The Six Biggest Fantasy Football Steals of the Past Six Years

With Fantasy Football Drafts beginning around the globe, it's time to pay homage to the players of yesteryear that helped win us that highly coveted Fantasy Trophy.  I'm not talking about the obvious big-name studs who went in the first round.  I wanted to remember the no-namers added via free agency or in the later rounds that helped us when we least expected it.  These are players that we formed relationships with and targeted for years afterward, despite what the "experts" said.   Here are my personal top six steals of the past six years.

6. Aaron Brooks (New Orleans Saints) - 2002

Remember this former playmaker?  Not too many do, unless he was your weekly quarterback putting up solid numbers each and every Sunday.  I drafted him in the third round and watched as he led my team to its first ever title.  Brooks finished with 3,572 yards passing and 27 touchdowns.  Maximizing his value and proving he really is the cousin of Michael Vick, he also ran for 252 yards and reached the end zone twice.

5. Domanick Davis (Houston Texans) - 2004

Before he legally changed his last name to Williams, "Double D" was a true fantasy stud.  I might have reached a little by selecting the LSU product in the third round that year, but Davis didn't disappoint.  He would complete his one memorable season with 1,188 yards rushing and 14 total touchdowns.

4. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) - 2007

Honestly, how many people believed in Big Ben followng a horrendous off season that saw him tumble off of a motorcycle AND lose his appendix?  Somehow, I did!  There he was, sitting there in the 12th round, practically begging me to take a chance.  The man with a sandwich named after him (the Roethlis-burger) passed for 3,154 yards and 32 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions.  The former Miami Ohio star also ran for 204 yards and scored twice.

3. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 2006

The human bowling ball was supposed to be Fred Taylor's insurance policy heading into the 2006 season.  By week three, MJD had become a household name.  I added the 5-7, 212 lb Jones-Drew from the waiver wire and thanked him for finishing his rookie season with 941 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns, while also recording 436 yards receiving and one more score.  Jacksonville used him everywhere, even in the return game, where he notched his first career return touchdown before opponents finally started giving him the respect he deserved.

2. Wes Welker (New England Patriots) - 2007

Another player I found sitting in the free agent pool, Welker became one of my instant heroes.  How can you not love 112 receptions, 1,175 yards, and eight touchdowns?  He was one of the major reasons Tom Brady had his own record-setting year.  The former Texas Tech wide-out, acquired by New England for second and seventh round draft picks, was the toughest player on the team, despite his 5-9, 185 lb frame.

1. Larry Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs) - 2005

The biggest steal of them all, I somehow was able to dust off my crystal ball when I selected LJ in the 11th round.  Being passed up by other fantasy draft picks such as Rod Smith and even the Carolina defense, Johnson carried me to the promised land with his astonishing 1,750 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns.  Feeling obligated to reward my belief in him, the Penn State product also cemented 343 yards receiving and another touchdown.