Sleeper Watch

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Finally! We have arrived. This week’s sleeper is not a rookie wide receiver, a no-name quarterback with a good match up, a tight end, or a vaunted defense. This week, I focus on the Lords of the Fantasy Football Kingdom, the running back.

The wait for a recommendation at this position has not been a fluke. Picking a sleeper running back is by far the most difficult of tasks. Waiver wires are sparsely populated with any quality rock carriers. With the sudden popularity of handcuffing, as well as teams using fantasy football’s evil enemy, “running backs by committee”, options are meager at best. After you throw in the constant injuries that arise from this physically challenging position, finding a sleeper of the week running back is dang near impossible.

In spite of all of these obstacles, I will fearlessly go out on the longest of limbs and name a running back as my Week 5 “Sleeper of the Week”. Not only a running back, but a running back that no one else is looking at on the waiver wire. So, if you’re a weeping Shaun Alexander owner or if you have begun to see the light about pretender Frank Gore, this is the pick for you. Drum roll, please.

Please let me introduce Brandon Jacobs, running back, New York Giants.

Jacobs is a second-year running back out of Southern Illinois who was, quite frankly, lost in the shadow of Tiki Barber’s amazing 1860 yard rushing attack last year. With only 38 carries all of last year, few folks even got to see what this young man can do on the field. However, if anyone was taking notes in the 2005 season, they would have underlined that Jacobs had six red zone touchdowns (playing something of a TD vulture over Barber) and led all rookie running backs in scores.

Fast forward to 2006. To be honest, 31-year old Tiki Barber has looked slow in the NY Giants first three games. He appears to have “lost a step”; and with the team sitting at a scary 1-2 record, change is in the autumn air in New York. After a bye week that was reportedly filled with “motivational” speeches and a lot of practice in the red-zone, the NY “football” Giants are about to play host to division rival Washington. It could very well be time for a power running back, especially when 2006 stats reveal that Jacobs is rushing for an average 7 yards per carry compared to Barber’s 4.2. To top it all off, guess who has the team’s only rushing touchdown of the season? You got it – #27 Brandon Jacobs.

Before anyone reading this starts in with the argument that Tiki Barber is a receiving back and hence has irreplaceable value, stop. In years past, the NY Giants have needed a versatile back to support such garbage passers as Kerry Collins or Kent Graham. Eli Manning, however, is a quarterback who doesn’t rely on the outlet pass to save his backside every other play. Manning can see the field, make reads, and move the football through the air. This plays much better to a straight-ahead run attack that helps to disguise play action when it counts.

Admittedly, Jacobs is one of the longest of long shots. However, at this point in the season, I know some of you are sitting at 0-4 or 1-3 and in need of a small miracle. Jacobs is a smart coaching decision or one hit away on old-timer Tiki Barber from being that miracle. Pick him up, put him in your line-up, and pray.

Good luck!

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