Ringo's 2021 Sleepers and Busts

Are there really any sleepers anymore? Honestly, with the wealth of information available at fantasy owners finger tips, probably not many, but that’s the name of my website so it’s kind of important for me to write at least one article about them haha! The Olympics start Friday so hopefully we’ll get a few gold medal picks. The good news is you don’t have to wait four years to get them. Without further adieu- here are Ringo’s annual sleeper and bust picks for 2021!

QBs I like

Tom Brady- Ahoy there fantasy mateys! TB12 knows the playbook now and has developed a rapport with his WRs which is scary. Seriously, how much better can the Buccaneers’ offense be in 2021? Everyone came back too. Not only that, but they also get TE O.J. Howard back from injury and added RB Gio Bernard from free agency. The Bucs offense is loaded. Brady should be in for another monster year if he can stay healthy. Father Time be damned! Give me the soon to be 44 year old QB and set sail for fantasy gold! Arghh!!!

Lamar Jackson- Lamar "Action" Jackson disappointed owners in 2020 mainly because they took him too early, but he's still very talented and the fastest guy on the field. His rushing yards add up quickly in the fantasy box score. He had 1,000 yards and he missed a game- incredible! The Ravens improved offensive line should help. He's Michael Vick 2.0. Jackson will be cheaper on draft day this year which I like. Probably because I'm cheap haha!

Taysom Hill- Drew Brees' retirement opens up the competition for the starting Saints QB gig. It's between Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill. Even if Winston wins the job, it's only a matter of time before he throws it to the other team. If Winston continues his three interception games, it won't be long until Sean Payton gives him the hook and goes with Hill. Taysom's accuracy isn't the best, but his mobility means valuable rushing yards for fantasy owners. His use around the goal line separates him from other QBs. No one is talking about him (at least not yet) so he should be cheap on draft day. Worth a shot. Sleeper

Trey Lance- Everything I've heard is Lance is at least one year away, maybe two. That was the perception anyway. Now I'm hearing the 49'ers thought Lance was the most pro ready in the draft. He could start much earlier than many pundits thought. Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard are gone. That leaves only Trey Lance and Josh Rosen as the backups. Lance isn't very accurate, but he's incredibly sharp, loves to study film, & read defenses. The comp scouts gave was Josh Allen. Lance is big and can run. That's valuable in fantasy. The 49'ers have plenty of weapons. If he gets a shot, he could make a huge impact. (Click play to see highlights of Trey Lance below)

QBs I’m fading

Josh Allen- Josh Allen took a huge leap last year. I think he takes a step back. He had a career year in 2020. Those are hard to duplicate in back to back seasons. For where he's being drafted, the cost is too rich for my blood.

Jameis Winston- If fantasy owners got points for their QBs throwing to the other team I'd have Winston ranked #1 haha! He throws too many interceptions. Even if he wins the starting job in training camp, I doubt he can keep it. In addition, if Sean Payton pulled future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees at the goal line for Taysom Hill, you can bet he’ll do the same thing with Jameis. Avoid.

Joe Burrow- The Bengals drafted Burrow's old college teammate, WR JaMarr Chase which should help the offense. The concern- can the Bengals offensive line protect him? Cincy also plays a brutal schedule. Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh all have tough defenses and they play each of them twice! I really like Burrow's future, but I'd temper expectations for 2021.

Ben Roethlisberger= Big Ben looks washed. He's gotten old. He can't scramble. He's also jumpy in the pocket. You can tell he doesn't want to get hit. Well no one does, but he especially doesn't. The Steelers didn't even want him back. He took a very team friendly deal. As if that's not bad enough the offensive line lost some major pieces. They're in shambles. This isn't the same Steelers offense from a few years ago. I doubt he makes it through the year, not that it matters. Avoid.

Daniel Jones- The Giants gave him some new toys in Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney, but the offensive line is still a mess. In addition, Saquon Barkley is coming off a devastating knee injury. It's a make or break year for Jones. My money is on break. Avoid

RBs I like

Derrick Henry- The Titans trade for Julio is great news for Henry. It forces defenses to pick their poison. If they drop the safety in the box, Tannehill can throw it over the top. If not, it opens up room for Henry to operate. If Julio can stay healthy, the Titans offense could propel to a whole new level.

Ezekiel Elliott- The Cowboys offense was decimated by injuries in 2020. However, before Dak got hurt they were rolling. Zeke is a value in the late 1st round or in the 2nd round.

