Fantasy Football Sleepers 2013: Overlooked Players Who Will Be Draft-Day Steals

When it comes to fantasy football, drafting in the early rounds is a generally a simple, low-risk proposition. That is where the very best players in the game reside, and that is where fantasy owners tend to get the bulk of their points. What truly separates the great fantasy teams from the good ones, though, is finding diamonds in the rough.

There is plenty of guess work involved with identifying and drafting a good fantasy sleeper, but there are plenty of factors that can point you in the right direction. There are times when guys come from out of nowhere due to unforeseen circumstances such as injuries or suspensions, but finding a sleeper more often comes down to picking the right guy out of a group of similar players.

Here are three players who haven't been receiving much fantasy love thus far but will ultimately outperform their respective draft statuses this season.

Michael Vick

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is one of the most unique, electric and controversial players to ever step foot on an NFL field, but the Vick front has been surprisingly quiet this offseason. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that he is engaged in a quarterback competition with Nick Foles and Matt Barkley. As much as new head coach Chip Kelly likes to call it a competition, though, Vick has seemingly had the edge from the start. NFL insider Jay Glazer believes that Vick is the clear front-runner to earn the starting job as of right now as well.

It would be an absolute shock if either Foles or Barkley managed to beat him out due to their inexperience, but more importantly due to the fact that Vick is the perfect fit for Kelly's offense. While Kelly has maintained that he doesn't need a mobile quarterback to execute the offense, his track record at Oregon suggests otherwise. Vick is already very much familiar with the likes of LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson too, which means he should be able to best utilize them as weapons in the passing game.

The main concern with Vick is obviously his durability, as he hasn't played a full 16-game slate since 2006, but that risk is mitigated by his insane upside in Kelly's offense. That isn't to say that Vick will necessarily return to the 2010 form that saw him accumulate more than 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in just 12 games, but he is much better than his ESPN average draft position of around 121 suggests. With lower-upside guys like Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco and Matt Schaub being selected ahead of him, taking a flier on Vick is a no-brainer.

Rashard Mendenhall

Few positions are more volatile in fantasy football than running back. That is why many owners view it as a necessity to nab a top guy like Adrian Peterson or Arian Foster. There is so much uncertainty when it comes to the mid-to-low-tier backs that it's essentially a crapshoot when it comes to choosing the right one. That is why selecting a running back who is entering the season as a clear-cut starter is often a smart move, even if that particular back isn't viewed as a dynamic fantasy force.

One running back who falls into that category is Rashard Mendenhall of the Arizona Cardinals. Mendenhall made the jump from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the desert this offseason as the Steelers decided to go in a younger, fresher direction at running back, but Mendenhall is far from washed up. In fact, Mendenhall is just 26 years of age, and he has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the two seasons in which he has played in all 16 contests. With just 57 career games played, there isn't much wear on the tires either.

Mendenhall isn't necessarily an explosive runner, as he has had a yards-per-carry average exceeding 4.1 in a season just once in his career, but easy yards and tough yards all count the same in fantasy football. Mendenhall also happens to have a nose for the end zone as he averaged 10 touchdowns per season from 2009 through 2011. Mendenhall was just nine months removed from an ACL tear when he came back last year, so it wasn't overly surprising that he failed to impress. Now that he is further removed from the injury and has little competition in Arizona, Mendenhall should blow his ESPN average draft position of 86.4 out of the water.

Vincent Brown

It's no secret that the San Diego Chargers were an absolute mess last season. Quarterback Philip Rivers couldn't find a rhythm, new wide receiver acquisition Robert Meachem was a bust and tight end Antonio Gates was perpetually banged up as usual. Because of that, there may be some apprehension from fantasy owners to invest in a Bolt this season.

That is understandable, but the times are changing in San Diego as the Norv Turner era has come to an end. Enter former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy as the new head coach, which seems to suggest that brighter days are ahead.

One player who should benefit from the change is wide receiver Vincent Brown. The Chargers don't necessarily have the greatest receiving corps, and it was made even worse when Danario Alexander suffered a season-ending ACL tear, according to Josh Katzowitz of CBS Sports. Malcom Floyd is viewed as San Diego's No. 1 option, but Brad Evans of Yahoo! Sports believes that Brown now has a golden opportunity to step up and become a reliable contributor.

Brown missed all of last season with a broken ankle, which was unfortunate as he was penciled in to be a huge part of the passing attack. Brown emerged as one of Rivers' favorite targets late in the 2011 season, so perhaps he will be able to reprise his role this year. With an ESPN average draft position of more than 152, Brown is routinely being taken near the end of standard drafts. Most picks at that juncture are viewed as lottery tickets anyway, and the odds of hitting on Brown seem to be significantly higher than most others.

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