Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler and Tennessee tight end Delanie Walker were on my list of fantasy football sleepers for Week 1. All three of them were outstanding in their openers.
But that means they can’t be considered sleepers again anytime soon. If they’re on your fantasy roster, they’re now automatic starters going forward. However, after looking at opening-week results and Week 2 matchups, there are still plenty of sleepers out there.
Here’s a look at the top 12 fantasy sleepers for Week 2.
12. Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
The rookie got only nine touches in his debut, but showed plenty of explosiveness. The original plan was to bring him along slowly behind Frank Gore. But Singletary probably already has done enough to accelerate that plan. Gore will be the starter, but look for Singletary to get increased touches against the New York Giants.
11. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
Does Hockenson really still qualify as a sleeper after an outstanding Week 1 performance against Arizona? We’ll keep him as a sleeper for this week because people don’t pay as close attention to tight ends as they do to guys at other positions and because, outside of Michigan, people don’t really pay attention to the Lions. He had 131 receiving yards against the Cardinals to set a new record for tight ends in the first game of their career. If Hockenson does anything close to that Sunday against the Chargers, you probably never again will see him on any sleepers list.
10. John Ross, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
After two quiet seasons, it appears as if Ross has a fresh start with new coach Zac Taylor. Ross caught seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns against Seattle. Can he do anything remotely close to that this week against San Francisco? It’s quite possible. Yes, San Francisco’s defense looked pretty good against Tampa Bay in the opener. But, keep in mind, Andy Dalton is a much more reliable passer than Jameis Winston.
9. Ronald Jones, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs were an offensive disaster in the opener against San Francisco. But Jones was the lone bright spot, rushing for 75 yards on 13 carries. That was a pleasant surprise from a guy who totally flopped as a rookie last year. Peyton Barber will remain the starter for now, but Jones’ workload is going to keep rising. He might be a guy you want in your lineup when the Bucs play the Panthers on Thursday night.
8. Giovanni Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Bernard played only a very limited role in the opener. But there could be a big change when the Bengals play the 49ers this week. Starter Joe Mixon is dealing with an ankle injury. Keep an eye on Mixon’s status as the week goes on. If Mixon is out, Bernard would be a good running back to start. Even if Mixon plays, he might be limited and Bernard could play a significant role.
7. Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Brown caught four passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the opener. It has to be kept in proper perspective. Brown isn’t going to do that every game, quarterback Lamar Jackson isn’t going to throw for five touchdown passes every game and the Ravens aren’t going to score close to 59 points every game. Those things happened in Week 1, largely because the Ravens were playing the Miami Dolphins, the worst team in the NFL. Jackson, Brown and the Baltimore offense may look mediocre when the Ravens play top teams. But this week’s opponent is Arizona and the Cardinals don’t qualify as a top team.
6. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Allen didn’t have a huge statistical day against the Jets in the opener, but he did throw the game-winning touchdown pass. Allen has a more favorable matchup against the New York Giants this week. The Giants gave up 405 passing yards to Dallas’ Dak Prescott in the opener. Plus, Allen always has the ability to rack up fantasy points with his running.
5. Malcolm Brown, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Throughout the offseason, there was speculation that the Rams might try to reduce starter Todd Gurley’s workload in an attempt to keep him healthy for the entire season. The Rams played their hand in the season opener and did, in fact, take some of the load off Gurley and gave Brown 11 carries on which he produced 53 yards and two touchdowns. Brown’s role could get even bigger, starting Sunday against New Orleans.
4. Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
It appears as if Tyreek Hill is going to miss time with a shoulder injury. Sammy Watkins stepped up and had a huge game in the opener and will be the primary receiving threat as long as Hill is out. But there are plenty of passes to go around in Kansas City’s offense. That could mean significant playing time for the rookie Hardman. Some thought he was a reach when the Chiefs drafted him in the second round and he may have been. But Hardman is getting a golden opportunity to step in and catch passes from Patrick Mahomes.
3. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
A lot of people are down on Newton after a bad outing in the opener against the Los Angeles Rams. But forget that one and play the percentages. Remember, the Panthers are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night. Yeah, Tampa Bay’s defense wasn’t horrible in an opening loss to San Francisco. But Carolina has more offensive weapons than the 49ers. This should be a bounce-back game for Newton.
2. Antonio Brown, WR, New England Patriots
Oh, the storyline here is just so rich. We all know the list of drama Brown created as he wiggled his way out of Oakland and to New England. Brown’s antics may have made him the most hated player by fans. But, if you have Brown on your fantasy team, you have to start him this week. Yeah, Brown won’t have much time to learn the New England playbook or practice with quarterback Tom Brady. Does any of that matter? Not this week. That’s because the Patriots are playing Miami. After seeing the Ravens hang 59 points on the Dolphins in the opener, it’s not hard to imagine the Patriots exceeding that number. A lot of people believe Brown choreographed every step of his bizarre summer. If this truly is Brown’s script, the next logical step in his mind would be to go out and catch three or four touchdown passes.
1. Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington Redskins
It’s hard to imagine that Peterson, one of the best running backs of his era, would ever appear on a sleepers list. But it’s also hard to imagine that Peterson would ever be a healthy inactive, although that’s what he turned out being in Week 1. Coach Jay Gruden took lots of heat from fans and media for sitting Peterson and there were reports that some teammates were upset that he was inactive. But Peterson almost certainly will be active against Dallas this week because Derrius Guice is expected to miss time with a knee injury. The Cowboys have a good defense and Peterson, 34, is past his prime. But Peterson is a man with enormous pride. He probably isn’t going to be a guy you’ll want to start every week. But Peterson is a good pick to start this week. After last week’s slap in the face, he’s going to come out highly motivated.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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