There are several components to a good fantasy football draft. Of course, making good on first and second round draft choices is key. Known commodities in the middle rounds also have value. But, sometimes the biggest difference makers in your lineup come from late round fliers and waiver wire selections. Every pick matters, so be prepared and make them all count.

Our sleepers list covers all sorts of undervalued commodities. Some can be found early, some in the middle rounds, and some late. The point is, in our humble opinion, each of these guys is better than his preseason draft position. We’ll go ahead and explain why we think so. You take the information, generate your own opinions, and use it at your next draft.

QUARTERBACKS

Jay Cutler, Denver Broncos
2007 Numbers: 3,497 yards, 20 TDs, 14 INTs
Reason He’ll Slip: He had a troubled offseason having to not only worry about his newly diagnosed diabetes, but his star wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, suffered a serious arm injury.
Cautious Optimism: Marshall should be ready by Week 1, and he claims his diabetes will not affect his performance at all.
Our Take: The strong-armed QB showed great progress in 2007, and seems like a franchise QB in the making. If his offseason troubles are indeed behind him, he should put up his best numbers yet in 2008.

Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams
2007 Numbers: 2,392 yards, 11 TDs, 13 INTs (12 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: He struggled mightily last year with LT Orlando Pace and RB Steven Jackson being out for extended periods of time. In fact, Bulger himself missed six games.
Cautious Optimism: With everyone returning this season, the Rams offense should be back to normal.
Our Take: Bulger should re-emerge as a No. 1 quarterback, and put up similar numbers to his 2006 campaign (4,301 yards, 24 TDs, 8 INTs).

Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins 
2007 Numbers: 2,700 yards, 12 TDs, 11 INTs (13 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: The former first rounder had pedestrian numbers in 2007 in his first year as starter.
Cautious Optimism: He got a lot of help in the offseason. The Redskins are installing the West Coast offense, and they drafted WRs Devin Thomas and WR Malcolm Kelly and TE Fred Davis.
Our Take: The new offensive system and new weapons, to go along with Santana Moss, Chris Cooley and Antwaan Randle-El, should allow Campbell to flourish, and drastically improve on last year’s stats. 
 
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
2007 Numbers: 218 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs (2 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: Simply put, he is not Brett Farve, and he lacks experience.
Cautious Optimism: He will have enormous shoes to fill, but he showed some promise in limited action.
Our Take: Luckily he has some talent across the board on offense, and although this is his first year starting, he is entering his fourth year in the league, so he’s not exactly the new kid on the block. Expect respectable numbers.

RUNNING BACKS

Michael Turner, Atlanta Falcons
2007 Numbers: 158 rushes, 559 yards, 3 TDs — 30 catches, 186 yards, 1 TD (8 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: Is an unknown commodity in his first year as a starter. Atlanta’s rebuilding offense is also a source of concern.
Cautious Optimism: He has been excellent in spelling LaDainian Tomlinson throughout his career and can be the productive power runner Atlanta has needed.
Our Take: Turner won’t sneak up on fantasy owners, as most are already aware of his presence. He has a 5.5 yards per carry average, which should translate well in any NFL offense.

Thomas Jones, New York Jets
2007 Numbers: 310 rushes, 1.119 yards, 1 TD — 28 catches, 217 yards, 1 TD
Reason He’ll Slip: Fact he only scored two touchdowns last season.
Cautious Optimism: The New York Jets spent more than any other team in the NFL during the offseason. One of their big acquisitions was Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, who should provide a nice boost to the team’s running game.
Our Take: Jones has never been favored in short yardage and goal line situations, and 2007 was an extreme case of his not being able to find the end zone. With a better push from his blockers in ‘08, look for that TD number to creep above five.

Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
2007 Numbers: n/a
Reason He’ll Slip: Hasn’t played a down of NFL football and is part of a Chicago offense that promises to be one of the most futile in the league.
Cautious Optimism: Coach Lovie Smith loves what the rookie from Tulane can do. He will be heavily involved in both the running and passing game and will get plenty of touches to prove his fantasy worth.
Our Take: At the point where Forte is going in drafts, usually the sixth and seventh rounds, there is an opportunity to take a safe, stale back or go for the gusto with a lower risk rookie. You have little to lose by going with the rookie, especially if you can arm yourself with two quality veteran backs early.

