The first few rounds of a snake draft aren't particularly difficult, per se. Sure, deciding "Jamaal Charles or LeSean McCoy" or "quarterback or wide receiver" is important and makes a huge difference on your season, but in general, if you tell me what pick you have in the first three rounds, I can give you a list of, say, five or six names, and the pick you end up with will be in there.
Fantasy football wide receiver sleepers in 2014
The guys who come out of nowhere are the ones who can help you win your league. So who are they among the wide receivers in 2014? We look into the fantasy names.
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It gets more complicated later, and that’s where leagues can be won and lost. As you dive deeper into the draft, you’ll be looking for guys who might pop, whether it’s a rising youngster, or a back-from-injury veteran, or just a guy whose usage will change in a new scheme.
You'll draft your starters early in the draft. Later, you choose between the potentials for surprise and the guys like Steve Smith who have a tiny window between their floors and ceilings. I prefer the sleepers, who might flame out completely, but could hit and become every-week starters. The Steve Smiths of football have value, particularly as bye-week fill-ins, but they aren't going to win you any leagues.
These guys might:
DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
Hopkins was Houston's first-round pick in 2013, 27th overall. He had flashes as a rookie, particularly in Week 2 when he caught seven balls for 117 yards and a touchdown, but overall he wasn't very productive. Still, he was always on the field, which you love to see, and he's now another year into his career. Meanwhile, Andre Johnson appears to be nearing his end in Houston, and Hopkins is the only successor the Texans have. Hopkins' day is coming.
Danny Amendola, Patriots
Amendola was the 16th wide receiver off the board in fantasy last year. He “rewarded” his owners with just 70 fantasy points, only two touchdowns and four games missed due to injury. So perhaps he’s not the Wes Welker clone he was touted as. That said, he now ranks 49th in our wide receiver rankings for the season. We ... all knew he was an injury risk, yeah? That wasn’t a surprise, even when we took him 16th? Amendola’s upside is exactly what it was last year. There’s risk, sure, but there’s also big reward.
Andrew Hawkins, Browns
Hawkins never really came into his own in Cincinnati. Now he's a Cleveland Brown, and ought to have more chances. With Josh Gordon's looming suspension and the always-present injury concerns for Miles Austin and Nate Burleson, Hawkins has a route to being Cleveland's No. 1. At the least, he could easily be the team's slot/possession receiver, and could offer big value in PPR leagues, even if he doesn't have big-play pedigree.
Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers
Benjamin was the Panthers' first-round pick in the draft. He doesn't have the same publicity as Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans, but he does have the opportunity -- the Panthers don't have many other appealing options at wide receiver, unlike Evans' Buccaneers, and Cam Newton is a decidedly better quarterback than EJ Manuel, Watkins' guy. Benjamin doesn't have elite speed, and his hands tend to the stone variety, but he'll get plenty of opportunities.
Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
Golden Tate is in Detroit, and Sidney Rice just retired. Percy Harvin is around in Seattle and theoretically healthy, but Harvin's health always comes with a "for now" caveat. Baldwin enters the season as the team's No. 2 receiver, with a definite chance of becoming the No. 1. Baldwin went for 778 yards and five scores last year, then had a couple big playoff games. He's relevant now, and becomes much more so if Harvin goes down.
Markus Wheaton, Steelers; Stephen Hill, Jets
Running mates are important. The Steelers and Jets have top guys in Antonio Brown and Eric Decker, respectively, but everyone knows those guys are the premium guys. For these teams to have real success, a second receiver needs to develop, and Wheaton and Hill are the best candidates. Wheaton, a third-round pick last year, only had six catches as a rookie, but the departure of Jerricho Cotchery and Emmanuel Sanders from Pittsburgh leave him with a line on a gig. Hill was a 2012 second-round pick who has missed time in both of his seasons due to injury. He's offered some production when he's been on the field, though. Wheaton is more promising than Hill, but both have a chance.
Jordan Matthews, Eagles
The Eagles are hoping Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, in some order, are their Nos. 1 and 2 receivers for the season; it would mean things have stayed with the plan. But I have chronicled why I don't totally trust Cooper in the past, and Maclin is just back from a missed year and has to be seen as a wild card. Matthews, the team's second-round draft pick, has been receiving glowing reports so far, and could climb the depth chart quickly.
Dexter McCluster, Titans
McCluster will be a wide receiver in fantasy leagues as far as eligibility is concerned, but reports out of Tennessee are that the new Titan is likely to be used in a Darren Sproles-like capacity. That is, as a pass-catching running back. He jumped back and forth between roles in his time in Kansas City, and a versatile player like him could be a big benefit to a quarterback like Jake Locker who still hasn't proven he can do it all himself. McCluster is extremely low-end, but there's potential there.
