Sleeper Watch

Drafting tight ends will be a whole new ballgame in 2003. Gone are the days of either grabbing Tony Gonzalez early or waiting until the final rounds to pick a TE. This time around, an unprecedented number of TEs will go off the board in the middle rounds, including Gonzalez, Bubba Franks, Todd Heap, Jeremy Shockey and others. If you don’t want to start the TE run, but also don’t want to be stuck with the leftovers, consider Billy Miller.

In the first season where he had the chance to prove himself (sitting on the bench in Denver for two years doesn’t count), Miller showed more talent than anybody expected, catching 51 passes for 613 yards, including three scores. And even though Miller’s touchdown’s all came in the first half of the season, his role in the offense actually increased as the year went on: 32 of his catches came in the season’s second half. Entering the 2003 campaign, Miller has a streak of twelve consecutive games with at least three catches. That kind of consistency at one of the most inconsistent fantasy positions shouldn’t be overlooked.

With David Carr looking his way often and Houston’s offense improving in its second season, the future looks bright for Miller. Keep him in mind as a solid option at a fantasy position that’s worth more consideration than we’ve grown used to.