The Saints traded Reggie Bush to the Dolphins for a defensive player.

After five years since he was drafted as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 draft, the Reggie Bush experiment is finally over. Was it a success? Not really. Many compared Bush to be the next Barry Sanders after his unbelievable run as USC’s starting running back. But once Bush put on his Saints uniform, he was never able to truly live up to the hype. He had his moments. But like I wrote in my Dolphins Eying Bush article, he shouldn’t be counted on to do much in Miami.

And going back to Miami, the Dolphins wound up trading safety Jonathon Amaya after Bush agreed to a new two-year, $9.75 million contract. Bush should see more work than he did in the crowded Saints backfield, but don’t expect him to go back to that Barry Sanders-type back some thought he would be, even if he is now playing on natural grass.

What does this mean for rookie Daniel Thomas’ value? I originally thought it wouldn’t have much of an affect since everything I read stated that the team is going to make Thomas the workhorse, but somehow that thinking may have gone right down the toilet with head coach Tony Sparano’s recent comments that he has strong belief this guy can carry the ball on first and second down.

I would still continue to draft Thomas as an RB3, just with not as much upside as I was hoping for. As for Bush? Well, I harped on this guy being nothing more than a backup/situational back. But those recent comments sort of threw a wrench in the spokes before the second week of training camps even started. Sparano saying that Bush can be used on first and second downs could be just coach speak, but it could also mean Thomas will never be able to crack RB2 status. At best, Bush will see at least fifteen touches, but I just don’t see him passing Thomas as the featured back. He’s shown nothing that makes me think he can be the guy.

In my opinion, Bush wouldn’t last five games as a featured back. The only running back in the history of running backs that have the same size and build as Bush that could with stand the punishments was Warrick Dunn. Dunn was made of steel.

————————————————————————

Even as a backup, Darren Sproles will touch the ball more as a Saint.

How does Darren Sproles tie into all this? Well, the Saints are hoping Sproles can do what Bush never could do and that is be a solid pass-catching option, but also a guy who can give them solid yards on the ground.

Sproles signed a four-year, $14 million contract on July 28. What the signing means is that he will automatically move to the back up spot behind rookie Mark Ingram. He’s already penciled in at the spot and should have no problems holding off the motley crew in the backfield that was around for 2010.

Pierre Thomas had shown glimpses here and there, but he can’t stay healthy after pining for a new contract a couple years ago. Last year’s surprise Chris Ivory is currently coming off a Lisfranc injury and may not even be healthy enough to be active come Week One. Lynell Hamilton shouldn’t be a factor at all. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these guys cut over the next couple weeks.

So where is Sproles’ fantasy value? After being stuck behind Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert in Chargerland last year, it definitely gets a spike, even if he is a No. 2 on the depth chart. If you draft Ingram, I would try and leave a roster spot open for Sproles as his handcuff if I could. Remember, Ingram’s career in Alabama didn’t come without injuries. And I strongly doubt the Saints trust him enough to give him 20+ carries a game. In PPR leagues, Sproles’ value goes up a bit more. And as a kickoff/punt return guy, Sproles value goes up even more in return-yardage leagues.

Check out my quick recap in the latest episode of Brosh’s Fantasy Corner on You Tube.

A. Owners usually think that their No. 1 fantasy back will last all sixteen games. Which is usually the case. But in the case of a guy like Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, who missed a game last year, having backup Toby Gerhart in Week Fifteen would have come in handy for AD owners.

B. League roster requirements are so small that most of the time they prohibit owners from being able to use up a spot on two running backs from the same team. For those owners in this situation, I strongly urge your commissioner to rethink this rule. Having one extra spot for your top player’s handcuff can be crucial at times.

So back to the list. Remember, this is a pretty small scale compared to all the handcuffs that could/should be taken this year. As far as a guy like Titans RB Chris Johnson goes, it’s hard to recommend a handcuff simply because the guys behind him don’t have a big enough stat sheet to make them worthy enough for your roster.

