ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Who is your favorite sleeper in playoff fantasy leagues?
DAVID DOREY
I like the chance that Jared Cook ends up as one of the best tight ends. Each defense is going to devote everything to slowing down Michael Thomas and Cook came on strongly over the second half of the season with seven touchdowns over the final seven games. Playing on the road in the Divisional round isn't ideal, but Cook's best games came against the Saints toughest opponents. Thomas will not be enough by himself.
Dorey has been dealing out all the rankings and projections for The Huddle since 1997 and wrote up a preview of every game for the last 21 years. His specialty is schedule strength and he’s been in countless magazines, podcasts, and radio shows. He is the author of Fantasy Football: The Next Level.
MICHAEL NAZAREK
Raheem Mostert scored 9 touchdowns in the final six games of the season. He is a great sleeper pick, on a team that could go all the way and win the Super Bowl.
Nazarek is the CEO of Fantasy Football Mastermind Inc. His company offers a preseason draft guide, customizable cheat sheets, a multi-use fantasy drafting program including auction values, weekly in-season fantasy newsletters, injury reports and free NFL news (updated daily) at its mobile-friendly web site. He has been playing fantasy football since 1988 and is a four-peat champion of the SI.com Experts Fantasy League, a nationally published writer in several fantasy magazines and a former columnist for SI.com. He's also won in excess of $20K in recent seasons of the FFPC High Stakes Main Event. www.ffmastermind.com. Nazarek can be reached via email at miken@ffmastermind.com.
MICHAEL NEASE
Well, the key to making this projection is determining a team likely to be in the Super Bowl. Since I like the 49ers as the NFC champion, I would select Deebo Samuel to step up and have a big postseason. Averaging over 16 points per game since Week 10, Samuel could be a major factor in winning fantasy wise in the "second season" He is a lesser name now, but on his way to becoming a future stud.
Nease is a member of the FSWA and has been playing the game since 1985, while also writing about it since 2001. He is a writer for Big Guy Fantasy Sports. Over the years he has sampled about all the playing scenarios that fantasy football offers, including re-drafter, keeper, dynasty, auction, IDP and salary cap leagues. You can contact Mike at mnease23@yahoo.com anytime and during the football season follow him @mike-insights.
SCOTT SACHS
Lots of flashy names in this year's playoff receiver pool including Hopkins, Thomas, Adams, Hill, etc. While Julian Edelman may be a lesser name in comparison, he's been money throughout his career when the spotlight is on. When a clutch play is essential, Brady goes to the guy he trusts. With the Pats having to uncharacteristically play in a first-round game, he brings an extra week of added value as well.
Sachs runs Perfect Season Fantasy Football, offering LIVE Talk & Text consulting. He has multiple league championships including two perfect seasons. Sachs is a past winner of the Fantasy Index Experts Poll and a 2-time winner of the Experts Auction League.
SAM HENDRICKS
Jared Cook. Why? Because the Saints have a bye this week (OK they do face the Vikings). It is the Saints' year for redemption after the no-call last year. Michael Thomas will see the double teams and Cook will be the workhorse as New Orleans makes a legit run at the Super Bowl and 4 playoff games played.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 25-year fantasy football veteran who participates in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013. Follow him at his web site, www.ffguidebook.com.
ANDY RICHARDSON
It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Seattle will beat Philadelphia, but recall that the Eagles won in Chicago last year and were awfully close to winning in New Orleans, too. So let's consider Dallas Goedert, who should be the best tight end playing this week and possibly wind up playing three games -- stranger things have happened. Another possibility is Josh Allen. I think Buffalo wins in Houston this week, and if Tennessee wins at New England, the Bills would then go to Kansas City (and Allen could be very good in that matchup, as well).
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He previews all the NFL games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays during the NFL season.