Definition of a Sleeper (1 Viewer)

[MarcO]

Can we come to some kind of consensus so we don't have to see the constant bickering in the JustCuz threads?

I'd offer up two different categories:

1. Draft Sleepers - players who will out perform their projected average draft spots over a given season. i.e. - So far I think Matt Hasselback has proven to be a sleeper in this year's draft.

2. Weekly lineup sleepers - I like the definition of Tefertiller's "Value Plays" column:

This article will take a weekly look at players who could provide value in a given week. The basis for this value will be the difference between the Top 250 forward, a look at the top 250 players with the whole season in mind, and the weekly rankings. Both of these are from the Footballguys.com subscriber content. An emphasis will be on the players with the largest differences between the season outlook and this week only. Also, a preference will be given to differences for the higher ranked players. Some of these differences will be due to injury, matchup of the week, or short-term situation.

Note that it doesn't say anything about not being rostered, not being in the top20, not owned in x% number of leagues... just that they may perform better than expected any given week.

i.e. Matt Hasselback would not be considered a sleeper to finish in the top 10 this week, since he has consistently done so this season. However, to say Josh Freeman will give you 250 yards and 3 TDs this week would be considered a sleeper pick.

 

[Warrior]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

 

[footballnerd]

Weekly sleepers are players most think won't perform well. Example might be Curtis Painter, hes low on many lists, but has the potential to perform well vs KC at home.

 

[footballnerd]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

yes I agree that the most helpful sleepers would be ones you could grab and plug in your line up to fill a spot.

 

[doeseatplace]

I view those more as "waiver wire wonders" or whatever you want to call it

In larger leagues, there is not much wonderful available in free agency. So a "sleeper" would be Donovan McNabb or Michael Jenkins, guys at the end of your bench who should perform better than normal based on matchup

 

[MarcO]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

yes I agree that the most helpful sleepers would be ones you could grab and plug in your line up to fill a spot.

fair points but isn't that the purpose of the waiver wire pickup posts. And many are - they may help you in the long run as a wait and see pick up, rather than putting him in your lineup this week.

 

[Hybrid]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

Sure it does. Depending on how someone's team at RB is doing, one might now start Addai every week.

 

[DansRams]

So to answer your question...no we all can't just get along

 

[Reepicheep]

I think of a sleeper pick as requiring to things:

1. Guy is on the WW OR riding the bench in most cases.

2. You think the guy will put up starter numbers. (i.e. top 10 QB, top 25 RB, top 25 WR, top 10 TE)

Basically it's like, play this guy if you are weak at his position because he will perform better than expected this week.

 

[footballnerd]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

Sure it does. Depending on how someone's team at RB is doing, one might now start Addai every week.

ya every player can be considered a sleeper depending on how you view it, but really good sleeper might require you to convince people to get him/play him. Good example is see Couch Potato's MSW thread.

 

[Captain Hook]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

Those are called free agents and are normally in a different discussion - although clearly in bye weeks some might be playable if you can get them

 

[Captain Hook]

I think of a sleeper pick as requiring to things:1. Guy is on the WW OR riding the bench in most cases.2. You think the guy will put up starter numbers. (i.e. top 10 QB, top 25 RB, top 25 WR, top 10 TE)Basically it's like, play this guy if you are weak at his position because he will perform better than expected this week.

Closer IMO - at least #1 is correct, but I would say a guy who is lower than QB12, RB24, WR36, TE12 as ranked for that particular week - a guy in a twelve team league that wouldn't clearly be a starter.

 

[MarcO]

So to answer your question...no we all can't just get along

Evidently.

 

[duaneok66]

i view it as this -

it's a choice out of left field that FEW people have even considered starting . . . this is obviously a narrow definition so the vast majority of players don't meet the criteria - if everyone has the same "sleeper" then it's not really a sleeper . . .

 

[smackdaddies]

Sleepers cannot be a regular starter at their position in your avg 12 team league

Sleepers must be projected to have starter stats

Deep Sleepers (aka waiver wire wonders) must be on the waiver wire in a significant number of leagues

 

[Kenny Powers]

I think of a sleeper pick as requiring to things:1. Guy is on the WW OR riding the bench in most cases.2. You think the guy will put up starter numbers. (i.e. top 10 QB, top 25 RB, top 25 WR, top 10 TE)Basically it's like, play this guy if you are weak at his position because he will perform better than expected this week.