Clyde Edwards Helaire-Edwards-Helaire was a disappointment for fantasy owners last year after getting off to a good start. Andy Reid's offense is difficult to learn and he's had an entire offseason to become more familiar with it. Reid's history is he likes to utilize one RB. The comp by scouts after watching Helaire was a better version of Brian Westbrook. And the Chiefs' offense is more explosive than the Eagles offense that Westbrook was a part of. Looked at Chiefs' Kingdom, he is finally there, to sit on his thrown as The Prince of Helaire. I'm a buyer of the Fresh Prince of Helaire!

Antonio Gibson- Well this call could make me look really smart or really foolish. Just an FYI- the smart money is on foolish haha! Antonio Gibson is still recovering from a turf toe injury he suffered in late 2020. That's a concern. If he's okay, then things could get real interesting. Coach Ron Rivera said he wants him to be more involved in the passing game (Note- he played WR in college). He came into the NFL really raw as a RB which means he could make a huge leap. Gibson is one of the few RBs with major three down upside if things break right, well assuming it's not his toe. He's big (220 lbs), fast (ran a 4.39 40 yard dash), and a natural playmaker. Can his toe hold up? That's the million dollar question? If it does, lookout! Gibbaay!!!

Javonte Williams- New GM George Paton didn't sit around on draft day. He traded up in the 2nd round to get his guy, RB Javonte Williams. Williams has the potential to be a 3 down RB if given the chance. Right now it's a RBBC with Melvin Gordon. Williams reminds me of Frank Gore in his younger days. His ability to consistently break tackles is impressive. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield. It sounds like the Broncos want to run it more in 2021. And if anything happens to Gordon, things suddenly will get very interesting here.

Damien Harris- With Cam Newton vanquished to free agency, the sea opens up for Damien "The Running Man" Harris to get most of the goal line carries. In the words of the legendary actor Richard Dawson who plays Damon Killian in the 1987 movie, The Running Man, "It's time to start running!"

RBs I’m fading

Saquon Barkley- Saquon's coming off a devastating knee injury. The Giants might ease him back by limiting his touches. Even if they don't, Barkley's running style, which involves plenty of quick stops and starts isn't ideal for an ACL injury. Can he be the same RB? Will he have the same burst of acceleration that made him special? Can he stay healthy? And I speak from personal experience having torn my ACL, albeit 20 years ago. The Giants line isn't very good and the book is still out on QB Daniel Jones. Saquon is too risky in 2021 for me as an early round pick. Let someone else take the chance. Pass

Alvin Kamara- Losing Brees will hurt Kamara's receiving numbers. Brees was the king of check down passes. Kamara's receptions nosedived in three of the four games Brees missed last year due to injury. Make no mistake folks, that's where Kamara needs to shine to justify his first round price tag. My fear is QB Jameis Winston will eventually lose the job. He throws too many interceptions. And if Hill takes over that really hurts Kamara. Taysom will take off and run instead of throwing the check down pass. Also, the Saints need to keep Kamara fresh. If they overwork him he'll wear down. Like many NFL players, he was not in favor of the regular season increasing by one week. Despite Kamara's immense talent, I think there's a very real chance his numbers disappoint fantasy owners in 2021.

Aaron Jones- Second year RB A.J. Dillon lurks as a goal line vulture. Dillon is a 247 lb. wrecking ball. You'd have to figure the Packers pull Jones at the goal line unless they opt for a field goal. Too soon? Sorry I couldn't resist haha! Jones is going too high for me. Too risky. Pass

Najee Harris- Najee Harris is such an impressive RB. He is a three down RB who has the goods and fights for every yard. The bad news is the situation he's in. While Pittsburgh will make him an every down RB, their line is garbage and Big Ben is washed up. I don't see this turning out well. The 2nd/3rd round is too high for a guy on an offense which figures to struggle.

J.K. Dobbins- If Gus Edwards eats into his carries at all, Dobbins owners will be in trouble. Even if Edwards doesn't, expect Lamar Jackson to vulture some goal line TDs. Also, the Ravens don't pass it much. That caps Dobbins upside in half point and full point PPR formats. Given those concerns, JK is too risky for me at his current 3rd round ADP. If you decide to ignore my advice by going to Baskin Dobbins and scooping him up in the 3rd round, don't be surprised if you see your team's championship hopes melt away in 2021. Bust

WRs I like

Cee Dee Lamb- CeeDee Lamb was just starting to come on when Dak got hurt. Lamb is the real deal. He's a big play machine. He's better than Amari Cooper imo. With a full offseason to get more comfortable with the playbook, Cee Dee should makes a huge jump. I'm going to call him TD Lamb because he should score a bunch of them. The best part is, Lamb can be still be had for relatively cheap in the 4th round.

