Fantasy Football Sleepers: 5 Multi-Purpose Players Who Will Rake in Points

Locating and acquiring true value is of paramount importance in fantasy football.

For example, you don't want a quarterback who just throws the ball. You want one who runs it too. Similarly, you don't want a running back who can only run. You want one who can catch too.

And so on. The point is that the best fantasy owners know to target the guys who are essentially real-life Swiss Army knives.

To this end, there are a couple guys who personify that particular metaphor more than others. They can, quite literally, do it all. These are the guys who produce plenty of overlooked points, and are very much of use in deeper leagues.

If you're in one of those leagues, and you want those points, you need to pick up one of these guys.

5. LaRod Stephens-Howling, RB, Arizona Cardinals

It's a shame the Cardinals went and picked up Chester Taylor. If they hadn't, LaRod Stephens-Howling could have been the No. 2 running back on the depth chart.

Even still, Stephens-Howling is a good value guy. He was the best kick returner in the NFL last season, piling up 1,548 return yards and two touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown and caught a few passes here and there.

Stephens-Howling is not going to be good for a 10-team league. But if you're in a bigger league, he could be a gem. 

4. Jacoby Ford, WR, Oakland Raiders

If you want a guy that is dynamite on kick returns, you want Jacoby Ford. He had three touchdowns on kick returns last season, and all three came in the second half of the season once he started getting more and more exposure.

Ford is a weapon in Oakland's passing game too. He had 470 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and even had two 100-yard receiving games. Once again, those came in the second half of the season.

Yup, it took a while for the Raiders to realize what they had.

3. Brad Smith, QB/WR, Buffalo Bills

Little know fact: Brad Smith is actually a cyborg capable of accomplishing all directives.

In his free time, though, Smith plays football. Last year with the Jets, he threw a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and had two kickoff return touchdowns.

This year with the Buffalo Bills, expect more of the same. And with Chan Gailey prepared to use Smith in a special Wildcat formation, you can expect even more than more of the same.

2. Devin Hester, WR, Chicago Bears

Here's a bit of advice for punters: Don't kick it to Devin Hester.

Here's a bit of advice for Jay Cutler: Throw it to Devin Hester.

You get the idea. Hester is well-known for his ability to turn punts into touchdowns, and he is going to produce in the passing game as well. He won't put up big numbers in Mike Martz's offense, but three or four receiving touchdowns is well within reason. Add that to a punt return TD or two, and you have a solid fantasy producer.

1. Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans Saints

Darren Sproles may have changed teams this offseason, but he's still the same old Darren Sproles. Sean Payton will be both the facilitator and the beneficiary.

If Payton needs Sproles to return punts, he'll return punts. If he wants Sproles to run the ball, he'll run the ball. If he wants him to catch it, he'll catch it.

So yeah, Sproles is a lot like Reggie Bush.

Except better.