Fantasy Football 2013: Top Sleepers and More Value Picks You Must Not Ignore

Fantasy football is won and lost in the latter rounds, which is something the best players realize year after year and constantly win championships because of.

If you hate missing the playoffs and want to be the guy that takes home the championship on a consistent basis, you need to strive to become better when it comes to making late-round picks.

Let’s take a look at a handful of deep sleepers and other value selections you can nab toward the end of the draft that will make a major difference in the final standings.

Jared Cook, TE, St. Louis Rams

Many of you who have been reading expert fantasy advice have probably stumbled across Cook’s name at some point. He’s been almost universally hailed as point-producing machine who's going to immediately come in and become one of Sam Bradford’s favorite receivers.

After four mediocre seasons in Tennessee, the former Titan is ready to bust out on the big stage.

While he may not be the next Jimmy Graham, Cook is a big, strong, fast target who is capable of dominating smaller defenders all over the field. He’s going to be easy to spot in the red zone and should come down with plenty of touchdowns this year.

Don’t sleep on Cook as a possible flex play in many formats. He could easily work his way up to a Tier 1-status tight end and should outplay all but a few superstars at his position.

Vincent Brown, WR, San Diego Chargers

Brown is finally going to get a chance to shine after having his 2012 season taken from him due to injury.

The 24-year-old receiver should quickly emerge as a safety blanket and No. 1 target in San Diego, as he has some of the surest hands and tightest route-running skills on the roster.

Philip Rivers is once again stuck behind a dismal offensive line, so he will be forced to drop back and release quickly. Mike McCoy, the newest head coach of the organization, will encourage that behavior and help his signal-caller get the most out of these short, quick passes.

Don’t be surprised when Brown is a huge benefactor and puts up WR2 numbers while being drafted down near the WR4-caliber players.

 

Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Palmer has one last chance to resurrect his career, this one coming in the desert under head coach Bruce Arians.

Although the line is one of the worst in the league and it just got even more awful with the loss of rookie guard Jonathan Cooper, Palmer is still skilled enough to win games and has an elite target in Larry Fitzgerald.

The former USC star is going to be one of the top quarterback options during a bye week, but he could hold his own if your starter goes down with an injury or you accept a trade offer involving him that is too good to be true.

Remember, Palmer eclipsed 4,000 yards with an awful Oakland Raiders team last year with a bunch of nobodies at receiver. In 2013, he’ll be able to loft it up to Fitzgerald and have a good chance of completing the pass—a connection that should translate into major fantasy points.