Sleeper Watch

This hasn’t been a good week for William Green. First he was forced to miss last Sunday’s game due to a shoulder injury, and now Cleveland’s starting RB is being charged with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana. Not a good week indeed.

Whether Green, who was on pace for a 1000 yard campaign, misses any further time remains to be seen, but should he receive a suspension or continue to be slowed by shoulder trouble, James Jackson will be the prime beneficiary. In last week’s game against a stingy New England defense, Jackson stepped in and rushed for 71 yards on 15 carries. While that doesn’t translate to great fantasy production, his 4.7 yards per carry (4.6 on the season) has to be considered a good sign.

Cleveland’s next opponents, Kansas City and Arizona, aren’t nearly as proficient against the run as the Patriots. If Green can’t play, Jackson could post solid numbers in his absence. With Green’s status uncertain and Jamel White also potentially in the mix, Jackson is a gamble, but for teams hurting at RB, adding the third-year back to your roster seems like a good risk to take. Don’t wait until after Cleveland’s bye, however; if Jackson is confirmed as the week 10 starter, it may be too late to pick him up.