Closer IMO - at least #1 is correct, but I would say a guy who is lower than QB12, RB24, WR36, TE12 as ranked for that particular week - a guy in a twelve team league that wouldn't clearly be a starter.

on bothThat said, I think "sleeper" is a more appropriate pre-draft term. Sure, guys past these listed baselines are sleepers if they have a good matchup, trending up, injury ahead of them, etc...but on a week to week basis Id call these players more along the lines of "shots in the dark" than a sleeper. Its hard enough to hit on guys during a draft that significantly exceed their ADP, doing it on a week to week basis is like doubling up after losing bets.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

You all can debate how you want, but my sleepers are based off my criteria.

 

[BassNBrew]

I think of a sleeper pick as requiring to things:1. Guy is on the WW OR riding the bench in most cases.2. You think the guy will put up starter numbers. (i.e. top 10 QB, top 25 RB, top 25 WR, top 10 TE)Basically it's like, play this guy if you are weak at his position because he will perform better than expected this week.

Closer IMO - at least #1 is correct, but I would say a guy who is lower than QB12, RB24, WR36, TE12 as ranked for that particular week - a guy in a twelve team league that wouldn't clearly be a starter.

I was going to comment along these lines but would drop the cutoff to QB16, RB36, WR54, or TE18 based on a 1/2/3/1 start requirement. I consider QB13-16 as pretty much a tweener as a weekly start compared to QB12. A sleeper should be someone on the ww or someone who is normally a permanent bench fixture on your roster.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

Cut him for Ridley so by your definition my friend he is on the waiver wire.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Weekly sleepers are players most think won't perform well. Example might be Curtis Painter, hes low on many lists, but has the potential to perform well vs KC at home.

Agree

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I think of a sleeper pick as requiring to things:1. Guy is on the WW OR riding the bench in most cases.2. You think the guy will put up starter numbers. (i.e. top 10 QB, top 25 RB, top 25 WR, top 10 TE)Basically it's like, play this guy if you are weak at his position because he will perform better than expected this week.

Closer IMO - at least #1 is correct, but I would say a guy who is lower than QB12, RB24, WR36, TE12 as ranked for that particular week - a guy in a twelve team league that wouldn't clearly be a starter.

Agree with this too, good point Hook.

 

[massraider]

I much prefer the "players who are likely on waivers, and can therefore actually help your team" category of sleepers. Naming someone like Joseph Addai as a sleeper serves little or no practical purpose to the reader.

Cut him for Ridley so by your definition my friend he is on the waiver wire.

Yeah, and I don't even like that narrow definition of being on a waiver wire. Someone's 6th WR can be a sleeper. Someone said, "Hey, this ain't 1996 anymore", and that's very valid. We all have the info, if we want to go get it. Wasn't true not so long ago. The definition of sleeper needs to be.....relaxed a little bit. Take a Lance Kendricks or Denarius Moore. Preseason sleepers, but any remotely serious fantasy player had heard of them, so by the 1996 definition, they weren't sleepers. There's not a 'sleeper' on the board that someone isn't banging the drum for, for the most part. Doesn't mean they aren't sleepers.

 

[Short Corner]

Can we come to some kind of consensus so we don't have to see the constant bickering in the JustCuz threads?

I'd offer up two different categories:

1. Draft Sleepers - players who will out perform their projected average draft spots over a given season. i.e. - So far I think Matt Hasselback has proven to be a sleeper in this year's draft.

2. Weekly lineup sleepers - I like the definition of Tefertiller's "Value Plays" column:

This article will take a weekly look at players who could provide value in a given week. The basis for this value will be the difference between the Top 250 forward, a look at the top 250 players with the whole season in mind, and the weekly rankings. Both of these are from the Footballguys.com subscriber content. An emphasis will be on the players with the largest differences between the season outlook and this week only. Also, a preference will be given to differences for the higher ranked players. Some of these differences will be due to injury, matchup of the week, or short-term situation.

Note that it doesn't say anything about not being rostered, not being in the top20, not owned in x% number of leagues... just that they may perform better than expected any given week.

i.e. Matt Hasselback would not be considered a sleeper to finish in the top 10 this week, since he has consistently done so this season. However, to say Josh Freeman will give you 250 yards and 3 TDs this week would be considered a sleeper pick.

It actually doesn't say that all.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

To the people who actually want to know what I consider a sleeper....

It is somoene who is not owned OR started in the MOST leagues, I really keep it as simple as that.

I am always open to contructive criticism, but not ignorance and personal attacks however.

Very little, if any, criticism on FBG is ever constructive.