Fantasy Basketball – Sleeper Sophistication
By Alpine
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
When the word SLEEPER is in an article’s title, it will surely be read by the masses. Sleeper is a great fantasy term, but I am going to attempt to evolve and expand the expression to more accurately assist my readers.
I am over one hundred fifty years behind Charles Darwin, but I’ll take my best 2013 crack at the evolution game.
The Overhyped Sleeper is a peer pressure generator. These players are in every sleeper article and usually receive substantial media coverage because of their newfound role or opportunity. Everyone elevates their status so much that someone sets the hook a little too early during the draft. The Overhyped Sleeper isn’t necessarily a bad pick. He will just have a tough time exceeding his draft position due to the tremendous amount of hype. Some overhyped sleepers for the 2013-2014 fantasy basketball season include: JaVale McGee, Eric Bledsoe, Jonas Valanciunas, Derrick Favors, Jeff Green, Tobias Harris, and Andre Drummond.
The Tornado Sleeper comes out of nowhere. The first name that pops into my head from last year is Larry Sanders. These are ultra-talented individuals that can absolutely explode when placed in a prominent role. People are always willing to draft a tornado sleeper, but the success rate is not as high as another sleeper category because the player usually does not receive enough minutes. I recommend gambling on a Tornado Sleeper towards the end of your draft. JaVale McGee experienced the transition from Tornado Sleeper to Overhyped Sleeper based on the firing of George Karl. This year’s twisters include: Maurice Harkless, Harrison Barnes, DeAndre Jordan, Kevin Seraphin, and Victor Oladipo.
The True Sleeper is pure and uncontaminated. He quietly slips under the radar because of the lack of attention he receives. He exceeds his draft position by 30 to 40 slots and makes his owner look like Nostradamus. It is tougher for a True Sleeper to come from a big city or a marquee team. However, it is very possible as Chandler Parsons exhibited last year. Pardon the lack of humbleness, but I drafted him last year with my last pick. My favorite True Sleepers this year are Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner, Jimmy Butler, Kyle Korver, Enes Kanter, Spencer Hawes, Markieff Morris, and Alec Burks.
The Veteran Sleeper is a man that has experienced fantasy success in the past but has fallen out of favor due to one or more sub-par seasons. An injury, conflict with the coach, or time share situation could be the reason for the lack of recent production, but the Veteran Sleeper can provide great dividends when given the proper chance. This year’s Veteran Sleeper candidates include: Pau Gasol, Marcin Gortat, Eric Gordon, and Andrew Bogut.
We have covered some serious ground in a short amount of time. Here are my other articles in our countdown to Draft Day: A Great Draft Begins NOW!, A Great Draft Begins NOW! 2, Digging for Fantasy Basketball Gold, and a Russell Westbrook Fantasy Breakdown. Also, check out Alpine Fantasy Basketball on www.facebook.com. If you LIKE my page, you will receive a notice when a new article is released. I want to help you win some prize money and respect this year. See you next week!