Sleeper Watch

Charlie Frye’s name was bandied about before the draft as a potential successor to Brett Favre in Green Bay, but that scenario fell through in a flash when Aaron Rodgers was still on the board at #24. Instead , Frye is headed for Cleveland, who plucked him with the third pick of the third round (67th overall). Most likely, the young quarterback will spend his rookie campaign on the sidelines while Trent Dilfer guides the offense, but Frye could be worth a look in dynasty leagues.

For one thing, he’ll cost you a whole lot less on draft day than, say, number one pick Alex Smith. And even though he slipped to the third round, Frye offers quite a bit of upside. In four seasons at Akron, he compiled 11,049 passing yards with an impressive 63.6% completion percentage. He tossed twice as many TD (64) as he threw interceptions, and also displayed a willingness to scramble, running for 619 yards and 19 touchdowns during his collegiate career. His determination and toughness impressed quite a few scouts, and should help him make the transition to the NFL game. If he has a weakness, it’s his arm strength; don’t expect any comparisons to Daunte Culpepper anytime soon.

Thanks to his draft position and the unlikelihood that he’ll receive considerable playing time this season, Frye probably won’t draw much attention in fantasy drafts this year. But if you can afford to spend a roster spot on a player who won’t pay immediate dividends, he might not be a bad investment for the future in dynasty leagues, especially with Braylon Edwards, the draft’s top wide receiver, ready to make some noise in Cleveland’s offense.