Fantasy Football 2012: 5 Sleepers Who Won't Be Sleepers Much Longer

If you had your fantasy football draft before the preseason started, before Ryan Mathews snapped his clavicle or Greg Jennings suffered his more-serious-by-the-day concussion or Miles Austin tweaked his ever-tweakable hamstring, then you, my friend, are a fool.

But you knew that already.

It's not just the inevitable spate of preseason injuries that has ruined your early August draft—the one you thought was so very perfect. Players rocketing up draft boards, showing their stuff to us football zombies as we watch every snap of every preseason contest, are also making your roster look uglier by the touchdown.

Some average draft position (ADP) risers were fairly predictable—Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, to name two—but some are leaving fantasy footballers slack-jawed and scrambling to revise their pre-draft rankings. I've found five players who can only be had for cheap, in the final rounds of your draft, for the next week or so. There is an expiration date to these players' value, and it'll be here soon, so if your draft is slated for for next seven days, listen up.

These guys will only be on sale for so long.

Austin Collie, WR, Colts

Try to ignore Austin Collie's checkered history of nightmarish head and neck injuries, and focus instead on his status as security blanket for his rookie signal-caller, Andrew Luck.

Collie, who served as Peyton Manning's reliable slot receiver until a series of vicious hits derailed his 2010 season, was targeted three times for 45 yards and a touchdown in the Colts' preseason opener against the Rams last week. Watch game highlights and you'll see what I saw: The Luck-Collie connection looked effortless. Collie was exactly where Luck expected him to be, and that could prove critical for a rookie quarterback in an offense coached by Bruce Arians, who is known to throw, throw again and throw some more.

Throughout his career, Collie has been a slot receiver who would come in only on obvious passing downs. Against the Rams, Collie was the outside receiver opposite Reggie Wayne. It's safe to project a full workload from the fourth-year pass catcher.

Collie is being drafted in the 13th round right now. Another fine preseason performance and he'll reach the ninth or 10th round. If he sets the world ablaze, he might sneak into the seventh round. Get him while he's (almost) free.

Randall Cobb, WR, Packers

Greg Jennings is sidelined with a concussion, Donald Driver is old and Jermichael Finley has wildly inconsistent hands. Packers receiver Randall Cobb is up next.

Cobb has had an "eye-catching start" in training camp and his versatility means that he will find ways to be on the field. Even when Jennings returns and Driver gets playing time, it could prove impossible to keep the second-year receiver off the field.

Cobb is going off the draft board in the 10th round today. After his two-catch, 12-yard performance against the Bengals on Thursday night, his draft value should remain depressed. Take advantage. Burn a late-round pick and get a guy who could soon be your every-week flex.

Cobb's value will skyrocket, of course, if Jennings is sent to injured reserve with his troublesome concussions symptoms. Cobb, in that scenario, could see his ADP reach the late sixth or early seventh round.

Kevin Smith, RB, Lions

Kevin Smith has won the Lions' war of running back attrition. He is, by all accounts, the presumed Week 1 starter for Detroit's elite offensive unit, but he won't be drafted at a value for much longer.

Just last week, I drafted Smith in the 11th round of a mock draft. This week, he was plucked from the rankings in the fifth round. Smith's stock is rising like Enron's right now, and thanks to Smith's long history of leg injuries, he could crash the same way, taking down your fantasy squad, not the entire U.S. economy.

Smith's ADP is hovering around the early seventh round. Don't expect that to last. Unless his ankles fall to pieces again—a distinct possibility—Smith will be drafted as high as the fourth round in many leagues come late August and early September.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings

Fantasy freaks largely ignored reports out of last year's Patriots training camp trumpeting Rob Gronkowski as Tom Brady's favorite target, gobbling up every throw in a five-mile radius.

Don't do the same with Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph. Christian Ponder, as you may have heard, is no Brady, but he is a serviceable quarterback who has honed in on the gigantic Rudolph throughout training camp, according to Vikings beat writers breathlessly reporting the Ponder-Rudolph connection.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune told its readers not to be surprised if the hulking tight end leads the Vikings in receptions this year, comparing Rudolph's mitts to "10-foot fishing nets."

"Christian Ponder looks for Kyle Rudolph a lot," the paper reported. "Rudolph has big hands, long arms and added confidence."

My love for Rudolph is well-documented. I've followed Vikings camp with ridiculous obsession over the past few weeks. When I hear a tight end has hands the size of "foam fingers" and "flat out" controls the pace of an offense, I pay attention. Rudolph's quiet development is a fantasy football red alert.

Rudolph, the top tight end in the 2011 NFL draft, is being drafted in the 11th round. This, my fantasy friend, is preposterous. But it's good news for you because your draft is coming up, Rudolph hasn't had his coming-out party yet and your fantasy rivals have no idea Rudolph could move into top-tier tight end status by the start of the regular season. Get him now, while he's still among the ranks of the unknown.

Andrew Luck, QB, Colts

Andrew Luck, one throw into his NFL career, made Colts owner Jim Irsay go into an apoplectic fit on the Twitter Machine, pronouncing the arrival of Peyton Manning's heir with 31 exclamation points.

On a side note, Irsay's Twitter feed could lead one to believe the man is certifiable.

Luck, the No. 1 pick in April's draft, is being drafted in fantasy's 12th round, even after he roasted the Rams' defense—admittedly, a total disaster—for 188 yards and two touchdowns in just four possessions.

Luck's being drafted just after guys like Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton. He's going three or four rounds after Matt Schaub and Jay Cutler, two quarterbacks with low fantasy ceilings. With the rapid ascension of Matt Ryan to the top tier of fantasy quarterbacks, Luck is now the best quarterback value. Draft another signal-caller along with the rookie, but be prepared for Luck to chuck it quite a bit in Bruce Arians' aerial attack. Luck is refined. Yes, he'll make his mistakes early, but drafting him with one of your last few picks means you didn't sell the farm to get the kid on your roster.

Another hot preseason start or two and Luck could scoot up to the eighth round in many drafts. I still like him there, but not nearly as much.

Follow me on Twitter @CDCarter13 for the latest rantings of a fantasy lunatic.