Ryan Torain, Denver Broncos
2007 Numbers: n/a
Reason He’ll Slip: Enters Broncos camp as the No. 4 running back on their depth chart.
Cautious Optimism: The starter in Denver’s offense never seemingly retains the job, and it is quite often that the player garnering preseason buzz is the one who takes it. Torain is that guy, and his power running style is a better fit than any of coach Mike Shanahan’s other backs.
Our Take: Again, very little to lose by taking Torain in the last few rounds of a draft. He is a must-own for those who used a high pick on starter Selvin Young.

Ricky Williams, Miami Dolphins
2007 Numbers: 6 rushes, 15 yards, 0 TDs
Reason He’ll Slip: He’s flaky and starting training camp as a backup to Ronnie Brown.
Cautious Optimism: New head coach Tony Sparano will have every reason to lessen the burden on Brown, who’s recovering from a torn PCL. Williams is no sure thing himself, but having zero expectations of him will make it easy to overachieve.
Our Take: Obviously, we don’t condone mortgaging your team’s future on Williams, but he’s a nice, complementary pick in the later rounds. If Brown was an early round selection, Williams is a must-have handcuff.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
2007 Numbers: 48 catches, 756 yards, 4 TDs (15 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: He didn’t reach his lofty expectations his rookie year.
Cautious Optimism: He was hobbled by a bad back last year, but he still has all the physical tools (6-foot-4, 239 pounds) that translate into becoming a dominant receiver in the NFL.
Our Take: With another year under his belt, and hopefully a recovered back, he should start to reach his star potential.

Nate Burleson, Seattle Seahawks
2007 Numbers: 50 catches, 694 yards, 9 TDs
Reason He’ll Slip: Seattle hasn’t been a traditional place for WRs to find an abundance of fantasy success because Matt Hasselbeck likes to spread the wealth.
Cautious Optimism: Burleson will be expected to pick up the slack with D.J. Hackett leaving for Carolina, Deion Branch being injured, and Bobby Engram having a contract dispute.
Our Take: Burleson should get a lot more looks, and in turn should become a force in the Seattle passing game – and maybe on your fantasy team.

Anthony Gonzalez, Indianapolis Colts
2007 Numbers: 37 catches, 576 yards, 3 TDs (13 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: Despite having respectable rookie numbers, he didn’t have an impact on many fantasy teams last year.
Cautious Optimism: His fantasy value is directly related to the status of Marvin Harrison. Harrison is battling an injury and legal issues, and if he is not on the field, Gonzalez’s value sky rockets.
Our Take: With Harrison out, Gonzalez became Peyton Manning’s No. 2 option, and he thrived in the role. The second-year receiver should improve on his rookie stats regardless, but if Harrison can’t play, Gonzalez has a chance to really break out, and become a late-round steal.

Jabar Gaffney, New England Patriots
2007 Numbers: 36 catches, 449 yards, 5 TD
Reason He’ll Slip: He was buried on the depth chart last year, and didn’t get many opportunities.
Cautious Optimism: Thriving in New England’s pass-happy offense is not hard to do, and with Donte Stallworth now in Cleveland, Gaffney becomes a starter.
Our Take: Despite being a No. 3 receiver, he may actually see more looks than most secondary options in more conventional offenses. Gaffney finished the season strong, and had 24 catches, 351 yards and four touchdowns in his last seven games.

Steve Smith, New York Giants 
2007 Numbers: 8 catches, 63 yards, 0 TDs (5 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: He did next to nothing in the regular season due to a shoulder injury.
Cautious Optimism: The 2007 first rounder shined in the postseason, grabbing 14 passes for 152 yards in the Giants’ Super Bowl run.
Our Take: He seems to have developed a good connection with Eli Manning in limited reps, and being with the team the entire year will only help, especially with some of Manning’s other main targets holding out. Expect Smith to not only make big strides, but to be available late on many draft boards.

