These players were undervalued in 2007, but hopefully you didn’t sleep on them:

Quarterbacks

Packers QB Brett Favre – retirement? Ha! Favre proved that age is just a number and was a pleasant surprise to those who drafted him late or picked up him off waivers. How does 4,155 pass yards and 28 TDs sound?

Browns QB Derek Anderson – After being named starter once Charlie Frye proved ineffective, Anderson threw for 328 yards and five touchdowns in week two against the Bengals. He finished the season with 3,787 yards passing and 29 TDs. He tended to not be picked up by many after his initial breakout game, but by the end of the season he was owned in most leagues. He is a prime example of a relative unknown player making an impact on fantasy football.

Jaguars QB David Garrard – It was announced right before the start of the season that Garrard would replace Byron Leftwich as starter in Jacksonville and he was quietly efficient all year long. He threw only 3 interceptions the entire season and had a QB rating of 102.2. He was a late season pickup, mostly, but he paid dividends for those who did get him: in weeks 13-16, he threw for 2 or more TDs in each game.

Running Backs

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson – questions surrounded the rookie after a college career that featured several leg injuries. His average draft position was mainly in the 4th round of most fantasy drafts, despite his rookie status and his past injuries. An injury by Chester Taylor in week one opened the door for more carries by Peterson. He had his breakout game October 14, 2007 against Chicago where he rushed for 224 yards and 3 TDs. He ended up with two games of over 200 yards rushing. The year end awards he garnered included the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and the AP Rookie of the Year.

Jaguars RB Fred Taylor – in some ways an afterthought after a breakout season by Maurice Jones-Drew in 2006, Taylor overperformed in 2007 despite the presence of Jones-Drew. He rushed for over 100 yards per game in the final 5 weeks of the season, scoring in all but one of those games.

Browns RB Jamal Lewis – Lewis was another running back who was able to surprise despite the calls that he was too old. With an ADP of about 5.08, he was a value at the position. He ended up posting 1,304 yards and 9 rush TDs.

Bills RB Marshawn Lynch – he looked poor in the preseason which hurt his value but he played almost his entire rookie season and ran hard doing it. He ended up as a very good #2 back and a great #3/flex option for those who drafted him around the 4th round. His final stats were 1,115 yards rushing and 7 rushing TDs.

Raiders RB Justin Fargas – questions loomed at the beginning of the season as to who would be the Oakland rusher to draft – LaMont Jordan or Dominic Rhodes? Jordan started the season off strong, then cooled off. Coupled with his injury, Fargas was given the opportunity to shine. He was mainly an upside/#3 type back who rushed for over 100 yards in 3 games over the second half of the season including 4 rush TDs.

Packers RB Ryan Grant – another beneficiary of injury, Grant became a factor once DeShawn Wynn, Brandon Jackson and Vernand Morency were all sidelined by injuries. Grant came in and was an instant revelation, rushing for 104 yards in the October 29, 2007 game versus the Denver Broncos. He also scored every week during the last six weeks of the season.

Buccaneers RB Earnest Graham – Graham benefitted from injuries to Carnell Williams and Michael Pittman. Graham scored TDs in 6 straight weeks from weeks 9-15.

Wide Receivers

Patriots WR Randy Moss – many thought he was washed up after a poor tenure at Oakland and then being signed by New England. All it really took was for him to be on a good team and in a positive environment. Moss flourished in 2007 and returned to fantasy prominence with a whopping 1,493 yards receiving and a record 23 TD receptions.

Browns WR Braylon Edwards – a third year receiver who came into his own in 2007 combined with the play of Derek Anderson propelled Edwards into stardom. He typically did something of note every week and finished the season with 1,289 receiving yards and 16 reception TDs.

Falcons WR Roddy White – after Michael Vick went to jail, no one thought there would be any players in the pass game in Atlanta worthy of starting. So no one really picked up or drafted Roddy White – until he started producing. And produce he did, proving to be an excellent flex/#3 WR for those smart enough to get him. He ended the season with 1,202 yards receiving and 6 TDs.

Broncos WR Brandon Marshall – coming into the season, there was little doubt that Marshall aka “Baby T.O.” would improve in his second year. But with Javon Walker’s injury early in the season, he was thrust into a starting role and he responded, finishing with 1,325 yards and 7 TDs.

Patriots WR Wes Welker – like Randy Moss, Welker benefitted from the offensive juggernaut that was the Patriots version 2007. Welker was one of the top WR pickups of the season; this from the third WR in this offense. He ended the season with 1,175 yards and 8 TDs.

Ravens WR Derrick Mason – if you were in a points per reception (PPR) league, Mason was one of the top WRs in all the land. He had 103 receptions by seasons’ end, more than 6 catches per game on average. His final stats: 1,087 yards and 5 TDs.

Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe – with much of the defensive attention in the passing game on Tony Gonzalez, someone had to step up. And that someone was Dwayne Bowe. He had some stinker games thrown in, but he still finished with 995 yards and 5 TDs.

Steelers WR Santonio Holmes – the epitome of an “upside” play, he tended to be hit or miss throughout the season but he had some monstrous games including a 128 yard, 2 TD performance against Arizona on September 30, 2007.

Packers WR Greg Jennings – like Brandon Marshall, another 2nd year receiver that improved vastly in his sophomore campaign. Targeted by Brett Favre early and often, he had excellent production given all the other mouths to feed on this offense. His final numbers include 920 receiving yards but also 12 TDs.