How to Spot Fantasy Football Sleepers

Choosing players to give you big numbers for your fantasy football team is easy, right? Just list the biggest names in the game and then choose them for you team! Peyton Manning at quarterback, Adrian Peterson at running back, Randy Moss at receiver ... nothing to it. Problem is, everyone else in your league knows who these players are, too, so you're not going to be able to load up on the marquee names. The key to winning at fantasy football is to find players in the later draft rounds who will deliver more value than their eventual draft position would indicate. In other words, you need to find the sleepers. A perfect example of a sleeper from last season is Matt Cassell, who took over when Tom Brady went down in the first game and nearly led New England to a playoff berth. Here are some basic player templates to help you find your own diamonds in the rough.

Unheralded Players Whose Teams' Systems Fit Their Skills

Some teams just seem to be able to plug in players with certain skills or at certain positions and indiscriminately turn them into stars. Examples from the recent past include Denver Broncos running backs, Indianapolis Colts third receivers, and, dare we say it, maybe even New England Patriots quarterbacks. Look for these franchise patterns and act accordingly.

Veterans Returning From Injury

This one is pretty obvious but can still yield some decent returns. When a big player goes down, focus often turns to others at his position or on his same team, and the star is left as an afterthought. Depending on age, extent of injury, and team circumstances, these players often represent good value for the fantasy player. This year, for instance, the hot names at quarterback include Ryan and Flacco, and everyone expects Tom Brady to return strong. However, Carson Palmer has been largely forgotten in the shambles of the Bengals' 2008 season, but he has a chance to be as good as ever this year.

Old Guys In New Locations

Sometimes a players wears out his welcome in a particular city or just grows stale and may benefit from the proverbial "change of scenery". Jamal Anderson is a good example of this, as he resurrected his career after leaving the Ravens for the Browns a couple of seasons ago.

Defenses on Teams With Improved Offenses

You'll typically draft a team defense for your fantasy league team and then live or die with how they do against real-world opponents. While some defenses may look bad on paper based on points allowed, sometimes you need to look at what their offensive counterparts did in the previous season to get the whole picture. If a team's offense continually turned the ball over at a high rate and left opposing teams with good starting field position, defensive points allowed will generally be higher than what yards allowed totals would indicate. If that team's offensive personnel improves appreciably from one season to the next, the same defense may look like a world-beater the next time around.

Teammates of Big Free Agent Signings

Free agents generate a lot of excitement for their new teams and often bring big, new personalities with them. Don't forget that these free agents should also have an impact on their teammates, and particularly on those with whom they orchestrate plays. Think Trent Edwards might benefit from Terrell Owens' presence in Buffalo?

Unknowns or Rookies Where a Star Has Departed

When those big free agents mentioned above take off for their new teams, their old teams are left to fill in the gaps. This year, Dallas, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis all lost franchise-type wide receivers, while Denver said goodbye to their young leader at quarterback. These teams need to fill the resultant holes, and there is an opportunity for relative unknowns to step up big.

The Depth Chart Behind an Old Star

The same principle applies here as in the previous tip, but you'll have to do a bit more guess work about which veterans might break down. Based on past injuries and current ages, some obvious candidates for regression or worse this year include Kurt Warner, Kerry Collins, and Thomas Jones. Should the unthinkable happen, their understudies will be ready to step in.

Unknowns on Bad Team

At the beginning of last season, the Arizona Cardinals were perennial doormats, and, while Boldin and Fitzgerald were on the wish lists of fantasy players, Shawn Breaston and Kurt Warner were largely eschewed. As the Cardinals caught lightning in a bottle, all four of these players rewarded their fantasy owners with better than expected statistics. Sometimes, mining the depths of the Bengals, 49ers, and Lions can pay dividends.

Keep these tips in mind as fantasy draft season approaches, and you might just find some sleepers of your own this year. Happy hunting!