Sleeper Watch

When you think of the top fantasy receivers, superstars such as Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt and Terrell Owens usually come to mind. But before you spend an early pick on one of these top-flight WRs, check your scoring system.

In a surprising number of leagues, return yards are given as much weight as receiving yards. And clearly, this changes the WR pecking order significantly, often in ways the commish never intended.

Last year, Randy Moss compiled 1667 all-purpose yards and found the end zone 17 times, a full five TDs ahead of runner-up Holt. If yardage – rushing, receiving and returning – is valued at one point per ten yards and TDs are worth six points, this adds up to 268.7 fantasy points, a fantastic score for a receiver. Yet thanks to his 1950 return yards, kick returner Dante Hall’s total is even higher: 274.6 points, tops among all WRs given these settings.

Nonetheless, in many such leagues where return men should be among the top scorers at the WR position, KRs such as Hall, Detroit’s Reggie Swinton or Houston’s JJ Moses remain available well into the late rounds as drafters rely on cheat sheets designed for other scoring systems, allowing shrewd owners to pick up tremendous bargains.

The botom line is this: know your league’s rules inside out before you sit down at the draft table. And if other owners haven’t done their homework, feel free to take them to the cleaners.