Long term(This year) and short term(next 6 weeks):
Short Term I am hoping gary but want to know what other people think to help my strategy. Long term I am going to say Stacy Mack but thats just off a whim.
If you're drafting now, one of the best sleepers might actually be James Stewart (did I actually just say that? ). Everyone is avoiding him like the plague right now, yet he may only miss three weeks and step right back in as Detroit's starter...
Not a sure thing, of course, but not a bad gamble if he slips in the draft.
If Gary comes in to Detroit strong though then Stewart might be coming back in to a RBBC situation. No team is going to take a player that is performing well and throw them on the bench just because Stewart is no longer injured... I think they will end up spliting time. That didnt stop me from picking Gary up though because I need another decent back right now.. so I hope he meets that sleeper for the first 4-6 weeks part.
Honestly, I think the best value pick at RB right now is Amos Zereoue. He has won the starting job, and yet everyone is avoiding him because Bettis is still around. Amos started 4 games and went over 100 yards in three of them. Sure, Bettis could steal some TDs, but Amos is valuable as a runner and receiver. I think he is the biggest sleeper this year.
Short term - Zereoue. I think Bettis will play sparingly in the next 6-10 weeks while Zereoue does go for 100+yds a game. As the season wears down, look for Bettis to make a strong move for PIT - hes gonna be nasty when hes fully healthy and its week 14 running at broken and tired Ds.
Long term - O. Smith. Give him some time to learn the blocking schemes and this kid could make everyone say Moe who? MIN does not want to use a different back for goaline situations because of CPepp, and if Smith progresses the way I think he may, they wont need one.
I don't know how much of a sleeper either of these guys is, but I'd still look to see if Correll Buckhalter and Kevin Faulk can be had in your league. How many times has a player held out and not be ready for the regular season and gotten hurt? I wouldn't be surprised if that happened to Staley. Kevin Faulk will produce well in a league that counts receptions as is, but I can see him gaining confidence and easing out the underachieving Antowain Smith.
I wouldn't really consider Amos a sleeper since I keep seeing him go around the 4th or 5th. Toefield is my sleeper because he can probably be had on the ww.