My Joe Flacco Blog

You want to get maximum value from your Wide Receiver position, because this can be the hardest position to predict Fantasy production-wise. Only the top 13 - 15 WRs will give you 150 Fantasy points, but numbers 15 - 40 will score 100 to 150 points. Since these 25 mid - round picks are so similar, you want to avoid drafting any of them too soon. We toss the ball to our WRs in our ongoing series on Fantasy Football Sleepers.

Your goal here is to pick up 2 of these WRs in rounds 6 through 10, rather than rounds 4 and 5. As you can see by the above stat, you have roughly 25 route runners that achieve identical production, so let your competitors pick Dwayne Bowe or Santonio Holmes too early, and you can sneak in later with identical production.

Sleeper #1

Baltimore's Derrick Mason instantly became Rookie QB Joe Flacco's favorite target, and posted a quiet 1,000 yard 5 TD season. Flacco now has a year under his belt, and even though Mason is 35, he has not missed a game the last three years. He has averaged 93 catches and 1,000+ yards each of the last two years, and I think you can look for 1,100 yards and 7 scores in 2009, putting him in the 140 point range, which is top 20 WR status. Look for him in round 7 or 8 as your second WR.

Sleeper #2

Miles Austin or Patrick Clayton will step up and claim the second receiver spot now that Terribly Obtuse has left town. Watch training camp closely. The fact that you will hear a lot of talk about these two competing means some owners will be shy about picking one of these guys, and there-in lies the value here. Romo has averaged 264 yards a game passing since he became the full time starter, and you can look for 3,800 to 4,000 yards from him in 2009. Even if you factor in a 1,200 yd 10 TD year for Roy Williams, that leaves 2,600+ yards and 15-20 TDs to spread around. At Austin's size, he could be looked at around the goal line and red zone, running the fade routes Owens used to enjoy.

Remember, you want round 5 production from a round 8 pick. I got it last year, picking DeSean Jackson very late, and you can too if you stick with one of these sleeper picks.

Patrick O'Neill is an 18 year Fantasy Football Veteran who has won countless local and internet Fantasy Football Championships.
"If you are serious about winning, instead of competing, I recommend the same software I use, catered to your League's rules and scoring system. Win In 2009. Get it now, and win in 2009."
Patrick ONeill