RADIO
We continue our preseason fantasy football sleeper series with a look at Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles.
While the first few rounds of every draft are essentially a wash-rinse-repeat of the consensus top-36, we can always count on those middle and late rounds to cement our confidence in this year's sleepers. The definition of the fantasy football sleeper has changed over the years, with the emergence of the industry itself on social media. The common sleeper today isn't a player that is being 'slept on' by the community. They're more like a player in a great spot to outperform his average draft position based on a plethora of factors.
Let's see why Sproles could fit that bill in upcoming fantasy drafts.
2018 Sleeper - Darren Sproles
2018 is going to be the final year of Darren Sproles’ illustrious career. Will his farewell tour end with him being one of the most surprising sleepers in fantasy football? Do not be shocked!
Sproles had his 2017 season prematurely ended by a torn ACL, and the likely thought among many in the fantasy football community was that we had seen the last of him. But we all should have known better after watching Sproles have the courage to run through and around mountainous defenders with his little legs for a dozen sparkling seasons.
Sproles is the third man on Philadelphia’s running back totem pole entering the 2018 campaign. Jay Ajayi will be the top tailback, while up-and-comer Corey Clement, fresh off his 100 receiving yards and touchdown catch in Super Bowl LII, is the No. 2 man. This does not look on paper like a sterling situation for the 35-year-old Sproles to be overly productive, but there are a few fantasy factors that could lead to him being a surprise sleeper.
Philadelphia’s Offense
Philadelphia was the third-highest scoring team in the NFL last season. Only the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots scored more, and the Eagles will have all of their key playmakers back for 2018, including hopefully starting signal caller Carson Wentz for Week 1. Head coach Doug Pederson and his ultra-intelligent offensive staff will utilize Sproles’ best abilities and put him in positions to make big plays, and with the above-average talent surrounding him he should have plenty of open-field opportunities and chances to score touchdowns.
Ajayi and Clement No Locks For Success
Before you pencil in Ajayi for 1,000 rushing yards and Clement to be the next Alvin Kamara, look at their past track records (or lack thereof). Ajayi has been wildly inconsistent, rushing for 1,272 yards in 2016 only to run himself out of Miami thanks to a paltry 3.4 Y/A during his first seven games of 2017. Clement was an undrafted free agent the Eagles took a flyer on last season who did not have more than 70 total yards in any game until the Super Bowl. This duo will not be confused with a one-two combo like Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris anytime soon, so Sproles could get extra touches if one or both of them falters.
Sproles Wanting to End on a High Note
You think Sproles will be running hard when he knows this is his final season in the NFL? Does Marshawn Lynch like Skittles? Sproles will want to make his swan song something everyone will always remember, especially since he does not want the last thing people remember about him being his season-ending injury from last year. While the jury is out on whether his legs will be as explosive after tearing up his knee and being 35 years young, the Eagles must be confident that he has enough speed and shiftiness left in his tank to be a valuable member of the offense for one more season.
The bottom line is that Sproles is no lock to have more than 700 total yards in 2018 and will not be drafted very high, if at all, in most fantasy leagues. In his four years with the Eagles, he has never had 1,000 combined yards and never scored more than six touchdowns in a season. His only value has been in PPR leagues 40-50 catches per season have been useful when fantasy players have needed to spot start him at RB or at the flex position.
This all means Sproles is prime sleeper material because if everything falls into place for him he can have 400 rushing yards, 50 receptions for 550 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns while being someone taken in the final few rounds of fantasy drafts or a waiver wire find during the season. It is a low risk/high reward option fantasy players should consider, especially if they draft Ajayi or Clement in the earlier rounds.
