With many injuries going on around the league, some of the best sleeper options this week are backups and heading into Week 3 some names that can help out fantasy owners includes Jacquizz Rodgers, Marlon Brown, Bilal Powell and Bernard Pierce as well as players like Jason Snelling and Charles Clay.
With Steven Jackson being out for a couple weeks, Snelling and Rodgers are great options in leagues and a player like Marlon Brown could be a big boost after Jacoby Jones was injured. Running backs are the most valuable players in fantasy football and while stars like Adrian Peterson, Trent Richardson, Marshawn Lynch, Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles will be off the board, leagues will be won and lost in the later rounds and some names that could be available include Roy Helu, Joique Bell, Bilal Powell, Felix Jones, Shane Vereen and Isaac Redman.
The position is heavy at the top in fantasy this season, but it also is surprisingly deep with solid handcuff and backup options, including players like Ben Tate, Bernard Pierce, Danny Woodhead, Christine Michael, Knile Davis and Mike Tolbert. Daniel Thomas could also be a solid backup option in deeper leagues, as he will start the season behind Lamar Miller for the Dolphins. The Detroit Lions are an interesting team fantasy wise this season and with Reggie Bush joining the backfield, Joique Bell could be a great backup or third running back option.
The Lions are planning to run the ball more this season after going to the pass more than anyone with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson and Bell could get a nice amount of touches while spelling Bush or if he is injured. Bell showed last season that he could very good out of the backfield and in PPR leagues he is a solid deep option. Bush will take some of his receptions away, but after making 52 catches for nearly 500 yards last season, Bell will be a part of the passing game in 2013. Last year he played in 16 games and rushed for 414 yards and he could be productive for teams in deeper leagues.
Head coach Jim Schwartz said that Bell showed him that he deserves to be on the field after performing well in camp and the preseason, rushing for an average of six yards per carry while making seven catches for 91 yards. The Washington Redskins have a real keep in Alfred Morris, but fantasy owners in deeper leagues should also snag Roy Helu, as he is looking like the primary backup for Morris after he rushed for 1,600 yards last season. The second year pro got plenty of carries last year and Mike Shanahan likes what Helu can bring on third downs and in the flat.
The Denver Broncos have an interesting running back situation with Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman likely splitting starting duties and that leaves Knowshon Moreno as the third back. He is a solid option in deeper leagues and Hillman is a sleeper pick as well since the Broncos are going to try and be more consistent this season on offense. Mike Tolbert moves up a bit after Jonathan Stewart's injury and he now will be the backup for DeAngelo Williams. Christine Michael could end up getting some goal line scores for the Seahawks and another interesting option is Bilal Powell for the Jets.
Rex Ryan wants the Jets to be more consistent and while Chris Ivory will be the starting back, he has had injury issues and with Mike Goodson up in the air, Powell could end up getting some solid carries. Powell has 437 yards last season on just over 100 carries and he could add at least 50 to that total this season and he also could be a factor in the passing game, especially if the team is breaking in Geno Smith as a rookie quarterback.
