Sleeper Watch

Step right up! Don’t be afraid. Lay your fantasy team’s future down and see what Lady Luck has in store for you. It’s time for a game I like to call Quarterback Roulette. It usually crops up about halfway through the fantasy season. The rules are simple. You, the fantasy manager in need of a quarterback, must pick from a murky lot of wannabees to lead your team through the next few pivotal mid-season games. After making your selection off the waiver wire, you get to sit back and watch on Sunday to see if your long shot pays off. And trust me, the quarterbacks available on waiver wires at this point are definitely long shots, but what can you do? With injuries and poor performances by starters, the quarterback position has been gutted this season. Heaven forbid you should be competing in a league that expects you start two quarterbacks each week!

The following are a list of three quarterbacks available on the average fantasy league waiver wire (as of this writing each have a “fantasy owned percentage” of 15% or less according to ESPN.com). I have ranked them in order of sleeper value for the upcoming week with my personal favorite, and this week’s “Sleeper of the Week”, recommendation on top.

1. #9 Tony Romo vs. Washington. While trying not to be dazzled by his outstanding performance against Carolina, I have to admit I have jumped on the Romo bandwagon. Positives in Romo’s favor include being the clear-cut starter, having a fantastic receiving corps, and having a solid defense to back him. There is no doubt that Washington will blitz the newbie QB at every opportunity; however their attack has only been average this season and Romo looked solid in the face of Carolina’s fearsome attack. If Dallas makes a run, Romo’s potential could be limitless.

2. #7 J.P. Losman vs. Green Bay. It’s hard to admit, but Losman has a real opportunity to make the Sunday highlight reel this weekend. He faces an abysmal Green Bay passing defense (worst in the NFL), has had a whole bye-week off to prepare for the game, and is playing at home. Just remember, Joey Harrington lit up Green Bay for over 400 yards and a couple TDs just 2 weeks ago. Surely Losman is as good a player Harrington, right? (For the record, Harrington would have made this list but he faces the Chicago Nightmare this week so forget about it).

3. #15 Seneca Wallace vs. Oakland. Three touchdowns last week isn’t too shabby for a fill-in playing in a raucous Arrowhead Stadium. Of course, Oakland’s passing defense appears to be legitimate and Alexander will be out again this week, but at least the man likes to put the ball in the air. With few other offensive options, Wallace is the man of the moment as he gets his second start in the favorable home field conditions of Seattle.

A few other names that didn’t make the top three but who are available in most leagues and should have at least limited fantasy value if you are the direst of straights:

- Bruce Gradkowski: He looked to be a legitimate fantasy starter a couple weeks ago but has flat lined since.
- Andrew Walter: He was disgusted with his team’s offensive performance last week and looks to take more of a “leadership role” going forward. Not sure what that means, but his fantasy production can only go up.
- Sage Rosenfels: David Carr’s fill-in tossed three touchdowns in one and 1/2 quarters last week. Depending on coach Gary Kubiak’s mood, he might see the field again this week.

(24 votes, average: 3.17 out of 5)  Loading ... Questions or comments for KC? Post them in the Cafe Forums! Want to see your own fantasy wisdom published? Check out the Cafe's Pencil & Paper section!