Fantasy Football 2013: Late-Round Sleepers Who Will Win You a Championship

The 2013 NFL preseason has officially begun, and that is the universal signal to fantasy football owners that it’s draft season once again.

While it is incredibly important to pick a team full of strong players that will undoubtedly succeed in the early rounds, taking educated risks in the waning stages of the draft can turn a good team into a great team.

All of the following players will be late-round sleepers, and you should be looking to snag them between the 12th and 15th rounds.

Jared Cook, TE, St. Louis Rams

The stock continues to rise for St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook (you may have to reach a bit higher in certain drafts to ensure he makes it to your roster), and the hype is well-deserved for a player in his first year with a new team.

Cook was drafted by Rams head coach Jeff Fisher while he was with the Tennessee Titans, and after being underutilized since Fisher was fired, Cook finally found his way back to the coach that knows how to utilize his talents.

With 40-plus receptions each of his last two seasons and the evolution of Sam Bradford as the team's new quarterback, Cook will be the tight end safety valve the budding star has needed.

Expect 60-plus receptions this season and at least seven touchdowns for the late-round sleeper.

Santonio Holmes, WR, New York Jets

New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes is coming off two foot surgeries and could reportedly miss the whole season, per Jane McManus of ESPNNewYork.com, but don’t let this most recent report scare you.

Fantasy owners will avoid Holmes during the draft because of the injury, but with there being a serious chance that he could come back midseason and be a big threat for the Jets, taking him in the 13th round or later is a great educated risk.

The worst-case scenario is that Holmes doesn’t play this season and you have to drop him around Week 6 when players have to come off the PUP list, but if he can come back and be effective, he will once again take his spot as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver.

Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith have to throw to someone, right?

Shonn Greene, RB, Tennessee Titans

There is no question that former New York Jets running back Shonn Greene will take a hit in production this season playing behind Chris Johnson in Tennessee, but expect plenty of action regardless for the backup.

Greene is a powerful back that has no problem running between the tackles, and as the complement to the skillful running of Johnson, he still should see 10-12 carries per game and most of the goal-line running opportunities.

With Johnson already contending with an ankle injury, per Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, there is little doubt that Greene will have plenty of chances to make an impact with his new team.

Expect 150 carries for 700 yards and at least five touchdowns for the RB in 2013.

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