And now, on with the show:

1. Rashad Jennings (Jaguars) – Owners should know by now how I feel about Jennings after I analyzed his situation in one of my sleeper articles. With RB Maurice Jones-Drew’s questionable knee, Jennings should easily be considered the No. 1 handcuff option by a landslide. I’m not even sure if MJD’s knee can hold up until midseason if the bone-on-bone condition can’t improve.

2. Toby Gerhart (Vikings) – As I mentioned above, having Gerhart to back up Peterson might be a good idea, especially this year, considering it’s been widely speculated that Minnesota’s offense will run through AD as the team gets through their question marks in the passing game. That’s a lot of work for a guy who has been prone to injury in the past. Gerhart averaged a solid 4.0 ypc when given the rock last year. That’s enough for me to consider him as a must-have handcuff.

3. Michael Bush (Raiders) – I feel so bad for Bush. I was really hoping he would have finally hit unrestricted free agency and got out of Darren McFadden’s shadow. But because of his missed rookie season while mending a broken leg, a first-and-third round restricted tender is going to keep Bush in Oakland for another year. And because of this, he ranks as my No. 3 must-have handcuff for 2011. McFadden finally broke out in 2010 to the tune of 1664 total yards from scrimmage and ten total touchdowns, but he also missed three games in Weeks 5, 6 and 17. Bush had one of his best games ever in the last week of the season, rushing for 137 yards, catching 4 passes and a rushing for a score. Bush always had starter material, but was never given much of a chance. But with McFadden, Bush could easily start a game or two.

4. Mikel Leshoure (Lions) – Even though he’s only a rookie, Leshoure will see work early as the Lions’ offense continues to grow. Jahvid Best dealt with turf toe for most of the 2010 season, so could this be a sign of things to come? While I think Best will bounce back in his second year, there is belief that Leshoure is already slated to vulture most of the short yardage/goal-line work. That could be enough to make him an option in touchdown-heavy leagues all by himself. Owners should also remember that HC Jim Schwartz was in Tennessee when RB LenDale White scored a whopping fifteen touchdowns while sharing with RB Chris Johnson in 2008. So if Best goes down, Leshoure could shine quickly.

5. Mike Tolbert (Chargers) - Like Best, Ryan Mathews was also on the sidelines for much of the 2010 season after ankle problems plagued him throughout the year. Tolbert wound up starting four games and put up pretty decent stats (951 total yards/11 rushing touchdowns) for a guy who wasn’t supposed to amount to much after the team released LaDainian Tomlinson. Mathews is expected to start this year, but there are already rumblings that the coaching staff is concerned after Mathews rookie season, but it would be hard to imagine Tolbert being that much better than a vastly talented Mathews. But still, nabbing Tolbert in the later rounds if you snagged Mathews early is a must.

New England (33): Akeem Ayers, DE/OLB, UCLA

• Still in desperate need of some pass-rushing reinforcements for their front seven, New England is forced to use a second high draft pick on pass rush personnel. Even if both Cameron Jordan and Ayers pan out, the Pats have filled the need for a second outside linebacker and for a defensive end to upgrade over Gerard Warren. However, Mike Wright is injury prone and Ty Warren won’t be around forever, and with an abundance of draft picks the Pats very well might triple-dip in pass rushers with this draft class.

Buffalo (34): Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame

• Shawn Nelson has been a terrible disappointment for Buffalo. They’ve got a lot of holes to fill but Rudolph has first-round talent at tight end. Since I’m a believer in Ryan Fitzpatrick, they might as well surround him with some good toys to play with before moving on from him.

Cincinnati (35): Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

• Since Carson Palmer doesn’t plan on playing for the Bengals ever again, they need a contingency plan. I could have given them Blaine Gabbert in round one, but with the looming departures of Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, AJ Green’s talent was simply too much to pass up. Now they have to come back with an accurate West Coast-style passer to build the offense around. Dalton has really good accuracy and nice mobility to go with it, and given Green, Cedric Benson, Jermaine Gresham, and Jordan Shipley as weapons, Dalton will help a lot of Bengals fans forget the name Carson Palmer.

