Sleeper Wide Receivers

There is one sleeper WR this season that many teams are pinning their hopes on, especially in keeper leagues...Vincent Jackson, San Diego Chargers. Jackson is a giant target with speed to spare. Couple that with the fact that he is entering into his third season in the NFL (WR's have a history of breaking out in their 3rd year of play), that he is part of the most dynamic offenses in the league and that everyone on the field has to be watching Tomlinson each and every down -- well, Jackson might have just found the perfect system to put up some monster stats.

With Keenan McCardell's departure, Jackson will now start opposite rookie Craig Davis, with Eric Parker more than likely lining up in the slot (their two positions will probably be fairly interchangeable with one another's). While Jackson will see no shortage of double teams should he impress early on in the season, those Defensive Backs must always favor the Chargers option to run, if even just the slightest bit, which will allow Jackson to turn on the afterburners and streak on down the sidelines.

Look for Jackson to post numbers for your squad that you would come to expect out of a solid #2 WR on a fantasy team. He may very well turn into a #1 option; however, he has a little bit of maturing to do with his skills. A reasonable return on investment seems to be expecting 65 receptions for 1,100 yards and 7 touchdowns. If he can put up those numbers, he is well on his way to becoming a Top-10 Fantasy WR in the coming years.

The second WR to keep your eye on is Dwayne Bowe. While most fantasy owners have their sights set on Calvin Johnson first and Robert Meacham second, you should be doing the smart thing and keeping your eyes on the Chiefs new #1 wideout. Bowe is was unquestionably the second most talented receiver in the draft to Calvin Johnson. Not only that, but he was placed on a team with no other receiving talent around him, but with one of the most dominant RB's the game has ever seen in Larry Johnson. That formula might not sound like having the making of a monster year, but remember, Bowe is just a rookie so don't expect the world. Despite the great year Marques Colston had last season, he still only ranked around 20th in fantasy points in leagues that awarded 1 point per reception (PPR). So, if you take Bowe, you aren't looking for him to be your team's receiving cornerstone.

Regardless of whether Huard or Croyle man the helm this season in the Chief's offense, Bowe will get his fair share of looks. Like Jackson, Bowe will be the beneficiary of having defensive backs attempting to cover his speedy route running while also keeping an eye on bone crushing runner, Larry Johnson. A respectable return from Bowe would be along the lines of 50 receptions for 900 yards and 5 touchdowns. Again, solid, but do not lean on him as a cornerstone.