TIGHT ENDS

Tony Scheffler, Denver Broncos
2007 Numbers: 49 catches, 549 yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Reason He’ll Slip: Because he isn’t a household name, he won’t go off the board until the ninth and 10th rounds of drafts. His ‘07 numbers, though very good, were limited by a foot injury that caused him to miss the team’s first four games.
Cautious Optimism: He has loads of talent and catches passes from a rising start in Jay Cutler.
Our Take: There is still concern over Scheffler’s problematic foot, but not enough to scare off fantasy owners. He says he will be 100 percent when camp opens on July 25; we should believe him, but keep an eye on him anyway.

Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
2007 Numbers: 39 catches, 391 yards, 2 TDs
Reason He’ll Slip: Comes off an up and down rookie season and has two questionable quarterbacks - Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton - competing for the team’s starting job.
Cautious Optimism: Has freakish speed and athleticism for a tight end and is cut from the same cloth as Giants’ tight end and fellow Miami alum Jeremy Shockey. Only, Olsen comes without the headache.
Our Take: Olsen should be much more involved in the Bears’ passing attack with a pair of QBs that will struggle to get the ball downfield. At 6-foot-5 and 252 pounds, he should be an inviting target in the red zone as well.

Alge Crumpler, Tennessee Titans
2007 Numbers: 42 catches, 444 yards, 5 TDs
Reason He’ll Slip: Wasn’t fully healthy (knee) for the 2007 season and leaves Atlanta for a less passer friendly offense in Tennessee.
Cautious Optimism: Crumpler is a monster in the red zone and should provide a nice safety net to new quarterback Vince Young. If healthy, he is one of the few tight ends in fantasy capable of scoring 6 or more touchdowns.
Our Take: If you buy into Young taking a step forward in his third season, Crumpler makes for an even better draft choice. Even with Michael Vick, Chris Redman and Joey Harrington throwing him passes, Crumpler has caught at least 5 TD passes in each of the last 4 seasons.

DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

Philadelphia Eagles
2007 Numbers: 18.8 ppg, 11 INTs, 8 FRs, 37 sacks, 0 TDs
Reason It’ll Slip: This was the usual gritty and tough defense in Philly, but it lacked playmakers and finished last in the NFC in both interceptions and fumble recoveries.
Cautious Optimism: The additions of Asante Samuel as a lockdown corner and rookie DeSean Jackson as a return man should help solve the playmaking problem. Coverage sacks, return TDs and interceptions should all be on the rise.
Our Take: The secondary is strong even without Lito Shepperd, who is holding out, says the Trenton Times. If that unit can fly around and wreak havoc, the Eagles should have no problems doing some scoring in fantasy.

Jacksonville Jaguars
2007 Numbers: 19.0 ppg, 20 INTs, 10 FRs, 37 sacks, 4 TDs
Reason It’ll Slip: Sexier picks exist at this position. This is a unit that lacks flash and big name players, so many owners will prefer teams like Indianapolis, New England, Pittsburgh and Arizona.
Cautious Optimism: First-year coordinator Gregg Williams got two new toys via the draft in pass-rushing ends Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. More pressure upfront will help a very good secondary roam and make big plays downfield.
Our Take: Defense is the bread and butter for coach Jack Del Rio, who sets a tone of toughness and work ethic. This group should be a fringe Top-5 fantasy D in ‘08.

Arizona Cardinals
2007 Numbers: 20.6 ppg, 20 INTs, 13 FRs, 36 sacks, 0 TDs
Reason It’ll Slip: Arizona’s reputation precedes themselves, and it will be tough to shake the image of a perennial doormat.
Cautious Optimism: This is a group with talented, young athletes everywhere. Safeties Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle were joined in the secondary by first-round draft choice Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Up front, two new defensive ends were added to the mix, including freakish athlete Calais Campbell.
Our Take: Arizona is getting some deserved attention in fantasy drafts, but not enough. The Cards are the 17th unit off the board in ESPN drafts and should be capable of starting in 10-team leagues.

List compiled by Dustin Hockensmith and Anthony Oliva III.