Streaming Sleepers: Week 4

By :: Juan Carlos Blanco (@jcblanco22)

Each week, Streaming Sleepers will highlight at least five non-QB skill-position players that currently have start or roster rates of 20% or less in season-long leagues but may be prudent options this week due to matchups and other circumstances, particularly in deeper formats. 

Beginning this week, we’re also focusing in one defense that could be set up for success in their game.

Additionally, the plays suggested here could be viable DFS large-field tournament options for the coming slate and are likely to carry modest ownership rates in that format as well.

Brenton Strange, JAX at SF - 9% start rate

Strange returns to this column this week after posting a season-best 6-61-0 line on seven targets in Week 3 against the Texans. The third-year tight end has encouragingly seen his snaps increase over that of the prior game in each of the last pair of contests, and he is the clear top pass-catching option at his position in Liam Coen’s offense.

Trevor Lawrence has had trouble connecting consistently with Brian Thomas Jr., who’s also reportedly battling a wrist injury. Meanwhile, Travis Hunter has averaged just 4.8 yards per target and sports an aDOT of 6.3 yards, while No. 3 receiver Dyami Brown is now dealing with a shoulder injury that forced his exit from the win over Houston.

The 49ers have surrendered a 15-114-2 line on 24 targets to tight ends in the first three weeks, and Strange appears to increasingly have Lawrence’s confidence.

Elic Ayomanor, TEN at HOU - 4% start rate

Ayomanor makes a return appearance this week, as he delivered with another TD in Week 3. Additionally, better times could be ahead for the Titans’ air attack considering Tuesday’s news that head coach Brian Callahan is surrendering play-calling duties to QB coach Bo Hardegree, who already has experience bringing along a rookie signal-caller when he served in the QB coach/interim OC capacity for the Raiders during Aidan O’Connell’s rookie 2023 campaign. 

Ayomanor was arguably the victim of some of the collateral damage of Callahan’s relatively conservative tendencies in the handling of rookie first overall pick Cam Ward. Ayomanor has still managed a 10-107-2 line on 18 targets through three games and is averaging just over 2.0 yards per route run, so he’s a very viable play under what could be a more aggressive attack despite the talent of the Texans defense. 

Darnell Mooney, ATL vs. WAS - 5% start rate 

Mooney, and not Drake London, was Michael Penix Jr.’s top target in the alarming 30-0 loss to the Panthers in Week 3, drawing 11 looks from the second-year signal-caller. The speedster was only able to parlay those opportunities into a 4-44-0 line, but the game got away from Atlanta and Penix completed just 50.0% of his passes before being pulled for Kirk Cousins.

A return home to the fast track of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and a matchup against a Commanders defense that’s struggled preventing big plays through the air could lead to much better results this week. Washington allowed our next suggestion, the Raiders’ Tre Tucker, to get behind its secondary on three occasions for TDs in Week 3 and tally 145 receiving yards overall.

The Commanders are surrendering the second-highest yards per completion (12.5), including allowing 14.2 per completion to Jordan Love in their one road game thus far. Mooney has an 11.6-yard aDOT over his first two games and averaged 1.7 yards per route run and 12.3 yards per grab in his eight home games last season.

Tre Tucker, LVR vs. CHI- 2% start rate 

Tucker was on the verge of making the cut for last week’s column, and he promptly went out and corroborated his considerably underrated upside by rattling off the aforementioned 8-145-3 receiving line against the Commanders.

The 2023 third-round pick has speed to burn, as he also demonstrated with a long TD against the Patriots back in Week 1. Tucker may have opened the season as one of the most under-the-radar No. 2 receivers in the league, but he now has 15 receptions of 20+ yards – with six of those going for 40+ – across his first 79 NFL catches. 

The Bears are allowing 17.2 yards per catch to wide receivers through the first three weeks, and that’s with the advantage of not having to face CeeDee Lamb for the majority of last week’s win over the Cowboys. Chicago continues to deal with multiple injuries in its secondary as well, and Tucker’s chemistry with Geno Smith is above question after last week. 

Matthew Golden, GB at DAL - 20% start rate 

Our third consecutive speed merchant this week is Golden, who finally started to show some life in the Packers’ air attack in Week 3 after a very quiet first two NFL games. The rookie first-round pick doubled and more than tripled his season reception and receiving yardage totals, respectively, against the Browns in Green Bay’s surprising loss, finishing with a 4-52-0 receiving line and adding three rushes for nine yards.

Whether the opportunities as a runner develop into a consistent trend remains to be seen. However, this primetime matchup against a Cowboys defense that’s been powerless to stop much of anything over the last two games could very well be the key factor that ignites Golden’s first breakout pro performance.

Dallas is surrendering a league-high 12.7 yards per completion, including 14.1 in their one home game so far where they made Russell Wilson look like his 2013, Super Bowl-winning self. Golden averaged an encouraging 13.0 yards per target versus the Browns, and he could certainly have a significant downfield role as Green Bay looks to bounce back.

Cleveland Browns Defense at Detroit Lions - 5% roster rate

We’re rolling out a team defense suggestion as well beginning this week, and it’s an interesting exercise considering even some units that haven’t been anywhere near their best, such as the Steelers, are still carrying high start rates.

Rolling out a defense against a juggernaut-like Lions offense that’s scored a combined 90 points the last two weeks undoubtedly raises eyebrows, especially considering the Ford Field setting. However, Cleveland’s defense is legitimate and will be playing with a rest advantage in this spot despite having to travel.

The Browns have been a brick wall against the run. They’ve shut down Chase Brown, Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs in the first three games of the season while allowing a league-low 57.3 rushing yards per game and microscopic 2.3 yards per carry, despite also having faced Lamar Jackson in that span. 

With their ability to make teams one-dimensional — and considering how much of Detroit’s offense runs through David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs — the Browns could make Jared Goff extremely uncomfortable with their pass rush. We’ve seen Goff struggle with aggressive fronts before, and factoring in the possibility of a Lions letdown after the emotional Monday night road win, Cleveland could make things more difficult than would be assumed.

ALSO CONSIDER ::

Keon Coleman, BUF vs. NO - 19% start rate

Has been relatively quiet after breakout Week 1 performance, but Saints gave up 14.6 yards per completion to the Seahawks in their one road game thus far.

Chig Okonkwo, TEN at HOU - 7% start rate

Has had Ward’s trust over their first three games together to the tune of a 12-120-0 line on 16 targets, and his field-stretching ability could come into play against a Texans defense that’s surrendered an average of 5.0 receptions per game to tight ends thus far.

Parker Washington, JAX at SF - 0% start rate 

Has drawn a whopping 15 targets over last two games and enjoyed a 71% snap share in Week 3 with Dyami Brown, who could sit out Week 4, exiting early due to a shoulder injury.

Friday, 9/26 addition :: 

Sterling Shepard, TB vs. PHI - 3% roster rate

Flashed with 4-80-0 line in Week 3, has chemistry // trust with Mayfield dating back to college days, and will help absorb some of Mike Evans’ targets vs. Eagles D that gave up 10.8 yds/comp in one road game thus far.