Fantasy Football: Sleepers for Round One of the Playoffs

As we enter the first week of many fantasy football seasons, who are some of the players that could make an impact in your lineup? Click here to see the sleepers you should start.

Author:
Fischer Smith
Publish date:
Dec 16, 2021 11:54 AM EST

Sleepers for Round One of the Fantasy Football Playoffs

As we enter the first week of many fantasy football seasons, who are some of the players that could make an impact in your lineup? Click here to see the sleepers you should start.

It is the most important time of the year - the fantasy football playoffs have arrived. The league is swamped with Covid cases, which means you may have to rely on a few under-the-radar fantasy players to get you to the semifinals or the next round of your "toilet bowl" consolation. If you are looking for some of those guys, we have got you covered with breakdowns of sleepers that will lead you to that playoff victory in week 15.

QB | Justin Fields (vs. MIN)

As of late, Fields has been hot from a fantasy standpoint. He has 18 or more standard fantasy points in each of his last three full games. Those performances came against three defenses ranked in the top half of the league against the pass in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay. Fields will look to take advantage of a less formidable Minnesota defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season (18.5). The Vikings rank 25th in the league in terms of passing yards allowed per game (251.9), and only three teams have allowed more passing touchdowns per game this year (1.8). Fields has had a ton of success on the ground as of late, carrying for 222 yards and averaging over eight yards per carry over his last three full games. Minnesota is second to last in football in yards allowed per carry (4.7). Fields has been a serviceable fantasy quarterback as of late, and he will have his most favorable matchup in a while this coming Monday night. If you have been in flux at the quarterback position this year, Fields might be a guy that can be a savior for your team down the stretch. He could send you to the next round of your fantasy playoffs this week if he can carry over his success from his last three games against a weaker defense in the Vikings.

RB | Myles Gaskin (vs. NYJ)

Although he tested positive for Covid last Friday, Gaskin is vaccinated, so he has a decent shot at playing this Sunday if he is cleared by the weekend. If Gaskin plays, he is a borderline must-start against the Jets. No team in football has allowed more PPR fantasy points per game to running backs (34.1) or rushing touchdowns per game this season (1.8) than the Jets. New York ranks 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (138.8). Gaskin has seen a lot more volume over the last couple of months than many people realize. He has touched the ball 15 or more times in seven consecutive games and has played more than 60% of Miami's offensive snaps in five of those seven contests. Since week five, Gaskin has been the 12th ranked running back in PPR formats, averaging over 14 fantasy points per game. If he plays on Sunday against the lackluster Jets defense, he might wind up giving you RB1 production.

WR | Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. ARI)

Only Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson, and Chris Godwin have seen more targets than the rookie St. Brown over the last two weeks, who saw 12 in each of his games. St. Brown was able to turn those targets into plenty of fantasy points, as only seven wide receivers accumulated more PPR points over the last two weeks (40.1). St. Brown has developed into arguably Jared Goff's favorite target, and the Lions' offense has had to throw the ball a ton this season as they have trailed heavily in most of their games. Detroit currently sits as 13.5 point underdogs this week and should be throwing frequently yet again, which bodes well for St. Brown and his volume. Arizona has also allowed the most PPR fantasy points per game in the entire league over the last three weeks to wide receivers (48.7). With the regular season waning, you have to figure that the Lions, who have the worst record in football, will be trying to develop their young players such as St. Brown as much as possible. Expect Detroit to continue to play from behind in this game, and expect St. Brown to be heavily involved yet again. He projects as a WR3/flex play with huge upside this week.

WR | K.J. Osborn (@ CHI)

The Vikings have basically been without Adam Thielen in their last two games, which has caused Osborn to step into a starting role. Over the past two weeks, Osborn has seen 16 targets for 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Thielen is trending downwards when it comes to suiting up for this week's game, which should have Osborn heavily involved in the passing game for a third straight week. Osborn has a solid shot to score again this week as only three teams have allowed more receiving touchdowns per game than the Bears this season (1.8). Chicago also ranks in the league's bottom ten in PPR fantasy points per game allowed to wide receivers this year (37.3). Look for Osborn to have a third straight strong fantasy performance with Thielen looking like he will be out. He presents as a reliable WR3/flex option.

WR | A.J. Green (@ DET)

With DeAndre Hopkins shut down for the rest of the regular season with a knee injury, somebody will have to step up and become Kyler Murray's go-to guy. Green seemed to have a rapport with Murray this past Monday night against the Rams. Murray targeted Green ten times, and Green was able to snag seven of them for 102 receiving yards. Green has seen eight or more targets in two of his last three games with Murray. Green likely becomes Kyler's number one target down the stretch of the season. This week, the Cardinals play the Lions, who rank second to last in the league in yards allowed per completion (11.80). This is a great spot for Murray to get used to having Green as his top target. Green is a fine WR3/flex play this week, and if he is on your waiver wire, you'd better stop reading this and add him.

WR | Donovan Peoples-Jones (vs. LV)

The Browns are a team flooded with Covid cases. Cleveland's top receiver, Jarvis Landry, is among those with the virus, which should have Peoples-Jones positioned for a large workload on Saturday. Tight end Austin Hooper and David Njoku have cases as well. Last week, Peoples-Jones had a respectable showing, hauling in five of seven targets for 90 yards. He has seen five or more targets in three consecutive games now, and that volume should increase this week with several key Browns pass catchers in quarantine. Over the last five weeks, the Raiders rank in the league's bottom ten in PPR fantasy points allowed per game to wide receivers (36.2). Somebody will have to catch the ball for the Browns this week, and Peoples-Jones may likely be the only Browns pass catcher with significant game experience this season to suit up. Even with Baker Mayfield out, Peoples-Jones should be able to put up at least a solid fantasy performance this week. He is a very interesting option in deeper leagues.

TE | Mike Gesicki (vs NYJ)

Even though Gesicki has been somewhat of a fantasy disappointment over the last several weeks, only Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews have seen more targets than Gesicki this season among tight ends. Gesicki also had his best fantasy performance in over a month last week as he hauled in seven of 11 targets. He will enjoy a matchup with the Jets, who have allowed the eighth-most PPR fantasy points per game to tight ends and also rank in the league's bottom seven against the pass. Gesicki should no longer be viewed as one of the top fantasy tight ends, but his target volume is still sky high, and he has an exploitable matchup this week with the Jets. You should feel comfortable starting him if you are without a premier tight end.

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