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Seahawks WR
Darrell Jackson
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Every year after the Pro Bowlers are chosen, the fan favorites are picked and the
potential-laden rookies are snatched up, something happens. Your fantasy draft slows to a
grinding halt. You scan through the obscurity at the bottom of every team’s depth
chart in search of either that final piece to the puzzle or the last few scrubs to fill
out your roster. And all these names you may or may not have heard of before begin to
swirl in your head. You have to think whether he’s the second or third running back
on his team or if someone is injured in front of him. Or maybe you just have to think
about how to pronounce his name so your friends sitting around the draft table won’t
laugh at you when you make him your final pick.
Well, we’re here to calm your nerves a bit and provide a little added advantage
when drafting in the lower rounds. What follows is a list of fantasy supersleepers who
could possibly emerge from the depths of insignificance this season if given the
opportunity. Names are listed in alphabetical order.
WR Vincent Brisby / Patriots
Talk about a man back from the dead. Brisby hasn’t started in five years and
caught just 18 passes last season, but he’s slated to start opposite Terry Glenn in
2000. QB Drew Bledsoe will be on the lookout for capable targets this season with TE Ben
Coates and WR Shawn Jefferson no longer in New England.
RB Shawn Bryson / Bills
Bryson is big and fast and appears to be back at full strength after tearing his
anterior cruciate ligament last season. With Antowain Smith yet to live up to
expectations, Bryson could get a chance to carry some of the load as the season wears on.
TE Desmond Clark / Broncos
Replacing Shannon Sharpe is no small task, but Clark may be the man for the job in just
his second pro season. Clark is currently situated between Dwayne Carswell and Byron
Chamberlain on the Broncos’ depth chart, but the Wake Forest product is progressing
nicely. He blocks better than Chamberlain and is much more of a pass-catching threat than
Carswell. Denver has a knack for knowing how to utilize its tight ends to the best of
their abilities.
WR JaJuan Dawson / Browns
Dawson has been more impressive than fellow rookie WR Dennis Northcutt to this point in
training camp. Kevin Johnson is clearly the go-to guy for QB Tim Couch, but Dawson will
see plenty of action as the Browns will likely play from behind a lot again this season.
Colts QB Peyton Manning was especially high on Dawson and was pushing the Colts to draft
him, but the Browns beat them to it.
WR Donald Hayes / Panthers
With Patrick Jeffers down for the season with a torn ACL, Hayes will be asked to step
up opposite Muhsin Muhammad in a potentially potent passing offense. Thus, he won’t
be a supersleeper for long. The tall and deceptively fast Hayes broke out for a
five-catch, 133-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 12 last year in place of the
injured Muhammad.
RB Sedrick Irvin / Lions
Irvin gives some security to the Lions in case newcomer James Stewart continues the
injury trend that has haunted him for much of his career. Irvin has had a good preseason
and will be used as the Lions’ third-down back. He scored four times on just 36
carries and caught 25 passes in limited duty as a rookie in 1999.
WR Darrell Jackson / Seahawks
This third-round pick has wasted little time showing he belongs at the pro level. His
route-running and speed have garnered attention, and he is more polished than most
rookies. With starters Sean Dawkins and Derrick Mayes slowed by nagging injuries lately,
Jackson could quickly become a factor in Mike Holmgren’s system.
RB Ronney Jenkins / Chargers
Jenkins has provided plenty of excitement for a team that desperately needed some.
Despite the fact his biggest plays have been on kickoff returns, Jenkins certainly has
earned a roster spot and is more explosive than any of the other running backs the
Chargers have. With a host of concerns and very little experience at the RB spot, Jenkins
could find himself playing a major role sooner rather than later.
FB Jim Kleinsasser / Vikings
With Leroy Hoard gone, the 272-pound Kleinsasser is the leading candidate to become
Minnesota’s short-yardage specialist. RB Robert Smith typically is on the sideline
during goal-line situations, and Hoard rushed for 10 touchdowns in ’99 — two
indications Kleinsasser could be a major contributor in TD-oriented leagues.
RB Chad Morton / Saints
Morton could be a valuable commodity in yardage leagues because of his receiving skills
out of the backfield. This Dave Meggett clone provides a valuable counterpunch to Ricky
Williams’ power running game and speed that is lacking from the rest of the
Saints’ RB corps.
WR Jerome Pathon / Colts
Although Pathon caught just 14 balls a year ago, he should move into the No. 2 WR slot
this season for a Super Bowl contender. That means he’ll have QB Peyton Manning
looking his way often when opposing teams double-team Marvin Harrison or crowd the line
vs. RB Edgerrin James.
WR Tai Streets / 49ers
J.J. Stokes is feeling the footsteps of Streets, who is busy climbing up the
49ers’ WR ladder. With Stokes regressing to some extent, Jerry Rice a year older and
San Francisco’s TE situation in flux, Streets, who missed all of his rookie year,
could become a factor in the passing game.
The above article was taken from PFW’s third and final fantasy football pullout
section of the summer. To read the rest of the 28-page pullout section with loads of tips
for your fantasy draft, buy the print edition of Pro Football Weekly at a local newsstand
or bookstore or subscribe now |
