Fantasy Football Sleeper Watch: Odell Beckham Good To Go
By Erik Lambert
Jul 22, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. misses the ball during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
A number of scenarios offer prime Fantasy Football sleeper potential in Week 5. Which players should be put on alert status?
Odell Beckham Jr. against Atlanta Falcons
Finally ready to make his debut after taking so long to recover from a hamstring problem, New York Giants rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. couldn’t have picked a better time. His quarterback Eli Manning is on a roll after throttling the Redskins last week and the Giants are set to face the Atlanta Falcons who boast the 30th ranked pass defense in the NFL. Beckham is almost certain to see some action after a good week of practice and can showcase why the team drafted him.
Mike Glennon against New Orleans Saints
His late-game heroics in Pittsburgh couldn’t have come at a better time. Mike Glennon made a huge statement towards his claim on the starting quarterback job in Tampa Bay and has a big chance to do it again in Week 5 against a New Orleans Saints defense that appears listless and lost. Worse yet they just lost key safety Jairus Byrd for the season to a knee injury, so even at home they are prime pickings for a quarterback to take advantage.
Bishop Sankey against Cleveland Browns
Ken Whisenhunt appears to finally be relenting on limiting the carries for rookie running back Bishop Sankey. The young man is averaging over 5.0 yards per carry and clearly has an explosiveness veteran Shonn Greene can’t offer. The timing is certainly good for the rookie to get more action. The Cleveland Browns defense has allowed an average of 153.7 yards per game on the season. It’s the type of matchup fantasy football experts love to get aggressive in and with good reason. Sankey is ready to take his game up a notch.
Chicago Bears defense against Carolina
They suffered through some tough breakdowns against the Green Bay Packers but the Chicago Bears defense had shown steady improvement before that. What’s more is they’re starting to get key guys back from injury including defensive end Jared Allen. They face a Carolina Panthers team that is missing its top three running backs and has an offensive line that ranks 23rd in pass protection. It is a great opportunity for the Bears defense to get back on track, as they do rank near the top of the league in sacks and takeaways.