Don't sleep on these guys

I'm still finalizing my 2007 positional rankings for the upcoming football season, and I hope to share those with you in the coming days. Sorry, I'm a busy guy, and being a "guru" takes work. But let me tell you what I'll do for you: how about I throw a few sleepers your way? I like the following guys to exceed expectations this season:

TE Vernon Davis, 49ers: I was ecstatic to grab Davis in one draft last year, as I had him pegged as one of the few rookies who'd make a fantasy impact. And in the games he was healthy, he did, averaging 13 yards a catch and grabbing three TDs. The flip side, of course, is that he missed six games with a broken leg and was a non-factor in a handful of others. That's why you're seeing Davis typically ranked somewhere in the eight-to-10 range among tight ends, but don't let that dissuade you. He has the raw physical skills to surpass some other established vets (Alge Crumpler, L.J. Smith perhaps?) and finish in the top five - or better. A lot of his success, of course, hinges on the continued development of young Alex Smith.

RB Ronnie Brown, Dolphins: His 1,000 yards and five TDs last year didn't justify his status as a No. 1 RB for a lot of owners last year, as they were essentially the same as his rookie campaign. But looking back, those weak numbers weren't all Ronnie's bad. A lot of it had to do with the Fins' trifecta of terrible QBs (Culpepper, Harrington, Lemon, oh my!) and Nick Saban's ineptitude. The QB play should be at least a little steadier with vet Trent Green manning the ship, assuming he's shaken off the cobwebs, and with new coach Cam Cameron looking for his own take-home version of LaDainian Tomlinson, I can see Brown making a big splash this year. Grabbing him as a No. 2 RB will pay dividends.

QB David Carr, Panthers: Carr's a deep sleeper this year now that he's carrying the clipboard for veteran Jake Delhomme in Carolina after being dumped by the Texans (doesn't get a whole lot lower than that, does it?). But if Delhomme doesn't step it up this year after a disappointing 2006, I can see Carr flourishing in a much more stable environment than the one he left behind in Houston. Some have tried to spin the story as if Houston realized Carr's limitations and gave up on him because wasn't going to cut it as an NFL QB, but I'm not totally buying that - the Texans don't exactly have a history of making good decisions, do they? Anyway, Carr likely won't even be drafted in most leagues, but keep a close eye on Delhomme this preseason and at the start of '07, because the still-young Carr offers a lot more upside than most of the NFL backups out there.