Every year there are several wide receivers that come out of seemingly nowhere to claim fantasy football fame. Last year we learned new names like Cecil Shorts, Danario Alexander and T.Y. Hilton. Who will be the breakout wide receivers this year? Although only time will tell if any of these will players will turn into stars, here are my picks for the top 2013 NFL wide receiver sleepers.
– Kris Durham – Detroit Lions
Desperate times call for deep sleepers. Kris Durham, aka the Vanilla Gorilla, was called upon late in the season due to a flurry of injuries and troubles with the other Detroit Lions wide receivers. Durham was a teammate of quarterback Matthew Stafford at the University of Georgia, and it seems as though they still have some chemistry on the field. Durham had 21 targets during the last four games of the season with 125 yards receiving and a touchdown. He has a large frame at 6’6 and made some acrobatic catches at the end of the year. Whether the Lions keep trouble maker Titus Young is kept on the team and if Ryan Broyles can heal quickly will likely determine Durham’s role early in the 2013 season.
– Joe Morgan – New Orleans Saints
Devery Henderson will be a free agent and the New Orleans Saints will pass just as much with Drew Brees behind center. Joe Morgan is a great candidate to receive increased looks throughout the season. Although he finished the season with only 10 catches, he showed big play potential by averaging 37.9 yards a catch, ending the year with 379 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Morgan could have a breakout year and may become a viable option at wide receiver on your fantasy team.
– Alshon Jeffery – Chicago Bears
Alshon Jeffery showed a lot of promise in his rookie year with the Chicago Bears. Jeffery appeared in 10 games and had 24 receptions, 367 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns. The Bears are desperately searching for someone to step up on the opposite side of Brandon Marshall, and Jeffery looks like the fit for that role if he can stay healthy. Expect a solid sophomore season.
– Chris Givens – St. Louis Rams
The Rams have a lot of decisions to make at wide receiver in the offseason, but they will have Chris Givens returning under contract. Danny Amendola, Brandon Gibson, and Steve Smith are all free agents. Givens had a solid rookie season with the Rams and had a couple of fantasy worthy games. He had 42 receptions, 698 yards receiving, and 3 touchdowns on 81 targets. Givens has the potential to emerge as the Rams’ #1 receiver. He has a lot of upside and is a great sleeper pick for 2013.
– Armon Binns – Miami Dolphins
With Brian Hartline a free agent; Armon Binns will have an opportunity to step up as a dangerous target for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Binns had a quiet first season while playing in games for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins. He finished the season with 24 receptions, 277 yards receiving and 1 touchdown. He is sure to see an increase in playing time and could prove to be a fantasy option as the season progresses.
– DeVier Posey – Houston Texans
It took him a while to get onto the field, but DeVier Posey saw an increase in playing time at the end of the season and had receptions in each of the last four regular season games. The Houston Texans are looking for young wide receivers to step up as Andre Johnson is not getting any younger. Watch him in the preseason to get a good feel of how they will use him throughout the 2013 NFL season. I like Posey as a late draft acquisition, or someone to claim off of the waiver wire in week two or three.
– Josh Gordon – Cleveland Browns
Wide receiver Josh Gordon had a good season for the Cleveland Browns and has the potential to breakout as a top 25 wide receiver in 2013. Gordon had a solid season, but it wasn’t quite fantasy worthy. He was tied for 8th in the NFL with 16.1 yards per reception, but had just 50 catches in 2012. In his last 9 games, he had only 1 touchdown. Gordon is a dangerous threat and may be the best option the Browns have at receiver. He is worth a late draft pick and should be playable on your fantasy roster for most of the season.
Sources
The Oakland Press
*All statistics from NFL via NFL.com
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