Denver (36): Cam Heyward, DE, Ohio State

• Despite Elvis Dumervil returning to the starting lineup next season, the Broncos really need to make improvements to their pass rush and add depth to their front seven. Injury concerns drop Heyward into the early second round, but despite the elbow he is too talented for Denver to pass up.

Cleveland (37): Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona

• Cleveland, in need of 4-3 personnel, is lucky to find Arizona’s Brooks Reed here. His stock has been rising and it’s starting to look like he could go in the first round. Cleveland didn’t have a bad defense last year and has a lot of solid building blocks, but they still need to improve at getting to opposing quarterbacks.

Arizona (38): Aaron Williams, CB, Texas

• The Cardinals need multiple offensive line upgrades, but their defense gave up the third-most yards in the league last year. Their front seven needs most of the help and will enjoy the addition of Von Miller, but the Cards could use reinforcements at corner as well. Texas’ Aaron Williams should not disappoint.

Tennessee (39): Marcus Cannon, G, TCU

• The Titans got their new quarterback in Round One with Blaine Gabbert, now they need to start giving him protection and weapons. Having Kenny Britt and Chris Johnson will be a big help, so they should pursue an offensive line upgrade before getting another receiver or tight end for Gabbert to work with. Cannon is currently the top talent on the board at guard, an area where the Titans could use some help.

Dallas (40): Ben Ijalana, T, Villanova

• The Cowboys need a bunch of upgrades on defense and on the offensive line. They got JJ Watt to bolster their defensive front seven and now seek to improve Tony Romo’s protection with a new right tackle. Next up they’ll have to address holes in their secondary, regardless of whether or not Jerry Jones sees it as a position of need.

Washington (41): Jake Locker, QB, Washington

• Once considered a first round prospect, Jake Locker threw his draft stock off the cliff after the season he had in 2010. Still, there’s not much in terms of surefire quarterback talent this year, so the Redskins will start a mini-run on the position here by taking the top name off the board.

Houston (42): Brandon Harris, CB, Miami

• After giving up a league-worst 267.5 passing yards per game last year, the Texans badly need help in their secondary. Brandon Harris, like Aaron Williams, is a borderline first-round talent who falls to round 2 out of circumstance and provides Houston a nice option to pair alongside former first round pick Kareem Jackson.

Minnesota (43): Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

• It’s time to move on from Brett Favre, and Tarvaris Jackson just isn’t the answer. The Vikings have to find a guy to be their next starting quarterback, and Ponder is the best option to go with. With Sidney Rice (assuming he is re-signed), Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Adrian Peterson in place, any potential new QB for the Vikings is coming in to a pretty good situation, so there will be no excuses for failure.

Detroit (44): Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina

• The Lions have had a really nice youth movement as of late led by Louis Delmas and Ndamukong Suh, but there is still plenty of work left to be done. Particularly, the team needs some help at linebacker and to groom a replacement for Julian Peterson. Bruce Carter should be a beast on the outside and will help “restore the roar” to the Lions defense.

San Francisco (45): Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

• Mallett may not have great character, but boy can he throw a football. For a desperate franchise like San Francisco, they need to take a look and hope that he can become a great quarterback despite his obvious downsides. Being able to take him in round two and after other elite quarterback prospects is a huge plus because it will mean less of a financial commitment in case Mallett follows in the footsteps of superbusts Ryan Leaf and Matt Leinart.

Denver (46): Joseph Barksdale, T, LSU

• Luckily for the Broncos they have the second overall pick and two early second rounders to address their many holes. Cam Heyward and Marcel Dareus represent much-needed upgrades to the front seven, and now they need to focus on the offensive line. I thought about Danny Watkins, who is ready to be an impact blocker right now, but because of his age (27) I feel many teams will back off him more than they should. Instead they end up with Joseph Barksdale of LSU, who will hopefully be the upgrade Denver needs at right tackle.

St. Louis (47): Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami

• Q: Why did Sam Bradford struggle so much at times last year?   A: He has no help at receiver. The Rams need another playmaker on offense and at 47 Leonard Hankerson is a steal.

