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Third in an eight-part series
“Sleeper” is firmly ensconced in the fantasy football lexicon. Your definition of a sleeper may vary slightly from ours, but we can all agree the ideal sleeper (1) outperforms his draft position, (2) is drafted relatively late and (3) becomes a key part of your fantasy team.
With this in mind, here’s a sleeper candidate to watch on each of the AFC South teams:
AFC South
Houston —RB Steve Slaton
Pick a running back, any Texans running back other than Ahman Green, and you have a Houston candidate. Slaton is our pick because he’s the fastest of the running backs looking to share carries with Green, who struggled to stay on the field last season because of a nagging knee injury. Others may prefer ex-Titans RB Chris Brown or third-year back Chris Taylor, but both have had injury issues of their own in the past. Slaton is on the small side for the position, but he’s talented, and it would not be a surprise if he gets a crack at the job at some point.
Indianapolis — Colts’ defense
Don’t undervalue the Colts’ defense. The injuries to Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders have some souring on this unit, but both should be back for the start of the regular season. A seemingly perennial underachiever, the Colts put it all together on defense in 2007, ranking third in yards allowed. It could be more of the same in ’08.
Jacksonville — QB David Garrard
In his first year as a starter, Garrard was extremely efficient. However, operating a conservative offense limited his numbers. Now, offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is itching to open up the playbook and let it rip downfield. With ex-Raiders WR Jerry Porter in the fold (albeit recovering from surgery to repair a torn hamstring), the Jaguars have a beefed-up receiving corps that should lead to solid numbers for Garrard.
Tennessee — QB Vince Young
Young is going to be drafted as a backup in most formats after throwing for only nine touchdowns and rushing for only 395 yards and three scores last season. However, Young was a more accurate passer than he was a rookie, and he averaged more yards per passing attempt. Young played through a thigh injury for much of last season, a factor that couldn’t have helped his mobility. A healthy, more experienced Young could easily exceed the low expectations set for him in 2008. On talent alone, he’s worth a late-round gamble.
Related Articles:
AFC East sleepers: Ricky Williams is back in Miami and ready to fill in for Brown
AFC North sleepers: Stallworth takes his speed to Cleveland
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