Five Sleepers For the Fantasy Football Playoffs: Divisional Round Edition
The Divisional Round of the 2012 NFL Playoffs brings your last chance to maximize your potential earnings and enjoyment in the fantasy playoffs this year. There are four more games in round two of the post-season, but after that the most you’ll see again is two when the AFC and NFC hold their conference championship games.
That means now is the time to put your fantasy roster together with the goal of winning some sweet cash in mind. In an attempt to help you do just that, we aim to uncover some solid fantasy sleepers in these playoffs for the second week in a row. Russell Wilson and DuJuan Harris paid off for you last week, and we’ll try to find a few more gems this week that not many others will see coming.
On to our favorite fantasy sleepers for the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs:
Matt Schaub, QB, Houston Texans
I had Russell Wilson as a sleeper last week and don’t want to use him twice, so in terms of being a true sleeper at this point, only Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco and Matt Schaub have a shot at fitting the mold. I think Schaub works here, as he hasn’t thrown a touchdown in the playoffs yet, so people aren’t giving him much respect. I don’t like Houston against New England, but I do see Schaub throwing a lot and the Pats’ pass defense isn’t the best. Schaub could end the day with 300+ yards and a couple of scores.
Robert Turbin, RB, Seattle Seahawks
We all know Marshawn Lynch is the main man in Seattle, but we also know the Atlanta Falcons are trash when it comes to defending the run. That could mean some extra totes for the balanced Turbin, who has flashed brilliance at times as a rookie in 2012. He normally gets about 3-5 touches per game, but I can see in the upwards to 8-10 this week. That could mean decent production at the RB2 or Flex spot, and he’ll come at a super cheap price, too.
Jacob Hester, RB, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos like Jacob Hester. He’s not an explosive back and overly elusive, but he does it all at a solid level, and has proven to be an asset in short-yardage and goal-line situations in his brief time with the team. In three late-season appearances, Hester totaled 17 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns. I’m not expecting a huge role in his first playoff game with Denver, but a short touchdown is all he needs to give you value as a Flex play.
Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans
Walter is generally pretty hit or miss, but due to his solid versatility and excellent run-blocking, you know he’ll be on the field for the majority of the day. Add that in with the fact that Houston is facing a fairly vulnerable Patriots pass defense, and Walter has a shot this week.
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers
How does a big name like Davis enter the divisional round of the playoffs as a fantasy sleeper? How about the fact that the guy is averaging literally one reception per game over his last six outings? The reason to believe? He’s been double-teamed like crazy and he’s too good to stay down forever. Also, he faces a Packers defense that he scored against in week one. I think there’s a decent chance Davis finally comes alive with everything on the line.
