Summer Sleeper: Detroit Lions
We continue our annual 32-part Summer Sleeper series where DLF scribes identify a lightly-touted player on each NFL roster who may be worthy of your consideration. Our subjects all have varying levels of “sleeperness,” but each merits a bit of in-depth discussion here in the Premium Content section.
To help everybody along, we are going to be categorizing our sleepers under one of three headings:
- Super Deep Sleepers – Players who aren’t roster-worthy in 12-team leagues, but are still worth keeping an eye on.
- Deep Sleepers – An end of the roster player who is more often than not on the waiver wire in 12-team leagues.
- Sleeper – A likely rostered player who makes for a good trade target. Their startup ADP puts them out of the top-175 or so.
Because we aren’t going give you the likes of mainstream sleepers, most of these players will undoubtedly fizzle. All we are asking is for you to keep an open mind and perhaps be willing to make room for one of these players on your bench. You never know when the next Willie Snead is going to spring up. Feel free to add your own thoughts about our choice for the designated sleeper, or nominate one of your own in the comments below.
The Detroit Lions offense finished 2016 ranked 21st in yards and eighth in points scored. The poor yards total was largely due to the 30th in rushing yard finish, with only 1,310 yards. The lack of rushing yards was in part to the injuries to both Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah. The Lions and Packers were the only two teams in 2016 without a running back with 100 attempts. The biggest void however for fantasy is left behind by wide receiver Anquan Boldin and his 95 targets.
[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]
While most of the community is seeing rookie Kenny Golladay as the sleeper to be the third wide receiver, my super deep sleeper is Jared Abbrederis. While Abbederis’ opportunity is as the third wide receiver, I like to look at how often the Lions use 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end and three wide receivers). Per sharpfootballstats.com, the Lions were fifth in using 11 personnel with 75% of their 739 plays in three wide receiver sets. Not only did the Lions use 11 personnel often, they were also sixth in the NFL using three wide receiver sets in the red zone. This led to Boldin being 14th in red zone targets for wide receivers in 2016.
Jared Abbrederis, WR
Category – Super Deep Sleeper
Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft, Abbrederis spent two seasons playing in 14 games, catching only ten balls for 119 yards. In 2016, Abbrederis suffered a thigh contusion and reached an injury settlement for his release. Ultimately, the Packers were flushed with wide receivers and decided to part ways with a player who has struggled with injuries his entire professional career.
In January, the Lions signed Abbrederis to a reserve/future contract. He has been having an outstanding training camp displaying his route running skills and quick feet. I can see him filling a role in the slot keeping Golden Tate and Marvin Jones on the outside. I expect this to be a tough competition for the third wide receiver role, but Abbrederis is definitely one to keep an eye on. Kenny Golladay has the upper hand and is primarily an outside wide receiver which forces Tate to play inside, while Abbrederis can provide flexibility to play Tate on the outside with Abbrederis in the slot.
Abbrederis was a three-year starter at Wisconsin and led the team in receptions all three of those years. In his senior year, he finished with 78 receptions for 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns. His shifty ability to get open and keep defenders on their heels was evident in nearly every game he played. The highlight of his college career was in 2013 versus 12th ranked Ohio State when he had ten receptions for 207 yards and a touchdown. There’s no doubt the potential is there, just needs to shake the injury issues that have plagued his NFL career.
Using Rotoviz.com’s Box Score Scout app, I found two interesting player comparisons in Stefon Diggs and Jamison Crowder. While these aren’t the high end ceiling players you look for, they show the level of player Abberedis is capable of becoming.
In the Lions’ first preseason game, he saw 29 offensive snaps (44%) and eight snaps on special teams (24%). He had two receptions on four targets for 18 yards.
Using MyFantasyLeague.com’s player finder, Abbrederis is rostered in only 4.38% of leagues. As a super deep sleeper, he isn’t worth rostering in a typical 12 team, 30 player roster type league. However, he is one to keep an eye on in waivers or in deeper leagues, and worth a space on the bottom of your roster as a flier.
[/am4show]
- 2023 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Prospect: Jalin Hyatt, WR Tennessee - April 6, 2023
- 2021 Summer Sleeper: Las Vegas Raiders - August 14, 2021
- 2021 Summer Sleeper: Cincinnati Bengals - August 13, 2021
