Fantasy Football Sleepers: 10 NFC Players You Should Pick Up on Draft Day

As preseason kicks off this week in the NFL, so too does the now-yearly ritual that is known as fantasy football.  As fans start to look over the depth chart of their favorite NFL teams, there are millions of others researching who is going to bring their fantasy football team to greatness.

While people cross their fingers they can draft the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees or Chris Johnson, any good fantasy football player knows it's just as important to identify those players who fall under the radar. 

It could be a veteran getting a shot on a new team or a rookie who comes out of nowhere and lands a starting role. Heading into last season, who would have known some of the biggest names in the game last year would have been Brandon Lloyd, Jamaal Charles and Stevie Johnson? 

Who will be those late-round or free agent pickups to help guide your team to victory? Let's take a look at 10 NFC players who might make you top dog in your fantasy league. 

10. Lance Kendricks, TE (St. Louis Rams)

 Kendricks is a rookie tight end who is being compared to Aaron Hernandez, a 2010 sleeper in his own right last year.

Taken in the second round, Kendricks is the type of tight end you can line up as a wide receiver to provide a mismatch against the opposition. He could be a perfect weapon for developing star Sam Bradford as the quarterback heads into his second season in the NFL. 

Why He'll Be Available Late

Name recognition and the team he's on. 

Since the run the Rams had in the early 2000s, the team has fallen off the NFL map until people started to see this team finally make progress last year. Combine that with the fact Kendricks wasn't talked about a whole lot after the draft, and you have a guy who'll be around perhaps even after the draft is over. 

9. Tashard Choice, RB (Dallas Cowboys)

Quick, can you tell me any running back on the Cowboys other than Choice and Felix Jones?  

Behind them on the depth chart, you have four additional backs on the roster who have a combined one year of NFL experience.

Is it possible Lonyae Miller, DeMarco Murray, Phillip Tanner or Frank Warren can shock us all and become a solid back? Sure, anything is possible in the NFL, but don't bet a ton of money on it.  

With Marion Barber now in Chicago, the Cowboys will be expecting big things out of Jones. The problem is Jones has been notorious for having injury issues. That is why Choice could be a perfect late-round selection.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Name recognition. 

Not many people know about Choice, who only had 243 yards and three touchdowns last year.  With that said, he's clearly the No. 2 back now with the Cowboys, and with Jones' injury history, it's entirely possible, if not probable, that Choice will be starting several games this year. 

8. Alex Smith, QB (San Francisco 49ers)

When I think of Alex Smith, I imagine some cheesy 1980s montage being made of him using the song "The Final Countdown" by Europe. 

Despite his struggles and the fact that numerous coaches have benched him for everyone short of the ball boy, new head coach Jim Harbaugh is giving Smith the chance to take the ball and run (or throw, in this case) with it.

How long a leash Smith will have is anyone's guess, but as he enters the 2011 season, he will do so with by far the best weapons he's ever had in his arsenal. 

With Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis entering their peak years, the Niners also added veteran Braylon Edwards into the mix. Throw in Ted Ginn Jr., who has breakaway speed (assuming he can hold on to the ball), and you have some true game-breakers now on this offense.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Inconsistency. 

The frustrating thing is, while Smith has never looked like a No. 1 draft pick, he has shown flashes of brilliance, which is why yet another coach is giving him a shot. If anyone can get the best out of Smith, it might be Harbaugh, who is recently coming out of the college ranks. 

If Smith can somehow find his game, he has the playmakers in place for this to be a very dangerous offense.

7. Jordy Nelson, WR (Green Bay Packers)

Guess who the best Packers receiver was in Super Bowl XLV last year? 

Greg Jennings? James Jones? 

Try Jordy Nelson!

If you look at Nelson's career, you'll see he had a modest improvement in 2010 during the regular season, though it was in the playoffs where he and Rodgers appeared to finally build true chemistry. Despite a few drops, Nelson led the Packers with nine receptions for 140 yards in the Super Bowl, including a 29-yard touchdown catch to open up the game for the Pack.

Building off that chemistry and the fact that Donald Driver is yet another year older, 2011 could be the season Nelson truly breaks out and becomes the No. 2 receiver behind Jennings.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Stat-hawks will ignore him. 

Those who obsess over fantasy statistics won't even realize how valuable Nelson was in the playoffs because, well, those stats don't count in a fantasy football season.

Many still perceive Nelson as the fourth receiver on this team, so it's entirely possible he won't get drafted at all initially. 

6. Rex Grossman, QB (Washington Redskins)

Everyone knows a person in their fantasy league who is going to prove to everyone else he can win by taking a different philosophy than focusing primarily on running backs, receivers or drafting heavily on the defensive side, if you play in that sort of league.

He'll draft everywhere, then in the later rounds will finally draft a quarterback because he's going to show you how you can succeed without a star at that position.

Well, if you are that guy or gal, then Rex Grossman is for you!

Any football fan knows of the struggles Grossman has had throughout his career.

At his best, he was one of the best quarterbacks in the early stages of the 2006 season when he and the Chicago Bears were routing people off the field. 

At his worst, Grossman couldn't hit the broadside of the barn.

For most coaches and scouts, most think of Grossman as the latter, a guy who could not start in this league.

However, Mike Shanahan and his offensive coordinator son Kyle have obviously thought differently.

