NFL 2015: Top 10 sleepers to break out
2. Markus Wheaton
The Pittsburgh Steelers already have one of the best offenses in the NFL. With Ben Roethlisberger handing off to Le’Veon Bell and throwing to Antonio Brown and Heath Miller, times are good in the Steel City. Last year, Roethlisberger had a career year with 4,952 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, while Bell rushed for 1,361 yards and caught another 83 passes for 854 yards. All Brown did was lead the league with 129 receptions and 1,698 yards.
So where does Wheaton fit into this? Teams are going to start cracking down to the best of their abilities on Brown, forcing Roethlisberger to throw elsewhere. While Miller and Bell are checkdown options, Roethlisberger will want to push the ball downfield. Wheaton is a speedy receiver who showed ample promise as a rookie in 2014, totaling 52 catches for 644 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
With Brown, Miller and Bell getting the lion’s share of the defensive attention, Wheaton could be primed to become the next star in Pittsburgh. For a franchise that was so focused on defense for the better part of the last 40 years, the Steelers have been able to produce a cavalcade of offensive stars over the past 15 years.
Projection: 77 catches, 1,210 yards, 7 touchdowns
1. Teddy Bridgewater
The Minnesota Vikings might be the sleeper of the year. Why? Because second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is going to steal the spotlight from Adrian Peterson and the rest of his teammates. Bridgewater was supposed to be the 2014 first-overall pick in the NFL Draft, but slid due to a horrific pro day at the University of Louisville.
Bridgewater started the year as a backup to Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder, but came to become the starter after watching Cassel get injured and Ponder play like … Ponder. Bridgewater threw for 2,919 yards and 14 touchdowns, despite playing behind a leaky offensive line which allowed 51 sacks. If the line can improve even a little bit, Bridgewater is primed to soar.
With Mike Wallace now in the fold and Peterson returning from his suspension, Minnesota offensive coordinator Norv Turner will have a field day. Bridgewater has already proven he can throw with consistency, posting a 64.4 completion percentage. With a revamped unit around him and the knowledge of playing as a rookie, the sky is the limit.
Projection: 4,321 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, 13 interceptions