NFL 2012: 10 Players Guaranteed to Surprise in Fantasy Football

Winning in fantasy football is all about finding great value at every point in the draft, and every year players can be found throughout the draft that provide that value. In fantasy football it is known as outperforming a draft position.

We can see by looking at the ADP (average draft position) where each player is going to be drafted. A player like Detroit Lions quarterback Matt Stafford is the perfect example of a player that significantly outperformed his ADP in 2011.

He was far more valuable to a fantasy football roster because he was drafted so much later than other top-tier quarterbacks. Owners who unearthed a gem like Stafford in the middle rounds got incredible return on a minimal investment.

Finding players in the middle of the draft who never have to come out of your lineup is a great thing. When starting a player becomes a no-brainer a fantasy owner has found gold. Every team that wins a fantasy championship has one or several players who were selected in the middle of the draft that end up having great seasons.

Let's find the players who can bring great value to your fantasy team in 2012 while not costing a fortune. These players can be drafted in the middle of the draft and will perform just like those who were drafted much higher.

Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is very underrated coming into the 2012 season. Currently Cutler is the 14th quarterback being drafted according to footballguys.com, and the 96th player taken overall. Operating under the scenario of a 12-team league, this makes Cutler a depth player.

Cutler is a very skilled quarterback, and with the additions that the Bears have made he is far more valuable than that. Brandon Marshall was acquired by the Bears from the Miami Dolphins and he gets reunited with Cutler.

Cutler and Marshall had success playing together for the Denver Broncos and Marshall gives the Bears a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver that they have not had since Cutler came to the Bears. In 2008, Cutler's last season with the Broncos, he threw for 4,525 yards and 25 touchdowns. Marshall was Cutler's go-to receiver, catching 104 passes.

The Bears moved up in Round 2 of the 2012 NFL draft to select wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, a very skilled player with great hands. He and Marshall represent huge upgrades at the position for the Bears.

Mike Martz was the offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2010 and 2011. His offense was very pass-happy but Cutler faced pressure constantly. Martz is gone in 2012 and the Bears offense will be more balanced, and it will protect Cutler better.

Throw it all together and Cutler is primed to have the best season he has had as a Bears quarterback. He is the kind of player that you can get in Round 8 of a fantasy draft that could end up being a very valuable starter.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

There are several reasons to believe that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will have a very strong season in 2012.

The Steelers have really tried to stabilize the interior of their offensive line. They selected guard David DeCastro late in Round 1 of the 2012 NFL draft and followed that up by taking tackle Mike Adams in Round 2. The offensive line play for the Steelers was horrendous in 2011 and it will be better in 2012.

Running back Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL late in the 2011 season and the Steelers are going to use a committee of Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer and others to replace Mendenhall. The Steelers' ground game will always be productive, but early in the 2012 season the Steelers are really going to have to lean on Big Ben.

Roethlisberger is going to have more time to make plays in 2012, as he is great at extending plays with his feet. He is a playground type of quarterback, a player that makes great plays happen out of nothing. With a little extra time this year, he should really get back to being a solid fantasy performer.

With the lack of a strong running game, look for Roethlisberger to have to throw the ball a lot, especially early in the 2012 season. According to footballguys.com, Roethlisberger is being drafted with the 103rd overall pick, in the middle of Round 9. He is the 15th quarterback taken and this makes him a very valuable player that late in drafts.

Roethlisberger is the type of player that can be drafted in Round 9 and could start for a fantasy team immediately. Instead of spending a first or second round pick on a quarterback you can fill in other positions and get a player like Roethlisberger late.

Big Ben will play like a No. 1 quarterback as the drop-off between Big Ben and the elite quarterbacks that get selected early in drafts will not be that high.

Josh Freeman, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Josh Freeman had a very disappointing third season in 2011 as he struggled to get anything going along with the entire Tampa Bay offense. Much more was expected from Freeman in his third year as he threw 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions in 2010.

The Buccaneers have added some great offensive talent in free agency and the draft. Tampa Bay added guard Carl Nicks, wide receiver Vincent Jackson and tight end Dallas Clark in free agency. They also added playmaking running back Doug Martin at the end of Round 1 in the 2012 NFL draft.

