As we approach fantasy draft season, it’s time to start looking at players whose potential outweighs their current draft stock.  As this is the start of draft season, I’ve decided to focus on players who likely wouldn’t be drafted tomorrow, but may well merit serious consideration by the time the preseason is out. If you can get one of these guys later on your draft, they could make up for any early-draft mistakes you may make.

Sleeper Lineup

QB:  Kerry Collins (TEN)–The two main additions to the Titans’ offense this offseason were wide receivers:  deep threat Nate Washington through free agency, and physical specimen Kenny Britt through the draft.  Of all the knocks on Collins throughout his career, arm strength has never been on the list, and Washington was one of the premier deep threats in the league while in Pittsburgh.  If he can hit Washington for a few extra big plays and maintain the rest of his game, Collins has the potential to be a very solid #2 or low end #1.

RB:  James Davis (CLE)–The talk out of Browns camp is that Jamal Lewis has lost a step (finally), and Davis has been impressing.  Davis was part of a very strong two-headed monster in the Clemson backfield in college, and should thrive if given the opportunity under new head coach Eric Mangini.  Given that his main competition for snaps on a weak team are the geriatric Jamal Lewis and the incompetent Jerome Harrison, I look for Davis to win the job early and have a strong season out of nowhere, despite the big college name (not unlike college star Steve Slaton last season for the Texans).

RB:  Jerious Norwood (ATL)–Norwood’s place on this list is owed both to his dazzling speed and the workload of starter Michael Turner last year.  The Falcons relied heavily on Turner while allowing rookie QB Matt Ryan to mature, and he handled the duties well.  Unfortunately those duties included toting the rock 370+ times, and that doesn’t bode well for Turner.  Simply put, the guys that have carried the ball more than 370 times in a season have been awful the year after, and in the case of the Dirty Birds, they have a more than capable backup.  I believe Norwood to be the only necessary handcuff to a starting RB this season, and Turner’s carries are the main reason why.  Oh, his YPC average of 5.1 last season was his career worst.

WR:  Bobby Engram (KC)–Full disclosure, I’m a Chiefs fan.  That said, I believe Engram can fill the role that Tony Gonzalez has in seasons past–A reliable target that a quarterback can trust to get open and catch the ball in tight spaces.  While defenses focus on budding star WR Dwayne Bowe, Engram could slip under the radar and post a solid season like 2007.  The knock on Matt Cassel last year was that he struggled with the deep ball, but that shouldn’t effect the aging Engram too much.  I think this could be a last hurrah for a guy that was taken in the infamous receiver draft of 1996.

WR:  Torry Holt (JAX)–Many are writing off Holt, and I believe it’s a year too early.  The idea is that he appeared disinterested last year for the Rams and, well, can you blame him?  He’s a respected, quality veteran on a team that was taking on water from day one, and it’s pretty easy to see how he’d lose hope.  This year, though, he’ll be the main target on a team that has a revamped offensive line, a steady quarterback, and a strong running back.  Others say he’ll be slowed by moving to grass, but at last check the guys covering him will have moved to grass too.  He may have lost a step at his age, but there’s no reason to think he can’t be a productive fantasy wideout this year.

WR:  Devin Hester (CHI)–The more I considered Hester for the last WR spot on this list, the more I liked him.  His main asset is his speed (also, the sky is blue), and the Bears finally have a quarterback that can stretch the field.  He showed steady progress as a receiver last year (25 catches in the last 6 games), and indications are that the Bears may use Hester in the Wildcat some this year, as Hester was a college quarterback.  Simply put, Hester can get your team points in a variety of ways, and deserves your consideration at the end of drafts.  I’m not suggesting Hester is suddenly a star, but if you think Cutler is good for a 20% improvement over last year, Hester becomes a 800 yard receiver with the potential to far exceed his 3 receiving touchdowns last season.

D:  Washington–The addition of Albert Haynesworth and rookie DE Brian Orakpo will bolster the defensive line, and the defense still features a strong secondary with a lockdown corner (Carlos Rogers) and a young star in LaRon Landry at safety.  The Redskins were solid in most aspects last year, but struggled to get sacks and takeaways.  An improved pass rush should help both, and there’s every indication that the Redskins have made made the D-Line a priority.  I expect the ‘Skins to be a top-5 fantasy defense by the time the year is out, despite playing in an offensively potent division.

Tags: Fantasy Football, sleepers