Kyle brought in Grossman as a backup in Houston, and the Shanahan's brought in Rex to Washington last year to back up Donovan McNabb. After McNabb got traded this offseason, the Redskins made no effort to bring in another starter, thus making Grossman the controversial de facto No. 1.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Complete and utter inconsistency. 

Grossman has been plagued by this throughout his NFL career. However, Mike Shanahan has been known as a great quarterbacks coach, and he obviously sees something in Rex. It could very well mean he lost his senses in D.C., as it seems many coaches do.

Or it could mean he truly believes Rex can succeed. The fact is, the Redskins have several good receiving options, led by Santana Moss. If Rex could even resemble a fraction of his 2006 form, he at least would make a capable backup on your team. 

5. Ryan Williams, RB (Arizona Cardinals)

Much like Lance Kendricks, Williams is a player who has fallen under the radar despite the fact that he was one of the first running backs taken in the NFL draft. 

Taken in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals, hardly anyone has talked about Williams nationally since the drama in Phoenix has centered around the trade for Kevin Kolb and trying to keep stud receiver Larry Fitzgerald happy.

Williams though is going to have the chance to start for this team, which would make him an excellent late-round pickup.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Name recognition. 

A lot of people who don't know a lot about football will automatically believe Beanie Wells is the surefire No. 1 running back; he's a veteran, and his complementary back, Tim Hightower, was traded to the Redskins.

That doesn't mean you have to overlook Williams though.

Wells has consistently been hampered by injuries, and when he's been in the lineup, he's never been a truly productive back, averaging less than 3.5 yards per carry last year while scoring only two rushing touchdowns.  

If Williams can have a good preseason, it's very possible he'll be named the opening day starter. 

4. Jimmy Graham, TE (New Orleans Saints)

How much does head coach Sean Payton respect Jimmy Graham's talent? 

He told former Pro Bowler Jeremy Shockey to take a hike.

Graham was a 2010 third-round pick, and has the build and skills to be a very successful tight end in this league. Seldom used early on in the season (he had just five receptions), Brees targeted the rookie throughout the second half of the year. By January, Graham had 31 receptions for 356 yards and five touchdowns.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Mistaken role. 

Considering the veteran on the roster is David Thomas, a lot of people may believe he is the No. 1 target at tight end. But Graham has a bigger ceiling, and if he isn't starting the year as the primary target, he will be soon after. 

3. Roy Williams, WR (Chicago Bears)

Of all the wide receiver signings that took place this offseason, one of the more peculiar ones was the Chicago Bears focusing their intentions on Roy Williams, a receiver who was a huge disappointment in Dallas. 

The Cowboys gave up numerous first-round picks for Williams, yet in two and a half seasons he only had 1,324 yards. That's just about as many as the 1,310 yards he had in 2006 with the Detroit Lions....when Mike Martz was his offensive coordinator.

Now Martz is in Chicago, and their hope is Williams can recapture that magic from those years in Detroit.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Past failures. 

There are going to be a lot of fantasy owners who are gun-shy about drafting a guy who was a total failure in Dallas. Right now, Williams is listed as the No. 1 receiver on the Bears' depth chart, and he has all the tools to become a big weapon with Jay Cutler. 

Considering his potential, Williams would be a great pickup late in the draft. 

2. Steve Smith, WR (Philadelphia Eagles)

Steve Smith will be a very interesting person when it comes to fantasy drafts.

The guy played great in New York, especially in 2009 when he had 107 receptions for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2010 though, Smith suffered a serious knee injury that Giants coach Tom Coughlin felt he had not sufficiently recovered from. The Eagles felt otherwise.

At best, Smith is a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver. 

At the worst, he's still going to need some time to recover. 

What makes Smith even more intriguing is that Jeremy Maclin still appears to be ailing from mononucleosis, which means Smith could very well end up the No. 2 receiver on this team. 

Why He'll Be Available Late

Injury uncertainty. 

The fact that there is still talk about his knee is going to inevitably scare a lot of people off. Smith's 2010 stats took a major hit due to the fact that he missed seven games, so for the stat-hawks, he may not even appear on their radar. 

Smith would be a super pickup for your third receiver or flex position. If he fails miserably, it's not a spot that will kill you, and you can likely pick someone else up. 

But if he succeeds, Smith could be one of the best steals of the draft.

1. Matt Stafford, QB (Detroit Lions)

Matt Stafford, like Steve Smith, is a very interesting case.

Drafting him will be a tremendous risk, as there is a long-documented list of shoulder injuries he has sustained. 

But in the end, if he can stay healthy, Stafford could be the steal of the draft.

Despite missing most of the year, the Detroit Lions' offense was still 15th in the NFL in points scored, despite being led by Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton. There are skill players at every offensive position, most notably Calvin Johnson at wide receiver.

Stafford could take this offense from good to great—if he can, you know, stay healthy.

Why He'll Be Available Late

Big guess here: It's his injury issues. 

A lot of people are going to stay away from Stafford because they can't trust he'll be there after Week 5.  But Stafford would be a great pickup for a team that takes a mid-level player like Ryan Fitzpatrick or Kyle Orton. 

Stafford has the talent and the pieces around him to be better than those players. However, if he bombs or goes down again to injury, a quarterback like Fitzpatrick will do you just fine. 

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