Picture it: Your fantasy team is in a tight race for the championship, and a few categories are going to separate the winner from the losers. You hear a report that an injury-prone player has gone down and is now out for the season. You race to your computer and pull up that team’s depth chart to figure out who will benefit from the injury. Your face lights up when you see that a guy who specializes in the category that you need will now get a big boost in minutes. What luck!
You login to your league and go to your waiver wire, ready to grab the player that will propel you to a league title. But wait…something is wrong. Where is your player?
Your heart sinks as you find that one of your opponents has already grabbed him, and just a few minutes before you. If you had not spent the time pulling up that depth chart he would have been yours. You go on to take second in your league, while your quicker opponent wins the title, thanks in large part to that waiver wire pickup. All you can do now is hope for better luck next year.
A tragic tale? Maybe, but it’s also one that is easily avoidable. Identifying sleepers doesn’t just mean looking for guys who you can snag late in your draft, it also means identifying those guys who won’t be drafted but can help your team should they start to receive minutes. In many cases it’s these players who can make or break your season. Here are a few guys that have the potential to be the guy who gets you over the hump and into the promised land:
Alonzo Mourning: Zo may be getting up there in years, but he is still one of the best post defenders in the league. When (not if) Shaq goes down Zo will have plenty of fantasy value once again. At one point in time, Zo was one of the best centers in the league. Those days are gone, and now he is limited to essentially being a one category wonder. Fortunately that category is the toughest one to find: blocks. When Shaq was out last season Zo averaged roughly 3.2 blocks per game, which is enough to give him value in just about any league. He won’t contribute a whole lot elsewhere since he can’t play enough minutes to get his rebounding or scoring numbers up to par, but his shot blocking is enough to carry most teams in the category. When Shaq goes down pick up Zo and watch your team skyrocket to the top in the blocks.
Brevin Knight: BK is another guy who has a high probability of getting major minutes at some point during the season due to a starter being injured. Currently Knight is slated to back up the creaky Sam Cassell for the Clippers. While Knight may not be a great all around player, he does excel in 2 particular areas: assists and steals. When he gets enough minutes he has the potential to average 8 assists and about 2 steals per game, both of which can give owners struggling in those categories a very solid boost. Like Zo, even with minutes Knight is not going to be an all around superstar, but sometimes it’s the specialists who put you on your way to victory.
Jose Calderon: This guy is the main reason why so many Raptors fans these days are willing to part with TJ Ford. Calderon is a solid PG who netted owners 13 points and 5.3 assists while shooting over 50% from the field while playing only 24 minutes per game last season. While those numbers probably aren’t enough to get him drafted in your league, they do show us that the guy has the potential to be a fantasy stud if given full time minutes. In 5 games last season where he received over 38 minutes, Calderon averaged 9.6 assists and 16 points while shooting 60% from the field. Should something happen to TJ Ford, whether it be a trade, injury, or whatever, run (don’t walk) and pick up Calderon.
Tony Allen: Yes, the Celtics have their Big 3, and it looks like even Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins will be taken in most drafts this year as well. However, Tony Allen is likely to slip through the cracks and go un-drafted. Allen saw his 06-07 season end prematurely due to a fluke knee injury when he dunked a ball during a stop in play. He has said that he will be 100% by the Celtics opener, which is great news for Celtics fans and fantasy owners alike. The Celtics have very little depth, and with Ray Allen’s ankles chances are good that at some point Tony Allen will be getting starter’s minutes. When Paul Pierce was out last season Allen stepped up big time, averaging about 19 points per game while shooting over 50% from the field, 80% from the line, and snatching a whopping 2.7 steals per game! With the lack of guards on the Celtics roster Tony could very likely have fantasy value all season, but if and when Ray Allen goes out he should explode as a fantasy stud.
JR Smith: Smith may not be the most upstanding young man in the league, but he can certainly shoot the ball. And considering the fact that the Nuggets options are to either run Smith or Chucky Atkins alongside AI I wouldn’t be surprised to see JR eventually get the nod. Chucky is a decent shooter, but as any Laker fan will tell you he plays absolutely no defense, which should start to wear on George Karl’s patience by the middle of the season. JR’s athleticism and shooting will eventually win him the lion’s share of the minutes, although it may take a few months for it to happen. When playing 30 minutes per game Smith can get you around 17 points and nearly 3 threes per game, which is solid production from a guy that will be picked up off of the waiver wire. Keep an eye on Chucky Atkins’ production (and hustle) in Denver, and if his minutes start to drop grab JR Smith.
Getting the right guy off of waivers can make or break your fantasy season. Make sure you take the time to identify those players who can produce when given minutes. And of course, be flexible so that you can react to those surprises who bust out each year. With preparation and a little luck you can go from playing for second place to hoisting the championship trophy.
-unpossibl1 
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