Fantasy Football Week 7 Dark Horse Sleeper: Brandon Myers

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

 

Fantasy football owners were surely not familiar with tight end Brandon Myers heading into 2012, since he had just 32 career catches with zero touchdowns over his first three NFL seasons. But he emerged as a primary target for quarterback Carson Palmer right out of the gate, and finished last season with 79 receptions for 806 yards and four touchdowns. Myers then signed with the New York Giants as a free agent during the offseason, which was thought to be good news for his fantasy value with the prospect of better talent around him.

Related: Week 7 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Replacements For RB DeMarco Murray

But Myers has had a slow start to the season, much like many of his teammates, with 18 receptions for 208 yards and one touchdown thus far and just five catches for 68 yards over the last four games combined. A favorable-looking matchup is coming in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, so can Myers get back in the good graces of fantasy owners?

The Vikings enter the week allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends (11.4 points per game, ESPN scoring), and if not for limiting Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen to two catches for 19 yards in Week 6 they would certainly be much worse against the position. It’s worth mentioning Olsen was likely operating at less than 100 percent during last Sunday’s game due to a foot issue, so if he had been healthy enough to fully exploit Minnesota’s pass coverage he is likely to have done so.

Minnesota will now be without safety Harrison Smith (turf toe) for next Monday night’s game, which further hampers an already struggling pass defense that has allowed 308 yards per game through the air (29th in the league) to this point.

Myers’ ownership percentage in fantasy leagues has certainly fallen in recent weeks (42 percent in Yahoo! leagues right now), but those that have a bye week or injury issue at tight end can consider giving him a look in Week 7, since there should be plenty of production to go around in the Giants’ passing game.

Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.

 


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