The Fantasy Football season for 2014 is getting close to starting and for fantasy owners some sleeper draft options and players to keep an eye on that could be underestimated include Darren Sproles, Doug Martin, Ray Rice, Lamar Miller, Arian Foster, Ladarius Green, Michael Floyd and Andre Williams, while names like Carlos Hyde, Terrence Williams, Cecil Shorts and Aaron Dobson.
Doug Martin, Ray Rice and Arian Foster along with Josh Gordon are not "sleepers" in the expert sense of fantasy football, so hold on there, but they are sleepers in the sense that some of those players are either: coming off of down seasons, are coming off injuries, or potentially suspended for drugs. Gordon easily would have been a top three or five side receiver pick this year off the board, but his uncertain status regarding his suspension has pushed him down in some drafts.
UPDATE: Josh Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for the 2014 season.
Arian Foster is another name that is obviously not a sleeper in the classic sense, but he is coming off of an injury and that makes him a tough option. Foster has been slipping in some drafts and he could be in for a massive season. Last year he had 542 yards in just eight games while missing time and now he could be back for a full season and that is what fantasy owners are hoping for. Two years ago he had 1,400 yards and also added 40 catches, while the season before that he had 53 catches and in those years between 2010-12, he had over 1200 yards and more than 50 catches in each season.
Ray Rice has had his legal issues this year and he is coming off of his worst season since he was a rookie and that is why he is considered a sleeper of sorts. Some have allowed him to drop with the emergence of Bernard Pierce, but Rice could be motivated to have a big season. Last year he had 660 yards and just four touchdowns and that was his first sub 1,000 yard season in five years. Rice had four straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards and he also scored five touchdowns or more in those seasons, including 12 back in 2011 and that was his best season.
Owners are looking for that from Rice, as he had over 1300 yards rushing and he also added 76 catches for 704 yards. Last season he had 58 catches for 321 yards and in PPR leagues that was great, but he needs to do more on the ground as well. Doug Martin is coming off of a season where he missed 10 games and that makes him a sort of sleeper as well. Martin put up top numbers before last year as a rookie, rushing for 1,454 yards and 11 scores while also added 49 catches for 472 yards.
Lovie Smith is now taking over and Martin should feature quite a bit in this offense and he could be a safety net for Josh McCown. The team also has Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans on the outside, which could open up the run game for Martin. Last season he had just 456 yards and 12 catches for 66 yards and now he is looking to bounce back and get to those numbers he was at as a rookie.
