- Off The Chain Podcast with Anthony Pompliano gonna POMP you up if you enjoy the blockchain/crypto sector
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