The additions of Jackson, Clark and Martin give Freeman weapons that he has not had in his career with the Buccaneers. Suddenly, the Bucs are loaded on offense as they have talent everywhere on the field for Freeman.

According to footballguys.com, Freeman is being selected with the 122nd pick in fantasy drafts, as quarterback No. 16. This makes him an 11th-rounder, and that is far too low for a quarterback who has players at his disposal like Freeman does.

Freeman would be a great player to take late in the draft as your second quarterback. Waiting until Round 8 to draft Cutler or Roethlisberger and following that up with the selection of Freeman in Round 10 would be brilliant as it would allow you to load up on running backs and wide receivers early.

Ryan Williams, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Ryan Williams is a player that should be on every fantasy football player's radar. The Cardinals drafted Williams in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft and he tore his patella tendon in the preseason and missed the entire season.

Consider that the Cardinals traded running back Tim Hightower to the Washington Redskins in late July of 2011; this effectively made Williams their No. 2 running back. The Cardinals believed that they had a special player in Williams, and he enters the 2012 season as running Beanie Wells' primary backup.

Players excel in fantasy football because they get opportunities and it can be etched in stone that the backup of Beanie Wells will see significant action as Wells simply can't stay healthy.

The Cardinals offense should be more explosive with the addition of wide receiver Michael Floyd. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is one of the better receivers in all of football. As long as the Cardinals get decent quarterback play, there should be good opportunity for whoever the running back is.

According to footballguys.com, Williams is being selected as the 114th pick overall, and as the 45th running back. This makes him a running back that can be taken around Round 9 or 10. Williams is a value at this point in the draft.

Williams has the chance to be much more valuable than a player that gets drafted that late as he will get a chance to put up numbers because of Wells' inability to stay healthy.

A smart fantasy football player will target a player like Williams late in the draft as a player that can be productive for a stretch in the 2012 season. 

Brandon Lloyd, WR, New England Patriots

Brandon Lloyd is in a great position with the New England Patriots. Lloyd is at his best when he is challenging defenses vertically, and the Patriots have not had this type of threat since the Randy Moss days.

The Patriots have significant weapons in their passing game with players like wide receiver Wes Welker and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. What they have missed is a player that can get deep and Lloyd is a great fit in that getting deep is his best attribute.

According to footballguys.com, Lloyd is being selected with the 66th overall pick in fantasy drafts as the 27th wide receiver off of the board. Lloyd has tremendous upside as a wide receiver in this electric offense. He gives the Patriots a big-play dimension, and he could score a lot of touchdowns for them.

Brandon Lloyd has the potential to perform like a No. 1 wide receiver in the Patriots offense. He is one of the players that I would target in Round 5 as a value pick. Lloyd is a boom-or-bust type of player but he is worth the risk; if he booms he could be one of the steals of the entire draft.

Getting him this late in the draft is a steal, and Lloyd is a player that no one should let slip away. He could be the kind of player that takes a fantasy team to great things.

Robert Meachem, WR, San Diego Chargers

Robert Meachem was signed in free agency by the San Diego Chargers to replace Vincent Jackson. He is expected to be the No. 1 wide receiver in the Chargers offense and that means good production in the Chargers passing game.

Meachem was limited in the New Orleans Saints offense. He was realistically their No. 4 option at best and his production was limited because of it. As a former first-round pick, he has a lot of talent. Meachem has a great opportunity as the number one wide receiver for the Chargers.

Chargers head coach Norv Turner has talked glowingly about Meachem's abilities.

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“He’s a No. 1 receiver.” coach Norv Turner said Wednesday night. “He’s a guy that has big-play ability. He can be a complete receiver.”

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Turner talked about what he sees as Meachem's role in the San Diego offense.

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“I think he’s a guy that will get really excited about the system, what we do, and get excited about having Philip [Rivers] throw to him,” Turner added. “I see him as a guy that can really improve in a real short period of time.”

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Meachem has incredible speed, and he has the opportunity to make huge plays in this offense. With quarterback Phillip Rivers at the helm, there is always great fantasy potential. Meachem has a chance to put up great numbers and could be a great value for fantasy squads.

