Sleeper Watch

Who exactly is Odell Thurman? To many, he was an afterthought, as he was Cincinnati’s second-round pick in this year’s draft. He was the other piece of the potent Georgia tandem that the Bengals picked up. Thurman was barely mentioned in some circles because, after all, David Pollack (their first-round pick) was the player who would have the immediate impact, right? Well, after a debacle that kept Pollack out of camp for several weeks, Thurman has become the vital part Cincinnati’s new, opportunistic defense.

Through four weeks this season, Thurman is tied for the team lead in total tackles with 19. This is not a particularly impressive number, but he has made his presence felt in many other ways. In addition, he has added an interception, a forced fumble (he also had two other forced fumbles called back against Minnesota), a fumble recovery, and a sack (last week against the Texans). As you can see, this guy is all over the field, and he will continue to develop and play more of a role in the team’s defense as the year progresses.

His next three games are at Jacksonville, at Tennessee, and at home against Green Bay. These teams (especially Jacksonville and Green Bay) are working with patchwork offensive lines. Expect to see high numbers from Thurman in these contests as he swarms all over the field. His schedule becomes significantly tougher after these games, but Thurman should still do plenty of work in the way of tackles. Picking up Thurman would be smart if you have an open spot. Moreover, he is especially valuable in dynasty or keeper leagues where IDPs are used. Add him to your roster now if you are in one of these leagues, as he could be the cornerstone of your linebacker corps for years to come.

You can find more of Dave McGrath’s insight in the Cafe’s weekly Spotlight Games series.