2012 Fantasy Football: NFL Week 3 Sleepers

By Evan Stancil

Featured Contributor

Each week during the NFL season, FST brings you our Fantasy Football Sleepers of the Week column, which takes a look at lesser-known players that could deserve a start due to a favorable matchup, injury, or other circumstances. If you have any fantasy football roster questions feel free to post them in our Fantasy Football Forum.

Peyton Hillis - photo by Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

With Jamaal Charles nursing a sore knee, Peyton Hillis should see a heavier load this week against the Saints. (photo by Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE)

Running Backs

Pierre Thomas NO VS. KC

Pierre “I’m not French” Thomas is in for extended playing time this Sunday. After gaining over 100 yards last week against Carolina he’ll go against a KC team that allowed CJ Spiller and the Bills to dump all over them. Saints’ ground game will be penetrating to expose KC’s porous run defense so there is definitely high sleeper potential here as long as Thomas finds the goal line chalk before Ingram.

Peyton Hillis KC VS. NO

Hillis is getting an increase in carries, which looks to continue this week as Jamaal Charles is on the mend from a bruised ego from last week. Saints have a tendency to give up points and Kansas City is a run first offense so expect Hillis to see a heavier load this week and more opportunity for fantasy pay dirt.

Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler CHI VS. STL

Cutler is more like his week 1 performance than his horror show at Lambeau Field from last week. St. Louis will have problems covering Chicago’s offensive weapons and Cutler will knife through that Ram defense. Bounce back week for Cutler, deploy him at will.

Andrew Luck IND VS. JAC

Andrew Luck got his first win last week and expect the results on the field to improve more this week. Jacksonville has all kinds of issues and I expect the Colts to romp in this one. Luck has deep sleeper potential here.

Wide Receivers

Brandon LaFell CAR VS. NYG

Two games and two touchdowns for the guy who starts opposite to Steve Smith. This guy is more than the second coming in Carolina of Mushin Mohammed, he’s dynamic and Newton relies on him heavily in red zone. Start him against a Giants D that gave up yards in bunches last week to Tampa.

Michael Crabtree SF VS. MIN

Just when I thought this guy was irrelevant he comes out and does what he did on Sunday night. Big time plays and confidence from Alex Smith in Crabtree’s ability made him a favorite for targets and I’ll stick with that continuing into this week. He’s healthy, motivated and learning from the ultimate pro in Randy Moss. Don’t sleep on Crabtree’s potential this week.

Tight Ends

Martellus Bennett NYG VS. CAR

Bennett is Eli’s reliable guy over the middle. With what I expect to be a shoot out in Thursday’s primetime action, I’ll say Bennett continues his touchdown ways and finds it again this week. He’s got Top 10 TE potential this season.

Scott Chandler BUF VS. CLE

In the “where the hell did that guy come from?” column I find Scott Chandler. He’s a nobody to me but he’s relevant to you in fantasy football. He’s also going against a Browns defense that got bruised up pretty nicely last week. Chandler will get those looks in the red zone so bring on the no name sleeper potential.

Defense

Seattle Seahawks SEA VS. GB

Seattle proved it can stop a team with some serious offensive weapons when it laid the smack down upside the star on the helmets of the Cowboys last week. This week is an even more stern test on Monday Night Football but Qwest should be breaking sound barriers with noise per usual. With as good a secondary in the NFL Seattle’s D is an aggressive, ball-hawking, turnover-creating unit that I see potential in most weeks. In the words of Chris Berman, “C’mon Seattle!”