Oakland (48): Davon House, CB, New Mexico State

• For some reason, the Raiders decided they didn’t want the best cornerback in the game on their roster anymore. Nnamdi Asomugha’s contract was voided for not getting enough interceptions (it’s hard to get a lot of them when you’re the least-thrown-at-defensive back in the game), and while the team may try to bring him back they certainly can’t count on it. Davon House is the best cornerback on the board and they pretty much have to take him unless they can find some other contingency plan.

Jacksonville (49): Rahim Moore, S, UCLA

• After ranking second-to-last in passing defense last year, the Jaguars have a ton of improvements to make in order to get their defense to an acceptable level. Moore will be a big boost to the secondary but even after this pick the Jags will need another safety and a cornerback.

San Diego (50): Jerrel Jernigan, WR, Troy

• The Bolts have almost no chance of retaining Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd, so to keep their offense in tip, top shape they’ll need to add a wide receiver. Jernigan is the top wide out left on the board and his stock is after the rise after a nice Pro Day.

Tampa Bay (51): Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pitt

• The Bucs need a bunch of help at defensive end even with their first round selection of Muhammad Wilkerson. Sheard has better talent than his draft stock indicates and should fill in nicely in the starting lineup for Tampa.

New York Giants (52): Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech

• With Ahmad Bradshaw in the fold, the Giants don’t necessarily need Williams, but it can never hurt to take the best player on the board. Besides, with Bradshaw an upcoming free agent, it is possible that he could leave the team. If Bradshaw does leave, no one in the Giants organization would be comfortable using Brandon Jacobs in an every-down role. Williams would make for a very good replacement, sooner or later.

Indianapolis (53): Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma

• After releasing the oft-injured Bob Sanders, the Colts are going to have to look for a new safety who can step in and take over the role. Carter is the top safety left on the board and has demonstrated some very nice ability in coverage.

Philadelphia (54): Tyler Sash, S, Iowa

• Like Indy, the Eagles are need of a few upgrades to their secondary with their top needs including a replacement at safety and depth at cornerback. After the Colts nabbed Quinton Carter and no prospects currently worth taking at corner, the Eagles are left to go with Iowa’s Tyler Sash.

Kansas City (55): Christian Ballard, DE, Iowa

• Kansas City’s only big pass-rush threat at the moment is Tamba Hali, and this needs to change if the they expect to make more playoff runs (or even win a playoff game) in the future. Ballard is worth a look as a defensive end, though this will still leave the Chiefs with a need to upgrade over Mike Vrabel. Still, there’s no way Ballard can be any worse than Tyson Jackson, making him an instant upgrade.

New Orleans (56): Drake Nevis, DT, LSU

• The Saints need a long term solution at defensive tackle because Shaun Rogers will be little more than a stopgap. Nevis is a big, quick, disruptive tackle and as long as he can keep his size under control he should be a serviceable player for the Saints.

Seattle (57): Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina

• Even more so than the Saints, the Seahawks need help up front with their defensive line. Austin is even more physically gifted than Drake Nevis, but the problem is that there are issues with Austin’s work ethic. However, as we’ve seen with his gambles on LenDale White and Mike Williams, this isn’t a big deal for Pete Carroll, who is too desperate for defensive help to be picky.

Baltimore (58): Curtis Brown, CB, Texas

• He may not be the fastest corner prospect in this draft class, but Curtis Brown had a nice 39.5-inch vertical and is not afraid to dish out some hard hits. Is it just me, or is that Baltimore-style football? With multiple cornerbacks set to reach free agency, this is a big area of need for the Ravens, and as the best cornerback prospect left on the board Brown seems like a natural fit to me.

Atlanta (59): Stefen Wisniewski, OL, Penn State

• Wisniewski’s draft stock currently pegs him as a middle-second round pick, so it’s a bit of a miracle for Atlanta that he’s fallen this far. The Falcons could use an offensive line upgrade to improve protection for Matt Ryan, and while they have a bigger need at offensive tackle, Wisniewski has the flexibility to play center or guard and certainly couldn’t hurt Atlanta’s offensive line. Matty Ice will appreciate all the extra blocking help he can get.

