Players to Target in Fantasy Drafts

Added on Aug 24, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

Now that the preseason is mercifully winding down, fantasy drafts will be in full swing over the next ten days. With so many “star” players either injured or labeled as risks, identifying potential breakout candidates in the middle and later rounds is more important than in previous years. You can roll the dice early on Chris Johnson, Darren McFadden, Ryan Mathews, Michael Vick and Andre Johnson, or you can wait until later to pounce on guys who are undervalued. Here are some players to consider.

Donald Brown (Colts) – Joseph Addai is gone and Delone Carter is a situational back. That leaves the bulk of the carries for Brown in the new look Colts offense. He’s hardly a sure thing, but as a number three runner with number two potential, you could do a lot worse. 1100 total yards and eight touchdowns is within reach.

Jay Cutler (Bears) – Selecting him to be a starter is a stretch, but landing him as a solid backup makes sense. His best season was in 2008 when he had Brandon Marshall to throw to. Reunited and it feels so good. The Bears are still a run first attack, but they will have no choice but to air it out to compete in the dangerous NFC.

Torrey Smith (Ravens) – The second-year wideout has impressed this summer after finishing strong in his rookie campaign that saw him catch 50 with a 16.8 yard per catch average and seven scores. Another 15 receptions will put him close to 1100s yard and nine touchdowns. Those are number two receiver stats that can be had after the sixth round.

Jonathan Dwyer (Steelers) – Someone has to tote the rock in Pittsburgh. It’s not going to be Rashard Mendenhall, who is still recovering from a torn ACL. Isaac Redman has been bothered by a bum hip and is hardly proven. Dwyer can be gotten probably after round ten, so taking a flyer on him is a low risk move.

Jake Locker (Titans) – Beating out a veteran like Matt Hasselbeck is no small task. Obviously head coach Mike Munchack wants to see what the 2011 first-rounder can do, but Locker’s pass-run abilities are conjuring visions of a much more polished and talented version of Tim Tebow. Grab him and stash him.

Pierre Garcon (Redskins) – Frenchy has likely burned fantasy owners before, but that was when he was heralded as a number two receiver due to his quarterback being Peyton Manning. Well, he’s still not a totally reliable option, but RG III likes to go deep and Garcon has the wheels to make defenses pay, providing he catches the ball.