DeVonta Smith- The only concern with DeVonta is can he stay healthy? He's undersized, but this kid wants to be great. He has the chops to do it. The former Heisman winner dominated college football in 2020. He's a big play waiting to happen and he should get plenty of opportunities- (translation a lot of catches in half point and full point PPR formats.) He should make an immediate impact. My comp is former Michigan Wolverines and Minnesota Vikings star WR Anthony Carter. Google him. He was really good. DeVonta Smith will be just as good if not better.

Brandon Aiyuk- I expect Aiyuk to take a major jump in year 2. He started coming on late in the season. He's had a full offseason to get comfortable with the playbook. 2020 was brutal for rookies trying to learn plays with covid protocols. Aiyuk has some serious juice when he runs. He's great in the open field. Coach Shanahan also used him on running plays, which led to two TDs. This kid is going to be a good one. The comp scouts gave him coming out of college was Torry Holt. That's pretty good company to be in.

Antonio Brown-Antonio gets a full offseason to get more familiar with the playbook and Tom Brady. Remember his first game in 2020 was week 9. The only knocks are: 1.) There are a lot of mouths to feed in Tampa. 2.) His off the field issues could crop up at any time. The hope, though, is with Tom Brady there to mentor him, he'll stay in line. He did last year. Seven rings commands respect folks. Brown is way too cheap (ADP 10th round) given he's still one of the best WR's in the game, on a potent offense. And if Evans or Godwin gets hurt- oh baby! For those reasons, I prefer getting Antonio later rather than taking Chris Godwin earlier in drafts.

Jaylen Waddle- Prior to getting hurt in 2020 it was Waddle who was considered the best WR on Alabama, not eventual Heisman winner Devonta Smith. How sick is that? The Crimson Tide truly are loaded with talent. The comp for him by scouts is Tyreek Hill. He's got some serious wheels. Waddle reunites with his old Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa. If Tua can take a big step forward this year and stay healthy, Waddle could surprise some folks.

A.J. Green- Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment. Every winter I swear I'll never pick A.J. Green again, no matter how cheap he is on draft day and every summer I drink the green flavored Kool Aid. The Bengals' schedule in 2020 was horrific. They played some very tough defenses and their o-line was non-existent which, in turn, proceeded to get Joe Burrow killed. Even the poised Burrow admitted he needed to work on his deep throw accuracy this offseason, most likely a product of being under duress. Green heads out West where he's no longer the focal point of attention for defenses with DeAndre Hopkins on the other side. He also has a very mobile young star QB in Kyler Murray whose speed is a threat defenses need to be aware of. If Green can stay healthy (he did last year), he could do surprisingly well in Kliff Kingbury's Air Raid offense. However, that's a still a big if. The good news is A.J. is dirt cheap. His current ADP is the 21st round. even if he doesn't pan out, you've lost nothing. This is a Mark Ringo Long Shot Special! This time for sure Green will hit. I just know it. I mean sooner or later the law of averages has to kick in on Green right? Haha!

Parris Campbell- UPDATE- Carson Wentz is coming back from surgery on his foot. If he has a setback and the Colts don’t upgrade their QB- their entire offense takes a massive hit, including Campbell. This is a fluid situation. As if that isn’t enough, Parris Campbell has yet to stay healthy. Twice he's been on my sleepers list and twice he's had injury plagued seasons. That said, if Parris can stay healthy he has the talent to make some noise. He's big and fast. He also gets an upgrade at QB if Carson Wentz returns to form. Campbell will be dirt cheap on draft day (current ADP 19th round) so he's worth a late round flyer. I probably just put the famous Ringo jinx on the poor guy again- sacrebleu!

Van Jefferson- Desean Jackson takes over for Josh Reynolds, but he usually has a hard time staying healthy. If he goes down, don't be surprised if Van Jefferson comes in and does well. The scouting report on Jefferson is what he lacks in speed, he makes up for in route running. That's how he creates separation. His dad is a NFL coach who taught him well. With an upgrade at QB in Matthew Stafford, Van Jefferson could make an impact sooner than many fantasy pundits realize.

WRs I’m fading

Stefon Diggs- Diggs had a career year. Those are hard to repeat. Even with that he still only had 8 TDs. He's only 6'0" so he's not exactly a huge red zone threat. And TDs is what separates the good fantasy WRs from the great ones. I think he takes a step back this year. His 2nd round ADP is too rich for my blood. Can you Digg it?