New England (60): Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois

• It may not be very Belichickian to take a big-time running back, but it is Belichickian to take a big value pick. Mikel Leshoure is one of the best running backs in this draft class and could easily be taken much earlier in the second round. Also, despite the emergence of both BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead last year, having a three-down back in the fold would go a long ways in helping the offense as it wouldn’t telegraph what sort of play to expect for the defense. The Pats are actually expected to take a running back in the draft this year, and this seems like the best spot for them to do it.

San Diego (61): James Carpenter, T, Alabama

• Carpenter isn’t the most athletic guy at tackle, but has excelled as a run blocker and would fill a positional need for the Chargers.

Chicago (62): Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

• Just like Matt Stafford with the Lions, it isn’t the front office that is paying the price for having a bad offensive line, it’s the quarterback. Jay Cutler may have been able to lead the Bears to the Super Bowl last year, but we have no idea what would have been because terrible blocking allowed the Packers to pound him to the turf until he couldn’t play anymore. Teams will likely back off of Danny Watkins a little bit because he’s 27, but he’s ready to start right now and should be an impact blocker. Chicago needs to find out if he’s as good as advertised.

Pittsburgh (63): Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State

• There’s a possibility the Steelers won’t be bringing back Willie Colon, so he will need to be replaced. Rodney Hudson has been a great run-blocker and Rashard Mendenhall will love all the open rushing lanes that Hudson will create for him.

Green Bay (64): Sam Acho, DE/OLB, Texas

• I originally would have given the Packers a guard here like Orlando Franklin or Will Rackley, but since Johnny Jolly has been arrested again it’s time for the Packers to move on and find somebody else. Sam Acho will provide another pass rusher across the field from Clay Matthews, which is always a plus when you face Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler twice a year.
  

Louis Murphy is the Raiders go-to receiver to start 2010

The final preseason games are over. Most drafts are over. Final roster cuts are being made. More injuries have occurred. This seems like a good time to get our first look at the best waiver wire pick-ups of the preseason.

Every position and every team has had some interesting twists and turns over the preseason’s four games. So let’s go around the league and take a look at each team’s standouts and potential waiver fodder, plus Watch-list candidates.

–AFC West–

Denver Broncos:

RB: With Knowshon Moreno being as fragile as he seems to be, and Lendale White out for the season, make sure you cuff Correll Buckhalter or stash him on your bench in case Knowshon goes down, if you have the room.

WR: Despite the knowledge that Jabar Gaffney is the team’s number one wide receiver this season, league owners are passing him over, which is a huge mistake. He’s going to have a solid fantasy impact in 2010 and he’s less than 20% owned. He’s an immediate waiver grab.

IDP: Interesting guys to keep an eye on or draft in deeper leagues– DE Robert Ayers is going to be the team’s outside linebacker this year, which means you get linebacker numbers with Defensive Lineman eligibility. If your league counts return yardage then you want to nab DB Perrish Cox who is now the team’s primary return man.

Kansas City Chiefs:

There is one fantasy name that has been on everyone’s lips this summer, but yet he’s still owned in only about 15% of leagues, and that’s rookie Dexter McCluster. Every word about him has been positive and glowing, and the team is using him as a living utility knife; rushing, receiving, returning, and even at QB in wildcat formations. If you have room for him on your bench, he is a recommended waiver grab, especially in PPR leagues. He should end up with WR and RB eligibility this year.

Oakland Raiders:

The Raiders are a team of under-the-radar waiver possibilities. Most notably WR Louis Murphy. Despite being the team’s best receiver in the preseason and the team’s #1 on the depth chart he’s still less than 25% owned. On the IDP side of the ball, Trevor Scott is playing linebacker this season but qualifies at DL in Yahoo and ESPN leagues. He has looked good this summer and the team is high on him.

