Sleeper Watch

Minnesota’s running backs have long been a source of frustration for fantasy owners. As if figuring out which of the many talented rushers on the Vikings’ roster would get the most carries wasn’t hard enough, you could always count on Moe Williams to vulture touchdowns from whichever player was the feature back du jour. This year, things seemed clearer than they had been in years: Onterrio Smith is out for the year (and the less said about that, the better), and fifth-year vet Michael Bennett is the starting tailback, right? Not so fast…

It just wouldn’t be Minnesota if the ground attack didn’t have its fill of complications. Bennett is suffering from a neck injury, and although he is currently expected to start when the Vikings open the season against Tampa Bay on September 11, that status seems to change nearly every day. If Bennett isn’t good to go, Minnesota will most likely look to talented sophomore Mewelde Moore to keep the running game firing on all cylinders.

Fantasy owners already know how effective Moore can be when given significant playing time. Last year, he stepped in as the Vikings’ primary RB in early October and averaged 113 rushing yards per game over the next three weeks, becoming a very popular waiver wire pickup in the process. If he gets the chance to start again at some point this season, good things can be expected.

That’s a big if, however. Not only might Bennett be able to play right from the season’s outset, but Moore might not: he suffered a sprained ankle in Minnesota’s preseason win over San Diego. The injury appears to be minor, but it bears watching. Yet even if Moore misses the opener, he remains one of the most promising backup RBs available. In deep leagues, he’s just the type of high-upside player you want to see on your bench.

Should both Bennett and Moore be unavailable in Week 1, incidentally, Moe Williams would presumably be pressed into duty.