Sleeper Watch

Look who’s back! After years of speculation, Barry Sanders has finally decided to return to the gridiron, signing a two-year contract with the Houston Texans yesterday.

Sanders, who made his decision after quarterback David Carr literally went down on his knees and begged him to come to Houston, was one of the most dominating rushers in the league during his ten-year career, averaging 1526 rushing yards per season between 1989 and 1998 while posting a phenomenal five yards per carry. The big question now is whether he can regain that magic after sitting out the last four seasons.

At age thirty-four, Sanders is no spring chicken, yet he seems to be in excellent shape, wowing Texans’ coaches at three separate workouts and prompting Houston to sacrifice three draft picks for his services. Timed at 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash and showing the excellent lateral movement he is famous for, it appears that Sanders is ready to continue right where he left off.

One additional concern, of course, is Houston’s offensive line, not exactly one of the league’s more formidable units last season. Consider, however, that Sanders never needed a top-notch line to succeed while with Detroit, and that Houston has vowed to address this area in the upcoming draft.

Where should Sanders be taken in your own upcoming drafts? We’ll know more after seeing him play in camp, but if your league is drafting now, an early second-round pick seems reasonable. Of course, if you’ve already drafted, it’s time to head straight to the waiver wire and pick up what could be the steal of the year. Grab Sanders now - don’t wait until next APRIL FOOL’S day…