San Diego Chargers:

Don’t waste your time jumping on Patrick Crayton now that he’s been traded to the Chargers. His fantasy relevance is minimal. Beyond Malcolm Floyd, Legedu Naanee is the waiver pick up to have on your roster at WR. He will line-up alongside Floyd and should put up respectable WR3/4 numbers. He’s only owned in about 12% of leagues so far.

Previous: AFC North, NFC North

Next up: NFC West

The start of the regular season also means the beginning of the 2010 fantasy football season, and what better way to kick things off, than to take a quick look at some notable injuries that you may not be up to speed on.

At the end, we will provide a quick little recap of those players who are still out for the time being, facing the PUP list, or done for the season altogether.

Currently On The Mend:

RB Michael Bush – OAK, is more than likely to miss the season opener at Tennessee, and could potentially miss up to a quarter of the season with a fractured thumb, reports The Oakland Tribune.

Bush is suffering from what is called “Bennett’s fracture” which is a fracture of the base of the first metacarpal bone which extends into the carpmetacarpal or (CMC) joint. It is basically a very common dislocation, but one that will require a surgical procedure.

The obvious mention is that the workload will significantly increase for Darren McFadden who hasn’t quite been the model of health himself in recent weeks, although he is currently fine as can be.

+++

RB Montario Hardesty – CLE, will miss the entire 2010 season with a torn left ACL reports Adam Schefter on Twitter.

The Browns were hoping to get Hardesty into the mix heavily and early,  but that isn’t going to happen now. Jerome Harrison will take over the starting duties in Cleveland, and could have some intriguing value going forward.

Harrison has ran for 47 yards on 16 carries this preseason adding in 29 yards on four catches, but he was able to muster up 862 yards with 5 TDs on 194 carries in 2009.

Keep something in mind. Harrison did play in 13 games last year, but was really only featured 4 times, and in those four games, he averaged 30 carries for 171 yards scoring in three of the four games.

+++

RB Steve Slaton – HOU, is slated to miss the first week of the season with turf toe confirms HoustonTexans.com but Slaton isn’t the only RB issue for Houston as Jeremiah Johnson is also out with a dislocated right toe

That leaves RB Chris Henry, and this season’s brightest sleeper Arian Foster.

Henry will begin the season as the primary backup, but once Slaton returns to full health Henry will be relegated to third on the depth chart.

To be honest, outside of Foster about to have a breakout season, the rest of the RB situation is just as screwy as Troy Polamalu insuring his hair for a million dollars in a curious publicity stunt (thank you Lloyds of London and Head and Shoulders).

+++

TE Jeremy Shockey – NO, suffered a concussion in the Saints third preseason game, but coach Sean Peyton has clarified it as more of a “ding” on the noggin reports Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Shockey will be ready to go Thursday night against the Vikings, but it is a situation to closely monitor for Week One and Two as the Saints face two very hard hitting teams in the Vikings and Dolphins.

+++

RB Fred Jackson – BUF, will be limited in the early goings of the season admits head coach Chan Gailey, as reported by buffalobills.com.

Gailey is taking a conservative approach with Jackson’s fractured hand recovery since he has rookie C.J. Spiller chomping at the bit, and fellow RB Marshawn Lynch back from injury.

But the real issue is the apparent drop in Jackson’s ADP and rise in Spillers, which indicates people are nervously switching out the two backs in their drafts which may not be the wisest of decisions.

Jackson will score a lot of touchdowns, and provide some decent PPR value, so don’t be one of the panicked ones and start getting all goofy with your draft. It could come back to bite you in the end…remember ADP is a forecast, it isn’t anything written in stone.

Other Notable Infirmary Residents:

Leigh Bodden – CB – NE: Out for the year with torn rotator cuff.
Calvin Pace – LB – NYJ: Out for the season speculates coach Ryan, but could return in 4 to 6 weeks with broken foot.
Elvis Dumervil – LB – DEN: Out until perhaps December with torn pectorals.
Antoine Harris – S – PHI: Out for the season with a Lisfranc sprain.
LenDale White – RB – DEN; Out for season with ruptured Achilles tendon.
Donnie Avery – WR – STL: Out for the season with knee surgery.

