Fantasy Football 2014: Five Breakout Candidates
By Adam Ganeles
Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Fantasy football owners look for it every year: that stud fantasy option that comes out of nowhere. Whether they’re obvious fantasy sleepers that everyone talks about for months or they’re waiver wire scrubs that are added on a whim in the middle of the year, there are few better feelings in fantasy football than landing a stud without paying the price of one.
People swung and missed on guys like David Wilson and Lamar Miller last year, proving once again that not all fantasy sleepers are created equal. The exact opposite went down for the likes of Alfred Morris two years ago though, as the Washington Redskins running back wasn’t even guaranteed a real role in the running game — yet thanks to injury ended up being one of the most productive fantasy backs as a rookie.
Last year we saw guys like Keenan Allen and Zac Stacy shake up the fantasy realm as rookies, while Julius Thomas (3rd year) and Nick Foles (2nd year) experienced unexpected breakout seasons.
Rookies are one thing. With the draft coming in May and training camps following soon after, they’re some of the hottest names and won’t be sneaking up on many people. Veterans who are unsure of roles or have yet to bust out will be the ones being over-looked.
In the name of Josh Gordon, let’s think big as we prepare for the 2014 fantasy football season by analyzing five guys that could really blow up this year (in a good way, of course):