Sleeper of the Week: TE Matt Spaeth

Whoa, seriously?  Yep.

Mike Martz does not utilize tight ends as much as most other NFL offensive coordinators... There was never any doubt about that.  Desmond Clark, who was probably the most well-rounded TE for the Bears, was shown the door twice, and Greg Olsen, who many thought was more of an over-sized WR, is now playing pitch and catch with Cam Newton in Carolina.

So, with all that being said, why are we selecting a TE with a grand total of five receptions in 2011 as the sleeper of the week?  Because, occasionally, we like to keep you on your toes.

The 2011 San Diego Chargers pass rush has been virtually nonexistent, so we should expect to see extra attention being paid to WRs running deep routes, as well as to RB Matt Forte out of the backfield.  That means that Roy Williams could get some significant looks in intermediate routes, and Spaeth should be left alone quite often between the 20 yard lines.  

However, don't discount his size advantage in the red zone.  Spaeth is 6'7, 270 pounds, and is surprisingly nimble for a guy his size, so he's always dangerous in jump-ball situations.  

But we're predicting that Spaeth finally gets it going this week... Look for a few 3rd down conversions along the way, and maybe even some attention in the red zone.