Al Harris – DB – GB: Will begin the season on the PUP list, and is in jeopardy of never playing again with the amount of injury he sustained in his knee.
Darren Sharper – S – NO: There is a growing possibility of Shaper beginning the season on the PUP list, but Peyton will take as much times as he can to evaluate the situation. Because of this, keep an eye on DB/S Michael Jenkins.

Sidney Rice – WR – MIN: Out until Week 7
Chaz Schilens – WR – OAK: Out 3 to 6 weeks speculates coach Tom Cable (knee).

A fantasy pirate's treasure?

Most fantasy owners know the big name running back tandems and important handcuffs. The ever-popular running back by committee has made primary backs almost obsolete. Still each season a few new names pop up to surprise even the savviest of fantasy veterans. Guys like Arian Foster, Justin Forsett, and Jason Snelling came out of the woodwork to make a name for themselves in 2009, and Forsett and Foster look to be starters this year.

Every season has it’s share of busts and injuries which change the fantasy landscape and new names surface on top of the waiver wire. Here are some deep sleepers from around the league who could be this season’s breakout fantasy surprises.

– NFC South–

Kareem Huggins,  TB ~ Huggins has officially supplanted Derrick Ward as the  Bucs’ second-string running back. The kid has been on fire this preseason and could push Cadillac Williams for touches, and may be only an injury away from fantasy stardom. Huggins is explosive and may be the most likely among this list to  make a name for himself, sooner rather than later.

–NFC West–

Anthony Dixon,  SF ~ The 49ers grabbed veteran Brian Westbrook this month to shore up the backfield after the unlikely retirement of Glen Coffee. However, rookie tailback Dixon is the one shining in camp, and given Westbrook’s fragile nature, he will likely see the bulk of the work if Gore misses time.

–NFC East–

Danny Ware,  NYG ~ One thing seems to be a permanent fixture in the G-men’s running game; injuries. With Andre Brown being cut, Ware gets his chance to step up, and he’s looked good in preseason action. Brandon Jacobs is also hurt. Keep an eye on this kid as a late round flier.

–NFC North–

Brandon Jackson, GB ~ Jackson has been getting plenty of action for the Packers with Ryan Grant hurting. Coach Mike McCarthy believes Jackson is capable of being “an every-down back” if Grant goes down. “He’s a complete football player,” said McCarthy. “If we had to play all three downs with him, I wouldn’t even blink.” He’s a must handcuff to Grant, but he could provide more than security.

–AFC South–

Rashad Jennings, JAX ~ Jennings beat out rookie Deji Karim for the team’s #2 RB slot behind Maurice Jones-Drew. “He can do all the things we want a running back to do,” said coach Del Rio, “from running the ball, blitz protection, catching the ball, knowing the entire offense inside and out.” MJD usually stays pretty healthy, but Jennings is one injury away from glory.

–AFC West–

Lance Ball, DEN ~ With Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter constant injury concerns, the back behind them could flourish at the twist of an ankle. While you would expect that to be veterans like Justin Fargas or Lendale White, Ball is the name to know.

–AFC North–

Isaac Redman, PIT ~ While rookie Jonathan Dwyer was expected to push and back-up Rashard Mendenhall this season, it’s been Redman who has made the most of his opportunities. At this point Redman has the inside track and is a serious TD vulture.

James Davis,  CLE ~ Everyone in fantasyland is watching the Jerome Harrison/Montario Hardesty battle this summer, but let us not forget that Davis is still on the team and in the mix. Davis was slated to be the replacement for Jamal Lewis until he was injured at the start of 2009. Remember this is the guy who kept CJ Spiller on the bench at Clemson. The talent is still there.

–AFC East–

The AFC East is littered with RBBC’s; Jackson/Lynch/Spiller in Buffalo, Brown/Williams in Miami, Taylor/Maroney/Morris in New England, and Greene/Tomlinson for the Jets. No deep sleeper standouts here.