Fantasy Football value picks: Rounds 1-12

By Hugo Guzman  |   Tuesday, September 05, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

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Now that the RealFootball365.com fantasy football draft is over, we can go over the top sleeper picks on a round-by-round basis:

Ronnie Brown - first round - 10th overall: Brown was selected with the 10th overall pick in the draft. This could end up being a true bargain because Brown is expected to get the bulk of the carries. If he can stay healthy, the second-year man out of Auburn could end up becoming a 1,500-yard back. Brown is also an extremely talented pass catcher, so he could prove to be a dual-threat for fantasy purposes.

Willie Parker - second round - 16th overall: Parker should also get the bulk of carries now that Jerome Bettis is gone, and he has already shown flashes of talent that make him worthy of a first-round selection. Entering his third year as a pro, the speedy Parker could be set for a breakout season.

Carson Palmer - third round - 36th overall: This could be the steal of the draft based on Palmer's two preseason outings. At the time of our draft, Carson had yet to take a snap, so he slipped considerably based on durability issues. If he can stay healthy and continue to execute, Palmer should end up being one of the top two or three passers in the league.

Roy Williams - fourth round - 43rd overall: Williams has had an up-and-down career but could benefit greatly from the addition of offensive coordinator Mike Martz. He has first-round talent, but needs to prove that he can provide first-round production. This could be the year...

Andre Johnson - fifth round - 55th overall: Few players' fantasy stock dropped farther in 2005. Johnson was a Rookie of the Year candidate two seasons ago, and if he can return to that form, he will make a lot of fantasy owners look very smart. It also helps that Gary Kubiak has installed a more efficient offense and that veteran wideout Eric Moulds has arrived to take some of the pressure off the third-year pro.

Rod Smith - sixth round - 65th overall - Sure, he'll lose some reps to fellow Broncos wideout Javon Walker, but then again, the future Hall of Famer has reach the 1,000-yard plateau in eight of the past nine seasons. Like the recently retired Jimmy Smith, Rod has showed now signs of slowing down and should also be able to produce at a high level until he decides to call it career.

Chris Cooley - seventh round - 75th overall - Cooley is arguably the most underrated fantasy football TE in the league. He has become Mark Brunell's security blanket, and based on Joe Gibbs history of favoring tight end play, Cooley should remain a key cog in the Redskins' offensive attack.

Laurence Maroney - eighth round - 95th overall - Maroney has looked brilliant during the preseason and should take a considerable amount of carries away from the aging Corey Dillon. The elder Dillon is also susceptible to injury, and if he goes down, Maroney (if healthy) could become the featured back in New England.

Ben Watson - ninth round - 105th overall - Watson has wide receiver speed and has all of a sudden become Tom Brady's favorite option. If the preseason is any indication, he could have Antonio Gates-like production in 2006.

Ashley Lelie - 10th round - 117th overall - Lelie has a new city and a new chance to prove that he is a top-flight NFL receiver. The former Bronco has gamebreaking speed and could end up being the beneficiary of Michael Vick's cannon-like arm. If they can work together, this explosive tandem could help one another finally become elite-caliber players at their respective positions.

Mark Brunell - 11th round - 126th overall - Brunell is firmly entrenched as the starter and turned in a respectable campaign last year. If he can match that production, Brunell will be an absolute steal of a pick considering how late he was taken off the board.

Marty Booker - 12th round - 143rd overall - Miami's "other" wide receiver is a former Pro Bowler with a penchant for making plays downfield. He was one of the league's best players in terms of yards per reception and should become even more dangerous now that he has Daunte Culpepper throwing him the deep ball. Booker is an afterthought to many, but could be a coup for the educated fantasy owner.

Brandon Jacobs - 13th round - 154th overall - This one is simple. If Tiki Barber somehow succumbs to injury, Jacobs would instantly become the featured back on one of the league's most explosive offenses. Jacobs has shown flashes of brilliance in briefs stints, so he's a nice reserve to have just in case.

J.P. Losman - 14th round - 168th overall - Losman, the last pick in the RF365 draft, seems to have turned the corner during the preseason and has established a nice rapport with his No. 1 receiver, Lee Evans. Unlike last year, he is locked in as the Bills' starting QB and could prove to be a valuable fantasy backup.

*Special thanks to Jason Kirk for research and analysis that contributed to this column.

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About Hugo Guzman

Co-founder of RealFootball365.com. Born in Argentina, of Dominican descent, living in Hoboken, but from Miami through and ...
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