Currently, footballguys.com shows Meachem being drafted as the 83rd overall player as wide receiver No. 32. He is a great value at this spot and is a player that all fantasy players should really start to think about at the end of Round 6.

Danarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders

Denarius Moore flashed some great playmaking ability as a rookie in the Raiders' offense. He played in 13 games and caught 33 passes for 618 yards, finishing with an average of 18.7 yards per catch. His numbers showcase his big-play ability.

He and quarterback Carson Palmer displayed great chemistry, and that should continue in his second year. Moore has opportunity also, as no one is going to challenge him for his spot on the field.

Moore is the kind of player that will explode for huge games to potentially win fantasy games for you. He is going to take the top off of defenses and make plays down the field. Moore could score a bunch of touchdowns in 2012 and this means value.

Footballguys.com has Moore as the 88th player overall. He is currently the 33rd wide receiver being selected. He has the ability to perform like a No. 1 at times, and if you want to be sneaky he is a great candidate to trade away if he has a strong start.

Smart fantasy footballers are always looking for ways to make their teams better. Selecting Moore that late in the draft will get you a player that has great ability in a good offense as well as a player that might be great trade bait early in the 2012 season.

Titus Young, WR, Detroit Lions

Titus Young has had a bad offseason, but he is a player that has great opportunity in one of the league's best passing offenses. He had a really nice rookie season with the Lions. Young caught 48 passes for 607 yards, and he scored six touchdowns.

Young has great hands, and he seemed to catch everything in sight as a rookie. Quarterback Matt Stafford showed confidence in Young as he threw at him more as the season wore on.

Young caught 33 passes for 398 yards over his last nine games. He also caught all of his touchdowns during this stretch. If we project Young's numbers over a 16-game stretch he would be a 60-catch, 11-touchdown player.

Young is going to be more productive as a second-year player. The Lions have great talent on offense, and defenses are going to struggle to cover all of the weapons that the Lions have. Young is in a great position as a complimentary piece in this offense.

Currently, footballguys.com has Young as the 110th player overall as wide receiver No. 43. Young is a player that should start for any fantasy team, especially in 12-team leagues. He is a great value as the 43rd wide receiver selected.

Young is going to be very productive and he is a player that should be on everyone's radar starting early in Round 9. Expect Young to be a very viable starter for fantasy teams in 2012.

Randy Moss, WR, San Francisco 49'ers

Randy Moss is an interesting player coming into the 2012 season. He has looked finished at several points in his career, and at points last year he looked like he had no interest in playing football anymore.

Does Randy Moss want to play football? If he does he will be fantasy gold. Motivating him will be critical and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has his work cut out for him, but if there is any coach in the NFL that can do it, it is Harbaugh.

Moss makes this list on his potential alone. If he can resurrect his career as a 49ers wide receiver he will be a very valuable fantasy performer. That is not a guarantee though and Moss should not be drafted into anyone's starting lineup.

You can see what kind of value that Moss has as footballguys.com has him as the 128th player overall. He is currently being taken as the 48th wide receiver and at this point in the draft, why not? When it gets this point in the draft you need to find value, and Moss represents potentially great value.

This is possibly a pick that you might be throwing away on a player who might be done, but it is also a player that has the ability to play like a No. 1 wide receiver. As a fantasy football gambler, Moss is a player that I will be looking at long and hard in Round 10.

Jacob Tamme, TE, Denver Broncos

Jacob Tamme is a sleeper at the tight end position. He has an opportunity to be a very valuable tight end in 2012 as he gets reunited with quarterback Peyton Manning. The last time that these two played together, Tamme caught 67 passes for 631 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games.

These are incredible numbers for a player that most people are overlooking. Tamme has the ability and opportunity to be a great performer for fantasy squads in 2012. Smart fantasy footballers should be ready to draft him and start him right away.

According to footballguys.com, Tamme is being drafted with the 115th overall pick as tight end No. 11. He is the kind of player that can be drafted late as your second tight end or as your starter. Tamme could be great trade bait, as he is going to surprise everyone with his production early in 2012.

Finding value late is a primary focus in fantasy football drafts and Tamme is the perfect example of the kind of player to look for in the mid to later rounds. Tamme is a player that I will start to look at early in Round 9, as his value could be great in 2012.