Fantasty Football 2012: 5 Best Late-Round Picks of 2012

Often times in fantasy football, it's not the early-round picks that win championships.

It's the late-round steals, the players taken in the last quarter of a draft who turn into weekly starters and, more often than not, turn playoff contenders into championship squads.

With that in mind, here's a look at a handful of players available from the 13th round on—according to the average draft position at MyFantasyLeague.com—who can provide just such a boost for your fantasy football team this season.

Kevin Smith, RB (Detroit Lions)

Average Draft Position: 13th Round (Pick 147, Pick 148)

With Jahvid Best still sidelined almost 11 months after his last concussion (with no end in sight) and Mikel Leshoure coming back from an Achilles injury (and, not to mention, facing a two-game suspension), the job of lead back for the Detroit Lions—at least early in the season—will once again fall to Kevin Smith.

The fifth-year pro racked up more than 500 total yards and seven touchdowns in seven games for the Lions a season ago, and if the oft-injured Smith can stay on the field, he's capable of providing fantasy teams with RB2 production for pennies on the dollar.

Pierre Thomas, RB (New Orleans Saints)

Average Draft Position: 13th Round (Pick 153, RB 51)

The New Orleans Saints appeared set to turn the reins in their running game over to rookie first-round pick Mark Ingram in 2011, but things didn't go exactly as planned.

Ingram slogged through an ineffectual and injury-marred first season, forcing the Saints to once again turn to sixth-year veteran Pierre Thomas to move the ball on the ground.

Thomas responded with nearly 1,000 total yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry on the ground. While it may be unrealistic to expect Thomas to post fantasy RB2 numbers again, it's also not out of the realm of reason, especially in point per reception (PPR) leagues where his receiving skills are rewarded.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Average Draft Position: 19th Round (Pick 228, RB 71)

With starter Rashard Mendenhall likely to miss at least the first six games of the 2012 season on the PUP list, it appeared that Isaac Redman would be the primary running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, if recent events are any indication, the Steelers already may have been forced to move to Plan C.

Redman will undergo an MRI Thursday after aggravating his groin injury in practice, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via CBSSports.com). If Redman misses any regular-season time, Dwyer would be next in line for carries.

Sure, it's a speculative pick, and it may only be temporary, but Dwyer could make for a fantastic insurance policy against a slow start by Adrian Peterson or a Marshawn Lynch suspension.

Austin Collie, WR (Indianapolis Colts)

Average Draft Position: 13th Round (Pick 151, WR 51)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Austin Collie has shown that he can be a fantasy asset when he can stay on the field, but that's been the problem—numerous injuries have kept the 26-year-old out of the lineup as much as he's been in it over the past couple of seasons.

However, Collie appears healthy now and looked very sharp in the Colts' preseason opener.

As the team's most proven receiving threat not named Reggie Wayne, if Collie can stay healthy, he should have more than ample opportunities to post fantasy production that will obliterate his draft position.

Steve Breaston, WR (Kansas City Chiefs)

Average Draft Position: 23rd Round (Pick 228, WR 93)

With an average draft position in the 23rd round, the simple fact is Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Steve Breaston isn't being drafted but in the deepest of fantasy football leagues despite the fact that he finished just inside the top 50 players at his position last year.

There's good reason to believe Breaston will top that finish in 2012.

The Dwayne Bowe contract impasse is treading dangerously close to Vincent Jackson territory, and if Bowe misses any regular-season games, then Breaston's targets in the passing game will increase significantly, as will his opportunities for fantasy production.