Fantasy Football 2010: Dynasty League Sleepers
Constructing out a fantasy football roster can often be an arduous task filled with tough decisions. If you decide to join a dynasty league, you may find yourself with even tougher decisions as you must suddenly take into account even more factors, such as a player's age and potential.
For those who are unfamiliar, a dynasty league is a fantasy football league in which the owners retain most or all of their players from season to season. If you find yourself entering such a league, you will want to make sure to keep your roster stocked with players that can not only be productive in the upcoming season but for many season afterward.
Following is a list of a few young players who could help in building the core of your dynasty for years to come.
Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams
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It seems a little awkward calling the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft a sleeper, but rookie quarterbacks don't normally fly off fantasy boards when draft day rolls around.
Sam Bradford was arguably the most polished quarterback coming out of college this past year and so far he has been living up to expectations. He has impressed coaches and fans alike during the preseason and with each passing day he is looking more and more likely to be the team's starting quarterback in week one.
Bradford was a very efficient passer in college with an almost 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. This efficiency seems to be translating well to the NFL as he has compiled an 84.6 quarterback rating without throwing a single interception thus far in preseason.
Unless you find yourself in a very big league (16 teams or so), you should be able to snag Bradford in one of the late rounds or in free agency. If you pick him up, you will not only have a potential future star for your dynasty team, but a serviceable starter for this season as well.
Montario Hardesty, RB, Cleveland Browns
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Montario Hardesty is another guy who not only provides future potential but production for this season as well.
Hardesty should see a fair amount of carries from the get-go with the Cleveland Browns. Although Jerome Harrison is currently listed as the starter, Hardesty will immediately fill the role of the complimentary big back. At 6'0, 225 pounds, he has a similar build to that of Jamal Lewis, the man is he attempting to replace in Cleveland's backfield.
Not only will Hardesty serve as a change-of-pace back, he will also get the majority of the goal line carries. This translates into potential for a good number of rushing touchdowns and a valuable number of fantasy points.
Hardesty appears to poised to play a big part in the future of Cleveland's offense, so he is an intriguing dynasty option. Yet, don't be surprised if he finds his way into your fantasy team's starting lineup this season.
Bernard Scott, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
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It's easy to overlook Bernard Scott if you're a fantasy owner. After all, he was drafted in the sixth round out of small school Abilene Christian in 2009. He is also sitting behind one of the league's biggest surprises in Cedric Benson, a guy who rushed for over 1,200 yards last season.
In just one year, however, Scott has proved himself to be quite an explosive player. Although he is probably best know for a 96-yard kick return touchdown against Pittsburgh last season, he has also been very impressive running the ball.
Last year, Scott performed very well as a change-of-pace back to Cedric Benson, and even ran for 119 yards against Oakland when Benson was out with an injury. Scott's role should only increase in the coming season as he has averaged over five yards per carry in the preseason thus far.
While Cedric Benson may be the present starter, Bernard Scott, with his speed and quickness, looks poised to become that man of the future. He will also serve as a valuable handcuff to Benson. If Benson goes down with an injury, Scott is capable of putting up some impressive numbers right away.
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Toby Gerhart, RB, Minnesota Vikings
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During his tenure at Stanford, Toby Gerhart proved himself to be one of the more prolific running backs we've seen in recent years, racking up over 1,800 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns during his senior campaign.
The Vikings didn't expect him to duplicate that production in the NFL after they drafted him in the second round this year, but they do believe he can be a reliable backup to All-Pro Adrian Peterson. Gerhart will primarily fill the hole left by the departure of running back Chester Taylor and should expect to see somewhere around 100 carries in his first season.
Gerhart may not be the most athletically gifted running back, but he is deceptively quick and possesses great vision, as well as the strength and size that will make him an asset in short yardage and goal-line situations.
The shelf life on NFL running backs is very short, and with the amount of carries that Adrian Peterson has accumulated over the past three seasons, it may be a wise idea to hang onto Gerhart in the future.
Mardy Gilyard, WR, St. Louis Rams
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It's pretty safe to say that Rams' rookie wide receiver Mardy Gilyard won't be high up on too many fantasy owners' draft boards. The fourth round selection has a pretty large learning curve to overcome before becoming a reliable fantasy option.
However, Gilyard may make an impact much earlier than most had anticipated. Due to an already inexperienced receiving corps and the subsequent loss of No. 1 receiver Donnie Avery, Gilyard finds himself near the top of Rams' depth chart. He is currently listed as the team's No. 3 receiver, so he will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself in his inaugural NFL season.
Gilyard has a reputation as a playmaker and with his speed, he provides the Rams' offense with some much-need quick strike potential as early as this season. Additionally, if he can develop a good relationship with rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, he could eventually develop into the Rams' go-to guy.
Johnny Knox, WR, Chicago Bears
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Continuing the trend of second-year players from Abilene Christian flying under the radar is Chicago Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox.
Knox is a receiver who burst onto the scene last year and quickly established himself as an explosive deep threat. Despite never starting a game, Knox racked up 45 receptions for 527 yards and 5 touchdowns. He further affirmed his explosiveness with his selection to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner.
Knox is now projected as a starter in Mike Martz's pass-first offense and is paired with strong-armed quarterback Jay Cutler, who should have no problem getting the ball to him downfield.
If he can continue progressing as hoped, he should be able to threaten 1,000 receiving yards this year, as well as establish himself as the receiver of the future in Chicago. A very valuable late-round pick or free agent acquisition in all dynasty leagues.
Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Although he shares the same name as one of the biggest wide receiver busts in recent memory, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' rookie receiver should not be underestimated.
Despite being drafted in the fourth round of this past year's NFL draft, Mike Williams has worked his way up the depth chart this offseason and was recently named the Buccaneers' No.1 receiver. Whether this is a testament to Williams' ability or to the ineptitude of Tampa Bay's roster is superfluous. What is important is the fact that this talented receiver will be producing big numbers right out of the gate.
The biggest concern with Williams is his character, as he had several issues while he was in school at Syracuse. Yet, if he can keep his head on straight, nothing should stop him from putting up some very impressive numbers. Williams has been the most impressive receiver on Tampa Bay's roster this offseason, so he should be the target of quite a few passes once the regular season begins.
Mike Williams is an invaluable dynasty league selection because not only does he have a ton of potential, he also has the opportunity to play right away. If you are able to grab him in the late rounds, don't be surprised if he works his way into your starting lineup at some point during the season.
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati
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Great receiving tight ends are often hard to come by in fantasy football, so snagging one in a dynasty league is usually not a bad idea. Likely the best option this year will be rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham. Gresham was the Cincinnati Bengal's first round pick in this year's draft and is oozing with potential.
Gresham is slated to be the Bengals' starting tight end in week one, so he should be able to produce right off the bat. Standing at 6'6, 261 pounds, he provides a huge mismatch for most defenses and should be a reliable target in the red zone.
Gresham has all the tools necessary to develop into one of the league's best receiving tight ends, making him a tantalizing option in most dynasty leagues. Add in the fact that he serve as a reliable spot starter in the upcoming season and Jermaine Gresham is well worth a late-round selection.
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