During this time of year, it's best to keep an open mind. Many players have changed teams or coaches, so it's still too early to say what each player is truly capable of week to week. This means that there are loads of players who are undervalued by the DraftKings pricing system, making it the perfect time of year to kick the tires on some players who you feel are below market value.
Jimmy Garoppolo - $5900 (vs. MIA)
Sure, he isn't Tom Brady, but at this price, at home, against a questionable Miami team, there's a lot to like. Jimmy is also a lot more mobile than Tom, so he should be able to break free for a scramble or two, when Suh breaks through the line.
Prediction - 265 passing yds, 2TD's, 0 INT, 20 rushing yards
Danny Woodhead - $5200 (vs. JAX)
With Keenan Allen out for the year, San Diego is in desperate need for their other offensive weapons to step it up a bit. Woodhead is the perfect player for this sort of situation. He can be counted on for short passes, screen plays, and of course the occasional hand off. I think he steps up in a big way this week against a weaker Jaguars team.
Prediction - 57 rushing yards, 10 receptions, 91 receiving yards, 1 TD
Cole Beasley - $3200 (at WAS)
Cole has been a nice receiver for Tony Romo for a little while now. He has never been featured in the offense, due to the team having players like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. However, now with Dak Prescott leading the team, there's a newfound need for a receiver who can run quick, short routes to help him get the ball out as quick as possible. Last week, he racked up 8 receptions and 65 yards while filling this role, and I think he'll do better this week with Josh Norman likely handling Dez the whole game.
Prediction - 9 receptions, 87 yards
Eric Ebron - $3500 (vs. TEN)
Ebron is part of the Lions' solution to replacing Calvin Johnson. No, this isn't the second coming of Megatron, but this is a really good tight end, on a pass happy team, with a quarterback who is starting to get him into the mix more and more. He's turning into a reliable red zone target and comes in at a very reasonable price. I believe he really should cost somewhere around $4000, making him a steal this week against the Titans.
Prediction - 7 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD
Thomas Rawls - $5500 (at LA)
This is on the higher end of what I would consider a sleeper. However, I feel that many are missing out on his true potential. We saw how Seattle helped turn Marshawn Lynch into Beastmode. Sure, Lynch was a beast, there's no denying that, but he never really became Beastmode until he arrived in the Northwest. Wilson runs an offense that caters more towards running the ball, and although the Rams have a good front seven, I feel this is the game where Rawls will start to establish himself as one of the more elite RB's in the league.
Prediction - 135 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 32 receiving yards, 2 TD
Patriots - $3000 (vs. MIA)
I'm not going to lie, my typical strategy has been to punt my defense so that I can divert more money to other positions. I've changed that philosophy this year and started to invest more in my defense. This week I am focusing on New England. They're home and they're playing a division rival. After last week's upset of the Cardinals, I feel this is set up to be a game for the Patriots to ride the momentum to another big win.
Prediction - Pats 28, Miami 10: 4 Sacks, 2 INT, 1 FF
Good luck picking your sleepers!
