Fantasy Football Rankings 2011: 10 Sleepers Sure to Make You Look Like a Genius

Fantasy football is all about finding value where other people are convinced it doesn't exist. Grabbing a sleeper who pans out, or taking a late-round flier on a player who winds up being a crucial cog in your league title is one of the best feelings you get taking part in fantasy sports, right up there with the smack talking you do with friends. 

So, who will be this year's late-round sleepers, the players whose performance will vastly outweigh their draft position? 

Last season, guys like Arian Foster, Peyton Hillis, Brandon Lloyd and even Marcedes Lewis turned out to be diamonds in the rough, so who will it be this season? 

We're breaking down the 10 likeliest sleeper candidates and telling you just why they'll make you look like a genius come draft day.

10. Danario Alexander, WR, St. Louis Rams

Alexander might be the most talented wideout in what is a deep, fast class of them in St. Louis. The second-year player could have grabbed the top spot by the throat last season with his fantastic combination of size speed and leaping ability if he could only have stayed healthy.

While there are a ton of potential targets for Sam Bradford, none have Alexander's size or skills. As long as he stays healthy, there's a fantastic change he becomes top dog in the Rams' receiving corps. That's a big if, but as a late-round flier, he's got truly epic upside. 

9. Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers

One of these seasons, it's all going to come together for the talented young wideout Crabtree, and why not next year? With a more stable quarterback situation, a much more stable coaching situation and an offense geared more towards passing the ball than rushing it, the supremely talented third-year player is poised to have the breakout year many anticipated last season.

He's got the physical skills, now all he has to do is use them. There's risk of bust here, but as a late-round pick, he'll be tough to pass up given the upside here. 

8. Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets

After getting off to a flat-out terrible start to last season, most owners wrote off Shonn Greene from a fantasy standpoint. He had struggled to make an impact and had lost the starting gig to LaDanian Tomlinson. 

But, Greene quietly made up for it down the stretch with some excellent play. As LT faded, Greene stepped up and kept the Jets' offense clicking. He figures to get a solid number of carries next season, as LT will need even more rest as he gets older, and should be a valuable asset for most owners. 

Since he was so maligned by the end of last year, odds are good he'll be available in the middle rounds, making him a fantastic value pick. 

7. Jared Cook, TE, Tennessee Titans

Cook is one of those high-upside kind of late-round picks that can win you a league if he pans out. He's the starting tight end in Tennessee and has the physical skills to be a dominant receiver with his size, speed and hands. 

With a semi-decent quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck under center, Cook is going to get plenty of chances to shine, and with his tools, he could be one of the steals of the later rounds. He's far from a can't-miss sleeper, but if he struggles, it's not like you gave up a higher round pick to get him. 

6. Mike Tolbert, RB, San Diego Chargers

Tolbert is still the second banana in San Diego, but I'm not entirely sure why. I realize how talented Ryan Mathews is supposed to be, but he was maddeningly inconsistent last season and was literally incapable of staying healthy. 

The bruising former fullback Tolbert, on the other hand, was sensational in relief of the rookie, and has the kind of downhill running style that equates to big yardage. At the very least, he's a touchdown vulture extraordinaire, with the upside to be a solid, reliable back should Mathews go down again. 

5. Tony Moeaki, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Moeaki was better than many expected last season, emerging as a promising red-zone target for Matt Cassel and the Chiefs. He's big, strong and surprisingly quick, with excellent hands, and his role figures to increase as head coach Todd Haley starts to trust him more. 

Moeaki is listed outside the top 10 tight ends in the league, which is about right, but with his upside he's definitely worth a flier as a backup option. He's fully capable of taking a big step towards stardom next season and is well worth a late-round pick. 

4. Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants

The hulking tailback was seen as a disappointment by many owners last season, as he failed to live up to his jumbo-sized contract extension. 

But careful owners saw a skilled touchdown vulture who averaged better than five yards per carry in Jacobs, and realized that while Ahmad Bradshaw might be the featured back in New York, the big man has a ton of value, particularly as a mid-round pick. He's incredibly tough to tackle, and as long as he stays healthy and out of Tom Coughlin's dog house, Jacobs should be blasting his way into the end zone all season long. 

3. Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams

Few young quarterbacks looked anywhere near as promising as Sam Bradford last season. Although he was handcuffed by Steve Spagnuolo's offense, which was designed to keep him out of trouble, Bradford's rookie campaign was a rousing success and placed him squarely on the fantasy radar for this season. With a plethora of weapons and a more open playbook, Bradford figures to take a big step forward next season, and he'll still be on the board as a late-round pick. 

His upside is immense, and while he's not quite starter material in most fantasy leagues as of yet, he'll be a fantastic backup option this season, capable of giving you plenty of points should something go wrong with your starter. 

2. Ryan Williams, RB, Arizona

This rookie running back was downright electric in college, displaying the kinds of skills and explosiveness that makes scouts drool. He was hurt for much of last season, but was snagged in the middle rounds of the draft by the Cardinals, who were tired of watching Beanie Wells flounder.

Wells will get first crack at carrying the ball in Arizona, but if he continues to struggle, Williams will be quick to replace him. His upside is immense, and as long as he avoids the injury bug, he's a fantastic late-round flier pick.

With his skills, he could make fans in the desert forget all about the inconsistent Wells, as he slices and dices opposing defenses. He won't be a top 10 back, but his upside for next season is squarely in the realm of second starter for your squad. 

1. Matthew Stafford, QB Detroit Lions

We all know the deal with Stafford: supremely talented, but constantly injured in his first two seasons in the NFL. He's got the arm and the physical tools to shine in the NFL, and has been excellent when he's been on the field, he just hasn't been able to stay on the field. 

He's fully healthy to start this year and has more weapons at his disposal than ever, including Calvin Johnson, Titus Young and Nate Burleson at wideout, Brandon Pettigrew at tight end, and Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure at running back. With so many weapons around him, Stafford's upside is higher than almost any other late-round quarterback in football. 

Stafford is a backup fantasy option; you don't want to bet the farm on him and make him your sole starting quarterback. But his upside is such that before long, he could easily become your starting quarterback, between his arm and the weapons around him in Detroit. He's a fantastic value pick who could pay more dividends than just about anyone on this list. As long as he's healthy, Stafford figures to be a steal.