Sleeper Watch

Running back Mewelde Moore was one of this week’s top stories, bursting on the fantasy scene with 182 yards of total offense against Houston. The Vikings’ rookie is certainly on every owner’s radar screen today, but another Moore might not be: if you’re in an IDP league, take a look at San Francisco linebacker Brandon Moore.

The 49ers won their first game of the year this week, improving to 1-4 with a come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals. Yet the win was a costly one, as San Francisco lost defensive leader Julian Peterson for the season following a first-quarter hit by LJ Shelton.

Prior to Sunday’s contest, Peterson had recorded 22 solo tackles, three assists, three sacks and two forced fumbles, a number good enough to earn him a spot among the top ten fantasy defenders after four weeks of play. Now, Moore is expected to take over at OLB in Peterson’s absence, although Saleem Rasheed may also see increased playing time.

Moore probably won’t be able to match Peterson’s sack totals, but he’ll be in a great position to pick up a solid number of tackles; if you need to plug a hole in your linebacking corps, consider giving him a shot. And with Peterson’s departure next off-season a distinct possibility, Moore might also be an intriguing keeper in dynasty formats if he performs well over the rest of the year.