NFL training camps are open, and for millions of people worldwide their fantasy football preparation has begun in earnest. Here at Sports World News we will break down all 32 NFL teams in terms of their fantasy value. Readers will find the must-own players in every format, the sleepers in specific formats, and hidden gems only necessary for those in very deep leagues.
Today's preview will be on the Kansas City Chiefs.
Must Own
Jamaal Charles, RB: There's an extremely strong argument to be made that Charles should be the No. 1 pick in fantasy. He's far and away the most talented player in the Chiefs' offense, and they recognize that by running everything through him. At the same time, they're piling carries and touches on a relatively small back, so they could scale him back a bit. No matter, he's an absolute stud.
Dwayne Bowe, WR: Bowe's suspended for the first game, and has been extremely frustrating to owners for the past two years. He's at his best downfield, making him an awkward pairing with quarterback Alex Smith, who prefers shorter, less risky passes. In each of the past two seasons Bowe's been consistently okay. Now that he's being drafted on average in Round 9, he becomes a nice value pick with a bit of upside.
Knile Davis, RB: Own Jamaal Charles? Go get Knile Davis. Most owners view him as strictly a handcuff option, but looking at Charles' total touches over the last two years, it's not hard to see the Chiefs increasing Davis' role just a bit to give their star some breathers.
Defense/Special Teams: This defense was shockingly good last year, and sack masters Justin Houston and Tamba Hali are back. They may come down to earth with the Broncos and Chargers expected to be boasting big-time offenses, but this is certainly a solid D. Fantasy owners are using 12-round picks on them at this point in time.
Sleepers (Best Format)
Alex Smith, QB (Two-QB): Smith is about as unexciting as a player can be for fantasy, but solid production is valuable. He's must own in two-QB formats. He rarely throws interceptions, and even though he doesn't dabble downfield a whole lot, Bowe has upside, and Charles is a playmaker catching passes out of the backfield.
Donnie Avery, WR (PPR): Avery caught 40 passes last season, and is the type of speedy receiver with open-field skills that can benefit from Smith's accuracy. He isn't going to be a fantasy star, but owners can turn to him on bye weeks and be confident of a few points.
Deep Finds (Best Format)
De'Anthony Thomas, RB (PPR): Rookie De'Anthony Thomas is definitely going to impact the return game, and boost KC's special teams, but he has a chance to matter on offense as well. He was a game-breaking running back at Oregon, and can do some things similar to Charles. Perhaps the backup duties are shared dependent on game situations, with Thomas serving as a reserve third-down back on passing downs?
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