Amari Cooper- Dak's injury destroyed the Cowboys offense last year. Their line was also decimated. Things should be better in 2021. That bodes well for Cooper. There should be more TDs in 2021. He'll have to compete with Cee Dee Lamb to get them though. That's easier said than done. Cooper is a steady top 15 WR. It's hard to see him produce much better than that though. Also note Amari injured his ankle in May. Will his ankle hold up? Keep an eye on this as the summer unfolds. At his current ADP (48th overall), It might be time to let Amari fly the fantasy coop.

Pitt WRs- Juju Smith-Schuster/Diontae Johnson/Chase Claypool- I want no part of the Steelers’ offense. Their offensive line lost some major pieces. Big Ben will be under siege. If he lasts the season I’ll be shocked. He looks washed. No thanks.

Odell Beckham- Odell Beckham is one of my favorite players. That three finger catch he made against Dallas on Sunday Night Football saved my bacon and got me into the playoffs. The concerns, and they are big ones, are 1.) Beckham is coming off a torn ACL. He hurt it late Oct 2020 and had surgery in early Nov. Those usually take two years for players to feel normal. The stopping and starting for WRs is even tougher to come back from than say for a QB. He could reinjure it if he comes back too soon. He also might lack the confidence it holds up and not play like his old self.

2.) The Browns are a run oriented team. Even if he was 100% healthy coming into the season his targets will be more limited than if he were on a passing team. For those reasons I'm down on Beckham in 2021 even though he's one of the most talented WRs in the NFL.

Courtland Sutton- Sutton is coming off a torn ACL he hurt early in 2020. The loss of LT JuWann James to injury (out for the year) and shaky QB play makes Sutton a risky pick imo. Too risky for me. No thanks.

TEs I like

Kyle Pitts- What if I told you it was possible to draft Calvin Johnson and play him at TE. Would you do it? In 30 years of playing fantasy football, Kyle Pitts is the best fantasy tight end I've ever seen. I had that same feeling back in 1998 when I first saw and drafted a rookie WR from Marshall on the Vikings, Randy Moss. I had that feeling again after I saw RB Saquon Barkley. Many experts said a rookie couldn't be drafted as the 1st or 2nd RB because he hadn't done it before. Saquon had over 2,028 total yards 91 receptions 15 TDs his rookie year. To paraphrase the line from A League of Their Own, "I know the goods when I see it. And he's the goods." When his career is all said and done Kyle Pitts will rewrite the record books at TE.

Zach Ertz-A change of scenery should do Zach Ertz good. We're still waiting to find out where he ends up, but it seems like a trade is imminent. The word on the street is the Colts are one of the teams interested. Reuniting with Carson Wentz would be good news for Zach's 2021 fantasy outlook. Ertz is only two years removed from 88 rec 916 yds and 6 TDs.

Blake Jarwin/Dalton Schultz— Jarwin was set to take over the reins from Jason Witten, but a knee injury ended his season in week 1. He's faster than Schultz, and Dallas paid him some decent money so the smart money is on him having the edge to win the starting job in training camp. Whoever wins the Dallas starting TE gig is in a good spot. Dallas throws it an awful lot. Remember, most of the season Dallas played with a backup QB and a decimated line. Dak and the o-line are back for 2021. Both Jarwin and Schultz are solid late round sleepers.

Dan Arnold- Dan Arnold ranked 15th? Whatcha talkin' about Ringo? (reference to Arnold Jackson’s character played by Gary Coleman on the tv show Diff’rent Strokes see below) Arnold is a hybrid WR/TE. He's got some serious wheels and big time athleticism to make acrobatic catches. The Panthers went out and got him in free agency, reuniting former Saints and current Panthers offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, with his former player to make him their starting TE. If Carolina gets anything out of Sam Darnold at QB, it will be Darnold to Arnold. Hasta la vista baby! The Terminator at TE. I'll be back.

TEs I’m fading

TJ Hockenson- He's probably the #1 receiving target for Jared Goff given the lousy core of wide receivers the Lions have with the departures of Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones. However, the Lions want to be a physical team that features the run. I have concerns about their passing attack and offense in general. He's going too high for me given the lack of offensive firepower here.

Dallas Goedert- Many fantasy owners are expecting Goedert's stats to soar with the expected trade of Zach Ertz. I'm not sure that's going to happen. Goedert isn’t anything special speed wise and Jalen Hurts has accuracy issues. He'll take off and run more than throw. Rookie WR Devonta Smith should command a lot of targets as well. No thanks.

Austin Hooper- Austin Hooper was signed for big money by the Browns, but they have a run oriented offense which made no sense. After he left the Falcons, his stats sunk quicker than Quint’s boat, Orca, in the movie Jaws. It's hard to see things getting any better in 2021. Hoopah! Slow ahead if you please! No thanks.